Possession and effective passes on offense enabled Woodstock to erase a one-goal deficit and surge ahead during a pivotal Kishwaukee River Conference boys soccer match against Richmond-Burton.

Junior midfielder Giovanni Hernandez played an integral role in both of those areas, scoring the equalizer late in the first half before notching the go-ahead assist early in the second half. Despite conceding eight corner kicks to the Rockets, Woodstock stepped up in the back third and scored over the final minutes to seal a 3-1 win on the road.

“We possessed the ball well,” Hernandez said. “Our coach was telling us good things. We’ve been talking with each other and it’s a good confidence builder.”

Woodstock (5-3, 4-0 KRC) and Richmond-Burton (5-3-1, 1-1 KRC) each entered Wednesday’s match unbeaten in conference play. The Blue Streaks had the edge in possession early on, but the Rockets kept the match scoreless with key defensive stops including a diving save in the ninth minute from junior goalkeeper Easton Wold.

Wold finished with six saves for the Rockets, who earned four corner kicks within the first 15 minutes and put a shot on goal in the 17th minute that ricocheted off the left post and out of play. Richmond-Burton came through in the 26th minute, when a corner kick from midfielder Brayden Mumbower led to a header by defender Nate Larson that Woodstock goalkeeper Luisangel Camacho deflected to sophomore midfielder Will Gardner, who rolled the ball into the net.

“We certainly showed we can play toe-to-toe with them,” Richmond-Burton coach Casey DeCaluwe said. “We don’t define ourselves by this game at all and our goals are definitely postseason-oriented. We’re a 1A team and we learn by playing these 2A teams. In our room, we’ll watch the film, we’ll learn from it and we’ll be a better team.”

Trailing 1-0, Woodstock found the equalizer in the 38th minute, when midfielder Diego Najera Mercado initiated a run through the middle before dishing the ball off to Hernandez, who booted a right-footed shot into the Richmond-Burton net. The Blue Streaks gained the lead after a foul led to a free kick by Hernandez, who found sophomore forward Ivan Shoulders for the go-ahead goal in the 45th minute.

“Every game has been a challenge for us and we’re a young team,” Woodstock coach Santiago Rubio said. “At halftime, we talked about how we weren’t us in the first half... We told the kids to calm down, just play and enjoy the game. I’m really proud of how, when we needed it and when we were against the wall, we were ourselves.”

Outside of yellow cards on Richmond-Burton’s Johann Boentges in the 49th minute and Hernandez in the 70th minute for contact with the opposing goalkeepers inside the box, most of the second half was a battle for possession. Seeking a game-tying goal, Richmond-Burton had a chance in the 74th minute, but a cross into the box was shot well over the Woodstock net and out of play, resulting in a goal kick.

“We weren’t clinical in the final third,” DeCaluwe said. “In the first half, I thought we were the better side, but we gave one up late and the momentum shifted in the locker room. We conceded again coming out of the locker room and those are times where we can’t give up goals. We had to make a change to try and get another goal, but having three players in the back made us susceptible for a goal.”

Woodstock effectively clinched its victory in the 75th minute, when a long punt from Camacho led to a breakaway chance for forward Eric Jacinto, who dribbled through the Richmond-Burton defense and assisted sophomore forward Luca Kozlow to give the Blue Streaks a two-goal advantage. Camacho compiled nine saves for Woodstock, while Mumbower led Richmond-Burton with five shots on goal.

“This group is really strong,” Rubio said. “Our strength is in the group and everyone has a role on the team. Every game, I have different players who step up. We have a deep roster and I’ve been with our juniors since they were freshmen. They’ve really been working on the possession style of play and I’m really proud of them.”