Harvard accomplished one of its season goals Monday night when it defeated Woodstock North 5-1 to win the Kishwaukee River Conference Tournament.

The Hornets wanted to win the regular season and tournament titles, and they did it in commanding fashion, not losing a KRC match this season.

“To be able to accomplish it, we’re really happy,” Harvard coach Victor Gonzalez said. “Now we can move on and focus on preparing for the postseason.”

Harvard took a 1-0 lead in the first half Monday when Pablo Mercado scored on a free kick. David Aquino scored two second-half goals, while Marco Herrera and Javier Rivera each added goals. Goalkeeper Ricardo Flores made three saves.

The Hornets also defeated Johnsburg and Richmond-Burton to win the first conference tournament. The KRC only played one regular-season conference match this season, which Gonzalez said motivated his team to play perfect in conference matchups.

“Every game mattered and had a little bit more intensity,” Gonzalez said. “I think our kids were able to show that.”

Harvard will try to get healthy before it starts the playoffs Oct. 18. Martin Quintero suffered a high ankle sprain against Rockford East on Sept. 22 and Gonzalez hopes he can get back on the pitch before the postseason begins after building momentum with a tournament win.

“It was a good step forward a week before we start postseason play,” Gonzalez said.

Crystal Lake Central tries to put it all together

Jay Schwarzrock knows Crystal Lake Central can play a complete game because the Tigers coach saw his team do it a couple weeks ago.

The Tigers have been streaky this season, starting the season without a loss in their first seven matches before losing four straight and winning another three in a row. Central’s Sept. 27 loss to Dundee-Crown was the first of two straight before the Tigers regrouped Saturday to down Huntley 3-2 in double overtime.

Schwarzrock saw what he wanted in the team’s loss to D-C.

“I was really happy with our poise and composure,” Schwarzrock said. “We communicated, not as best as we could, that was the surprising part. We communicated as much as we could, and I think it’s a testament to the boys starting to understand the system in what we’re trying to do defensively.”

The Tigers didn’t panic when the Chargers overloaded one side in their match and didn’t expose the middle of the field to slow down the pace of the match. Now it’s putting everything together as Central winds down the rest of the regular season heading into the playoffs.

“It’s connecting those dots,” Schwarzrock said. “We need to become better passers, we need to make that extra pass that gets our guys open.”

Dundee-Crown’s defense clicking

Dundee-Crown has figured something out defensively in its past five matches.

After the Chargers allowed St. Charles East to score five goals against them Sept. 17, D-C hasn’t allowed more than a goal in each of its past five matches, including three straight shutouts last week against Crystal Lake Central, McHenry and Harvard.

“I think we’ve started to click,” D-C coach Rey Vargas said. “The guys are doing a really nice job of movement into the attack when needed and back on defense on a counter. They slow things down for us to get back up and behind the ball. That’s all you can ask.”

Tight Fox Valley Conference race

The Fox Valley Conference title will come down to the final matches next week.

Dundee-Crown enters Tuesday’s action leading the conference standings with a 6-0 FVC record, ahead of Huntley (5-1), Crystal Lake South (4-1) and Prairie Ridge (4-2). The Chargers will finish conference play against Prairie Ridge on Tuesday, Huntley on Thursday and Jacobs on Oct. 11. Dundee-Crown already has beaten South.

The Red Raiders host Hampshire on Tuesday before traveling to D-C on Thursday and hosting Crystal Lake South on Oct. 11. The Gators travel to McHenry on Tuesday, host Prairie Ridge on Thursday before playing Huntley on Oct. 11 and Hampshire on Oct. 13.

The Wolves end their regular season against Crystal Lake Central Tuesday.

Final postseason seeds released

The IHSA announced the Class 2A and 3A seeds for the upcoming playoffs.

Crystal Lake South earned the No. 3 seed in the Class 2A Grayslake Central Sectional and will play the winner of Antioch/Lakes on Oct. 18 in its own regional. Crystal Lake Central earned the No. 6 seed and will play Deerfield on Oct. 19 in the Gators’ regional. The regional final will take place on Oct. 21.

Cary-Grove was slotted at No. 16 and will play North Chicago in the Carmel Regional quarterfinals on a date to be announced while Prairie Ridge earned a No. 9 seed and will play Carmel on Oct. 18. The Carmel Regional final will be on Oct. 21.

Harvard earned the No. 7 seed and will play No. 12 Woodstock in the Class 2A Harvard Regional on Oct. 18 while No. 14 Woodstock North will play Vernon Hills the game day. The Harvard Regional final is set for Oct. 21.

Burlington Central was seeded No. 7 in the Class 2A Glenbard South Sectional and will host top-seed Boylan Catholic on Oct. 18 in its own regional. The Burlington Central Regional final will be on Oct. 22.

Huntley earned the No. 3 seed in the Class 3A Hampshire Sectional and will play South Elgin on Oct. 18 in the South Elgin Regional while No. 11 Hampshire will take on Larkin the same day. The regional final will be held Oct. 22.

D-C was seeded No. 5 and will play Jefferson in the Harlem Regional and No. 10 Jacobs will take on Guilford in the Jacobs Regional on Oct. 18 while No. 8 McHenry plays Grant in the Auburn Regional on Oct. 19. All three regional finals will take place Oct. 22.