Wildcats win shootout to get past Tigers for sectional championship

By Curt Herron

Neuqua Valley's players felt they turned in some of their best play of the season in the first half of Saturday's Class 3A Naperville North Sectional championship against Wheaton Warrenville South.

But that was of little consolation after the Tigers turned the tables on them by rallying from a 1-0 halftime deficit to force a 1-1 tie and then extended the match through four overtime periods.

The state's top-ranked team responded to the WW South challenge during the subsequent penalty kicks shootout, however, and as result their pursuit of a state championship remains alive.

Coach Tony Kees' Wildcats claimed a 4-2 advantage in penalty kicks and that proved to be the difference in their hard-fought 2-1 victory over WW South.

It was the third shootout victory of the year for the Wildcats (27-0-1), who previously beat Naperville North in the Best of the West and Geneva in the Pepsi Showdown on penalty kicks.

As a result, the Wildcats have now won 24 straight matches since defeating Naperville North in a shootout in a match that officially went into the books as a 2-2 draw.

Neuqua captured its third straight sectional championship and now meets Lyons Township (23-3) in Tuesday's 7 p.m. Benedictine University Super-Sectional in Lisle.

The Wildcats own a pair of victories this season over LT, which beat Hinsdale Central 3-2 in double overtime in the Hinsdale Central finals, which was played first at Naperville North.

Meanwhile, coach Guy Callipari's senior-heavy Tigers (20-5-2) came up just short in their quest for the program's first sectional championship since 2003.

Hear Neuqua Valley coach Tony Kees interview

In the shootout, Drew Bellmer connected to give the Tigers the early advantage but Bryan Ciesiulka responded with a goal for the Wildcats.

Ricky Munguia and Zach Kovacevic then exchanged scores to make things 2-2 after two rounds but WW South's fortunes began to change after that.

Andy Guerrero hit the crossbar and his attempt didn't go in while Nate Freed connected to give the Wildcats a 3-2 advantage.

And then in the final round, Neuqua keeper Jack Turanchik deflected an attempt by Manny Munguia while Patrick Doody scored to end things.

Hear Neuqua Valley's Jack Turanchik interview

Both squads had plenty of opportunities during the four 10-minute overtime periods that followed 80 minutes of regulation play.

In the opening session, Will Butler sent in a shot which hit a Tigers defender before going to keeper Derek Babb, who made the stop.

Tom Terlep set up one corner kick following a flip throw in while Keegan Balle forced another corner but neither opportunity developed.

In the final five minutes of the first overtime, Doody lined in a long attempt to Babb while Scott Davis fired in another shot that was deflected away.

WW South got things going in the second overtime as Alden Marton had a shot deflected by Turanchik and Nate Fuster later bounced a shot toward the net.

Balle later directed a free kick from midfield toward the net while Butler had a shot deflected and Doody saw his corner kick effort get punched away.

In the third overtime, Neuqua's Pat Kaindl had a shot cleared away by defender Will Huesing, whose squad also played four overtimes in the sectional semifinals.

Davis later had a short try deflected away and sent in a header that went just wide of the net before Tiger Colin Ringel was stopped on a long free kick.

The Tigers nearly ended things with just under two minutes left in the final overtime after Ringel's free kick went to Fuster, who headed a shot that hit the post.

Davis later got off a shot which Babb had to make a diving stop on and Bellmer had a free kick just outside of the box but Joe Bianucci's header went just wide.

Hear Neuqua Valley's Patrick Doody interview

The Wildcats put together a nearly perfect first half during which their possession game kept the Tigers from even collecting one shot on goal.

In the opening minutes, Cale Brown had an attempt deflected by Ringel and shortly after the half's midway point, another of his shots was headed away by Huesing.

Shortly after Butler sent an attempt to Babb, Ciesiulka found the net when he fired in a shot with 17:33 remaining before the halftime break.

Neuqua had two more chances in the final three minutes of the half but Davis sent a shot wide of the net and Kaindl put an attempt on that was stopped by Babb.

Hear Neuqua Valley's Bryan Ciesiulka interview

It was a different story during the next 40 minutes, however, as the Tigers quickly began to put pressure onto the net.

George Doran sent in a liner from close range less than four minutes into the new half and then Marton had a short shot stopped following a throw in from Fuster.

About six minutes into the second half Turanchik was hurt on a collision and he had to be briefly replaced by Hunter Hollingshead in the net.

Half a minute later, Bellmer greeted the backup keeper with a free kick that he hauled in and Turanchik resumed his duties shortly after that.

Marton had a shot deflected away by Turanchik sandwiched in between wide attempts from Ciesiulka and Doody for the Wildcats.

WW South finally connected with 23:12 left in regulation play as Ringel sent a long pass forward from the midfield and Marton headed in a short attempt.

There was a long lapse of scoring threats after that as the two squads went nearly 15 minutes without putting much pressure on the opposing net.

During the final 10 minutes of regulation, Doran and Bianucci had shots deflected away while Terlep had a liner that was stopped by a defender.

That set the table for the four extra periods and then the subsequent penalty kicks that decided the outcome of the dramatic match.

Wildcats starters vs. Tigers

Tigers starters vs. Wildcats

Wildcats 2, Tigers 1 (Penalty Kicks)

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