Spartans kick out E-Rabs
By JON STYF
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jstyf@daily-chronicle.com
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| Sycamore’s Joshua Gulke (center) splits Rockford East’s Max Bautista (left) and goalkeeper Alonzo Rodriguez to assist on a goal by teammate Jon Pevonka (not pictured) during the second half of a Class 2A Belvidere Regional semifinal match Wednesday. Sycamore won, 7-1. (Marcelle Bight -- For the Daily Chronicle) |
BELVIDERE – Sycamore didn't wait around to let things get interesting.
Instead, the top-seeded Spartans attacked early, scoring in the match's first five minutes before rolling to a 7-1 win over Rockford East to open the Class 2A Belvidere Regional on Wednesday afternoon.
It was senior captain Mark Persson who opened the scoring just more than four minutes in. Persson then scored the Spartans' second goal before reaching a hat trick to go with an assist.
"It just boosted our confidence to get a goal so quickly," Persson said. "We could kind of lighten the mood. Everyone played well and we passed the ball better against a weaker team.
"It was nice to have a chance to distribute a little."
Andrew Wallace added a pair of first-half goals and an assist while Jon Pevonka and Josh Gulke added second half goals for the Spartans (9-10-3).
Sycamore jumped out to a 4-0 lead and from there was able to coast with its reserves in the match.
"We knew going in that Rockford East has had some struggles," Sycamore coach Dave Lichamer said. "We wanted to not get just one but get a couple because we didn't want anything coming back on us with them scoring and then sitting back on defense."
Now the Spartans move on to face Belvidere North in Friday's 4 p.m. regional final as they hope to win their first regional title since 2005. In 2004, they finished second in the state after a four-overtime loss to Peoria Notre Dame in the state final match.
Persson and his teammates remember what that success was like and hope to get a little taste of it again Friday.
"It would be a great thing because we had all that success earlier on but recently we haven't been able to go very far in the playoffs," Persson said. "It would be great for the program as a whole."
