Hinsdale Central headed to state semifinals

With one amazing flick off the head of Tierney Burchett, Hinsdale Central was state-bound for the first time in 20 years.

The senior’s header, which came with her back to the goal, found the left-side of the net with 24 seconds remaining in the second overtime and gave the Red Devils a 2-1 win over Naperville Central in the Class 3A Benedictine Supersectional Monday. The game-winner was set up by a 50-yard line-drive free kick from Katie Schaller.

With the victory, the squad advanced to today’s state semifinals where they will take on Sandburg at 5 p.m. at North Central College in Naperville. Fremd and Hoffman Estates make up the other side of the bracket.

“I tried to flick it for someone else to be on the end of it,” Burchett said. “Usually I flick it and sometimes it does go in. I turned around and I saw the goalie dive and it went in. It was crazy.
“We worked so hard to get here and we can’t contain our excitement.  I couldn’t be any more happy. This means so much and hopefully we get the best outcome (at state) we can.”

Things looked bleak at the outset for Hinsdale Central (17-3-2), which watched as the Huskies dominated the play in the opening half and held the Red Devils to just one shot at goal that came with seven minutes remaining before intermission.

Naperville North got on the board 13 minutes into the contest when Rycke Guiney cashed in on a rebound that was set up by a shot off a cornerkick. The Huskies had a couple of golden opportunities to extend the margin but missed the goal completely on a pair of point-blank chances.

“We have not gotten off to good starts,” said Hinsdale Central head coach Skip Begley. “We were down 2-0 to Lyons Township (in the sectional semifinal). I don’t know what it is. But after we got down 1-0, we didn’t panic. Give the kids credit, they think we can win.”

Hinsdale Central picked up the energy level after halftime and cracked the scoreboard five minutes into the stanza when Lee Battaglia converted a rebound off another free kick from Schaller.

“Coach Begley always talks about following free kicks,” said Battaglia, who returned to the team this spring after playing strictly club a year ago. I did what he says and followed the free kick.
“This is amazing. I don’t remember the last time it (making it to state) happened but it feels great. I never doubted this team once. We’ve been driven the whole year.”

Adding to the intrigue of the Red Devils being one of just four teams still playing in Class 3A is the fact that the squad had single digit victories a year ago and went just 1-5 in the West Suburban Silver conference.

“For a fat, old man, it feels good,” Begley added. “We talked (before the game) about being champions. We were the champs at Downers Grove South (tournament), then conference champs, regional champs, sectional champs and now supersectional champions.

“Our kids paid their dues. This is the same group who won seven games last year and we added Lee and Tierney. It is pretty impressive to think how they came back.”