This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Sports

Defending State Champs Win Regional Final

Waubonsie Valley edges out Downers Grove South in regional final.

Until recently, Jenna Romano had no idea she had the strength to score from over 40 yards out.

She does now, much to Downers Grove South’s chagrin.

Romano scored a goal on one long free kick and set up another using the same method, allowing the girls soccer team to knock off Downers South 2-1 Friday in the Class 3A Bolingbrook Regional championship game.

Find out what's happening in Napervillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

It is the fifth straight regional title for the Warriors (17-5), who have won 10 straight games and 14 of their last 15 as they shoot for their second straight state championship and fourth in the past five years.

Romano had scored on a long free kick in Waubonsie’s 3-0 regional semifinal win over Bolingbrook, so she knew exactly what she was going to do when the Warriors were awarded a 44-yard free kick with 15:40 left in the first half.

Find out what's happening in Napervillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The sophomore’s intentions just happened to coincide with the scouting report on how to solve Downers South’s tough defense, though Romano claimed not to have heard about it.

“I did not know whatsoever, but in the game before I (scored on) the exact same free kick, so I guess I just built some confidence (with) that goal, just because I knew I could strike it that far,” Romano said. “I just imagined the goal in my head and then just went for it.”

Romano’s strike, her sixth goal of the season, went off the fingertips of Downers South freshman goalie Katelyn Laraia and just under the crossbar. It continued the Mustangs’ season-long trouble stopping high balls.

“Everybody knows that you send the ball high up against us and it’s going in and that’s the difference in the game at this level,” Downers South coach Barry Jacobson said. “It’s a one-goal game and (if) we give them 45-yard free kicks game after game, you can’t win.

“They’re a good team. They knew what to do. We knew it was coming. We just can’t stop it. That’s what we were afraid of.”

Romano burned the Mustangs (18-4-1) again early in the second half with another free kick, though this time it wasn’t a high ball. Romano boomed a 42-yard free kick deep into the Downers South box, where the ball bounced off a defender and was pounced on by Waubonsie freshman Kristen Dodson, who turned and fired a four-yard shot inside the left post to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead.

“It just kind of popped out and I saw an opportunity,” Dodson said. “No one was going to the ball so I just (got it).”

Dodson said the Warriors wanted to score some more goals in order to feel safe, but they never did. In fact, the Mustangs controlled much of the action, especially in the midfield, and outshot the Warriors 21-7.

But Downers South wasn’t able to find the back of the net until 6:33 remained in the contest. That’s when Jessica Bronke blasted a 47-yard free kick toward the Waubonsie net.

Senior goalie Jordan Myers came out to catch the ball but dropped it, and Downers South senior Keri Kujawa was there to bury the rebound and give her team hope.

That, however, was to be the Mustangs’ final shot on goal and the only error made by Myers, who played perhaps the best game of her career. She finished with 10 saves to backstop defenders Mary Wright, Kerri Skotnicki and Michelle Filipek, who were under siege for long stretches.

“Our defense is beyond amazing, to be honest,” Romano said. “I think they play a huge role in the game, especially because we have a small team. (The Mustangs) are all really tall and they’re good in the air. I think we kept hold of them pretty well.

“I think (Myers) is just picking it up every single game, making more saves than we thought she probably could. I think she saved our butts most of the time, so she’s definitely doing really good.”

Romano will get no argument from Jacobson, whose squad lost its leading scorer, freshman striker Stephanie Zurales, to a knee injury with 12:33 to go in the first half.

“It comes down to goalkeeping,” Jacobson said. “Their kid made some nice plays; ours didn’t.

“We had a great season. We’re proud of our kids. They played hard.”

Waubonsie advances to the semifinals of its own sectional, where it will host Neuqua Valley (23-0), which beat Benet 1-0, on Tuesday.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?