Truly magical night for Warren
| Rob Dicker~Sun-Times Media
Updated: October 28, 2011 9:09PM
In the end, the players celebrated like they’d just knocked off the defending state champions and snapped a national power’s 41-game winning streak and 48-game unbeaten streak.
Which is exactly what Warren’s boys soccer team did on Friday night in the finals of the Class 3A Barrington Sectional.
With an improbable 2-0 win over Rockford Boylan, the Devils punched their ticket to the Round of 8 super-sectional, right back at Barrington on Tuesday against either Schaumburg or St. Charles North.
Warren’s players will have days to prepare for either — especially St. Charles, which beat the Devils in September.
But Friday night was for celebrating together, which is exactly how they beat the heretofore unbeatable Boylan Titans.
Together.
“Our ultimate goal going back to the summer is one more game away,” said Warren coach Jason Ahonen of his team’s quest to make it to the Final Four state tournament. “Teams talk about goals, but to be able to reach them is something totally different.
“It’s easy to say you want something. But to put the work in day in and day out, not just this year but going back 10 years (youth soccer), is unimaginable.
“I’m ecstatic for these kids. I couldn’t be more pleased. We’ll go back to work tomorrow and get ready for Tuesday.”
There were heroes all over the pitch at Barrington, starting with Tony Severini, who scored in the 17th and 58th minutes.
Assists went to Alex Brunell on the first and Auner Solis on the second.
At the other end, keeper Brady Walsh made six saves, including two amazing stops on headers in the final seven minutes when Boylan was pushing everyone forward.
“I’ve been on varsity since I was a freshman, and this is one of the most memorable moments of my career,” said Walsh.
Amazingly, in four tourney games, Warren has pitched four shutouts.
“I can’t really explain it,” said Walsh of the lockdown play of the back line. “I want to say it’s team unity. Everyone knows where everyone else is. Everyone is communicating. I’m just sort of back there directing. Without them, we wouldn’t be here right now.”
Severini, who may have been the fastest player on the pitch, was the right man in the right spot at the right time twice.
“They’re so good, but we were playing so well and our defense was doing a great job keeping them out of the back,” he said.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game. We just wanted to come out and play strong. And we did.”
Warren lost 4-1 to Boylan (26-1-0) on this very pitch in the Barrington Invitational.
Two games later, the Devils (21-3-3) lost to St. Charles North — which means it could be payback time again on Tuesday.
“I think for most people, we’ve flown under the radar most of the year,” Ahonen said. “But no matter what happens from here on out, Boylan hadn’t lost for 48 games in a row, and now they have.”
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