Crystal Lake South Defeats Washington to Reach State Soccer Final

The Crystal Lake South boys soccer team advanced to its fourth state championship game after defeating Washington 2-1 on Friday night at Guilford High School in Rockford. The victory ensures the top-seeded Gators will face No. 1 Peoria Notre Dame on Saturday in the Class 2A state title match.

For the senior players on the roster, this run represents the culmination of a multi-year effort to return the program to the summit of the state. The team enters the final game with an 18-5-2 record, while their opponents from Peoria stand at 21-1-3.

The path to the final began with a stalemate in the first half. Play was tight, with South registering two shots on goal compared to Washington's single attempt. The breakthrough did not come until the second half, when the game opened up slightly.

With 26:49 remaining on the clock, senior midfielder Will Prus delivered a free kick into the penalty area. The ball cleared three defenders and arrived at senior midfielder Zach Vallicelli. Vallicelli struck the ball with his right foot on a bounce, sending it past goalkeeper Oliver Wettstein to the far post. The goal, Vallicelli's first of the regular season, broke the deadlock. Prus was credited with his 25th assist of the season.

Coach Brian Allen, who is 291-144-37 in his 20th season at the school, noted that Vallicelli has practiced that specific strike regularly during training. "He's never hit one in a game, and what a game to make the big play," Allen said.

Senior forward Ethan Nawracaj extended the lead less than 10 minutes later. Winning a ball near the sideline, Nawracaj took a shot across the face of the goal. Wettstein made contact with the ball but could not stop it as it trickled into the net. Nawracaj, whose 23rd goal of the season gave the Gators a 2-0 lead with 17:39 left, described the play as an error in execution. "It was supposed to be a cross, not even supposed to be a shot," Nawracaj said.

Washington mounted a late offensive push, relying on long throw-ins to create chances. With 5:16 remaining, Wettstein ran upfield from his goal and scored a rebound shot past South goalkeeper Noah Dunteman, who made six saves. The goal narrowed the margin to 2-1.

South's defense, anchored by Kaleb Nunnally, Dennis Adusah, Parker Zilm, and Ryan Stell, held firm against the final surge. Nunnally emphasized the team's ability to control the ball in the closing minutes. "We won every ball after that, got every second ball after that," Nunnally said.

The Gators will face Peoria Notre Dame at 4:45 p.m. Saturday. This will be the third meeting between the two schools in a state final. South won the previous two encounters, in 2018 and 2023, to claim the state title.