Scouts end Red Raiders’ dreams of state lacrosse

HUNTLEY – Huntley’s boys lacrosse team found itself in unfamiliar territory when the Red Raiders sought to upset Lake Forest and gain a state bid.

For the Scouts, the Hoffman Estates IHSA Super-Sectional match was like another day at the office and they handed HHS an 11-1 defeat May 31. The 17-win Huntley season came to an end following a Fox Valley Conference unbeaten season and a school first sectional championship.

“After losing last year at the sectional final, winning sectional meant everything to us,” Huntley coach Dominic Saccomanno said. “But being a school from not a hotbed of lacrosse makes it difficult to keep up their pace. They have “been here, done that,” but we haven’t. We hope to use this experience to build on for next year.”

Huntley’s lone goal came from one of 10 seniors, leading scorer Andrew Toman, early in the first quarter, for a 2-1 deficit. The Scouts kept the pressure on for three quarters before calling off the scoring early in the fourth.

The Red Raiders’ offense had led the team to post-season wins over Crystal Lake South, 10-1; a thrilling 10-8 victory over South Elgin and a 10-9 overtime triumph against Hampshire.

“We may have gotten away with some mistakes at the sectional final but not tonight,” Saccomanno said. “They were the favorites, about an 85 percent chance to win. I told the team that they had belonged, that they had to scout us the same as we scouted them.”

A group of 10 seniors – with five going on to college lacrosse, walked off the Hoffman Estates turf Tuesday, concluding their high school careers. They were Brady Mollsen; Jacpb Gehl; Zachary Niemasz; Jeremy Hollow, Dylan Gehl, Zachary Miller, Dylan Abordo, Ethan Phillips, Danni Binetti and Wesley Ptak.

At the other end of the stadium Tuesday, Huntley parents and students awaited the team, knowing just how far they had taken the Huntley program.