Coal City defeats Herscher to reach Class 1A sectional final

Coal City soccer players will return to the field this Friday to compete for a sectional championship. The team earned its spot in the Class 1A Manteno Sectional final by defeating Herscher 3-1 on Monday.

The match marked the final step for the Coalers in a tournament that included a regional victory over Beecher on Saturday. Coach Steven McCleary said he did not know the Herscher game would occur until after that Saturday win. He described the short turnaround as difficult, noting that he tried to avoid looking too far ahead.

“It sucks,” McCleary said. “I try not to look ahead too much because I’m superstitious, I guess.. We had a little walkthrough yesterday, nothing too much, just tried to get the scouting report out and work on everything we needed to work on.”

Coal City controlled the match despite the compressed schedule. Sophomore Nick Pfeiffer scored two goals. His first goal came in the ninth minute when he chipped the ball over the goalkeeper from near the Herscher back four. Pfeiffer scored again in the 70th minute after winning a possession near the penalty box and shooting the ball into the net.

Junior Carter Hollis added a third goal in the 72nd minute by converting a penalty kick. The goal secured the victory for Coal City, which had faced injuries and illnesses throughout the season.

Pfeiffer noted that he had been pulled up to the varsity team last year and watched the squad advance to the state finals. He said playing with his seniors this year felt good and that he hopes the team can return to that level of success.

“I got pulled up last year (to varsity) and watched my team go to state. That meant a lot to me,” Pfeiffer said. “But to be a starter and play with my seniors who I have been playing with my whole life, it’s felt good, and I hope we can go back.. This season has meant a lot to me.”

Herscher scored its only goal in the 74th minute. Freshman Isaiah Flores finished the play following a run by senior midfielder Jacob Benoit. Coach Hugo Hernandez said his team struggled to maintain possession against Coal City's direct style of play. He noted that his players capitalized on errors and stuck to their game plan.

This marks the second regional championship for Herscher under Hernandez. He took over the program two seasons ago, replacing long-time coach Alan High. Hernandez said the core group of seniors made the transition easier and that he will remember this team for the next 10 years. He described the seniors as one of the most decorated classes in program history.

Coal City will face Manteno at 4:30 p.m. Friday for the sectional title. The teams also met for a sectional championship last year, when Coal City finished third in the state finals.