Hawks to play for state title
Gibault players hold up their lucky piece of wood, simply named “Plank,” following Friday’s Class 2A semifinal win. (John Hooser photo)
The Gibault Catholic High School soccer team will be playing for the IHSA Class 2A state soccer title on Saturday.
The Hawks edged Wheaton Academy in an exciting semifinal game at Hoffman Estates on Friday, 2-1.
With his team trailing 1-0 at halftime, Karson Huels scored on a penalty kick to tie the game early in the second half. Ryan Swindle scored the game-winner late for Gibault. Huels leads the team in scoring this season with 18 goals and 10 assists.
Sophomore goaltender Connor Olson made eight saves for Gibault in yet another standout postseason performance.
Gibault (18-6-3) will battle Chicago’s Solorio Academy at 1 p.m. Saturday for the state title.
Under first-year head coach Darryn Haudrich, Gibault has not lost a game since its 2-1 defeat at Collinsville on Oct. 2.
This is the fifth straight year a team from Monroe County has played in the state tournament, with Gibault representing three of those appearances. The Hawks last won state in 2013 at the Class 1A level. Columbia won the Class 1A state title in 2014. Waterloo won the Class 2A state title in 2015. The Hawks placed third at state in Class 1A last year.
A win on Saturday would give Gibault its fifth state soccer crown. In addition to winning it all in 2013 under head coach Matt Reeb, the Hawks won three straight under legendary head coach Jim Corsi from 2005 to 2007.
