Columbia's 25-game unbeaten run ends on Cristo Rey's late goal in Class 1A state semifinal

HOFFMAN ESTATES — Columbia senior Hayes Van Breusegen's header appeared destined for the back of the net in the final minute during the first half of Thursday's Class 1A boys soccer semifinal game against Chicago Cristo Rey Jesuit.

Then seemingly out of nowhere Cristeros senior Liam Tapia came flying into the picture, heading it out of harm's way and keeping the game scoreless into halftime.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, missed opportunities like that one proved to be the theme of the night, as they surrendered a goal late in the second half to lose 1-0.

Columbia (24-4-1) hadn't lost since opening the season with losses in its first three matches. The Eagles will look to regroup and finish the season strong like they did last year when they were in this same situation. They'll face Mendota back at Hoffman Estates at 11:30 a.m. Friday and will look to bring home the third place trophy for the second straight year.

"We had a lot of shots on goal and a lot of missed opportunities," Van Breusegen said. "We hadn't lost in 25 games since the death of our teammate (sophomore Crawford Bryant) so this means more than a semifinal loss."

Bryant was killed in a car crash in early September.

"One game doesn't define us," Eagles coach Jamey Bridges said. "We've had an incredible year. We've played for a lot and we'll continue to do that (Friday), especially for our 12 seniors. I hate it for them because I feel we could have easily been up 4-0, 5-0 in the first half. I think they adjusted well on our throws."

Tapia was coping with a bum ankle but it didn't keep him from denying Van Breusegen. He acknowledged that luck was on his side.

"I just guessed," he explained. "I didn't really jump that much. My ankle is not helping me right now.'

Cristo Rey Jesuit (21-4-2) covered a long distance in a short time to score in the 71st minute.

Tapia, who had already played a huge factor in stopping a potential Columbia goal, helped set up the game winner by sending about a 40-yard pass through the center of the field where Miguel Puntos was able to catch up to it and then go 1v1 with Columbia goalkeeper Brady Hemminghaus.

"I saw (Puntos) running a little wide which means he's usually going to run forward and I read that and just sent that his way," Tapia said. "I believed in him at that moment."

Puntos juked his last line of defense.

"As soon as he reached for the other side, he moved to his right and he left the whole left open," Puntos said. "So he was too tall to chip over and too close to shoot so I took the opportunity to take it wide and saw the net wide open."

The Eagles outshot the Cristeros, 20-7, but were held scoreless for the first time since Aug. 31 and just third time all season.

"I think we kind of dominated the play throughout the game and dominated the other team, but didn't get the outcome we really wanted," Eagles junior defender Elliot Nelson said. "It really just comes down to one play that probably shouldn't have happened."