Conant rallies to stun Geneva in PKs, captures sectional title

ST. CHARLES – Conant midfielder Ibuki Takahashi knew the sixth-seeded Cougars were unlikely to win a sectional championship this year.

Did he think it possible?

"To be completely honest, no," Takahashi said. "But I did have belief in the team.

"We ended the (regular) season really well. We started playing together really well and I had a strong feeling that we were going to make it far, but to make it this far is unbelievable."

Indeed, Conant's improbable run continues after the Cougars stunned top-seeded Geneva 2-1 on penalty kicks to win the Class 3A St. Charles North Sectional on Saturday.

It is the first sectional title since 2016 for Conant (14-8-2), which will host its own supersectional against Lane (15-2-4) at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

"It was just a gritty effort," Conant coach Jason Franco said. "We've got a lot of seniors on this team and sometimes that's irreplaceable, to have that will to win."

Takahashi is one of those seniors. He remained calm as the Cougars went to a shootout for the first time this season.

After senior forward Krystian Niziolek converted his penalty to give Conant a 3-2 lead after the fourth round, Geneva's fifth shooter hit the right post.

That gave Takahashi a chance to ice. In a real David versus Goliath scenario, he did.

The 5-foot-5 Takahashi stepped to the spot and ripped his shot past Geneva's 6-6 senior goalkeeper Tommy Rowoldt and into the lower right corner of the net to clinch the win.

"I was locked in," Takahashi said. "I was confident going to the right. I had full confidence in myself that it would go in."

So did his teammates.

"This guy is ice cold," Niziolek said. "(He felt) no pressure in this game.

"Every game he plays the same. This guy is the coldest guy on our team."

Franco has come to expect that from Takahashi.

"That's how he plays," Franco said. "He's just always Mr. Cool on the field, and we've trained penalties a lot, getting ready for this team.

"The guys stepped up and executed."

Rowoldt and his Conant counterpart, senior JD Becerril, each made one save in the shootout. The shot that hit the post proved crucial to sealing Geneva's fate.

This is the second straight year the Vikings (13-5-5) have been eliminated in a shootout. They were beaten in the regional final last year.

"It's tough," Geneva coach Jason Bhatta said. "A lot of these games are so tight.

"It's a heartbreaker but the boys have been amazing. The work that they put in, the soccer that we were playing. I couldn't ask for any more from them."

The Vikings took a 1-0 lead with 27:38 remaining in the second half when junior midfielder Ben Murphy scored off a free kick from senior defender Jackson Raby.

It appeared that lead would hold up, but Conant got the equalizer when senior midfielder Jimmy Cirbo headed home a 28-yard free kick from senior defender Danny Flores with 6:33 to go.

"We played great," Rowoldt said. "We just didn't get the result we wanted. Tough way to go out, but it can't take away the great season."

Conant's season is getting greater with each passing game. The Cougars took out the top two seeds to win the sectional.

"Sticking together is what's important," Takahashi said. "The stronger we are together, the stronger the team is going to be."