Soccer team wins Pekin tourney

The Illinois Valley Central soccer team and its nine seniors are ready to make a run for the State title, and they proved it by winning the Pekin Invitational this weekend.

This year’s group of Ghosts is led by the senior class of Blake Smith, Jason Batek, Cole Wilton, Brad Schreiner, Tyler Hoffman, Jared Carroll, Matt Welch, Braden McIntyre and Austin Wilhelm.

“The senior class is going to dictate whether we have a good year or not,” coach Pat Sell said. “If they carry themselves well and are leaders, then we should have a good season. If not, then we may be in for a long year.”

Helping out the senior class is a group of underclassmen that will be seeing their first varsity experience.

“I think our underclass group is a pleasant surprise,” Sell said. “We have juniors who will do a great job for us and who can make big contributions.”

The team started the season by dominating almost every team they saw.

The Ghosts started the week by hosting East Peoria Aug. 23.

“The team came out very well against a young East Peoria team,” Sell said. “We were able to play solid defense and score when the opportunities provided themselves. It was a good start to the season.”

Senior Braden McIntyre launched the game’s first goal in only five minutes into the game.

Eleven-minutes later, junior Alex Bernardi took an assist from junior Brendan Butler and put IVC up, 2-0.

After another three-minutes, junior Peyton Shaffer racked up another goal for IVC.

The Ghosts would score once more on their way to a 4-0 victory.

The Ghosts then headed to Ottawa Aug. 24 and left with a 1-0 victory.

Fourteen minutes into the game, Butler blasted in the game’s only goal.

Senior Blake Smith recorded three saves in the goal.

“In the Ottawa game, the team played hard and focused in a mentally draining game,” Sell said. “We had lots of opportunities, but could not finish.

“Defensively, Ottawa kept coming at us and we did a nice job preventing them from getting too many chances on goal.”

On Wednesday, the Ghosts hosted Limestone and again came out on the winning side of a 1-0 decision.

Senior Cole Wilton kicked in the only goal of the game, unassisted.

Smith made four saves for the game.

“In the Limestone game, we survived as a team,” Sell said. “We were physically drained after two games. We had to be mentally strong and focused.”

On Saturday, the Ghosts headed to Pekin and took first in the Pekin Invitational tournament.

In the fist game, IVC tied with Olympia at 0 and then with Illini Bluffs at 1-1 in the second game.

“In the Pekin Tournament, we went in knowing the defense would be solid and wondering who would step up and score goals,” Sell said. “We played solid defense in every game with only one mental lapse that cost us a goal in the Illini Bluffs game.

Going into the final game, we knew we had to beat Pekin to win the tournament.”

Senior Jason Batek kicked in the game’s only goal two-minutes into the second half and IVC beat Pekin to win the tournament.

“We played hard and physical to create opportunities throughout the first half, but failed to convert,” Sell said. “In the second half, we were rewarded a corner kick in the first five minutes and were able to put the ball in the back of the net.”

The Ghosts next play at 6 p.m. Thursday at home against Roanoke-Benson.

Last year, the team’s season ended when they lost to Peoria Christian in the Regional.

“The biggest thing we’re building on from the last two seasons is that we have won a lot of games in the regular season but didn’t put it together in crunch time,” Sell said. “We weren’t able to make it as far as we would have liked.”

To get further in the postseason, the Ghosts will be relying on the talents of their older players.

“I think experience will be our major strength,” Sell said. “I have five or six guys who have been on the varsity team since they were sophomores.”