Jun 03, 2009
Double-overtime win sends Lemont to IHSA Class 2A Girls Soccer State Finals

Lemont High Schools girls soccer program earned its first-ever trip to the IHSA State Finals on Tuesday, June 2, when it collected a thrilling 1-0, double-overtime win over University (Chicago) High School at the Benedictine University Super-Sectional in Lisle. The Indians
(20-5) advanced to the 2009 IHSA Class 2A Girls Soccer State Finals, which will be contested on June 5-6 at North Central College in Naperville.

Lemont and University High both served as the top seeds in their respective IHSA Sectionals, and the two battled to a scoreless tie after 90 minutes - 80 in regulation and 10 in the first overtime. Less than a minute into the second extra period, senior Tammy Contorno sent her team to the IHSA Class 2A State Semifinals when she found herself in space just after the opening kick and beat the Maroons charging goalkeeper with a shot to the lower left-hand side of the net.

Lemont will face Glenwood Chatham, the winner of the Springfield Super-Sectional, in the second IHSA Class 2A Semifinal match at approximately 1 p.m. on Friday, June 5. If the Indians win, they will play in the Class 2A State Championship at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 6. A loss in Fridays match will earn them a spot in the third-place match at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Tickets for the IHSA Class 2A State Finals are $6 and may be purchased at the gate at North Central College.

Head coach Rick Prangens team has progressed each of the last three seasons. Lemont fell in the Class 2A Sectional Finals to Lincoln-Way Central in 2007, and captured the programs first IHSA Sectional crown before coming up short in penalty kicks against Homewood-Flossmoor in the Class 2A Super-Sectional a year ago. Besides capturing IHSA Regional, Sectional and Super-Sectional titles this year, Lemont also won the South Suburban Conference-Blue Division crown.

The girls soccer program is the latest to represent Lemont High Schools athletic department in IHSA state finals competition this year. Other programs that have qualified for team competition this year include cheerleading (Medium Division State Champion), boys cross country (17th-Class 2A), girls cross country (16th-Class 2A), football (Class 6A Runner-Up), boys golf (6th-Class 2A) and wrestling (Class 2A Quarterfinalist).