Normal shuts out Streamwood

Streamwood has ridden a dream season on a platform of toughness, intensity and resilience.

But in a brief moment, the emotional edge turned.

The team’s best defender, senior Christian Balbino, was issued a red car disqualification in the 48th minute after he made contact with Normal goalie Josh Millmore that drove him to the ground.

Already trailing, the moment further doomed the Sabres’ upset bid as the undefeated Ironmen took advantage of the diminished side and cruised to the 4-0 Class 3A state semifinal victory Friday night at Hoffman Estates.

Normal (23-0-2) scored two goals in each half to advance to the state championship game on Saturday.

Junior forward Alex Gordon chipped in a ball in the 23rd minute. Senior midfielder Mason Maier, who assisted the first goal, scored in the 30th minute for Normal.

“They just seemed to want it more than we did,” Streamwood coach Matt Polovin said. “Offensively it seemed like we couldn’t connect passes. Defensively they pretty much smothered us most of the game.”

Streamwood (17-6-1) finally managed a couple of shots early in the second half. Freshman forward Rafael Gill played two balls, one that hit off the football crossbar, and another the left post.

Then the incideent in the Normal goal changed everything.

“I don’t think the referee saw the play the way it happened,” Polovin said.

“In that situation, being a man down, we still threw everything we could at them, but right after that they scored the third goal and that just took a huge chunk out of our sails there.”

A sideline official said the red card was issued for “violent conduct,” against Balbino. The Streamwood defender disputed that.

“I don’t know how to say it for the newspapers,” he said.

Polovin said Millmore initiated the contact and was grabbing Balbino.

“All I did was smack his hand away to get him off of me, and the referee was looking in the other way and the linesman must have said something to him.

“I was just doing my job.”

The action developed out of a re-start with Streamwood awarded a corner kick. Normal cleared the ball, leading eventually to a breakaway that midfielder Ryan Woodside finished inside the box in the 53rd minute.

“Their scores were all a result of our defensive breakdowns,” Polovin said.

Normal shut down Sabres’ star forward Alan Camarena, the Sabres’ leading scorer with 23 goals and 12 assists.

“We knew they were a team that going to try and attack us offensively and put pressure on us end to end,” Gordon said.

“We got that first goal and just wanted to build on from that.”

Normal’s leading scorer Eddie Plesha scored in the 75th minute.

Streamwood is looking to finish better in the state tournament than the three-way tie for fourth of the Upstate Eight River division.

“We have a young team, a great future for the program,” Balbino said.