Coal City advances to state soccer tournament

Coal City boys soccer players will compete in the IHSA Class 1A state tournament for the second consecutive year following a 3-1 victory over Rochester on Monday. The win in the Illinois Valley Central Supersectional matchup sends the Coalers, who finished the regular season with a 16-7 record, to Rockford for the state semifinals.

The team had to replace a dozen seniors who led the program to regional and sectional titles last season. Last year's squad finished third at the state tournament, a result that raised expectations for the 2026 group. The current roster managed to repeat as regional and sectional champions despite the loss of key personnel.

Carter Hollis opened the scoring with 19 minutes and 7 seconds remaining in the first half. He maneuvered through the Rochester defense and shot the ball, which deflected off a defender's foot into the net. Creed Macaluso added the second goal for Coal City with 1 minute and 33 seconds left before halftime.

Rochester responded quickly after the break. John Keller scored just 103 seconds into the second half, narrowing the deficit. The Coalers restored their lead later in the period when Dylan Fatlan passed the ball toward the far post from outside the box. Macaluso swept the ball out of the air with his left leg to score the decisive goal.

Goalkeeper Carter Nicholson helped the defense limit Rochester's scoring chances after the Rockets' lone goal. The team's depth allowed it to overcome the absence of five of its top seven goal scorers from the previous year. Several key defenders also graduated, creating gaps that younger players had to fill.

Juniors Louis Arteaga, Colten Lynn, and Jake Munsterman stepped into larger roles this season. Sophomores Nick Pfeiffer, Gavin Roudis, and Camden Schott also increased their contributions. Coach Steve McCleary noted that the program's culture has remained strong since he took over in 2016, a period that saw the team finish below .500 for 13 consecutive seasons prior to his arrival.

Hollis, who is on pace to lead the team in scoring for the second straight year, acknowledged the uncertainty at the start of the season. He recalled that the team was unsure if they could compensate for the lost experience. However, players who received varsity playing time during last year's playoffs have adapted well to the current roster.

"This year we thought we weren't going to go very far because we lost so much talent," Hollis said. "We still worked really hard and decided to go back [to state] again. We have a good program. Even in playoffs, we still pull people so they can get varsity experience in the playoffs and have those stressful situations so they can adapt. A lot of the players we pulled up last year are starters now, and they did really well."

Macaluso, a senior captain, expressed relief and excitement about the team's performance. He stated that the ups and downs of the previous season helped the group build opportunities this year. "Honestly, that was just my reflexes," Macaluso said regarding his second goal. "It felt unreal, and I didn't feel like it really happened to be honest. It was just so much joy."

The Coalers will face Alleman in the state semifinals at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. The match will be held at Guilford High School in Rockford. Macaluso hopes to finish his high school career with a state title, noting that the team aims to finish strong on offense and keep their defense clean.