[Note: This story was expanded and updated on Tuesday, Oct. 23.]

MONTICELLO — An inspired comeback attempt in the final 17 minutes fell short as the Uni boys soccer team lost to Teutopolis 3-2 in the rain-soaked Class A Monticello sectional championship game this afternoon.

"It was too little too late," said senior defender T.J. Bozada. "It was great that we kicked into high gear, but if we had been playing like that the entire time, it would have been no game."

Added senior goalkeeper Isaac Radnitzer: "I think there were several times the ball was just in front of the goal, and if we had just finished, it would have been a different game. It easily could have been us winning."

The loss ends the season for No. 2 seed Uni (13-9-1), while No. 5 seed Teutopolis (16-8-2) advances to the eight-team IHSA state tournament Friday at North Central College in Naperville.

"Both of the teams played very much alike," Uni head coach Philip Anders said. "It was a very nice game to watch on that level. Both teams managed space as a team very well. If you noticed at the start of the kickoff, their team was a good 20 yards in front of the penalty box. The entire team pushed up — a very attacking style, very similar to us. The things I think we had trouble with were just managing and possessing the ball in that space. They came strong at us like we came at them. We were trying to disrupt their possession as well as trying to keep it."

T-town scored 9 minutes into the game — the first goal Uni allowed in the playoffs. This was followed by another score with 15:28 left in the first half. The Wooden Shoes took the 2-0 lead into halftime, then extended their advantage to 3-0 in the 50th minute on senior Bryce Weber's second goal of the match.

"I think the first two goals were very similar in that the ball got behind our defense and they had some very tall people who won the ball in the air," Anders said. "Those were just mistakes in the box. The third goal they scored I think was probably more an effect of us pushing up and the counterattack."

But things turned around for the Illineks in the final 17 minutes, much to the delight of the many Uni supporters who had taken a fan bus to the game.

"These guys didn't want this to end," Anders said. "We know how to play."

Junior midfielder Carter Hutchens scored on a header off junior defender/midfielder Holden Bucher's corner kick to put the Illineks on the scoreboard with 16:49 left in the contest.

By this time, a light rain had turned into a heavy downpour. Despite the conditions, Hutchens' goal energized the Illineks, and they proceeded to play their best soccer of the afternoon.

When sophomore Dan Lilly narrowed the score to 3-2 with 7:52 remaining with an assist by junior Noel Knox, the momentum had clearly shifted. The once-confident T-town players were scrambling to hold off repeated Uni attacks spearheaded by senior forward/midfielder Jake Seeley.

However, the Illineks were unable to connect on the tying score as their season ended one game shy of the state tournament for the second consecutive year. In 2006, Uni lost to Warrensburg-Latham 2-1 in the sectional finals.

"I said at the beginning of the season we're going to work harder than any team that we play and we're going to learn how to possess the ball and move it around," Anders said. "In the final 17 minutes that's exactly what we did. We pushed the ball at them. I think they believed we were going to come back and tie this thing. I think we believed that. And we had our chances. But somebody's got to win, somebody's got to lose."

Radnitzer, who had 10 shutouts this season — three in the playoffs alone — made 11 saves, including eight in the first half. The Illinek offense had two shots on goal in the first half and four in the second.

"They're a big, physical team," Radnitzer said of Teutopolis. "They definitely like to use the outside cross — that works pretty well for them."

Radnitzer, Bozada, and Seeley were the only starters to return from last year's 17-4-1 sectional final team.

"It's a great two seasons I had," Bozada said. "Honestly they're not really any 'would'ves, could'ves.' So I really can't complain in the scope of all things Uni."

Said Radnitzer: "During our time here we had some of the winningest seasons at Uni, so it was good to be a part of that. We set a high bar."

Both seniors see only promising things ahead for the Illineks.

"Next year is going to be even better, if Nile [sophomore Nile Hamer] can get a handle on goalie," Bozada said. "They have pretty much all our starters and an excellent bench, so [there are] great things for Uni soccer to come."

Anders, too, is optimistic. He completed his first season as head coach of the boys team after doing the same for the girls team last spring.

"I've learned a lot," he said. "I'm an idealist, I'm an underdog."

That attitude came in handy at the start of the season when the prevailing attitude was that Uni would be in a rebuilding mode after losing eight starters from the team that set a school record for wins.

Instead, this edition of the Illineks made it just as far into the postseason as the stellar 2006 squad did.

"We didn't have the overall record last year's team had, but we learned a lot," Anders said. "And as far as I'm concerned, learning's the most important thing. If you have the ability to learn and adjust, you can do anything.

"These guys, at the end of the game I told them I'm very proud of them. We've seen the bigger fish, the team that beat us — we know what to aspire to. If we can take something away from that, then these guys are going to do great things. They're going to be just fine."

MORE PHOTOS: UNI VS. TEUTOPOLIS (CLASS A SECTIONAL TITLE GAME)

Sophomore Dan Lilly's goal wth 7:52 left in the game narrowed the score to 3-2 and thoroughly energized the Illineks and their fans. In this photo, Lilly begins his drive toward the Teutopolis net with junior Holden Bucher (10) in the background. Gargoyle photo (click to enlarge)

THE SEASON IN REVIEW

2007 BOYS SOCCER VARSITY RECORD: 13-9-1 overall, 3-1 East Central Illinois Conference
(home games listed in bold)

Aug. 25: Oakwood (Uni High Soccer Shoot Out), W 5-1

• Story: Illineks win first game of season-opening tournament
• Halftime score: Uni 2, Oakwood 1
• Uni goals: Dan Lilly 2 (season total: 2); Holden Bucher 1 (season total: 1); Sam Imlay 1 (season total: 1); Jake Seeley 1 (season total: 1)
• Uni assists: Sam Imlay 2 (season total: 2); David Hjelmstad 1 (season total: 1); Stephen Prochaska 1 (season total: 1); Jake Seeley 1 (season total: 1)
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 6

Aug. 25: Blue Ridge (Uni High Soccer Shoot Out), W 1-0

• Story: Sophomore's first varsity goal turns out to be game winner
• Halftime score: Uni 0, Blue Ridge 0
• Uni goal: Eddie Diazmunoz (season total: 1)
• Uni assist: Holden Bucher (season total: 1)
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 13

Aug. 25: Fisher (Uni High Soccer Shoot Out), T 1-1

• Story: Uni wins seventh consecutive Shoot Out title
• Halftime score: Uni 1, Fisher 1
• Uni goal: Eddie Diazmunoz (season total: 2)
• Uni assist: none
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 11

Aug. 28: at Judah Christian, L 5-0 *

• Story: Judah downs Uni
• Halftime score: Judah Christian 2, Uni 0
• Uni goals: none
• Uni assists: none
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 8
• JV game: Judah Christian 1, Uni 0

Aug. 30: Mahomet-Seymour, L 1-0

• Story: Mahomet-Seymour shuts out Illineks
• Halftime score: 0-0
• Uni goals: none
• Uni assists: none
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 18
• JV game: Mahomet-Seymour 3, Uni 1 (goal by Loic Hostetter, with assist by Eric Fritzsche)

Sept. 4: at Fisher, W 2-0

• Story: Illineks get back on scoreboard, defeat Fisher 2-0
• Halftime score: Uni 1, Fisher 0
• Uni goals: Stephen Prochaska 1 (season total: 1); Holden Bucher 1 (season total: 2)
• Uni assists: Holden Bucher 1 (season total: 2); Neil Pearson 1 (season total: 1)
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 5
• JV game: Fisher 4, Uni 2 (Uni goals by Richard Weisbach, with assist by Grant Loos; Loic Hostetter, with assist by Jasper Maniates-Selvin)

Sept. 6: Decatur Christian, W 3-0 *

• Story: Bucher leads Uni to 3-0 win
• Halftime score: 0-0
• Uni goals: Holden Bucher 2 (season total: 4); Jake Seeley 1 (season total: 2)
• Uni assists: Russell Prochaska 1 (season total: 1); Dan Lilly 1 (season total: 1); Seeley 1 (season total: 2)
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 3
• JV game: none

Sept. 8: Sullivan, W 2-0 (game called after first half due to lightning)

• Story: Uni wins game shortened by lightning
• Halftime score: 2-0
• Uni goals: Carter Hutchens 1 (season total: 1); Dan Lilly 1 (season total: 3)
• Uni assists: Jake Seeley 2 (season total: 4)
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 2
• JV game: none

Sept. 11: at Oakwood, L 2-1

• Story: Comets get payback, beat Illineks 2-1
• Halftime score: 2-1
• Uni goal: Jake Seeley 1 (season total: 3)
• Uni assist: Julian Hartman 1 (season total: 1)
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 11
• JV game: Uni 1, Oakwood 1 (unofficial match; Uni goal by Radnitzer)

Sept. 13: Iroquois West, W 4-0

• Story: Uni bounces back from Oakwood loss, shuts out Iroquois West
• Halftime score: 3-0
• Uni goals: Dan Lilly 2 (season total: 5); Jake Seeley 1 (season total: 4); Isaac Radnitzer (season total: 1)
• Uni assists: Carter Hutchens 1 (season total: 1); Julian Hartman 1 (season total: 2)
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 9
• JV game: none (intra-squad scrimmage)

Sept. 14: Schlarman, W 3-1

• Story: Hamer comes up big in first varsity game as Illineks down Hilltoppers
• Halftime score: Uni 2, Schlarman 1
• Uni goals: Dan Lilly 1 (season total: 6); Jake Seeley 1 (season total: 5); Holden Bucher 1 (season total: 5)
• Uni assists: Jake Seeley 1 (season total: 5); Dan Lilly 1 (season total: 2); Julian Hartman 1 (season total: 3)
• Uni saves: Nile Hamer 10
• JV game: Uni 2, Schlarman 1

Sept. 18: at Decatur Lutheran, W 4-0 *

• Story: Uni defeats Decatur Lutheran
• Halftime score: 3-0
• Uni goals: Dan Lilly 1 (season total: 7); Carter Hutchens 1 (season total: 2); Stephen Prochaska 1 (season total: 2); Sam Imlay 1 (season total: 2)
• Uni assists: Jake Seeley 2 (season total: 7); Sam Imlay 1 (season total: 3)
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 4, Nile Hamer 2
• JV game: none

Sept. 20: at Champaign Central, L 7-1

• Story: Central gets even for last year's upset
• Halftime score: Central 4, Uni 1
• Uni goal: Eddie Diazmunoz (season total: 3)
• Uni assist: Noel Knox (season total: 1)
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 25
• JV game: Central 4, Uni 0

Sept. 24: Warrensburg-Latham, L 2-0

• Story: Warrensburg-Latham's undefeated streak reaches 30 after downing Uni
• Halftime score: 0-0
• Uni goals: none
• Uni assists: none
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 15
• JV game: Uni 1, Warrensburg-Latham 1 (Uni goal by Noel Knox)

Sept. 29: at Urbana, L 5-0

• Story: Uni ends tough stretch by falling to Urbana
• Halftime score: Urbana 4, Uni 0
• Uni goals: none
• Uni assists: none
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 11
• JV game: Urbana 5, Uni 0

Oct. 2: at Tolono Unity, L 2-1

• Story: Unity upsets Illineks
• Halftime score: Uni 1, Unity 0
• Uni goal: Noel Knox (season total: 1)
• Uni assist: Jake Seeley (season total: 8)
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 7
• JV game: Uni 4, Tolono Unity 0 (Uni goals: Chris Mathy 3, Richard Weisbach 1)

Oct. 4: St. Thomas More, L 7-0

• Story: Illineks drop fifth straight
• Halftime score: St. Thomas More 6, Uni 0
• Uni goals: none
• Uni assists: none
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 4
• JV game: St. Thomas More 2, Uni 0

Oct. 9: Normal Calvary Baptist, W 5-0 *

• Story: Uni shuts out Normal Calvary Baptist, ends losing streak
• Halftime score: Uni 2, Normal Calvary Baptist 0
• Uni goals: Dan Lilly 2 (season total: 9), Carter Hutchens 1 (season total: 3), Jake Seeley 1 (season total 6), Holden Butcher 1 (season total: 6)
• Uni assists: Jake Seeley 2 (season total: 10), Alex Zhai 1 (season total: 1), Dan Lilly 1 (season total: 3)
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 5
• JV results: The junior varsity participated in the Monticello Tournament on Monday, going 0-2. The team lost to St. Thomas More 3-0 in its first match and 5-3 to Judah Christian in its second. In the Judah game, Noel Knox scored two goals and Jasper Maniates-Selvin one. Maniates-Selvin assisted on Knox's first goal; Loic Hostetter assisted on the other. Eric Fritzsche assisted on Maniates-Selvin's goal.

Oct. 11: Monticello, W 2-1

• Story: Uni ends regular season with win over Monticello; playoffs begin today
• Halftime score: Uni 1, Monticello 0
• Uni goals: Jake Seeley 2 (season total: 8)
• Uni assists: Dan Lilly 1 (season total: 4), Carter Hutchens 1 (season total: 2)
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 7
• JV game: Uni 1, Monticello 0 (Uni goal: Eric Fritzsche, assist by Richard Weisbach)

Oct. 12: Mt. Carmel, W 2-0 (Class A sectional first-round game)

• Story: Illineks open postseason with shutout victory, will host Monticello in sectional quarterfinals Tuesday
• Halftime score: Uni 1, Mt. Carmel 0
• Uni goals: Sam Imlay 1 (season total: 3), Julian Hartman 1 (season total: 1)
• Uni assists: Jake Seeley 1 (season total: 11), Sam Imlay 1 (season total: 4)
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 6
• JV game: none; playoff game (varsity only)

Oct. 16: Monticello, W 1-0 (Class A sectional quarterfinal game)

• Story: Uni advances to sectional semifinals
• Halftime score: Uni 1, Monticello 0
• Uni goal: Sam Imlay 1 (season total: 4)
• Uni assist: Dan Lilly 1 (season total: 5)
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 16
• JV game: none; playoff game (varsity only)

Oct. 19: Danville Schlarman, W 1-0 (Class A sectional semifinal game at Monticello; Uni was the home team as the higher seed)

• Story: Illineks one win away from state
• Halftime score: 0-0
• Uni goal: Noel Knox 1 (season total: 2)
• Uni assist: Holden Bucher 1 (season total: 3)
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 9
• JV game: none; playoff game (varsity only)

Oct. 22: Teutopolis, L 3-2 (Class A sectional final game at Monticello; Uni was the home team as the higher seed)

• Story: see above
• Halftime score: Teutopolis 2, Uni 0
• Uni goals: Carter Hutchens 1 (season total: 4), Dan Lilly 1 (season total: 10)
• Uni assists: Holden Bucher 1 (season total: 4), Noel Knox (season total: 2)
• Uni saves: Isaac Radnitzer 11
• JV game: none; playoff game (varsity only)

* East Central Illinois Conference game