CHAMPAIGN — The Champaign Central Maroons headed into Thursday evening's game undefeated and as one of the best teams in the area.

Their daunting record of 5-0-2, built exclusively against Class 2A or 3A big schools, was much superior to Uni's 6-4-2 overall mark.

But the 1A (small school) Illineks seemed unfazed by that statistic. They showed tremendous skill, tying the 2A Maroons 1-1 under the lights at the U of I Turf Fields and proving that Uni is also a first-rate team.

The beginning of the first half was back and forth. There were many nail-biting moments in the penalty boxes for both teams, but neither side could score a goal early on.

Finally in the 20th minute, forward Patrick Wong received a beautiful pass from fellow freshman Tarik Koric. Using his tremendous speed, Wong took the ball and broke away from the Central defense.

"Tarik played a great ball," said Wong. "I was surprised that I was so open and was just focusing on finishing it."

As Wong ran toward the goal, Central keeper Tanner Goslin crouched down into his stance looking ready to stop Wong's scoring attempt. But without any hesitation, the team's No. 2 goal scorer made a beautiful shot that found its place in the back of the net. This key goal was his 12th of the season.

Freshman Patrick Wong (9) scored Uni's goal against Central. Gargoyle photo by Nancy Tang (click to enlarge)

As the Uni fans erupted with excitement and cheer, the Uni boys relaxed a little and grew more confident. Even with only one goal, the team had more breathing room and looked ready to score again.

But for the rest of the first half, Uni and Central both had a hard time scoring any more goals. The possession of the ball between the teams was even, and each team's defense was great in limiting the shots on goal.

The first half ended with Wong's goal the only difference in the game.

The beginning of the second half was the exact same as the beginning of the first. The skill of both sides seemed evenly matched, and Uni fans hoped that Wong's goal would be the difference maker. Longtime fans recalled the Illineks' magical 2-1 victory over Central in 2006 and sensed another upset in the making.

But in the 58th minute, senior Neil Pearson fouled a Maroon just outside of the penalty box. A Central player placed a header from the free kick by Nathan Chisholm, just past senior goalkeeper Nile Hamer's fingertips, tying up the game at 1-1.

As the game came to a close, neither team could capitalize on their opportunities. Both sides were desperate and scrambling to get another goal and the win.

When the final whistle blew, both teams walked off the field exhausted after a hard-fought battle. Uni's fine performance showed everyone the true potential of the team, now 6-4-3.

"We played very tough and aggressive," said Wong, "and even though we didn't win, we saw how good the team could be."

In its next contest, Uni faces 1A powerhouse Warrensburg-Latham (currently 8-1-1) at the DCR Fields on Monday. If the Illineks keep playing a stellar game like they did against Central, the team has high hopes in getting far in the IHSA playoffs.

More Photos: Uni vs. Central Under the Lights

Members of the Uni varsity line up before the start of Thursday night's game against host Champaign Central. From left: freshman Patrick Wong (9), senior Eddie Diazmuñoz (11), senior Jasper Maniates-Selvin (7), freshman Freddie Stavins (12), senior Neil Pearson (15), freshman Tarik Koric (19), sophomore Conrad Schloer (5), junior Chris Mathy (10), senior Dan Lilly (20), sophomore Brandon Lin (21), and senior Nile Hamer (goalkeeper). Gargoyle photos by Nancy Tang (click to enlarge)

Forward Patrick Wong (9) heads downfield against the Maroons. The freshman is second on the team with 12 goals. Gargoyle photo by Nancy Tang (click to enlarge)

Eddie Diazmuñoz tries to outrun Central defenders during Uni's 1-1 tie with the Class 2A Champaign school. Gargoyle photo by Nancy Tang (click to enlarge)