Naperville Central forward Chase Adams has spent his freshman season beating nearly every team in sight.
For that, he has taken a beating. Game after game, Adams is repeatedly fouled, tripped, knocked down and kicked by defenders trying to do anything they can to stop him.
The strategy never works, and it doesn’t daunt him.
“I’m willing to sacrifice my body if it means we get a win,” Adams said. “Winning is my favorite thing in the world, and risking my body to win is personally what I love doing.”
Adams and Redhawks did it again Tuesday. Adams scored his team-leading 22nd goal, and it turned out to be the game winner as Naperville Central edged Hinsdale Central 4-3 to win the Class 3A East Aurora Supersectional.
It was the program-record 24th victory of the season for the Redhawks (24-3-1), who will play Stevenson (21-0-3) in the state semifinals at Hoffman Estates at 7 p.m. Friday.
Adams’ goal, which came just 38 seconds after Dray Glashin scored the first of his two goals for Hinsdale Central (17-5-1), gave the Redhawks a 4-2 lead with 25:08 left in the second half.
Naperville Central gamely hung on to advance to state for the first time since 2013. In the final few minutes, Adams and senior forward Nathan Kwon took the ball into the corner and received knocks from defenders desperate to get the ball back.
“With the excitement and joy, I won’t feel it right now,” Adams said. “But maybe later I might have to take an ice bath.”
Naperville Central coach Troy Adams is accustomed to seeing his youngest son endure rough play.
“That’s been him since he was 5,” Troy Adams said. “He gets abused. He probably generates more fouls than anybody because he holds the ball a lot, and he’s strong and he’s big. His first touch keeps the ball close, so they can’t rely on (taking) that away.”
Chase Adams learned his toughness from older brother Carter, a junior midfielder. This is the first time they have played together on the same team.
“It’s such a great opportunity to play with a sibling, let alone your younger brother,” Carter Adams said. “I feel like it should not be taken for granted.
“I’m looking forward to having these great memories that we can make going forward.”
Chase Adams still has memories, not always fond, of learning from Chase, who didn’t exactly take it easy on his kid brother.
“He’s kind of where I learned not to cry about it,” Chase Adams said. “Nobody’s going to be able to help you after they’ve beaten you up, so just keep going, keep fighting.”
Chase Adams’ only beef is it wasn’t vocal instruction.
“He taught me, not told me,” he said. “It would have been much nicer if he’d told me it.”
Even so, the Redhawks are benefiting from it now, and opponents are the ones paying the price.
“Chase has been absolutely terrific for us this year,” senior midfielder Josh Weigel said. “His toughness is probably one of his better qualities.
“He doesn’t get knocked off the ball easily. He keeps fighting. He’s always on the ball and always fighting for the ball, and that’s just helped us a lot.”
The Redhawks are two wins away from capturing their first state championship. Troy Adams has come close before, guiding the Redhawks to second place in 2011 and 2012 and third place in 2013.
Chase Adams is too young to remember those teams, but Carter Adams was so devastated by the 2011 overtime loss to Morton that he cried. The brothers have a chance to cry tears of joy.
“It’s super exciting,” Carter Adams said. “When we think of great Central teams, I obviously think of those ’11, ’12 and ’13 teams. Hopefully (people will think of) 2022 as well.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
