Boys soccer’s best season of the decade ended with a 4-0 home loss on Nov. 4, with the Iron falling to the eventual IHSA Class 3A State Champions,  the Naperville North Huskies, in the supersectional.

The loss closes out Community’s best season since 2017, a year in which the Ironmen tied for a share the Big 12 title, won regional and sectional crowns and finished with a 19-3-4.

Against the Huskies, the Iron were without the team’s leading scorer Logan Lelm, who was suspended after a red card in the previous match against Collinsville. 

An appeal was denied. Lelm scored 23 goals this season, including a game-winning hat trick in the regional final against Peoria Notre Dame.

Lelm’s red card,  Iron head coach Mr. Matt Chapman said, “definitely had an impact” on the game. 

Had the senior been able to take the field against the nationally-ranked Naperville squad, Lelm “would have given them more to worry about.”

Community’s back line held the Huskies scoreless through the first half, before surrendering four in the second-half.

Five minutes into the second, North broke through with a low shot that eluded diving goalkeeper Kai White.

The Huskies added a long strike to the upper-right corner, then scored twice more to clinch a state berth and end Community’s postseason.

“Naperville North is amazing,” Chapman said. “I’m really proud we were able to get this far.”

The Huskies went on to defeat Burbank’s St. Laurence High School (24-3-4) by a score of 3-2 in the title game, taking home the program’s fifth state championship.