Down goes Belvidere North and Cortlyn Hefty, leaving Boylan as last girls soccer team standing

Belvidere North's season, and the high school career of the Rockford-area's all-time leading goal scorer Cortlyn Hefty, ended abruptly on Wednesday night when the Blue Thunder were ousted by Burlington Central 5-3 in the Belvidere Sectional semifinal.

That leaves only Boylan that is left for Rockford-area girls soccer teams this postseason after Belvidere North (20-2) was upset and ousted.

"That was just a tough way to go out; just tough," Belvidere North head coach Jeremy Naff said after his team bowed out one round before getting another shot at Boylan. "We had our chances in this one, too. Cortlyn was on fire, and we played well and got some chances, but it just wasn't enough. It's just tough."

Belvidere North had blasted Burlington Central (13-8-2) by a 3-1 score earlier in the season as BC was opening 0-5-1. But things were flipped on Wednesday.

More NIC-10 soccer: Boylan knocks out Freeport, and Cortlyn Hefty and North stay alive in girls soccer as well

Hefty, who finished the season with 70 goals, a new Rockford-area record, a new NIC-10 record and third most in a season ever in the state, had a hat trick against BC. She also finished up with 174 career goals, No. 1 all-time in the area, and sixth most in Illinois girls soccer history.

"It's just crazy to think what I was able to accomplish here," Hefty said when it was all over. "I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into the Belvidere North soccer program, and it's just a sad moment that it's over... But it's just crazy to think of what I was able to accomplish while I was here."

She nearly did it again Wednesday. She lifted the Blue Thunder from down 3-1 to tied at 3-all. But BC found the back of the net two more times down the stretch and Hefty and North could not get one to go in.

"Cortlyn was amazing for us. She just changed the trajectory of this entire program," Naff said of his star, who will now move on and play for Cleveland State University. "Just a heck of a year; a heck of a year. But we sure wanted it to last longer."

Boylan, on the other hand, pulled away for a 6-1 win over Sycamore in Tuesday's 2A Belvidere Sectional semifinal, spreading the wealth, as the Titans have done all season long, with five different players scoring goals. Boylan's Delilah Hawley had a hat trick, scoring the first two goals, and all three in the first half. Isabelle Segretti added a first-half goal, while Ava Galluzzo, Joscelyn Posada and Gianna McGraw scored in the second half to ice the game away.

And Stillman Valley was the final Rockford-area Class 1A team to fall, losing 5-0 to No. 1-ranked Rock Island Alleman on Tuesday night. Alleman placed second last year at state and nearly brought back its entire team.

Stillman Valley (18-5) went on a powerful postseason run, winning six in a row and earning the No. 1 sub-sectional seed before bowing out in the 1A sectional finals.

But now, it's only Boylan (17-3-2) left.

The Titans will face BC in the Belvidere Sectional final at 5 p.m. Friday.

Rockford-area top goal scorers

Single-season leaders

70: Cortlyn Hefty, Belvidere North (2024), Rockford area record, new NIC-10 record and third most in a season ever in the state.

57: Anika Roush, Byron (2022), Rockford area record, Big Northern Conference record and tied for 11th most in a season ever in the state.

48: Abby Timm, Stillman Valley (2014)

47: Cortlyn Hefty, Belvidere North (2023), NIC-10 record

46: Adi Johnson, Rockford Christian (2010)

43: Bryn Kittle, Rockford Christian (2011)

42: Hillary Noakes, Rockford Christian (2016)

41: Haley Kittle, Rockford Christian (2014)

41: Emily Scott, Harlem (2015)

40: Autumn Diduch, Freeport (2023)

38: Cortlyn Hefty, Belvidere North (2022)

38: Deb Schmid, Oregon (2024)

37: Autumn Diduch, Freeport (2022)

35: Anika Roush, Byron (2021)

29: Jada Harvey, Rockford Christian (2022)

27: Kyley Zanoni, Harlem (2023)

26: Meghan McCarey, Byron (2018)

25: Maggie Schmidt, Boylan (2023)

24: Jocelyn Harms, Winnebago (2023)

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Cortlyn Hefty ends her high school career with loss in sectional semis