By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

A battered St. Charles squad limped into its match against E.D. White on Tuesday down four key starters, attempting to maintain its stronghold on the District 7-III championship.

But the Cardinals were able to loosen the Comets grip.

Leading 2-1 in the second half, E.D. White scored two late goals to break the game open and secure a 4-1 win at St. Charles.

The Cardinals win dealt a blow to St. Charles’ hopes of winning a third straight district championship. Now, the Comets must defeat Riverside on Sunday and win at E.D. White on Friday to force a likely one-game playoff between the teams.

St. Charles (11-10, 3-1) was missing four starters in the game, including leading scorers Peter-Lambert Oswald, who was out with the flu, and Chris Ilski, who is out for the season due to injury.

“We just had to survive this one,” said St. Charles Coach Rick Woodroof. “It was a courageous effort by our guys. Everyone worked hard. It sets the tempo for next time, because we can still win district.”

One positive for the Comets was the return of goalie Corey Crowder to the lineup, who had been sidelined since late December.

E.D. White (8-5-4, 3-0) led 2-0 at halftime, and maintained that lead until the match’s 65th minute. The Comets’ Michael Weber scored to give St. Charles new life and draw his team within one score.

But with the Comets’ time running short, St. Charles had to resort to an aggressive, pressing defense. E.D. White was able to take advantage of the open lanes that created within the Comet defense, and the Cardinals scored twice to put the game away.

Woodroof said that he delivered a simple message to his team after the game.

“I challenged them after the game. This just means that we have to rally and go to work again,” said Woodroof. “It starts on Thursday. You don’t win these matches on game night, you win them in practice.”