Adrian Luna finishes in final minutes, propels Huntley to crucial FVC win over McHenry

Huntley’s Adrian Luna kept a cool head as a pass from teammate Cody Hammer rolled his way during the late moments of Thursday’s crucial Fox Valley Conference boys soccer match against McHenry.

Trailing at halftime after an uncharacteristic miscue on defense, the Red Raiders equalized on Tyler Murray’s penalty kick during the 50th minute. Looking for their eighth consecutive victory, the Red Raiders saw shots bounce off the crossbar, the uprights and McHenry keeper Auggie Arnold, who impressed with a staggering 12 saves Thursday.

With time winding down, however, Huntley had one last opportunity to avoid overtime. In the 76th minute, the senior midfielder Hammer carried the ball down the near sideline before sending it into the box for the junior midfielder Luna. Positioned on the far side, Luna slid the ball past Arnold for what proved to be the game’s deciding goal.

Huntley High School's Adrian Luna takes the ball upfield during the first half of a game against McHenry High School at Huntley High School in Huntley on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (Dominic Di Palermo for Shaw Local)

“I saw the ball come across the area, and I had to stay calm and just slide it away like usual,” said Luna, whose goal secured Huntley’s 2-1 win over the Warriors. “We always have a clear mind on every chance we get. If we mess up, we always move on and think about making another play. We stay calm and never think about the pressure.”

The Red Raiders (13-1-1, 7-0-1 FVC), who entered the night second in the FVC with one conference game left, compiled five corners in the first half and placed several promising shots on goal. But Arnold, who moved up from JV to varsity to face Huntley last season, put his body on the line, diving for multiple key saves.

“I was staying loud for my defense and telling them what they’re not seeing, because I see everything,” Arnold said. “That’s just a part of the game. I had a sour taste in my mouth from last year. I came up from JV to play them last year and we lost to them 2-1, so I knew I had to prove myself today.

“We know we can compete with anybody.”

Huntley High School's Tyler Murray celebrates his goal he scored off of a penalty kick during the second half of a game against McHenry High School at Huntley High School in Huntley on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (Dominic Di Palermo for Shaw Local)

A rare Huntley miscue enabled McHenry (9-5-5, 3-3-2 FVC) to take a 1-0 lead before halftime. Surging up the field, forwards Michael Rondon Rodriguez and Cody Alles-Bundy connected on a long run that forced the Red Raiders back. A cross from Rondon Rodriguez to Bundy led to a shot that deflected off Huntley’s James Doughty.

The ricochet resulted in an own goal in the 38th minute. Bad fortune turned to good fortune early in the second half, however, as a handball inside McHenry’s box led to a penalty kick for Murray. The senior forward, Huntley’s leading scorer with 14 goals this year, rolled his shot into the lower-left corner and celebrated with his teammates.

“I’ve always liked the pressure,” said Murray, an all-state pick last year who was recently named to the 2026 High School All-American Game watchlist. “It’s normal for me. I’ve taken PKs my whole life. I knew I needed to put it away, and I knew that God was with me.”

McHenry High School's Auggie Arnold makes a save during the second half of a game against Huntley High School at Huntley High School in Huntley on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (Dominic Di Palermo for Shaw Local)

The handball came into play later in the second half, this time at the border of the Huntley box. The Warriors reacted as if they were about to receive a penalty opportunity to tie the score, but the lead official ruled the foul occurred just outside of the box. On the free kick, Alles-Bundy launched a shot that soared well over the Huntley goal.

“That’s a really good team, and we went toe-to-toe with them, but I’m really disappointed in the referee’s decisions today,” McHenry coach Adam Bronars said. “I’m normally not one to worry about that, but the handball called against us, my defender’s hands were across his body. He didn’t make his body bigger. That’s not a handball.

“Then the player down here kicks the ball up and off his hand in the box, and you know it’s in the box because the defender froze like he knew he messed up. He doesn’t call that, and that’s where I get frustrated for my players, because we deserved more from this game, and those were two big decisions. Both of them went against us.”

Eli Valdez totaled three saves for the Red Raiders, whose FVC slate concludes at first-place Hampshire on Tuesday.

The Warriors finish their FVC schedule at home against Crystal Lake Central on Tuesday.