Junior midfielder Nathan Gutierrez was worried that his body would betray him for De La Salle.

Playing the biggest game of his life, Gutierrez was fighting off the side effects of a head cold.

“I wasn’t really feeling that I could go,” he said. “But I just thought making it to state is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. When coach called me up and I went in, I knew I had to go do what I do.”

Make a difference.

Gutierrez ended up assisting on a goal Friday by junior forward Alex Panduro as the Meteors earned a 1-0 victory over Prairie Ridge in a Class 2A state semifinal game at Hoffman Estates.

De La Salle (27-1-2) extended its unbeaten streak to 27 games and will play at 4:30 p.m. Saturday for a chance at the first state title in school history in any sport against Belleville Althoff (25-4), which defeated Lemont 1-0.

Panduro scored his 35th goal after catching a through-ball pass from Gutierrez down the left sideline in the 58th minute.

“There’s always a bond there with Nathan,” Panduro said. “I always try to look for him and he always looks for me. I try to capitalize on every opportunity I get.

“That chemistry we have helps get us connected.”

A converted defender, Gutierrez is a three-year varsity player who brings energy, speed and change of pace off the bench.

“Last year, Nathan played a lot of fullback,” De La Salle coach Francisco Martinez said. “But we moved him to an outside midfielder because we saw how creative he could be with the ball.

“What Nathan has is vision. He listens and he sees the play before it happens. He’s able to filter the ball where it needs to go.”

Gutierrez improved his season totals to four goals and five assists.

“I told him he has to come off the bench because we’re so full of talent,” Martinez said. “But he makes the sacrifices and he understands.”

Nineteen players have scored at least one goal for De La Salle in an dynamic offensive system that has produced 119 goals.

And Gutierrez sees only an upside in what he does.

“Coming off the bench prepares me a lot because I am able to see how many teammates are doing against different guys,” Gutierrez said. “When I get the ball against those same players, I already know what I can do. I know how to take him on and create something.”

Analyzing the game, Gutierrez saw how to strike at the teeth of Prairie Ridge’s defense when he controlled the ball on the left flank.

“I remember getting the ball,” Gutierrez said. “The coaches always tell me to go wide, and I saw Alex making the run.

“With each game, there’s been a lot of nerves the first five minutes because we’ve never been in this spot. Once we establish our tempo, it becomes normal and we just start to play our game.”

This run to the state championship game also is a deeply personal one for him.

Senior midfielder Brandon Olvera, Gutierrez’s cousin, has contributed six goals and seven assists this season.

The two grew up together in Oak Lawn and attended the same grammar school.

“Although I am the older one, I can proudly say there are lots of moments I look up to him,” Olvera said. “And today was one of those times. Nathan’s quiet, but he allows his soccer to do the talking.

“He taught me to never give up a single ball and play hard every single minute.”

If the cold he suffered from temporarily threw him for a loop. Gutierrez was ready for a comeback.

“Just touching that ball really gets me not to worry about my problems,” he said. “I always want to contribute everything I do because my family is watching me.

“As soon as I touch that ball, everything disappears.”

Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.