The 2021 season marked an inflection point in Illinois girls prep soccer that was unprecedented.

After the pandemic wiped out the spring season of 2020, that year marked the great unknown.

With the ground literally shifting, teams sought to re-establish consistency and a point of normalcy, a way to get back to what things were.

During the abbreviated 2021 campaign, traditional in-season tournaments were put on hold. Most schools played a home-and-away conference schedule and restricted travel. Fortunately, the season had the hoped for and vital ending with a complete three-class state tournament series.

As a full 2021 girls soccer season remained in flux, Hinsdale Central coach Tony Madonia came up with an idea. 

“It almost started on a whim,” Madonia said. “I had this idea of aiding the seeding process for the state tournament for the coaches. I noticed a lot of teams don’t really travel east of I-294 around us.”

Madonia approached Bill Lanspeary, of Lyons, and Jones’ coach Derek Bylsma with the idea of bringing together teams from Chicago and the suburbs to play matchups that were typically outside their normal scheduling pattern.

Bylsma helped Madonia connect with Ross LaBauex, the former girls coach at Young.

All the coaches were eager to get back on the field, see their players get their lives and avocation back and get strong competition in the process.

The City-Suburb Connect Invitational was formally born with the two city schools and the two traditional power programs from the West Suburban Conference Silver Division.

“It went really well that first year,” Madonia said. “Everybody was really excited to travel and play against each other. We also had a lot of excellent feedback from the girls on our team.

“Then we just decided to try and add some teams.”

Last year Oswego East and Payton entered the fold.

With the 2024 spring season about to open Monday, the City-Suburb Connect Invitational continues to grow.

The six previous teams have been joined by two more programs from the West Suburban Silver, Downers Grove North and York, and a pair of from the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red Division, DeLaSalle and St. Ignatius.

The games are set to be played March 11, March 14 and March 16. Each team will host a minimum of one game.

“This is a great way to start the season, and people want to do it,” Madonia said.

The specific rationale for the invitational was clearly fortuitous for all the schools.

 “I think it did really help with the state seeding. A lot of the schools in our section, especially the other teams from the Silver, we just had more context. Hopefully, now the other coaches are paying attention,” Madonia said.

The invitational offers a sharp early look and allows for the ability to assess the state of the teams, what they have on their rosters and where they stand against top programs.

“I think there’s a great mix of new and old matchups this year that will really help us grow as a team,” said two-time Chicagoland Soccer All-State forward Anya Gulbrandsen, of Oswego East.

One of the best players in the country, the Wisconsin recruit is one of the headline talents that the invitational is set to showcase. Oswego East hosts Young on Monday and Payton on Wednesday. The Wolves conclude the first week of the season and the invitational when they travel to the West Loop for a Saturday clash at St. Ignatius.

“Everyone on our team is really excited for a new test, and with the familiar teams like us it will be a great opportunity to feel how much we’ve grown and improved as individuals and as a group,” Gulbrandsen said.

“It’s also a great way to play some teams we wouldn’t otherwise see. Being that these games are so early in the year, it is good exercise and getting into the motion of playing together.”

After traveling to Oswego East on Monday, Young is set to host Downers Grove North on Thursday and close out the invitational at home against Lyons on Saturday.

The games feature the debut of new Young coach Zoe Saphir, a former standout player at the school.

Lane, Young, Jones and Payton, four Chicago powerhouses, represent the Public League in the tournament.

DeLaSalle enters the fray off the greatest season in program history with its first state trophy from a fourth place finish in Class AA.

Chicagoland Soccer All-State forward Mia Ortega leads a skilled, deep and highly versatile lineup.

“We are really excited to be playing this season,” the senior said. “The challenge and the different divisions of talent is something we’re all looking forward to competing against.

“We have some new additions who are going to make an immediate impact this season.”

The Meteors have one of the toughest draws in the field. DeLaSalle plays at Hinsdale Central on Monday night, and hosts Lyons on Thursday and York on Saturday.

Ortega said the team is ready for the challenge.

 “My sophomore season two years ago, we lost to Fenwick in the supersectional, and I tore my ACL,” Ortega said. “Last year, we came back, and I scored two goals that led us downstate (in a rematch against Fenwick and a 2-0 supersectional win).

“I believe it speaks volume about our team and our desire to constantly set the bar higher and strive to do better than before. We lost both of those games at state, and I definitely feel what we experienced gives us some form of motivation.”    

After hosting DeLaSalle, Hinsdale Central travels to St. Ignatius on Thursday before closing out against Jones on Saturday at home.

New teams, new excitement, a new season – for the teams involved, the City-Suburb Connect Invitational is just about as good as a season-opening tournament can get.

“Our team is so excited to play different teams and styles of play,” Hinsdale Central midfielder Cate McDonnell said. “The invitational exposes us to new strategies and opponents that help us strengthen our play.

“I do see this as an early indicator of a state team. It helps us and the other teams get a feel for where everyone is going to settle. The group of teams are all great, and they hold state potential. We’re really looking forward to being challenged.”

Madonia praised Hinsdale Central athletic director Mike Jerzioro for his work from logistics to scheduling, and his booster club for financial support.

The invitational’s format is set, for now. The current schedule does not use the bracket or pool style of a traditional tournament that crowns a champion.

“We’ve talked about that,” Madonia said. “But at this point it is just more about getting some kids playing against good competition at the start of the year, and playing against teams they don’t normally see. Getting the city schools into the suburbs and vice versa.

“We might do that kind of tournament at some point, but we really just love the idea of schools playing against each other who never really would. It’s still an invitational, it’s still competitive, and it’s still great.”