If April is indeed the “cruelest month,” then the moment is ripe for rebirth and discovery among the elite programs.

On Monday, April 1, the day is not just about pranks and tomfoolery. It marks an important acknowledgement, the start of the second quarter of the yearly calendar.

That time also corresponds to the beginning of the middle of the girls' soccer season

Last week marked a relatively quiet and calm moment with most of the schools on their spring break and using the time to recover and recuperate for larger objectives.

With its scarcity of games, the week marked the least turbulent time we’re likely to encounter this season.

A frenetic, fast-paced and dynamic game requires some necessary downtime to take stock of where we are and what the future holds.

With many conferences beginning play this week, in addition to important tournaments and key showdowns, this is the point where the models and hierarchies are likely to take firmer shape and focus.

To be sure, there were some important games, like Fenwick’s 4-0 victory over village rival Oak Park and River Forest. 

A shout-out to the intrepid reader who reminded that the Friars have been bumped up to Class 3A.

Fenwick’s enrollment, even with the multiplier, is still significantly below the cutoff. The team’s fourth place finish in 2022 and a return trip to the supersectional last year kicked in the success factor.

Evidenced by their earlier-season tie, Fenwick and Deerfield are fairly well matched. 

Fenwick moves up from the honorable mention, or “Look out for,” list of programs. Like the Top 25 list, the honorable mention is dominated by the large enrollment schools.

Schools like Deerfield that are on the cusp of making the Top 25, are listed instead in the Class AA Super 7. 

The Class A and Class AA Super 7 polls are open to any Illinois team that fits the enrollment criteria. The purpose of these rankings is to bring greater visibility and recognition to the successes of smaller school.

The other newcomer is South Elgin, a team hovering near the top of the honorable mention programs.

The Storm are one of the great early success stories. Their outlook was complicated by an offseason injury to All-State forward Ella Dihel.

While hoping that Dihel may see some time this season, South Elgin has responded with sharp play, great balance, and a vastly improved defense.

Like Fenwick, South Elgin deserves to belong.