Chicagoland Soccer Final 50
By Patrick Z. McGavin
The first signal was there at the start. On openinging day Aug. 26, from what was presumed to be the start of another dominant run by three-time defending Class 3A state champion Naperville North, came notice from an insurgent force.
West Chicago opened the season with a 2-2 draw with the Huskies, firing up a flare that this might not be another ordinary year.
By the conclusion of the Wildcats’ riveting 2-0 victory over what some considered heavily favored Morton in the Class 3A state championship at Hoffman Estates, something magical had taken hold.
The Class 3A nightcaps on both nights of the state finals were electric. Somewhere around 5-6,000 mad, passionate and beautiful fans jammed into the stands on both sides of the field. They ignored some brutally cold weather, distracted by their hopes and captivated by the sensations, the spellbinding play and magical back-and-forth actions of great high school teams and their student-athletes playing in the most meaningful games of their lives.
It felt like a top international match, but captured through the prism of prep soccer at its most elemental and pure. The spirit was infectious, a bliss-out of soaring emotions and tender actions: the 67 Morton fan buses that were lined up three deep in some portions of the Hoffman Estates High School parking lot on Friday night; or the plaintive, tear-streaked eyes of a young woman holding aloft the sign “We are WeGO.”
Earlier in the afternoon sun, Benet beat defending champion Crystal Lake South 2-0 to capture the Class AA tournament.
The Redwings completed one of the most impressive tournament runs ever. Benet did not surrender a goal and closed out its state run with shutouts of 2018 state runnerup Notre Dame (Peoria) in the supersectional, solid St. Laurence in the semifinals and the defending champion Gators in the title game.
Benet allowed a ridiculous four goals in 23 games. On Oct. 3, Benet and West Chicago played to a scoreless draw. Only three teams scored on Benet this year. Their only loss, against Naperville North, came in part due to a penalty kick.
Naperville North’s run officially ended Nov. 5 in an instant classic match against Morton that ended with a shootout.
The West Chicago game at the beginning of the year ended the Huskies’ 45-game winning streak. A couple of days later, Morton ended the unbeaten streak at 47 games.
A word about St. Patrick, which by their estimation finished a “disappointing” fourth in Class 3A. The Shamrocks won 25 games. They beat West Chicago 1-0 during the season and played two great games with Morton. They tied Benet 1-1.
West Chicago and Benet will finish with the top spots in the Final 50, but Morton, St. Patrick and Naperville North were right there. West Chicago withstood Morton’s extraordinary first half pressure and found the means to win its first state title in any sport since 1974.
Below sits the final order, but it was until the very end a fluid mixture that could have gone any number of different ways. West Chicago earns the distinction of going out on top. Benet is right there, with Morton very close behind.
Out of necessity and access, the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 and Illinois 10 polls have always separated the Chicago area teams from those outside the area. The main reason is that our northeastern-Illinois-based main staff has limited opportunities to observe the statewide programs and therefore less practical and institutional knowledge of them.
After additional clarity brought on by the state series, the Final 50 combines the polls to rank the state’s top teams. This is the third edition of the boys Final 50.
Another great season is in the books. What an unforgettable campaign it was!
Key: R-ranking; FRR-final regular-season rank; PR-Preseason First 50 rank; NR-not ranked; HM-honorable mention: I-Illinois 10 rank.
By Patrick Z. McGavin
The first signal was there at the start. On openinging day Aug. 26, from what was presumed to be the start of another dominant run by three-time defending Class 3A state champion Naperville North, came notice from an insurgent force.
West Chicago opened the season with a 2-2 draw with the Huskies, firing up a flare that this might not be another ordinary year.
By the conclusion of the Wildcats’ riveting 2-0 victory over what some considered heavily favored Morton in the Class 3A state championship at Hoffman Estates, something magical had taken hold.
The Class 3A nightcaps on both nights of the state finals were electric. Somewhere around 5-6,000 mad, passionate and beautiful fans jammed into the stands on both sides of the field. They ignored some brutally cold weather, distracted by their hopes and captivated by the sensations, the spellbinding play and magical back-and-forth actions of great high school teams and their student-athletes playing in the most meaningful games of their lives.
It felt like a top international match, but captured through the prism of prep soccer at its most elemental and pure. The spirit was infectious, a bliss-out of soaring emotions and tender actions: the 67 Morton fan buses that were lined up three deep in some portions of the Hoffman Estates High School parking lot on Friday night; or the plaintive, tear-streaked eyes of a young woman holding aloft the sign “We are WeGO.”
Earlier in the afternoon sun, Benet beat defending champion Crystal Lake South 2-0 to capture the Class AA tournament.
The Redwings completed one of the most impressive tournament runs ever. Benet did not surrender a goal and closed out its state run with shutouts of 2018 state runnerup Notre Dame (Peoria) in the supersectional, solid St. Laurence in the semifinals and the defending champion Gators in the title game.
Benet allowed a ridiculous four goals in 23 games. On Oct. 3, Benet and West Chicago played to a scoreless draw. Only three teams scored on Benet this year. Their only loss, against Naperville North, came in part due to a penalty kick.
Naperville North’s run officially ended Nov. 5 in an instant classic match against Morton that ended with a shootout.
The West Chicago game at the beginning of the year ended the Huskies’ 45-game winning streak. A couple of days later, Morton ended the unbeaten streak at 47 games.
A word about St. Patrick, which by their estimation finished a “disappointing” fourth in Class 3A. The Shamrocks won 25 games. They beat West Chicago 1-0 during the season and played two great games with Morton. They tied Benet 1-1.
West Chicago and Benet will finish with the top spots in the Final 50, but Morton, St. Patrick and Naperville North were right there. West Chicago withstood Morton’s extraordinary first half pressure and found the means to win its first state title in any sport since 1974.
Below sits the final order, but it was until the very end a fluid mixture that could have gone any number of different ways. West Chicago earns the distinction of going out on top. Benet is right there, with Morton very close behind.
Out of necessity and access, the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 and Illinois 10 polls have always separated the Chicago area teams from those outside the area. The main reason is that our northeastern-Illinois-based main staff has limited opportunities to observe the statewide programs and therefore less practical and institutional knowledge of them.
After additional clarity brought on by the state series, the Final 50 combines the polls to rank the state’s top teams. This is the third edition of the boys Final 50.
Another great season is in the books. What an unforgettable campaign it was!
Key: R-ranking; FRR-final regular-season rank; PR-Preseason First 50 rank; NR-not ranked; HM-honorable mention: I-Illinois 10 rank.
| R | FRR | PR | Team | W | L | T | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | NR | West Chicago | 24 | 2 | 3 | Wildcats stun Morton in 3A final |
| 2 | 3 | 16 | Benet | 20 | 1 | 2 | 1 of best defenses ever led to AA title |
| 3 | 1 | 2 | Morton (B-C) | 23 | 4 | 2 | Came up bit short after brilliant season |
| 4 | 2 | 1 | Naperville N | 19 | 5 | 2 | Championship string ends at 3 |
| 5 | 8 | 7 | CL South | 20 | 5 | 4 | Alex Canfield an all-time great |
| 6 | I5 | 41 | Edwardsville | 21 | 5 | 1 | Brennan Weller leads talented underclass |
| 7 | 4 | 6 | St Patrick | 25 | 4 | 3 | Finals do not dull excellent run |
| 8 | I1 | 4 | ND (Peoria) | 22 | 2 | 0 | Noah Madrigal ends outstanding career |
| 9 | 6 | 5 | Fremd | 15 | 2 | 4 | MSL Cup, regional, sectional titles |
| 10 | 9 | 18 | Evanston | 18 | 2 | 2 | Avenged NT loss in sectional semi |
| 11 | 5 | 12 | New Trier | 16 | 2 | 4 | Model of consistency and excellence |
| 12 | 7 | 3 | Libertyville | 15 | 3 | 3 | Elite group sees finals run end |
| 13 | 13 | NR | Warren (Gur) | 16 | 4 | 4 | Blue Devils reclaim elite status |
| 14 | I4 | NR | Triad | 23 | 3 | 3 | Travis Speer goes out in style |
| 15 | 10 | 9 | Lyons | 15 | 4 | 3 | WSC Silver title, perennial contender |
| 16 | 21 | 15 | York | 16 | 7 | 1 | Gave W Chicago fits in sectional final |
| 17 | 12 | 30 | St Charles E | 18 | 2 | 3 | A gifted team, skilled young returnees |
| 18 | HM | NR | St Laurence | 19 | 6 | 1 | Earned 1st state hardware |
| 19 | 25 | NR | Jacobs | 16 | 5 | 3 | Beat CLS, tied Fremd, sectional titleist |
| 20 | 17 | 17 | Oswego | 18 | 5 | 1 | 3rd-straight perfect league run |
| 21 | HM | NR | Geneva | 13 | 5 | 4 | Vikings wins up 225 percent this season |
| 22 | HM | 45 | St Charles N | 11 | 5 | 3 | Put on dynamic late tournament run |
| 23 | 24 | 43 | West Aurora | 18 | 5 | 1 | 1st back-to-back sectional finals |
| 24 | 15 | 33 | Lane | 13 | 3 | 1 | Captured city title in electric final |
| 25 | 11 | 14 | Solorio | 19 | 4 | 1 | Sad ending, potential AA Final 4 team |
| 26 | HM | 20 | Buffalo Gr | 12 | 8 | 2 | Volatile year, sectional semi appearance |
| 27 | 16 | NR | Addison Trail | 13 | 5 | 3 | Typical quality season for Blazers |
| 28 | HM | 13 | Mt Carmel (Chi) | 13 | 5 | 1 | Captured the Go 4 the Goal title in Ia |
| 29 | NR | NR | Univ (Chicago) | 22 | 3 | 2 | Historic run to Class A state title |
| 30 | NR | NR | Marist | 15 | 6 | 5 | Got hot late, earned 3A sectional final |
| 31 | INR | NR | Morton (Ill) | 24 | 3 | 1 | Supersectional loss to Triad |
| 32 | INR | NR | Glenwood | 16 | 6 | 1 | Another solid and satisfying season |
| 33 | INR | NR | Dunlap | 18 | 3 | 2 | Fought ND (Peoria) in sectional title game |
| 34 | NR | NR | Bloom | 19 | 6 | 1 | Christian Munoz 1 of state’s top sophs |
| 35 | 14 | NR | Round Lake | 13 | 2 | 5 | Finally received deserved seeding |
| 36 | NR | 36 | Naperville C | 10 | 7 | 5 | Battled thru 1 of state’s top schedules |
| 37 | HM | 46 | Glenbrook S | 11 | 7 | 4 | Athletic, gifted team hit rut late |
| 38 | 20 | 23 | Loyola | 12 | 6 | 2 | Brilliant junior class is set to return |
| 39 | 22 | 11 | OPRF | 12 | 5 | 2 | Huskies fun to watch, tough to play |
| 40 | I6 | NR | Carbondale | 21 | 3 | 2 | Terriers had 1 of top years ever |
| 41 | 23 | 39 | Barrington | 16 | 5 | 1 | Broncos had superb comeback year |
| 42 | HM | NR | L-W Central | 14 | 5 | 0 | Nick Willner had breakout year |
| 43 | NR | NR | L-W West | 14 | 11 | 0 | Captured 1st sectional title |
| 44 | I2 | NR | Rochester | 18 | 3 | 2 | Another great year for perennial power |
| 45 | NR | NR | Elgin | 12 | 6 | 3 | Gave W Chicago 1 of its 2 losses |
| 46 | NR | 40 | Maine South | 13 | 7 | 1 | 6 losses to ranked teams |
| 47 | INR | 42 | Springfield | 17 | 5 | 3 | Another solid season for Senators |
| 48 | INR | NR | O’Fallon | 15 | 5 | 2 | Took Edwardsville to brink sectional semi |
| 49 | I7 | 49 | Marquette (Alt) | 19 | 4 | 5 | 2nd time in state final in 3 years |
| 50 | I8 | NR | Univ (Nor) | 19 | 6 | 0 | Lost 'super' heartbreaker in PKs |
Honorable mention: Notre Dame (Quincy), Moline, Waterloo, North Shore Country Day, Hinsdale Central, Zion-Benton, Columbia, Champaign Central, Boylan, Glenbard North, Wheaton North, Glenbard West, Waubonsie Valley, Metea Valley, Niles West, Plainfield North, Dundee-Crown, St. Ignatius, Fenwick, Lemont, Kaneland, Wheaton Academy, Oak Forest, St. Rita, Reavis, Taft.