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  • News: sister site PP 8-17-20
Chicagoland Soccer Final 50

​By Patrick Z. McGavin


In the 43-year history of the boys state soccer tournament, six state champions finished without a loss. But every one of those -- even the great St. Charles teams that won back to back titles in 1995 and 1996 -- had an asterisk of sorts. Each had a technical blemish, a strike against them in the form of ties.

That puts the accomplishments of Naperville North and Libertyville into a different sphere. No team, much less two, had ever gotten to a state title game unbeaten and untied until Saturday night in Hoffman Estates.

It is hard to imagine a more scintillating and aesthetically pleasing brand of soccer than what Naperville North and Libertyville demonstrated. Unscientifically and not being parochial, it is hard to imagine any other high school in the country being able to beat either team.

It took perfection to knock out Libertyville, which entered the game with a goal-differential on the year of 82-15. 

Naperville North has a privileged aura. They radiate confidence and verve. Their unorthodox style, the fact they don’t overwhelm you with their offensive attack, is hard to get accustomed to. The 1-0 state title victory was their 10th-such score of the year.

“It’s nerve wracking to always be in these 0-0, 1-0 games,” Naperville North coach Jim Konrad said after the Huskies beat Lake Park in double overtime in a Friday state semifinal.

Naperville North made its bid for being the greatest team in state history Saturday night with these highlights: a 45-game winning streak; 22 shutouts this season; and an astoundingly stingy five goals allowed in 26 games. Just when it appeared last year’s game could not be surpassed, Naperville North and Libertyville played ostensibly perfect soccer.

Naperville North became the first school to win three-consecutive state championships since Granite City South won five straight from 1976-80, and Gibault recorded a triple in 2005-2007.

“They finished, we didn’t,” Libertyville coach Kevin Thunholm said. “They won, we didn’t.”

The Wildcats’ two-year run of 42-2-2 is also remarkable. Thunholm has certainly lived up to the standards of the legendary Andy Bitta, whom he replaced two years ago.


Libertyville did everything but win. They played a perfect game and still lost. It proved that to score against the impenetrable Huskies and supernaturally skilled keeper Tommy Welch, you need a perfect sequence.

In an echo of last year, the season was an extended flashback and ended where it began. Naperville North was the preseason no. 1-rated team in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, originally published on August 17th. 

Now the Huskies are also top-ranked in the final combined list that links the two separate Chicagoland Soccer polls into a final, statewide ordering.

Out of necessity and access, the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 and Illinois 10 polls have always separated the Chicago teams, which are readily available for our northeastern-Illinois-based organization to watch and observe, from statewide programs outside the area that we have limited access to and less institutional knowledge of.

The Final 50 combines the polls to rank the state’s top teams.

It debuted after the girls spring season in 2017, and its fourth-overall appearance here.

​​
Key: FRSR-final regular season rank; PR-preseason rank; NR-not ranked; HM-honorable mention: I-Illinois 10 rank.


RankFRSRPRTeamWLTComment
111Naperville N2600First perfect season in state history
222Libertyville2210Evan Rasmussen: 34 goals, 14 assists
318NRCL South2223Alex Canfield led to 1st state berth, title
4I1I2ND (Peoria)2330Noah Madrigal one of top US juniors
533Morton2031Adrian Barrera one of state’s top players
61516St. Patrick2440Shamrocks show they belong with elites
7I3INRCollinsville2062Logan Whitehead led 3A 3rd place run
819HMLake Park2153GK Christian Lekki among state’s best
9HMHMSt. Ignatius1780Matt Griffin helped to AA 3rd place
101314Lyons1780Played state’s toughest schedule
111022OPRF1842Stunned Morton in sectional semifinal
122321Streamwood1853Alex Chavez led to 3A supersectional
1316HMBenet1741Nick Renfro led to 3A sectional final
1444New Trier1542Logan Weaver ranks with all-time greats
1512NRAddison Tr1760Melvin Mora led run to sectional semis
16INRI1Gibault1765Logan Doerr led 2-time AA trophy run
17HMHMMt Carmel1852Felix Mendoza a top junior midfielder
1869Solorio2022Junior Alex Sanchez led to 1st city title
1911HMFremd1361Vikings game vs Naperville N, Libertyville
20824Elgin1723Sectional finalist: Omar Lopez, 41 goals
2122HMW Aurora1841Andy Emile starred, best 3a run in 15 years
22512Wheaton A2030Kilgallon bros. led to memorable heights
2320HMOswego1832Omar Carreno: 35 goals, 16 assists
24HM7Evanston1661Reached sectional final for 4th year in row
2517HMLoyola1623Collin Leider powered to CCL Blue title
267NRLatin2111Unbeaten during the regular season
27919Buffalo Gr1452Beat Fremd for MSL Cup title
2814HMYork1461Joe Meade one of state’s top juniors
292111Metea Valley1361Evan Lang, James Lynch joy to behold
30I2I3Columbia2143Tough sectional final loss to Gibault
31INRI5Normal1557Lost sectional final thriller vs Collinsville
32I8INRSpringfield2371Wolf Brethorst, high-scoring, 2-way star
33NRNRMarmion1472James Serrano 32 goals; AA 'super' qualifier
34HM25SC East1280Truitt Battin led Saints to sectional semi
35HMNRWashington1661Angel Arismendez led to city final, 'super'
36I4I9Marqtte-Altn14332017 A champ held their own in AA
37INRI7ND-Quincy2152Mitchell Murphy powered A state champ
382418Hinsdale C1760Returned to contender status this year
39HM20Dundee-Cr1844Jabari Washington led to regional titles
40INRINRMorton (Ill.)1751Great run to sectional final
41INRINRRochelle2111Marmion ended 22-game unbeaten run
42I9INRChmpaign C2150One of the best teams in program history
43NRHMLake Zurich1273Bears got hot, reached 3A sectional final
44HMHMMundelein1551Bryan Alba led to sectional semi
45I7INRCarbondale1941Tourney run ended in sectional title game
462510SC North1261Elite scorer Matt Beaulieu bids adieu
47I5INRMattoon2023Lost heartbreaker in sectional semi
48NRHMLane1362Fernando Alvarado led to 6-0-0 league run
49NRHMSt. Edward2421Joshua Johansen led A runner-up
50INRINRSt. Teresa2233Edgar Onate 50 goals; A 3rd place team
Honorable mention: Edwardsville, Hersey, Oswego East, Vernon Hills, University (Normal), Normal West, Parker, St. Laurence, Bremen, Thornton (co-op), Neuqua Valley, Naperville Central, Young, Glenbard West, Minooka, Sandburg, Glenbrook South, Lockport, Dunlap, Soto

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