Chicagoland Soccer Final 50 state ranking
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Nobody could have predicted the four-goal margin of York’s Class 3A state title performance against Fremd on Saturday night at Hoffman Estates.
But a predictive sign to its win was out there, albeit nearly 150 miles away.
Just hours before the soccer final, the York girls cross country team captured the Class 3A state championship by ending Naperville North’s four-year title reign.
Incidentally, the Huskies girls’ run coincided with the first leg of Naperville North's three-peat in boys soccer.
After braces from Sam Musial and Jose Herrera, York is the new state Class 3A champion. The Dukes’ boys team becomes the new poll-sitter in the Final 50, dethroning Naperville North, which started the year at no. 1 in our First 50 preseason poll.
The Final 50 combines the two seasonally exclusive polls on the website -- the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 and the Illinois 10. With no distinctions made by size, class or geography, the last poll of the boys season puts the closing touches on a vivid and terrific run.
“It’s easy to set a high bar,” York coach Jordan Stopka said after the semifinal win over Lockport. “It’s hard to get over it. I’m beyond ecstatic. We had high aspirations. Even during summer and at the start of our training, I asked our players how far you can push yourselves.
“They’ve taken that to heart.”
The last week of the season really showed how closely entwined are the top programs.
Fremd survived Oak Park and River Forest 1-0 in the Barrington Supersectional on a 79th-minute goal by Eli Schoffstall. The Huskies administered one of York's two losses.
OPRF also beat New Trier 1-0 on its home field in the sectional semifinals and routed Evanston 3-0 in the final. The Wildkits beat the Trevians earlier in the season, but the Winnetka school ended the regular-season as the top team in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25.
York had two late goals to beat Huntley in the Streamwood Supersectional. The Red Raiders defeated Boylan in the first game of the season. Boylan never lost again en route to the Class AA state title.
Washington had Boylan on the ropes for much of the semifinal game Friday. The Patriots were a great postseason success story. They stunned city champion Payton in the Brother Rice Supersectional, avenging their loss in the city tournament title game.
Washington has three state trophies since 2013. Chicago Public League soccer earned another feather for its cap.
Grayslake Central is another team story worth celebrating. The Rams also achieved the improbable with their fourth place finish. Grayslake Central started the year at the Northside College Showcase, against the likes of New Trier and Libertyville, and began the year 0-4-0.
That experience and adversity shaped them.
With its state title run a week ago, the achievements of Wheaton Academy also deserve special mention. Goals by twin brothers Joshua and Caleb Mariotti powered the Warriors’ 2-1 win over Althoff.
Class A Althoff and Class AA Triad were seeking a unique double -- capturing the girls and boys state soccer championships in the same calendar year.
They nearly pulled it off.
Three of the four small-school finalists (Althoff, Wheaton Academy and Timothy) sent their girls’ programs in the state finals. Triad was the lone AA representative to make both state title matches.
After the pandemic interrupted the boys state tournament with the first gap in its run since its inception in 1972, the return to the playoffs was a bracing and exhilarating experience. Let's savor this one for a while, before we look ahead to the next one.
Key: FRSR-final regular season rank; PR-Preseason First 50 rank; NR-not ranked; HM-honorable mention: I-Illinois 10 rank.
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Nobody could have predicted the four-goal margin of York’s Class 3A state title performance against Fremd on Saturday night at Hoffman Estates.
But a predictive sign to its win was out there, albeit nearly 150 miles away.
Just hours before the soccer final, the York girls cross country team captured the Class 3A state championship by ending Naperville North’s four-year title reign.
Incidentally, the Huskies girls’ run coincided with the first leg of Naperville North's three-peat in boys soccer.
After braces from Sam Musial and Jose Herrera, York is the new state Class 3A champion. The Dukes’ boys team becomes the new poll-sitter in the Final 50, dethroning Naperville North, which started the year at no. 1 in our First 50 preseason poll.
The Final 50 combines the two seasonally exclusive polls on the website -- the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 and the Illinois 10. With no distinctions made by size, class or geography, the last poll of the boys season puts the closing touches on a vivid and terrific run.
“It’s easy to set a high bar,” York coach Jordan Stopka said after the semifinal win over Lockport. “It’s hard to get over it. I’m beyond ecstatic. We had high aspirations. Even during summer and at the start of our training, I asked our players how far you can push yourselves.
“They’ve taken that to heart.”
The last week of the season really showed how closely entwined are the top programs.
Fremd survived Oak Park and River Forest 1-0 in the Barrington Supersectional on a 79th-minute goal by Eli Schoffstall. The Huskies administered one of York's two losses.
OPRF also beat New Trier 1-0 on its home field in the sectional semifinals and routed Evanston 3-0 in the final. The Wildkits beat the Trevians earlier in the season, but the Winnetka school ended the regular-season as the top team in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25.
York had two late goals to beat Huntley in the Streamwood Supersectional. The Red Raiders defeated Boylan in the first game of the season. Boylan never lost again en route to the Class AA state title.
Washington had Boylan on the ropes for much of the semifinal game Friday. The Patriots were a great postseason success story. They stunned city champion Payton in the Brother Rice Supersectional, avenging their loss in the city tournament title game.
Washington has three state trophies since 2013. Chicago Public League soccer earned another feather for its cap.
Grayslake Central is another team story worth celebrating. The Rams also achieved the improbable with their fourth place finish. Grayslake Central started the year at the Northside College Showcase, against the likes of New Trier and Libertyville, and began the year 0-4-0.
That experience and adversity shaped them.
With its state title run a week ago, the achievements of Wheaton Academy also deserve special mention. Goals by twin brothers Joshua and Caleb Mariotti powered the Warriors’ 2-1 win over Althoff.
Class A Althoff and Class AA Triad were seeking a unique double -- capturing the girls and boys state soccer championships in the same calendar year.
They nearly pulled it off.
Three of the four small-school finalists (Althoff, Wheaton Academy and Timothy) sent their girls’ programs in the state finals. Triad was the lone AA representative to make both state title matches.
After the pandemic interrupted the boys state tournament with the first gap in its run since its inception in 1972, the return to the playoffs was a bracing and exhilarating experience. Let's savor this one for a while, before we look ahead to the next one.
Key: FRSR-final regular season rank; PR-Preseason First 50 rank; NR-not ranked; HM-honorable mention: I-Illinois 10 rank.
| Rank | FRSR | PR | Team | W | L | T | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | 27 | York | 23 | 2 | 0 | Takes 3A title in 1st finals visit |
| 2 | 4 | 11 | Fremd | 21 | 3 | 1 | Incredible season for 3A runnerup |
| 3 | 7 | NR | OPRF | 19 | 4 | 0 | Beat York in WSC play, fantastic run |
| 4 | 15 | 38 | Lockport | 20 | 2 | 1 | Cinderella season ends with 3rd place |
| 5 | 2 | 2 | Morton | 21 | 3 | 3 | Mustangs take home another trophy |
| 6 | 5 | 1 | Naperville N | 21 | 6 | 2 | Five-straight sectional titles |
| 7 | 21 | NR | Huntley | 20 | 3 | 2 | Gave Boylan only loss |
| 8 | I1 | NR | Boylan | 27 | 1 | 0 | Jack Bonavia double PK takes AA title |
| 9 | I2 | 16 | Triad | 25 | 1 | 1 | Nearly completed boys & girls double |
| 10 | 8 | 5 | Lyons | 17 | 6 | 1 | Beat York in WSC, typically fine year |
| 11 | 17 | 9 | Wheaton A | 19 | 4 | 1 | Mariotti bros big in Class A title win |
| 12 | I3 | 10 | Althoff | 24 | 4 | 3 | Almost 2021 boys/girls sweep |
| 13 | 6 | 17 | Evanston | 16 | 4 | 2 | Another strong tournament run |
| 14 | 1 | 6 | New Trier | 17 | 2 | 1 | Aidan Crawford leaves great legacy |
| 15 | 3 | 20 | Barrington | 16 | 4 | 2 | Jeremiah Gascho came of age |
| 16 | HM | 13 | Naperville C | 15 | 8 | 1 | Played state’s toughest schedule |
| 17 | 16 | 3 | St. Charles E | 18 | 5 | 0 | Sebastian Carranza an All-American |
| 18 | I6 | 34 | Collinsville | 21 | 4 | 2 | Stunned by Lockport |
| 19 | 12 | 4 | Benet | 15 | 6 | 1 | Elevated game in state tournament |
| 20 | I4 | NR | Urbana | 19 | 1 | 2 | Only loss on penalties against Triad |
| 21 | NR | NR | Washngtn (Chi) | 19 | 5 | 2 | 3rd state trophy in last nine years |
| 22 | 18 | NR | Payton | 22 | 2 | 3 | City, sectional titles made history |
| 23 | NR | NR | Grayslake C | 14 | 8 | 2 | D. Marynevych keys brilliant state run |
| 24 | 10 | NR | Ntre Dme (Nles) | 23 | 2 | 2 | Dons enjoyed unprecedented success |
| 25 | NR | NR | Elgin | 12 | 4 | 5 | Took Huntley to brink |
| 26 | NR | 28 | Moline | 18 | 4 | 3 | Reached 3A sectional final |
| 27 | HM | NR | Glenbrook S | 12 | 3 | 6 | Under the radar team showed mettle |
| 28 | 14 | NR | LW Central | 17 | 2 | 2 | Gave Lockport only in-season loss |
| 29 | HM | NR | Romeoville | 19 | 5 | 3 | Reached a Class 3A sectional final |
| 30 | I5 | NR | Normal W | 18 | 4 | 6 | Lost sectional heartbreaker on PKs |
| 31 | 11 | 8 | Loyola | 10 | 3 | 3 | New coach, same excellent season |
| 32 | HM | NR | Timothy | 18 | 4 | 3 | Chris Cruz powered state finals run |
| 33 | 13 | NR | Lake Zurich | 11 | 3 | 4 | Ian Ferguson had breakout year |
| 34 | 19 | NR | Oswego E | 17 | 5 | 1 | Ben Burns a breakout offensive star |
| 35 | 23 | 33 | Mt Carmel | 13 | 4 | 1 | Marco Valencia 1 of Ill.'s top scorers |
| 36 | HM | 39 | W Chicago | 18 | 6 | 1 | Tristan Alfaro is a standout talent |
| 37 | I7 | NR | Morton (Ill.) | 19 | 3 | 4 | Braden Damotte is a creative MF |
| 38 | HM | NR | Hinsdale C | 10 | 3 | 3 | Red Devils had a comeback campaign |
| 39 | 20 | 31 | R Meadows | 12 | 4 | 3 | Mustangs had great spring/fall seasons |
| 40 | HM | 41 | Stevenson | 15 | 3 | 4 | Patriots were not to be trifled with |
| 41 | 22 | NR | CL South | 18 | 4 | 2 | Bid adieu to 2018 AA title members |
| 42 | NR | NR | Marmion | 14 | 8 | 2 | Cadets brimming with young talent |
| 43 | NR | NR | Bloomington C | 25 | 4 | 1 | Jaylen Bischoff is an elite junior |
| 44 | I9 | NR | Mendota | 26 | 1 | 0 | Nearly pulled off perfect run |
| 45 | HM | 24 | Plainfield N | 14 | 5 | 4 | Tigers have great junior class |
| 46 | HM | 7 | W Aurora | 13 | 5 | 3 | Carlos Garcia was a standout keeper |
| 47 | HM | NR | E Aurora | 14 | 5 | 4 | Colleges eye Roman Hernandez |
| 48 | NR | 18 | Geneva | 9 | 8 | 6 | Christian Diaz led 2nd half surge |
| 49 | NR | NR | Genoa-Kngstn | 21 | 2 | 0 | Reams, Leon set scoring marks |
| 50 | 25 | NR | Metea Valley | 11 | 8 | 2 | Colin Bastianoni led tough crew |