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Chicagoland Soccer First 50
state preseason ranking


By Patrick Z. McGavin



How do you top last year?

For the first time ever, two teams with perfect records met in the final game of the year -- the championship of the Class 3A state title.

Naperville North eclipsed Libertyville 1-0, providing a bookend, matching the score of the previous year. The Huskies have won 45 -consecutive games dating to the 2017 season.

Coach Jim Konrad has questions of his own, naturally how are the Huskies going to do without All-Americans Tom Welch and Colin Iverson.

Only four teams scored against Naperville North last year. Look for the Huskies to play a more up-tempo style and concede a few more goals to score more in an open-ended system highlighting the special talents of preseason All-American forward Ty Konrad.

Naperville North is ranked no. 3 nationally by Top Drawer Soccer.

Despite being vanquished in consecutive years by the Huskies, Libertyville has been in the Class 3A state title game three times in the last four years. They are 42-2-2 the last two years. 

In a normal cycle, the Wildcats would be talked about as one of the great teams in state history. They should be but have been shifted to the shadow of Naperville North.

Dynamics have to be brought down convincingly.

The following is a first look at the season that starts Monday. Until the hard data comes in, we are primarily drawing on the past to imagine a present.

The First 50 team information is prefaced by preseason ranking, final ranking in 2018 and 2018 record.

It is hard to escape the feeling the song remains the same. Defending Class AA state champion Crystal Lake South returns a preseason All-American forward Alex Canfield, another elite talent.

At this point, the wonder is whether an upstart or surprise group makes a run and crashes the party. Until proven otherwise, fortune favors Naperville North.

The rest of the field looks to write their own narrative and dreams.



Rk'18 rkTeamWLTComment
11Naperville N260 0 Favorite for 4th-straight 3A title
25Morton (Cicero)203 1 Early Naperville N showdown Sat.
32Libertyville221 0Mickey Reilly takes featured role
44Notre Dame (Peo)2330 Noah Madrigal--early All-American
519Fremd1361Ringing with high expectations
66St. Patrick244 0 Loaded with talent, depth and experience
73CL South222 3 Defending title in AA, Canfield key
812Streamwood1853Jose Ibarra is state’s top defender
910Lyons178 0 Lions’ tough schedule always pays off
1011Collinsville206 1The best of the Deep South programs
1111OPRF1842 13 returners back from elite side
1214New Trier154 2 Showcase is best early-season tournament
1317Mt. Carmel (Chic)185 2 Caravan tops on South Side
1418Solorio2022Alex Sanchez is unstoppable
1528York1461 Dukes are royalty this year
1613Benet174 1Stacked with young and glittering talent
1723Oswego1832Mason McCaw had 31 goals last year
1824Evanston16614-straight sectional title game slots
1931Normal155 7 Talented and skilled offensive group
2015Buffalo Grove1452 Graduation losses, talent remains
2115Leyden1760 Eagles are a model of consistency
2229Metea Valley136 1 Gandhi Cruz is an elite keeper
2325Loyola1623 Ramblers have intriguing junior class
2416Gibault176 5Connor Olson had 100+ saves last year
2530Columbia2143Eagles are on the verge
2637Notre Dame (Qcy)215 2 Irish move up a class
278Lake Park215 3 Looking to show last year no fluke
289St. Ignatius178 0 A dangerous and very exciting team
2938Hinsdale C1760 Red Devils are back in the discussion
3034St. Charles E126 1 Youngest Carranza a breakout soph
3126Latin2111Romans enter the post-Tom Bower era
32NRGlenbrook N994 Spartans sek rebound from injury-filled '18
3348Lane136 2Deep, talented Indians among city’s best
3433Marmion147 2Strong nucleus, '18 'super' qualifier
35HMYoung1651Dolphins will battle Solorio, Lane for city
36HMNaperville C674 Redhawks are an intriguing team
37HMThornton (co-op)1361 Sectional finalist still loaded
38NRL-W East166 1Cory Pitlik is one of the best around
39NRBarrington128 2Ready to make some noise
40NRMaine South1364Challenges New Trier and Evanston
41HMEdwardsville113 3Looking for offensive spark
4232Springfield237 1Looks to remain elite
4321West Aurora1841Zach Thompson is a top junior
44HMSandburg1362Bunch back from sectional qualifier
4546St. Charles N126 1Seeks rebound after off year
46NRGlenbrook S1275Titans primed for big campaign
4749St. Edward2421Made first state final school history
4850St. Teresa2233 Explosive offensive team
4936Marquette (Altn)1433 A small school Goliath
5022Wheaton A2030Coach Cody Snouffer oversees new era
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