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Chicagoland Soccer First 50 state ranking

​
By Patrick Z. McGavin


Just call this the deep pleasure of the return.

In our pandemic year, high school sports is one of the many things close to our hearts that have been upended. The girls soccer season, like the entire spring calendar last year, was wiped out, depriving some of the best teams in the country from showing what they were capable of.

The boys’ 2020 fall season is just now finally gaining shape and definition with its delayed return on March 9; exactly 16 months will have passed since the last IHSA boys game.

On November 9, 2019, West Chicago stunned Morton on second half goals by Julian Guzman and Jahir Martinez for the championship of Class 3A.

Earlier that day, Benet defeated defending state champion Crystal Lake South 2-0 in the AA state championship game. That Redwings’ team entered the record books, conceding a ridiculously stingy four goals in 23 games.

Now, we are back after the IHSA, working closely with the Illinois Department of Health and office of Gov. J.B. Pritzker, having declared health conditions have improved enough to play high school soccer.

The boys are the opening week, playing a six-week compressed schedule. The most significant change is also the most unfortunate -- the absence of a state tournament.

The state series has always provided shape and meaning to our rankings, both in our Top 25 poll of the top programs in Chicago and the best outside the city, spotlighted in the Illinois 10 rankings.

Though the lack of a state tournament is a cruel turn, the fact that games exist at all is a cause for deep celebration. Schools are playing primarily conference-only schedules. Some are adding league tournaments to complete their schedule.

The other significant change is the rule that prevents players from playing club and high school simultaneously has been amended for this unprecedented season.

The backdrop ought to make for a compelling, fantastic and frenetic mad dash to the finish line on April 17. 

Given the backdrop, this edition of the First 50 is designed to address the state of the game, providing context to the teams and players to watch during this all-too-brief campaign.

It is impossible, by any juncture, to get everything forensically correct, given the extended layoff and pause brought about by the delay to the season and the lack of a summer and fall club season.

Let this be the start of a new dialogue, a sign of better times to come, and a moment to cherish what is again before us.

The poll includes the preseason ranking, the ranking in the Final 50 from 2019 and the record from that season.​
Rank'19 rkTeamWLTComment
13Morton234 26 starters return from 3A finalist
21W Chicago242 3Isaias Palacios powers defending 3A champs
32Benet201 26 starters return from AA championship team
47St. Patrick254 3Joshua Torres elite for 3A 4th finisher
54Naperville N195 2Soph Alex Barger poised for stardom
613Warren164 4All-American Max Floriani top deep squad
79Fremd152 4Perennial power reloads with defense, speed
817SC East182 36 starters, top transfer, bolster attack
96Edwardsville2151Brennan Weller leads downstate power
1015Lyons154 3Max Behm leads talented, skilled team
1111New Trier16248 starters return for 3A power
1210Evanston1822Duals New Trier for league supremacy
1312Libertyville15336 starters back, historically elite side
1414Triad233 3AA power, solid nucleus from 3rd place team
1538Loyola126 210 starters back return for CCL power
165CL South205 48 returners from AA runnerup
1719Jacobs165 3Strong nucleus from 3A supersectional side
188ND (Peoria)222 0Perennial power remains elite
1918St. Laurence196 1Top 2 scorers back; AA 4th place team
2025Solorio194 17 starters back from city finalist
2120Oswego185 13-year conference unbeaten streak
2223W Aurora185 1Zach Thompson leads 3A sectional finalist
2324Lane133 1Defending city champs are athletic
2428Mt. Carmel135 1Talented, experience, looks to rebound
2536Naperville C107 54 starters back for defensive program
26NRStreamwood1094Jose Ibarra named to All-American game
2730Marist156 56 starters back from AA sectional finalist
2831Morton (Ill)243 1Blake Gibson leads deep group
29HMGlenbard N139 3Nathan Enriquez on national club champs
3033Dunlap183 2Morton’s top challenger in Mid-Illini
3127Addison Trail135 3Anthony Hernandez leads deep squad
3221Geneva13546 starters back from 3A sectional qualifier
33NRFenwick15619 starters return for CCL power
3441Barrington16517 returning players for perennial power
3522SC North1153Luke Persenico keys talented, deep roster
3646Maine South1371John Cronnolly a creative talent
37HMND (Quincy)179 1Seth Anderson leads A powerhouse
3837Glenbrook S117 4Justin Leszynski has dynamic talent
39NRLeyden111018 returning starters for perennial winner
40NRNormal101138 starters back for central Illinois power
4149Marq (Alton)194 5Return foundation of A state finalist
4229Univ (Chi)223 2Alexandre Bal leads 2019 A champion
43NRGlenbard E1062Gavin Wooldridge tops 7 returnees
4439OPRF125 2Shot creator Paul Garcia leads attack
4547Springfield1753Senators a model of consistency
46HMSt. Ignatius1081Aidan Hurst leads 5 2019 starters
47HMWheaton N136 19 starters back for rapid improvers
4850Univ (Nrml)196 0Samuel Moore is top returning talent
4934Bloom196 1Jonathan Elizade -- elite scorer, playmaker
50HMNSCD187 1Return nucleus of historic A 4th place team
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