Chicagoland Soccer Top 25
By Patrick Z. McGavin
The upcoming weekend is four years in the making.
It will end a week that is almost impossible to fully gauge for its consequence.
A weather glitch gets an assist as it begins with a bang.
The unfashionably cold and snowy weather last Monday, April 18, meant the most anticipated regular-season conference game -- no. 2 Naperville Central vs. no. 3 Naperville North -- was delayed a week.
Now it becomes the opening bell.
The moment and location is fitting because Naperville is the center of prep soccer metaverse this week with the conclusion of the Naperville Invitational.
Unless something unforeseen plays out, the week will culminate with the tournament's first championship result in four years Saturday afternoon.
In the most recent edition of the tournament in 2019, Barrington and St. Charles North were declared co-champions after inclement weather and scheduling issues scuttled the final.
The upcoming culmination will be something to behold. It includes a number of consolation matches between ranked teams.
The team of the week undoubtedly is Oswego East (10-1-0). The Wolves drew the toughest Naperville Invitational pool play bracket with games against fellow ranked teams Benet and St. Charles North.
Oswego East ran out to fast 2-0 leads on both teams to win the group. They advance to play top-ranked and undefeated Lyons on Thursday.
The Wolves have won 10 in a row. Their only loss, a 1-0 decision on a penalty kick, came at Naperville Central in the first game of the season.
This is a fast, athletic and explosive team with multiple Division I athletes and an elite keeper in Sam McPhee. Oswego East is proving its undefeated regular-season last year was no fluke.
Any of the other Naperville Invitational quarterfinals would dominate the headlines: New Trier at Naperville Central; St. Charles East at Barrington (a rematch of last year’s supersectional); and upstart Oak Park and River Forest at Naperville North.
This week's poll also features the return of city powers Young and Lane.
The competition they've faced this season is just too hard to overlook. Both teams have competed against multiple ranked programs, including three currently ranked in the top 10. Young has faced Lyons, Evanston and Loyola; Lane has battled Glenbrook North, Loyola and Stevenson.
The state tournament starts to come into focus with Class A seedings released this week.
What a wild ride it's been, and what an amazing week stands before us.
By Patrick Z. McGavin
The upcoming weekend is four years in the making.
It will end a week that is almost impossible to fully gauge for its consequence.
A weather glitch gets an assist as it begins with a bang.
The unfashionably cold and snowy weather last Monday, April 18, meant the most anticipated regular-season conference game -- no. 2 Naperville Central vs. no. 3 Naperville North -- was delayed a week.
Now it becomes the opening bell.
The moment and location is fitting because Naperville is the center of prep soccer metaverse this week with the conclusion of the Naperville Invitational.
Unless something unforeseen plays out, the week will culminate with the tournament's first championship result in four years Saturday afternoon.
In the most recent edition of the tournament in 2019, Barrington and St. Charles North were declared co-champions after inclement weather and scheduling issues scuttled the final.
The upcoming culmination will be something to behold. It includes a number of consolation matches between ranked teams.
The team of the week undoubtedly is Oswego East (10-1-0). The Wolves drew the toughest Naperville Invitational pool play bracket with games against fellow ranked teams Benet and St. Charles North.
Oswego East ran out to fast 2-0 leads on both teams to win the group. They advance to play top-ranked and undefeated Lyons on Thursday.
The Wolves have won 10 in a row. Their only loss, a 1-0 decision on a penalty kick, came at Naperville Central in the first game of the season.
This is a fast, athletic and explosive team with multiple Division I athletes and an elite keeper in Sam McPhee. Oswego East is proving its undefeated regular-season last year was no fluke.
Any of the other Naperville Invitational quarterfinals would dominate the headlines: New Trier at Naperville Central; St. Charles East at Barrington (a rematch of last year’s supersectional); and upstart Oak Park and River Forest at Naperville North.
This week's poll also features the return of city powers Young and Lane.
The competition they've faced this season is just too hard to overlook. Both teams have competed against multiple ranked programs, including three currently ranked in the top 10. Young has faced Lyons, Evanston and Loyola; Lane has battled Glenbrook North, Loyola and Stevenson.
The state tournament starts to come into focus with Class A seedings released this week.
What a wild ride it's been, and what an amazing week stands before us.
| Rk | LW | Team | W | L | T | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Lyons | 11 | 0 | 0 | Ava Pike is a two-way threat |
| 2 | 2 | Naperville C | 11 | 0 | 0 | Lauren Thorne is a skilled forward |
| 3 | 3 | Naperville N | 11 | 1 | 1 | Cameron Dinkla is dangerous in space |
| 4 | 6 | Glenbrook N | 13 | 0 | 0 | Impressive win over Libertyville |
| 5 | 4 | Evanston | 10 | 1 | 1 | Tate Lucas stabilizes the middle attack |
| 6 | 7 | Barrington | 11 | 1 | 0 | Riley Raynor is gifted attacking player |
| 7 | 15 | Oswego E | 10 | 1 | 1 | Anya Gulbrandsen 2 goals vs/ SCN |
| 8 | 5 | Libertyville | 7 | 2 | 1 | Abby Gordon is dangerous in space |
| 9 | 8 | Loyola | 10 | 4 | 1 | Ellie Bradley is an elite keeper |
| 10 | 11 | Stevenson | 9 | 1 | 0 | Showdown with Warren Tuesday |
| 11 | 12 | Metea Valley | 9 | 2 | 1 | Kaylee Bannack is skilled competitor |
| 12 | 9 | St. Charles N | 10 | 2 | 0 | Abby Vichich is a disruptive talent |
| 13 | 10 | St. Charles E | 13 | 2 | 0 | Yazmin Martinez sparks attack |
| 14 | 16 | Deerfield | 11 | 1 | 1 | Katie Morgan is superb two-way talent |
| 15 | 13 | Maine S | 10 | 2 | 1 | Edged by Glenbrook N |
| 16 | 17 | Benet | 9 | 4 | 0 | Keira Petrucelli is a top-notch freshman |
| 17 | 18 | OPRF | 10 | 2 | 0 | Huge win over Warren |
| 18 | 14 | Warren | 7 | 2 | 2 | Katelyn Crowson delivers midfield punch |
| 19 | 21 | Plainfield N | 10 | 3 | 2 | Winners of 7 straight |
| 20 | 22 | Geneva | 10 | 4 | 0 | Bella Walls slows down Naperville C |
| 21 | 23 | Wheaton N | 8 | 3 | 0 | Macy Hutchinson is a top talent |
| 22 | 25 | New Trier | 8 | 4 | 2 | Sybil Evans is explosive in space |
| 23 | 24 | Glenbard W | 8 | 3 | 0 | Sophia Brown is a dynamic threat |
| 24 | HM | Young | 6 | 5 | 3 | Lauren Roche is big time sophomore |
| 25 | HM | Lane | 7 | 4 | 1 | Dale Sink energizes the middle attack |
Look out for: Lincoln-Way Central, Batavia, Carmel, Payton, Lockport, Andrew, Lincoln-Way East, Wheaton Warrenville South, Fenwick, Fremd, Morton, Saint Viator, Plainfield East, Glenbard East, IC Catholic Prep.
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