Chicagoland Soccer Top 25
By Patrick Z. McGavin
The season steams downhill now and to even try putting on the breaks seems an exercise in futility.
The announcement of the sectional seeds for the Class AA and Class 3A state tournament brings the point home of the thin line between the end of the regular season and the start of the ultimate tournament.
St. Charles North, unbeaten in the regular-season since 2016, is riding a 57-game streak. The North Stars defeated rival St. Charles East for the second time this season by the identical score of 2-1.
They beat in consecutive days Benet and then New Trier by the almost unheard of score 4-1 against a national power in a semifinal of the Naperville Invitational. Furthermore, the soccer gods appeared to deliver exactly what everybody asked for, the showdown of then-no. 1 Barrington and the then-no. 2 North Stars.
But the unforgiving weather and an inflexible schedule changed that and the game was cancelled with each team deemed a co-champion. The teams could meet, as they did last year, in a supersectional at Barrington on May 28. Each is a respective top-seed of their sectional. That is a discussion for another day.
Fremd’s 2-1 Mid-Suburban League victory over the Fillies shook up the race for the MSL title game. The Vikings make a triumphant return to the rankings, and seem to have gotten over the rut that found them losing once inside the league and tying two other games.
The Fillies host Conant on Wednesday. Here is the rub. Conant is undefeated with one tie in league play. Barrington has the one loss. A Barrington win would punch their ticket; a Cougars’ win or tie gives them the edge.
The violent weather also occasioned the cancelation of the Chicago Cup final that was to have featured five-time city champion Lane and rising Chicago Catholic League program Mother McAuley. “We always want to play for championships,” said Lane sophomore forward Eily Quinn said after scoring two dramatic goals in the final minutes to spark the Indians’ win over St. Ignatius.
The Indians have to make do with making the final and being declared co-champions. Lane shifts its attention to the start of the city tournament, the most prestigious event in city soccer. Lane is seeking an unprecedented fifth-consecutive title.
Rivalry week continues with New Trier playing at rival Evanston on Tuesday. The battle of Naperville with the DuPage Valley Conference title up for grabs with North and Central playing Tuesday, and Naperville North and Neuqua Valley in a top 10 showdown Thursday.
One unmistakable aspect is the end of the regular season is near. Enjoy this last batch of games.
Games through April 27
By Patrick Z. McGavin
The season steams downhill now and to even try putting on the breaks seems an exercise in futility.
The announcement of the sectional seeds for the Class AA and Class 3A state tournament brings the point home of the thin line between the end of the regular season and the start of the ultimate tournament.
St. Charles North, unbeaten in the regular-season since 2016, is riding a 57-game streak. The North Stars defeated rival St. Charles East for the second time this season by the identical score of 2-1.
They beat in consecutive days Benet and then New Trier by the almost unheard of score 4-1 against a national power in a semifinal of the Naperville Invitational. Furthermore, the soccer gods appeared to deliver exactly what everybody asked for, the showdown of then-no. 1 Barrington and the then-no. 2 North Stars.
But the unforgiving weather and an inflexible schedule changed that and the game was cancelled with each team deemed a co-champion. The teams could meet, as they did last year, in a supersectional at Barrington on May 28. Each is a respective top-seed of their sectional. That is a discussion for another day.
Fremd’s 2-1 Mid-Suburban League victory over the Fillies shook up the race for the MSL title game. The Vikings make a triumphant return to the rankings, and seem to have gotten over the rut that found them losing once inside the league and tying two other games.
The Fillies host Conant on Wednesday. Here is the rub. Conant is undefeated with one tie in league play. Barrington has the one loss. A Barrington win would punch their ticket; a Cougars’ win or tie gives them the edge.
The violent weather also occasioned the cancelation of the Chicago Cup final that was to have featured five-time city champion Lane and rising Chicago Catholic League program Mother McAuley. “We always want to play for championships,” said Lane sophomore forward Eily Quinn said after scoring two dramatic goals in the final minutes to spark the Indians’ win over St. Ignatius.
The Indians have to make do with making the final and being declared co-champions. Lane shifts its attention to the start of the city tournament, the most prestigious event in city soccer. Lane is seeking an unprecedented fifth-consecutive title.
Rivalry week continues with New Trier playing at rival Evanston on Tuesday. The battle of Naperville with the DuPage Valley Conference title up for grabs with North and Central playing Tuesday, and Naperville North and Neuqua Valley in a top 10 showdown Thursday.
One unmistakable aspect is the end of the regular season is near. Enjoy this last batch of games.
Games through April 27
| Rk | LW | Team | W | L | T | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | St. Charles North | 13 | 0 | 1 | Talia Pellegrini sparks win over New Trier |
| 2 | 1 | Barrington | 13 | 1 | 1 | Caroline Kilayko is clutch for Fillies |
| 3 | 3 | Stevenson | 14 | 1 | 2 | Continuing to shut out opponents |
| 4 | 4 | New Trier | 13 | 2 | 5 | Keeper Courtney Charchut stepping up huge |
| 5 | 9 | Benet | 14 | 2 | 1 | Kayla Brannigan is a skilled midfielder |
| 6 | 6 | St. Charles East | 13 | 5 | 0 | Renee Unterberg is offensive sparkplug |
| 7 | 7 | Naperville North | 7 | 4 | 2 | Katie Murphy is rising young talent |
| 8 | 8 | Lyons | 10 | 2 | 1 | Meara Hilling is a gifted midfielder |
| 9 | 10 | Neuqua Valley | 7 | 3 | 2 | Piper Biziorek is another intriguing offensive piece |
| 10 | 12 | Conant | 13 | 1 | 2 | Showdown with Barrington |
| 11 | 14 | Lane | 13 | 3 | 2 | Eily Quinn rallies Indians past St. Ignatius |
| 12 | 5 | St. Ignatius | 12 | 2 | 2 | Maura Murphy is top talent |
| 13 | 15 | Waubonsie Valley | 11 | 2 | 2 | Grace Setter is physical presence |
| 14 | 18 | Batavia | 13 | 3 | 2 | Excellent showing at Tournament of Champions |
| 15 | 16 | Glenbrook South | 15 | 3 | 2 | Edges Evanston in classic |
| 16 | HM | Fremd | 8 | 3 | 3 | Emma Spotak ignites Barrington win |
| 17 | 17 | Wauconda | 10 | 2 | 1 | A solid team with no weaknesses |
| 18 | 13 | Evanston | 10 | 4 | 1 | Sarah Sollinger is freshman to watch |
| 19 | 11 | Geneva | 6 | 4 | 1 | Chloe Frison is a skilled junior |
| 20 | 24 | WW South | 11 | 3 | 0 | Ellery Fahey stars against Lake Park |
| 21 | 19 | Sandburg | 11 | 3 | 1 | Competitive showing at Naperville Invitational |
| 22 | 21 | Lemont | 13 | 4 | 1 | Indians showing rapid offensive improvement |
| 23 | HM | Cary-Grove | 9 | 1 | 1 | Trojans take down Crystal Lake Central |
| 24 | HM | Mother McAuley | 15 | 2 | 1 | Share Chicago Cup title with Lane |
| 25 | HM | Jones | 13 | 5 | 0 | Martina Bianucci is a skilled, versatile midfielder |
Look out for: Joliet Catholic, Young, Loyola, South Elgin, Glenbard East, Crystal Lake Central, Metea Valley, Andrew, Prairie Ridge, Lake Zurich, Warren, North Shore Country Day, Plainfield East, Lincoln-Way Central