Chicagoland Soccer Top 25
By Patrick Z. McGavin
The first week of the new soccer season is already a memory, but it provided more data, information and results to process. Early games require particular context. One cautions anybody to read too much into a single game.
Three years ago, Hinsdale Central allowed half as many goals (five) in its first game of the year as they did the previous year combined. The Red Devils won the Class 3A state title that year. Last year Morton easily handled Naperville North in the first week of the new season, but the Huskies avenged that defeat in the supersectional en route to its own state championship. The same with state runnerup Barrington, who was stunned by Niles West in the first game and then proved almost untouchable.
Naperville Central coach Troy Adams illustrated how little time there is from the time of training camp to the first group of games.
“You have the summer, but not everybody is there,” Adams said. “You have tryouts, and then you have basically a week and two days to get ready for the first game. You are never ready.”
Adams also pointed out more coaches are scheduling top-notch competition right away, throwing caution to the wind and looking to get an instant reflection of a team’s strengths and vulnerabilities.
It made for a thrilling opening week.
Top-ranked Naperville North, playing its fourth game in five days, jumped to a 1-0 second half lead against Morton until the Mustangs responded by converting a penalty kick for the equalizer, the first goal star junior keeper Tom Welch has conceded this year.
Waukegan was the big riser in the poll. Coach Peter Valdez called this year’s team potentially the best in school history, and in the first week the Bulldogs have lived up to his expectations. They wiped out a solid Mundelein team 5-0, whipped no. 11 Evanston 4-0 and scored five goals in 18 minutes in the first half on Saturday in a Northside College Showcase pool play game against St. Charles East.
The Northside tournament, hosted by no. 6 New Trier at its Northfield campus, has three top 10 teams in one bracket (no.4 Libertyville, no. 7 Lyons and no. 8 Glenbrook North). Fifth-ranked Waukegan and sixth-ranked New Trier play Tuesday in the matchup of top teams from the upper pool.
The development of that tournament is likely the top narrative of the week. Stay tuned, and come back next week for more.
By Patrick Z. McGavin
The first week of the new soccer season is already a memory, but it provided more data, information and results to process. Early games require particular context. One cautions anybody to read too much into a single game.
Three years ago, Hinsdale Central allowed half as many goals (five) in its first game of the year as they did the previous year combined. The Red Devils won the Class 3A state title that year. Last year Morton easily handled Naperville North in the first week of the new season, but the Huskies avenged that defeat in the supersectional en route to its own state championship. The same with state runnerup Barrington, who was stunned by Niles West in the first game and then proved almost untouchable.
Naperville Central coach Troy Adams illustrated how little time there is from the time of training camp to the first group of games.
“You have the summer, but not everybody is there,” Adams said. “You have tryouts, and then you have basically a week and two days to get ready for the first game. You are never ready.”
Adams also pointed out more coaches are scheduling top-notch competition right away, throwing caution to the wind and looking to get an instant reflection of a team’s strengths and vulnerabilities.
It made for a thrilling opening week.
Top-ranked Naperville North, playing its fourth game in five days, jumped to a 1-0 second half lead against Morton until the Mustangs responded by converting a penalty kick for the equalizer, the first goal star junior keeper Tom Welch has conceded this year.
Waukegan was the big riser in the poll. Coach Peter Valdez called this year’s team potentially the best in school history, and in the first week the Bulldogs have lived up to his expectations. They wiped out a solid Mundelein team 5-0, whipped no. 11 Evanston 4-0 and scored five goals in 18 minutes in the first half on Saturday in a Northside College Showcase pool play game against St. Charles East.
The Northside tournament, hosted by no. 6 New Trier at its Northfield campus, has three top 10 teams in one bracket (no.4 Libertyville, no. 7 Lyons and no. 8 Glenbrook North). Fifth-ranked Waukegan and sixth-ranked New Trier play Tuesday in the matchup of top teams from the upper pool.
The development of that tournament is likely the top narrative of the week. Stay tuned, and come back next week for more.
| Rank | LW | School | W | L | T | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Naperville N | 3 | 0 | 1 | George Ladas sparks Huskies off bench |
| 2 | 3 | Bradley-B | 3 | 0 | 0 | Survive Glenwood to win own tournament |
| 3 | 4 | Libertyville | 2 | 0 | 0 | Grant Herbek is a top junior |
| 4 | 5 | Morton | 1 | 0 | 1 | Junior Isaac Carnalla is dynamic playmaker |
| 5 | 20 | Waukegan | 3 | 0 | 0 | Midfielder Ezau Millan sparks smoldering start |
| 6 | 13 | New Trier | 3 | 0 | 0 | Logan Weaver stuns York |
| 7 | 14 | Lyons | 2 | 1 | 0 | Eric Gradilla is a skilled, versatile talent |
| 8 | 12 | Glenbrook N | 2 | 1 | 0 | Max Marquez is a dynamic scorer |
| 9 | 8 | Latin | 3 | 0 | 0 | Junior MF Jonah Schenk powers the offense |
| 10 | 11 | Wheeling | 2 | 0 | 1 | Vincente Castro is an offensive standout |
| 11 | 19 | Evanston | 1 | 1 | 0 | Impressive shutout of Barrington |
| 12 | 2 | Barrington | 1 | 1 | 1 | Midfielder Gio Guarnero is an elite talent |
| 13 | HM | Maine South | 3 | 1 | 0 | Dominated Conant in season-opener |
| 14 | 21 | SC North | 2 | 0 | 0 | Senior F Bernard Elegbede a player to watch |
| 15 | 6 | Conant | 2 | 1 | 0 | Recovered well from Maine South loss |
| 16 | 7 | Lane | 2 | 1 | 0 | Senior MF Brandon Rivera one of city’s best |
| 17 | NR | Dundee-Crown | 3 | 0 | 0 | Julian Ajroja off to explosive start |
| 18 | NR | Argo | 4 | 0 | 0 | Stunned Mt. Carmel in Windy City |
| 19 | NR | Stagg | 2 | 0 | 0 | Sharp shutout win over Benet |
| 20 | 9 | Benet | 0 | 1 | 0 | Redwings clipped by Stagg |
| 21 | 10 | Mount Carmel | 3 | 1 | 0 | Caravan bounce back from tough opener |
| 22 | 23 | St. Ignatius | 2 | 0 | 1 | Midfielder Owen Allen is a high-skill player |
| 23 | HM | Loyola | 2 | 0 | 0 | Collin Leider is an offensive threat |
| 24 | NR | Plainfield S | 3 | 0 | 0 | Anthony Cervelli powers Cougars to fast start |
| 25 | NR | Geneva | 2 | 0 | 0 | Eric Anderson leads upset of Wheaton A |
Look out for: Wheaton Academy, Bremen, St. Charles East, Naperville Central, Neuqua Valley, Wheaton Warrenville South, Batavia, Addison Trail, Sandburg, Taft, Carmel, Warren, Leyden, Round Lake, Waubonsie Valley.