Chicagoland Soccer
boys preseason top 25
By Patrick Z. McGavin
On a beautiful fall Saturday evening last November, Naperville North midfielder Jack Barry broke a 1-1 tie by hammering home a short volley in the 56th minute that propelled the Huskies to a 3-1 win over Barrington in the Class 3A state championship at Hoffman Estates.
With the new season set to kick off Monday, these two programs are perched atop the Chicagoland Soccer preseason top 25 poll.
Naperville North must replace Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year and Bowling Green recruit Chris Sullivan. But the Huskies return a deep and talented nucleus.
Barrington's skilled group is led by standout forward Klaus Pallan.
But the top pair are certainly not alone.
Third place state finisher Bradley-Bourbonnais, whose only loss last season came to Naperville North in the state semifinals, returns three senior standouts in brothers Nick and Anthony Markanich, and high-scoring midfielder Efrain Davila.
Libertyville, the 2015 Class 3A state champion, has a new coach -- Kevin Thunholm replaces the legendary Andy Bitta. Indiana recruit Ryan Wittenbrink will lead a very skilled and talented Wildcats roster.
Morton was ranked as the no. 1 team in the country by one media outlet last year before the Mustangs were ousted in the supersectionals by Naperville North. New coach Jim Bageanis inherits the tradition-rich program and nationally-rated senior Baltazar Duran. They should remain a force.
In Class AA, the top three 2016 finishers -- Latin, Mount Carmel and Benet -- are also stacked.
So, in a sense, the new season is a shadow, or echo, of the one from a year ago. The traditional powers are again the ones to watch.
The principles remain in place. Still, a new script is likely to upend the ruling order. There are many skilled teams in Chicagoland. The possibility for an upset is always there. The past is prologue.
As the great Cole Porter famously sang “Anything Goes.”
Editor's note: records are from the 2016 season.
boys preseason top 25
By Patrick Z. McGavin
On a beautiful fall Saturday evening last November, Naperville North midfielder Jack Barry broke a 1-1 tie by hammering home a short volley in the 56th minute that propelled the Huskies to a 3-1 win over Barrington in the Class 3A state championship at Hoffman Estates.
With the new season set to kick off Monday, these two programs are perched atop the Chicagoland Soccer preseason top 25 poll.
Naperville North must replace Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year and Bowling Green recruit Chris Sullivan. But the Huskies return a deep and talented nucleus.
Barrington's skilled group is led by standout forward Klaus Pallan.
But the top pair are certainly not alone.
Third place state finisher Bradley-Bourbonnais, whose only loss last season came to Naperville North in the state semifinals, returns three senior standouts in brothers Nick and Anthony Markanich, and high-scoring midfielder Efrain Davila.
Libertyville, the 2015 Class 3A state champion, has a new coach -- Kevin Thunholm replaces the legendary Andy Bitta. Indiana recruit Ryan Wittenbrink will lead a very skilled and talented Wildcats roster.
Morton was ranked as the no. 1 team in the country by one media outlet last year before the Mustangs were ousted in the supersectionals by Naperville North. New coach Jim Bageanis inherits the tradition-rich program and nationally-rated senior Baltazar Duran. They should remain a force.
In Class AA, the top three 2016 finishers -- Latin, Mount Carmel and Benet -- are also stacked.
So, in a sense, the new season is a shadow, or echo, of the one from a year ago. The traditional powers are again the ones to watch.
The principles remain in place. Still, a new script is likely to upend the ruling order. There are many skilled teams in Chicagoland. The possibility for an upset is always there. The past is prologue.
As the great Cole Porter famously sang “Anything Goes.”
Editor's note: records are from the 2016 season.
| Rank | School | W | L | T | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naperville N | 21 | 2 | 3 | Jack Barry leads strong returning nucleus |
| 2 | Barrington | 23 | 4 | 1 | Klaus Pallan scored 31 goals as junior |
| 3 | Bradley-B | 25 | 1 | 0 | Highly skilled Markanich brothers return |
| 4 | Libertyville | 15 | 4 | 0 | Ryan Wittenbrink is one of the state’s best players |
| 5 | Morton | 24 | 1 | 1 | Baltazar Duran one of the country’s top seniors |
| 6 | Conant | 16 | 9 | 0 | Sota Ona is an elite junior |
| 7 | Lane | 17 | 2 | 2 | Alex Mezyk leads defending city champion |
| 8 | Latin | 24 | 3 | 0 | Strong returnees for defending Class AA champs |
| 9 | Benet | 21 | 2 | 2 | Franklin Rutkowski tops AA 3rd place returnees |
| 10 | Mt Carmel | 19 | 4 | 1 | Josiah Ash is a dynamic scorer |
| 11 | Wheeling | 16 | 3 | 3 | Jose Mariscal is a highly skilled talent |
| 12 | Glenbrook N | 22 | 2 | 2 | Sahil Modi is a dynamic offensive talent |
| 13 | New Trier | 11 | 7 | 4 | Will Felitto leads 9 returning starters |
| 14 | Lyons | 17 | 4 | 1 | Matt Vear is an elite keeper |
| 15 | Naperville C | 10 | 7 | 3 | Nate Zain is one of the state’s best players |
| 16 | Addison Tr | 22 | 2 | 0 | The top league challenger to Morton |
| 17 | SC East | 18 | 3 | 2 | New coach Vince DiNuzzo inherits deep roster |
| 18 | Hersey | 14 | 2 | 3 | Kevin Roman is the offensive catalyst |
| 19 | Evanston | 19 | 2 | 4 | Miguel Jimenez is a deeply skilled talent |
| 20 | Waukegan | 10 | 9 | 3 | Noe Hernandez leads the Bulldogs |
| 21 | SC North | 14 | 4 | 3 | Peter Willis: elite defender; superb all-around athlete |
| 22 | Wheaton A | 16 | 2 | 3 | J.D. Gunn is an elite keeper |
| 23 | St. Ignatius | 16 | 4 | 3 | Quinn Troy heads 6 sharp returning starters |
| 24 | Bloom | 21 | 5 | 1 | One of the best in the south suburbs |
| 25 | Neuqua V | 13 | 4 | 3 | Billy Heniades is a Wildcat to watch |
Look out for: Maine South, Oak Lawn, Sandburg, Loyola, Mundelein, Jacobs, Taft, Wheaton Warrenville South, Downers Grove North, Leyden, Carmel, Vernon Hills, Waubonsie Valley, Palatine, Downers Grove South.