Chicagoland Soccer
IHSSCA media award winner: 2009; 2010
  • Home
  • Schedule
  • Results
  • SoccerCenter
  • Teams
  • Player of the match
  • Testimonials
  • Standings
  • Archives
  • About us
  • Subscribe
  • Contact us
  • Links
  • Pros
    • Chicago Fire 2016
    • Chicago Fire 2015
    • Chicago Red Stars 2015
  • G
  • News: sister site PP 8-17-20
  • FS:
  • Schedule boys spring 2021
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.

RankSchoolWLTComment
1Naperville N2123Jack Barry leads strong returning nucleus
2Barrington2341Klaus Pallan scored 31 goals as junior
3Bradley-B2510Highly skilled Markanich brothers return
4Libertyville1540Ryan Wittenbrink is one of the state’s best players
5Morton2411Baltazar Duran one of the country’s top seniors
6Conant1690Sota Ona is an elite junior
7Lane1722Alex Mezyk leads defending city champion
8Latin2430Strong returnees for defending Class AA champs
9Benet2122Franklin Rutkowski tops AA 3rd place returnees
10Mt Carmel1941Josiah Ash is a dynamic scorer
11Wheeling1633Jose Mariscal is a highly skilled talent
12Glenbrook N2222Sahil Modi is a dynamic offensive talent
13New Trier1174Will Felitto leads 9 returning starters
14Lyons1741Matt Vear is an elite keeper
15Naperville C1073Nate Zain is one of the state’s best players
16Addison Tr2220The top league challenger to Morton
17SC East1832New coach Vince DiNuzzo inherits deep roster
18Hersey1423Kevin Roman is the offensive catalyst
19Evanston1924Miguel Jimenez is a deeply skilled talent
20Waukegan1093Noe Hernandez leads the Bulldogs
21SC North1443Peter Willis: elite defender; superb all-around athlete
22Wheaton A1623J.D. Gunn is an elite keeper
23St. Ignatius1643Quinn Troy heads 6 sharp returning starters
24Bloom2151One of the best in the south suburbs
25Neuqua V1343Billy 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.
Proudly powered by Weebly