Taft, Young hope for deep playoff runs
By Michael Wojtychiw
Both Taft and Young knew going into their Sept. 26 Chicago Public League Premier Division Northwest game that their schedules would have them ready for what the other team threw at them.
Young faced off against top teams like Morton, Boylan, New Trier and Evanston. They more than held their own in losses to the first three -- the Dolphins even held a 2-0 lead at Morton. The win against Evanston really showcased the progress the squad has made on the year.
“I put together a tough schedule like I did, because I thought we could handle it,” Young manager Nick Maksa said. “And a couple bounces here or there and maybe we have a couple more wins, but I’m really proud of how these kids are competing and that the best is yet to come for this team.
“We’ve proven that we can compete with anybody at any time, and I told the guys that. We’re not going to get run off the field. If we start to do some of the small details together, that’s going to put us in position to win those games. I don’t think we’re that far off.”
Taft has faced a grueling schedule as well. Playing in tournaments like the Barrington Classic and a BodyArmor bracket helped the Eagles learn about themselves. All three of their losses on the year came at those tournaments. All of Taft's losses have come by a goal or shootout.
“It all starts with the goalies,” Taft manager Jeff Lucco said. “We have two really athletic and tall goalies. Both of them are true athletes. That helps because they’re there to cover if we make mistakes. But the backline really hasn’t made mistakes.
“It’s all juniors and seniors back there, and the majority have played together for at least three years. They all bring something different to the team.”
Taft’s Matej Sokola said after his team’s 1-1 tie Monday against Young that he wasn’t really surprised by how the Eagles had handled themselves in the regular-season.
"Before the season, we all knew that this was going to be the best Taft team there's ever been," Sokola said. "We knew we have talent, everyone is good on the ball. We knew we had something special here."
Something that has been nice for Lucco and his team has been that it’s gotten offensive contributions from a number of players, and the Eagles have not been forced to rely on one or two contributors.
No Taft player has more than four goals on the year and 13 players have scored at least one goal.
““It’s been really cool to see so many guys scoring,” Lucco said. “We knew we weren’t going to have a guy come out who was going to be a 15-to-20 goal scorer.
“It’s actually come from sources that we weren’t expecting. Four different defenders have scored this year. Outside backs, center backs are scoring.”
This season, the Chicago Public League decided to move to a 32-team knockout format for its conference tournament instead of the group play it had featured. Teams from the North and Northwest divisions play each other in crossover format, while those in the South and Central divisions do the same.
In addition eight teams from non-Premier conferences, who qualified through mini-tournaments in September, make up the remaining participants. The tournament opens Monday.
With its first-place finish in the Premier Division Northwest, Taft gets ready to play Kelly, with an opportunity to meet Senn or Prosser in the Sweet 16. Due to its second place finish to Taft, via a tiebreaker, Young meets Kennedy before a potential matchup with Amundsen or Northside.
An Elite Eight matchup could pit Young against Lane. The teams played to a 1-1 earlier draw Sept. 1.
If Young and Taft get a rematch, it’ll come in the semifinals of the tournament.
Thursday the two teams found out their seeding in the state tournament sectionals. Young earned a fifth-seed in the Hinsdale Central Sectional; Taft earned the same seed in the Glenbrook South Sectional.
By Michael Wojtychiw
Both Taft and Young knew going into their Sept. 26 Chicago Public League Premier Division Northwest game that their schedules would have them ready for what the other team threw at them.
Young faced off against top teams like Morton, Boylan, New Trier and Evanston. They more than held their own in losses to the first three -- the Dolphins even held a 2-0 lead at Morton. The win against Evanston really showcased the progress the squad has made on the year.
“I put together a tough schedule like I did, because I thought we could handle it,” Young manager Nick Maksa said. “And a couple bounces here or there and maybe we have a couple more wins, but I’m really proud of how these kids are competing and that the best is yet to come for this team.
“We’ve proven that we can compete with anybody at any time, and I told the guys that. We’re not going to get run off the field. If we start to do some of the small details together, that’s going to put us in position to win those games. I don’t think we’re that far off.”
Taft has faced a grueling schedule as well. Playing in tournaments like the Barrington Classic and a BodyArmor bracket helped the Eagles learn about themselves. All three of their losses on the year came at those tournaments. All of Taft's losses have come by a goal or shootout.
“It all starts with the goalies,” Taft manager Jeff Lucco said. “We have two really athletic and tall goalies. Both of them are true athletes. That helps because they’re there to cover if we make mistakes. But the backline really hasn’t made mistakes.
“It’s all juniors and seniors back there, and the majority have played together for at least three years. They all bring something different to the team.”
Taft’s Matej Sokola said after his team’s 1-1 tie Monday against Young that he wasn’t really surprised by how the Eagles had handled themselves in the regular-season.
"Before the season, we all knew that this was going to be the best Taft team there's ever been," Sokola said. "We knew we have talent, everyone is good on the ball. We knew we had something special here."
Something that has been nice for Lucco and his team has been that it’s gotten offensive contributions from a number of players, and the Eagles have not been forced to rely on one or two contributors.
No Taft player has more than four goals on the year and 13 players have scored at least one goal.
““It’s been really cool to see so many guys scoring,” Lucco said. “We knew we weren’t going to have a guy come out who was going to be a 15-to-20 goal scorer.
“It’s actually come from sources that we weren’t expecting. Four different defenders have scored this year. Outside backs, center backs are scoring.”
This season, the Chicago Public League decided to move to a 32-team knockout format for its conference tournament instead of the group play it had featured. Teams from the North and Northwest divisions play each other in crossover format, while those in the South and Central divisions do the same.
In addition eight teams from non-Premier conferences, who qualified through mini-tournaments in September, make up the remaining participants. The tournament opens Monday.
With its first-place finish in the Premier Division Northwest, Taft gets ready to play Kelly, with an opportunity to meet Senn or Prosser in the Sweet 16. Due to its second place finish to Taft, via a tiebreaker, Young meets Kennedy before a potential matchup with Amundsen or Northside.
An Elite Eight matchup could pit Young against Lane. The teams played to a 1-1 earlier draw Sept. 1.
If Young and Taft get a rematch, it’ll come in the semifinals of the tournament.
Thursday the two teams found out their seeding in the state tournament sectionals. Young earned a fifth-seed in the Hinsdale Central Sectional; Taft earned the same seed in the Glenbrook South Sectional.