Class A Super 7 poll
By Patrick Z. McGavin
This week begins the launch of two new polls that supplement the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 and Illinois 10.
Our state is broad and diverse. High school sports have always accentuated regional, cultural and classification lines.
Neither the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 nor Illinois 10 polls grade on a curve.
Teams are assessed by the quality of their success, performance level, personnel and strength of competition.
Big schools have more resources, broader access to talent pools and greater demographic reach.
When there is an open spot in one of the existing polls, a larger program usually takes it away from a smaller one.
For instance, in the current iteration of the Top 25, twenty-three of the teams are Class 3A programs. There are two Class AA teams and no Class A teams.
Those twenty-three Class 3A schools are disproportionately among the highest enrollment schools in the state.
Also it’s a given that most of the time, schools tend to stay in their attendance and IHSA class lanes.
It makes sense. Smaller schools can be overwhelmed by an opponent’s deeper roster as much as its talent.
For example, it would be interesting if North Shore Country Day (10-0-0) played its Winnetka neighbor New Trier (6-1-2). The soccer would be entertaining, but in the end the numbers favor the larger school.
As it seemed that more and more successful Class A and AA schools were unrepresented in our polls, it became apparent something needed to be done.
Welcome two new pools to the Chicagoland Soccer family. The Class A Super Seven and Class AA Super Seven are variations of the Little All-State Teams that were introduced as part of the Chicagoland Soccer all-state package last season.
That list sought to bring exposure and a necessary platform for players from small schools, co-ops, charters and any others that fall in the deep shadow of Class 3A.
Now, perhaps a bit tardily, it’s time to bring them into our poll offerings.
As it happened, our first Class A no. 1 North Shore Country Day defeated previously unbeaten and now no. 2 Mendota in the BodyArmor event on Saturday.
These programs just missed the cut in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 and Illinois 10.
Rather than try to squeeze them into an honorable mention slot, this more significant action provides a proper spotlight for their achievements.
We are using the IHSA’s class format for three-class sports.
Under that system, the cutoff for Class A is 685; the cutoff for Class AA is 1,636.
We are also using the IHSA's multiplier format when it is applicable.
One last note, if the pollmaker believes a team fits within the bigger polls, they will be placed there and not listed in the new rankings.
Team records are through Sunday games.
Editor's note: Originally, Latin was erroneously place into the Class AA poll. They have been moved to the Class A list. We did not want to penalize a team for our mistake, so for the first week, the Class A Super 7 will have eight teams.
Games through Sunday.
By Patrick Z. McGavin
This week begins the launch of two new polls that supplement the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 and Illinois 10.
Our state is broad and diverse. High school sports have always accentuated regional, cultural and classification lines.
Neither the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 nor Illinois 10 polls grade on a curve.
Teams are assessed by the quality of their success, performance level, personnel and strength of competition.
Big schools have more resources, broader access to talent pools and greater demographic reach.
When there is an open spot in one of the existing polls, a larger program usually takes it away from a smaller one.
For instance, in the current iteration of the Top 25, twenty-three of the teams are Class 3A programs. There are two Class AA teams and no Class A teams.
Those twenty-three Class 3A schools are disproportionately among the highest enrollment schools in the state.
Also it’s a given that most of the time, schools tend to stay in their attendance and IHSA class lanes.
It makes sense. Smaller schools can be overwhelmed by an opponent’s deeper roster as much as its talent.
For example, it would be interesting if North Shore Country Day (10-0-0) played its Winnetka neighbor New Trier (6-1-2). The soccer would be entertaining, but in the end the numbers favor the larger school.
As it seemed that more and more successful Class A and AA schools were unrepresented in our polls, it became apparent something needed to be done.
Welcome two new pools to the Chicagoland Soccer family. The Class A Super Seven and Class AA Super Seven are variations of the Little All-State Teams that were introduced as part of the Chicagoland Soccer all-state package last season.
That list sought to bring exposure and a necessary platform for players from small schools, co-ops, charters and any others that fall in the deep shadow of Class 3A.
Now, perhaps a bit tardily, it’s time to bring them into our poll offerings.
As it happened, our first Class A no. 1 North Shore Country Day defeated previously unbeaten and now no. 2 Mendota in the BodyArmor event on Saturday.
These programs just missed the cut in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 and Illinois 10.
Rather than try to squeeze them into an honorable mention slot, this more significant action provides a proper spotlight for their achievements.
We are using the IHSA’s class format for three-class sports.
Under that system, the cutoff for Class A is 685; the cutoff for Class AA is 1,636.
We are also using the IHSA's multiplier format when it is applicable.
One last note, if the pollmaker believes a team fits within the bigger polls, they will be placed there and not listed in the new rankings.
Team records are through Sunday games.
Editor's note: Originally, Latin was erroneously place into the Class AA poll. They have been moved to the Class A list. We did not want to penalize a team for our mistake, so for the first week, the Class A Super 7 will have eight teams.
Games through Sunday.
Rk | LW | Team | W | L | T |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | X | North Shore Country Day | 10 | 0 | 0 |
2 | x | Mendota | 11 | 1 | 0 |
3 | x | Latin | 7 | 3 | 0 |
4 | x | Bloomington Central | 7 | 3 | 1 |
5 | x | Monticello | 9 | 1 | 0 |
6 | x | Peoria Christian | 7 | 0 | 1 |
7 | x | Genoa-Kingston | 8 | 2 | 0 |
8 | x | Serena | 9 | 0 | 0 |