Chicagoland Soccer Final 50 poll
By Patrick Z. McGavin
In the fog-tinged sky Saturday night in Hoffman Estates, Naperville North made its imprint. The Huskies laid claim to one of the greatest seasons in state history after they defeated Libertyville 1-0 to defend their Class 3A state title.
The team set all manner of program marks, including most victories (27) and most shutouts (21) in a season.
After the Huskies went up on Colin Iverson’s goal in the 66th minute, Libertyville star Ryan Wittenbrink lofted a shot from the right wing. Naperville North’s 6-foot-6 junior keeper Tommy Welch extended his long frame to make a magnificent swooping lunge to block the ball.
It might have been the single most evocative image of the state tournament.
Naperville North and Libertyville are each ranked nationally among the top seven teams by Top Drawer Soccer. The two schools are currently ranked no. 1 and no. 3 respectively in the country by MaxPreps, testifying to the power, depth and skill level of Illinois boys soccer. At one point of the season in that poll, four of the top five and seven of the top eight nationally rated schools were from Chicago.
Naperville North won its last 19 games. The Huskies avenged their only loss, a 1-0 defeat against rival Naperville Central, by defeating the Redhawks in the sectional final. The only other imperfection, a draw with Morton, was also evened up in the state tournament.
In effect the season was an extended flashback, ending just where it began. Naperville North was no. 1 in the preseason edition of the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 published on August 18. After sitting behind Libertyville at no. 2, the Huskies are again top ranked.
Out of necessity and access, the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 and Illinois 10 polls have always separated the Chicago teams which are readily available for our northeastern-Illinois-based staff to watch, observe and evaluate from the programs outside the area that we have limited access to and less institutional knowledge of.
The Final 50 combines the polls to rank the state’s top teams. Its first appearance came after the girls spring season, and it makes its boys debut here.
Key: FRSR-final regular season rank; PR-preseason rank; NR-not ranked; HM-honorable mention: I-Illinois 10 rank.
By Patrick Z. McGavin
In the fog-tinged sky Saturday night in Hoffman Estates, Naperville North made its imprint. The Huskies laid claim to one of the greatest seasons in state history after they defeated Libertyville 1-0 to defend their Class 3A state title.
The team set all manner of program marks, including most victories (27) and most shutouts (21) in a season.
After the Huskies went up on Colin Iverson’s goal in the 66th minute, Libertyville star Ryan Wittenbrink lofted a shot from the right wing. Naperville North’s 6-foot-6 junior keeper Tommy Welch extended his long frame to make a magnificent swooping lunge to block the ball.
It might have been the single most evocative image of the state tournament.
Naperville North and Libertyville are each ranked nationally among the top seven teams by Top Drawer Soccer. The two schools are currently ranked no. 1 and no. 3 respectively in the country by MaxPreps, testifying to the power, depth and skill level of Illinois boys soccer. At one point of the season in that poll, four of the top five and seven of the top eight nationally rated schools were from Chicago.
Naperville North won its last 19 games. The Huskies avenged their only loss, a 1-0 defeat against rival Naperville Central, by defeating the Redhawks in the sectional final. The only other imperfection, a draw with Morton, was also evened up in the state tournament.
In effect the season was an extended flashback, ending just where it began. Naperville North was no. 1 in the preseason edition of the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 published on August 18. After sitting behind Libertyville at no. 2, the Huskies are again top ranked.
Out of necessity and access, the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 and Illinois 10 polls have always separated the Chicago teams which are readily available for our northeastern-Illinois-based staff to watch, observe and evaluate from the programs outside the area that we have limited access to and less institutional knowledge of.
The Final 50 combines the polls to rank the state’s top teams. Its first appearance came after the girls spring season, and it makes its boys debut here.
Key: FRSR-final regular season rank; PR-preseason rank; NR-not ranked; HM-honorable mention: I-Illinois 10 rank.
Rank | FRSR | PR | Team | W | L | T | Comment | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 1 | Naperville N | 27 | 1 | 1 | Jack Barry set season assist record (22) | |
2 | 1 | 4 | Libertyville | 20 | 1 | 2 | Ryan Wittenbrink -- 68 goals in 65 games | |
3 | 6 | 5 | Morton | 22 | 2 | 2 | Ousted by state champ last 4 years | |
4 | 3 | 13 | New Trier | 19 | 4 | 0 | Will Felitto led powerhouse CSL champs | |
5 | 13 | 3 | Bradley-B | 19 | 4 | 1 | Markanich twins, Davila leave legacy | |
6 | 17 | 19 | Evanston | 17 | 5 | 4 | Reached super 3rd-consecutive year | |
7 | 5 | 12 | Glenbrook N | 19 | 4 | 1 | Deng Deng Kur powered Spartans’ run | |
8 | 15 | 2 | Barrington | 20 | 4 | 1 | Freshman Caleb Wilson 1 to watch | |
9 | 4 | 20 | Waukegan | 16 | 3 | 3 | Top Bulldog Noe Hernandez led fun run | |
10 | NR | NR | Solorio | 19 | 6 | 4 | Tops in AA, Alejandro Sanchez top soph | |
11 | 8 | 21 | SC North | 16 | 4 | 4 | North Stars capture 1st state trophy | |
12 | 12 | 15 | Naperville C | 15 | 5 | 3 | Only team to take down Naperville North | |
13 | 10 | 14 | Lyons | 18 | 5 | 1 | Charlie Clarke led late 10-game win skein | |
14 | 9 | NR | OPRF | 16 | 4 | 1 | Andrew Barkidjija led resurgence | |
15 | INR | INR | Gibault | 18 | 7 | 3 | ran into buzzsaw in AA final | |
16 | I3 | I4 | Glenwood | 22 | 3 | 1 | Rylee Claton made his mark | |
17 | 18 | 22 | Wheaton A | 23 | 5 | 0 | 4 state trophies in last 6 years | |
18 | 14 | HM | Carmel | 15 | 3 | 1 | Rao, Ehren, Barnes, Cloe key campaign | |
19 | HM | NR | St. Patrick | 23 | 6 | 2 | Win total tops last 3 seasons combined | |
20 | 7 | NR | Dundee-Cr | 18 | 1 | 2 | Undefeated season ends in regionals | |
21 | HM | HM | Leyden | 18 | 4 | 2 | Eduardo Hernandez became elite junior | |
22 | I7 | INR | Normal | 17 | 6 | 3 | Josef Halcomb ledsectional title run | |
23 | 20 | 10 | Mt Carmel | 20 | 5 | 0 | Sr Josiah Ash: CCL title, sectional final | |
24 | NR | HM | Jacobs | 14 | 7 | 0 | Noah Melick keys straight super slots | |
25 | 24 | NR | Streamwood | 14 | 6 | 2 | Aldo Lazaro led to sectional title game | |
26 | NR | NR | Metea V | 15 | 8 | 2 | Jr Evan Lang among top of his class | |
27 | NR | 25 | Neuqua V | 14 | 7 | 2 | Billy Heniades had prolific career | |
28 | I5 | INR | ND (Quincy) | 20 | 5 | 0 | Macker Little led to AA supers | |
29 | HM | NR | Plainfield C | 15 | 4 | 2 | Joel Sanchez paced breakthrough run | |
30 | HM | HM | DG North | 15 | 4 | 2 | Jack Richards led to sectional semi | |
31 | 16 | NR | Buffalo Gr | 15 | 6 | 1 | Top jr Kevin Eloiza sparked resurgence | |
32 | I6 | I3 | ND (Peoria) | 19 | 5 | 0 | Noah Madrigal one of Ill.'s top sophs | |
33 | I4 | I6 | Edwardsville | 16 | 2 | 4 | Zach Timmerman is elite defender | |
34 | I2 | INR | Rock Island | 19 | 2 | 0 | Early ty. exit doesn't diminish season | |
35 | I1 | I10 | Columbia | 21 | 1 | 2 | Top-ranked Ill. 10 team much of year | |
36 | HM | NR | Bremen | 16 | 5 | 2 | Took Solorio to 2 OTs in super | |
37 | NR | 11 | Wheeling | 12 | 6 | 1 | Vincente Castro ranks with state’s best | |
38 | HM | 23 | St. Ignatius | 14 | 6 | 2 | MF Daniel Fernandez a skilled soph | |
39 | NR | NR | Fremd | 12 | 9 | 0 | Sr Dalton Rogers ignited late-season run | |
40 | NR | HM | Sandburg | 11 | 3 | 4 | Jimmy Margas led fine 2nd half stretch | |
41 | INR | INR | Freeport | 15 | 7 | 3 | D Oscar Acosta led Pretzels on super run | |
42 | HM | NR | Elgin | 15 | 2 | 3 | Season ended prematurely in regionals | |
43 | 22 | NR | Woodstock | 23 | 1 | 0 | Posted state-best 23-game winning streak | |
44 | HM | NR | Round Lake | 12 | 4 | 4 | F Tony Fonseca heir to dynamic tradition | |
45 | INR | INR | Collinsville | 16 | 8 | 0 | Tourney run ends in 3A sectional title tilt | |
46 | I10 | INR | Quincy | 15 | 8 | 0 | Jaeden Smith is dynamic scorer & elite jr | |
47 | 23 | NR | Washington | 15 | 5 | 3 | Won 1st CPL title in program history | |
48 | 25 | 7 | Lane | 13 | 6 | 2 | Alex Mezyk 1 of city's best in past decade | |
49 | NR | NR | Lakes | 15 | 6 | 1 | Jeff Milostan led top ty. run in 6 years | |
50 | INR | INR | Marqtte (Alt) | 17 | 6 | 3 | Kwame Ngwa netted GW in A title match | |