Chicagoland Soccer First 50 state ranking
By Patrick Z. McGavin
The phrase “turnabout is fair play” dates to the middle 18th century. The origins come out of gaming, from the notion that taking turns levels the chance of success.
And so it is, after the strange, peculiar and unprecedented pandemic season upended boys soccer in Illinois.
For the first time in half a century, there was no state tournament to crown a state champion, in any of the three classes.
Warren went 15-0-0 and beat Stevenson 5-2 in the championship of the North Suburban Conference Tournament to rank no. 1 in the Chicagoland Soccer Final 50.
West Aurora defeated Plainfield North in Southwest Prairie Conference, securing a perfect season at 18-0-0 and also amassing the highest victory total of any boys team.
Althoff and Chicago Public League power Solorio also posted perfect seasons.
Most of the players surveyed on those teams wanted a state tournament to validate their seasons. There wasn't one and the year will go into the history books with an asterisk.
The level of play was admirably high and sharp, quite amazing given the backdrop of the long layoff, the lack of an off-season and training.
The girls, who had one week of overlap with the boys’ season, now return to their normal calendar schedule in the spring.
And the boys return to their late summer and fall slot that starts Monday (August 23). Teams that had a lot of underclassmen in the spring now have a clear edge, and the quick turnaround naturally favors the historically strong programs.
For the fourth time in the last five years, Naperville North begins the year ranked No. 1 in Chicagoland Soccer’s exclusive First 50 poll.
The poll is a preseason evaluation of the top teams in the state regardless of size, location or geography.
Beginning on August 29, look for the return of Chicagoland Soccer's recurring weekly polls: the Top 25 that ranks the best programs in the Chicago-coverage area; and the Illinois 10 that lists the best programs in the rest of the state.
If the spring was marked by a certain agony and disruption, the present is more like a Broadway musical posing the question “What have you been?”
The pandemic spring boys season was a chance to honor the seniors and give them some semblance of a final year of playing high school. It was also a crucial developmental period that gave programs the opportunity to see young players get their first taste of varsity
Naperville North gets six starters back from a stacked spring team. The Huskies feature junior all-stater Alex Barger, who is arguably the best player in his class. The team returns the deepest junior class in the state, which will mesh with a number of quality seniors.
Morton, the team that opened the spring at no. 1, is just behind them. The two teams play Saturday at Morton.
What a great and thrilling way to start.
Editor's note: The poll includes the Final 50 rankings and team records from the spring.
By Patrick Z. McGavin
The phrase “turnabout is fair play” dates to the middle 18th century. The origins come out of gaming, from the notion that taking turns levels the chance of success.
And so it is, after the strange, peculiar and unprecedented pandemic season upended boys soccer in Illinois.
For the first time in half a century, there was no state tournament to crown a state champion, in any of the three classes.
Warren went 15-0-0 and beat Stevenson 5-2 in the championship of the North Suburban Conference Tournament to rank no. 1 in the Chicagoland Soccer Final 50.
West Aurora defeated Plainfield North in Southwest Prairie Conference, securing a perfect season at 18-0-0 and also amassing the highest victory total of any boys team.
Althoff and Chicago Public League power Solorio also posted perfect seasons.
Most of the players surveyed on those teams wanted a state tournament to validate their seasons. There wasn't one and the year will go into the history books with an asterisk.
The level of play was admirably high and sharp, quite amazing given the backdrop of the long layoff, the lack of an off-season and training.
The girls, who had one week of overlap with the boys’ season, now return to their normal calendar schedule in the spring.
And the boys return to their late summer and fall slot that starts Monday (August 23). Teams that had a lot of underclassmen in the spring now have a clear edge, and the quick turnaround naturally favors the historically strong programs.
For the fourth time in the last five years, Naperville North begins the year ranked No. 1 in Chicagoland Soccer’s exclusive First 50 poll.
The poll is a preseason evaluation of the top teams in the state regardless of size, location or geography.
Beginning on August 29, look for the return of Chicagoland Soccer's recurring weekly polls: the Top 25 that ranks the best programs in the Chicago-coverage area; and the Illinois 10 that lists the best programs in the rest of the state.
If the spring was marked by a certain agony and disruption, the present is more like a Broadway musical posing the question “What have you been?”
The pandemic spring boys season was a chance to honor the seniors and give them some semblance of a final year of playing high school. It was also a crucial developmental period that gave programs the opportunity to see young players get their first taste of varsity
Naperville North gets six starters back from a stacked spring team. The Huskies feature junior all-stater Alex Barger, who is arguably the best player in his class. The team returns the deepest junior class in the state, which will mesh with a number of quality seniors.
Morton, the team that opened the spring at no. 1, is just behind them. The two teams play Saturday at Morton.
What a great and thrilling way to start.
Editor's note: The poll includes the Final 50 rankings and team records from the spring.
Rank | Spring rk | Team | W | L | T | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 | Naperville N | 10 | 2 | 1 | Returns six starters |
2 | 7 | Morton | 8 | 1 | 2 | 6 starters, 9 rotation players back |
3 | 9 | St Charles E | 12 | 4 | 3 | Seven starters are back |
4 | 3 | Benet | 14 | 1 | 0 | T.J. McVey is back from Europe |
5 | 2 | Lyons | 11 | 1 | 0 | Heavy grad losses mitigated by depth |
6 | 13 | New Trier | 13 | 4 | 1 | Multiple rotation players are back |
7 | 5 | W Aurora | 18 | 0 | 0 | Five of top players back from perfect run |
8 | 6 | Loyola | 10 | 1 | 0 | New coach, same deep talent pool |
9 | 24 | Wheaton A | 13 | 2 | 1 | Beat Naperville N in spring |
10 | 18 | Althoff | 11 | 0 | 0 | Had unbeatable run in spring |
11 | 28 | Fremd | 9 | 3 | 0 | Brimming with top talent |
12 | 10 | ND (Quincy) | 11 | 1 | 0 | State small school power reloads |
13 | 11 | Naperville C | 5 | 3 | 4 | If offense clicks, watch out |
14 | 14 | St Laurence | 12 | 1 | 0 | Only Loyola beat them in spring |
15 | 1 | Warren | 15 | 0 | 0 | Two starters, two rotation players back |
16 | 34 | Triad | 14 | 2 | 1 | Deep south is back in business |
17 | 12 | Evanston | 9 | 3 | 2 | A model of consistency and strength |
18 | 49 | Geneva | 6 | 4 | 7 | Seven starters are back |
19 | 16 | Solorio | 10 | 0 | 0 | City champions are best in Premier |
20 | 17 | Barrington | 9 | 3 | 0 | Spring depth comes to the forefront |
21 | NR | ND (Peoria) | 10 | 5 | 0 | Irish are perennial state power |
22 | 26 | Jacobs | 12 | 1 | 1 | Five starters back for Eagles |
23 | 30 | St Francis | 9 | 1 | 0 | Only Wheaton Academy beat them |
24 | 15 | Plainfield N | 14 | 3 | 1 | Took perfect West Aurora to the limit |
25 | 8 | St Charles N | 12 | 4 | 2 | Defense looks air tight |
26 | NR | St Patrick | 7 | 4 | 1 | Ready for a bounce-back season |
27 | NR | York | 6 | 3 | 1 | Returning pair of all-staters lead Dukes |
28 | 31 | Moline | 12 | 1 | 1 | Best in the Quad Cities |
29 | 35 | Columbia | 8 | 1 | 0 | Deep south power is tough out |
30 | 22 | DG North | 9 | 2 | 1 | Trojans look to build off hot spring |
31 | 25 | Rolling M | 8 | 3 | 0 | Mustangs are no longer under the radar |
32 | 33 | Edwardsville | 9 | 2 | 0 | Some new faces, same skilled program |
33 | 38 | Mt Carmel | 6 | 2 | 0 | Hope for healthy run after pandemic spring |
34 | 40 | Collinsville | 12 | 3 | 0 | One of the best in talent-rich deep south |
35 | 44 | Normal | 10 | 2 | 2 | A steady, consistent winner |
36 | 41 | Glenwood | 12 | 3 | 0 | Titans are a southern force |
37 | 39 | Streamwood | 8 | 3 | 3 | Sabres have some dynamic young talent |
38 | 43 | Lockport | 8 | 1 | 0 | Porters were nearly perfect in spring |
39 | 23 | W Chicago | 8 | 2 | 4 | Been strong, loaded with young potential |
40 | NR | Libertyville | 5 | 5 | 1 | Wildcats hope the spring was an outlier |
41 | 21 | Stevenson | 10 | 3 | 0 | Top firepower gone, young talent in wings |
42 | 20 | Hersey | 9 | 2 | 0 | Must replace top players |
43 | 19 | Buffalo Gr | 10 | 2 | 0 | The Bison are always tenacious team |
44 | NR | St Ignatius | 4 | 5 | 0 | Looks past injury-marred spring |
45 | 27 | Geneseo | 10 | 1 | 0 | Always a team to reckon with |
46 | 37 | Lane | 6 | 1 | 2 | City power has some bright young talent |
47 | 46 | NSCD | 10 | 1 | 2 | Small school power looks to stay elite |
48 | 42 | Springfield | 13 | 4 | 0 | Historic program has high success rate |
49 | 45 | Dunlap | 11 | 1 | 2 | A central Illinois power to notice |
50 | 36 | Shepard | 11 | 0 | 1 | Nearly ran table in the spring |