Chicagoland Soccer Top 25
By Patrick Z. McGavin
From the start the story was New Trier.
Could the Trevians be the first team to win three-consecutive state titles in the era of the three-class system? Then star Kelly Maday, the state’s best player, got hurt. During a brutal stretch of the overlapping PepsiCo Showdown and the Naperville Invitational, New Trier betrayed some strains of vulnerability.
After all, being the best team in the state — if not the country — poised a great psychological burden. How do you stay at the top continually?
New Trier answered during the two and a half weeks of the state tournament. The Trevians dominated a deep and skilled field in beating Collinsville 4-0 Saturday night at North Central College in Naperville for its third-consecutive Class 3A state title.
During the final two weeks of the season, New Trier exacted its revenge: the Trevians beat Glenbrook South — a team they tied — in the sectional semifinal and decisively beat rival Evanston — the last team to beat them — in the sectional final.
For good measure, New Trier beat St. Charles North in the supersectional. The North Stars ended the team’s unbeaten streak in April.
New Trier has not only gone 21-0 in state tournament play the last three years. Senior keeper Dani Kaufman, a Maryland-recruit and three-year starter, did not concede a goal in state tournament play in those three years.
Coach Jim Burnside won his 440th career game and his seventh state title. He is going to reload behind junior UCLA-recruit Natalie Laser and a very talented sophomore class.
This run is the most sustained and dominant since St. Charles won five-consecutive state titles. Maday’s return to full health meant the window of vulnerability was rapidly closing. This weekend confirmed that.
Downstate power Rochester also impressed this weekend in Naperville with two commanding victories, punctuated by a 4-0 victory over Deerfield for the Class AA title. Rochester becomes the first school in the 28-year history of the girls tournament to win back-to-back titles in different classes, having won the Class A tournament last year.
The state tournament featured great stories throughout. After back-to-back supersectional losses, Huntley broke through and stunned host Barrington en route to a fourth place finish. Glenbard East survived West Suburban Silver powers Hinsdale Central in back-to-back shootout victories and stunned regular-season no. 1 Naperville North.
The Rams also claimed their first tournament trophy by beating Huntley in a shootout for third place.
In Class AA, Deerfield lost its quest to win its first state title against Rochester. The Warriors put on quite a memorable tournament run.
Wheaton Academy captured the Class A state tournament.
Barrington lost in the supersectional. The Filies are the early team to beat for next year, returning all but one player from a 20-win side
Teams that played in Naperville over the final weekends are likely to be at the top of the list of teams to watch next year: Sycamore, St. Francis, Deerfield, Huntley and Glenbard East also have a deep roster and versatile players returning.
Here's to those who stunned, surprised and transcended what was expected out of them. Here is the final Chicagoland Soccer top 25 poll. It features the final team ranking, the final regular season ranking and the preseason ranking.
By Patrick Z. McGavin
From the start the story was New Trier.
Could the Trevians be the first team to win three-consecutive state titles in the era of the three-class system? Then star Kelly Maday, the state’s best player, got hurt. During a brutal stretch of the overlapping PepsiCo Showdown and the Naperville Invitational, New Trier betrayed some strains of vulnerability.
After all, being the best team in the state — if not the country — poised a great psychological burden. How do you stay at the top continually?
New Trier answered during the two and a half weeks of the state tournament. The Trevians dominated a deep and skilled field in beating Collinsville 4-0 Saturday night at North Central College in Naperville for its third-consecutive Class 3A state title.
During the final two weeks of the season, New Trier exacted its revenge: the Trevians beat Glenbrook South — a team they tied — in the sectional semifinal and decisively beat rival Evanston — the last team to beat them — in the sectional final.
For good measure, New Trier beat St. Charles North in the supersectional. The North Stars ended the team’s unbeaten streak in April.
New Trier has not only gone 21-0 in state tournament play the last three years. Senior keeper Dani Kaufman, a Maryland-recruit and three-year starter, did not concede a goal in state tournament play in those three years.
Coach Jim Burnside won his 440th career game and his seventh state title. He is going to reload behind junior UCLA-recruit Natalie Laser and a very talented sophomore class.
This run is the most sustained and dominant since St. Charles won five-consecutive state titles. Maday’s return to full health meant the window of vulnerability was rapidly closing. This weekend confirmed that.
Downstate power Rochester also impressed this weekend in Naperville with two commanding victories, punctuated by a 4-0 victory over Deerfield for the Class AA title. Rochester becomes the first school in the 28-year history of the girls tournament to win back-to-back titles in different classes, having won the Class A tournament last year.
The state tournament featured great stories throughout. After back-to-back supersectional losses, Huntley broke through and stunned host Barrington en route to a fourth place finish. Glenbard East survived West Suburban Silver powers Hinsdale Central in back-to-back shootout victories and stunned regular-season no. 1 Naperville North.
The Rams also claimed their first tournament trophy by beating Huntley in a shootout for third place.
In Class AA, Deerfield lost its quest to win its first state title against Rochester. The Warriors put on quite a memorable tournament run.
Wheaton Academy captured the Class A state tournament.
Barrington lost in the supersectional. The Filies are the early team to beat for next year, returning all but one player from a 20-win side
Teams that played in Naperville over the final weekends are likely to be at the top of the list of teams to watch next year: Sycamore, St. Francis, Deerfield, Huntley and Glenbard East also have a deep roster and versatile players returning.
Here's to those who stunned, surprised and transcended what was expected out of them. Here is the final Chicagoland Soccer top 25 poll. It features the final team ranking, the final regular season ranking and the preseason ranking.
Rk | RS | PR | Team | W | L | T | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 6 | 1 | New Trier | 26 | 3 | 1 | Natalie Laser, Sydney Parker lead returners |
2 | 16 | HM | Glenbard E | 24 | 5 | 0 | Brittany Paganucci powers first state trophy |
3 | 1 | 4 | Naperville N | 21 | 2 | 1 | Ill.-recruit Katelynn Buescher is elite soph |
4 | 3 | 6 | SC North | 20 | 4 | 1 | Gia Wahlberg is a special talent |
5 | 14 | 18 | Huntley | 22 | 5 | 2 | Brenna Keegan is a top soph to watch |
6 | 2 | 2 | Barrington | 20 | 3 | 1 | Favorite for next season |
7 | 5 | NR | Evanston | 19 | 4 | 2 | Maia Cella is an elite midfielder |
8 | 7 | 3 | Loyola | 18 | 4 | 4 | Stephanie Ramsay leads next generation |
9 | 4 | 10 | SC East | 18 | 4 | 1 | Soph Chantel Carranza a bright young star |
10 | 8 | 17 | Glenbrook S | 20 | 3 | 2 | Olivia Peters recorded remarkable 37 goals |
11 | 10 | NR | Sandburg | 17 | 2 | 3 | Sydney Rudny is a big-time defender |
12 | 9 | 15 | Naperville C | 14 | 5 | 5 | Junior Kinzly Dressler is a great keeper |
13 | 13 | 8 | Hinsdale C | 18 | 7 | 0 | Soph Jane Cole leads talented underclass |
14 | 20 | NR | Deerfield | 22 | 7 | 1 | Took remarkable ride for best-ever finish |
15 | 11 | 7 | Plainfield N | 14 | 7 | 2 | Brittaney Kroll tops list of returning players |
16 | 19 | NR | Bartlett | 18 | 6 | 1 | Vince DiNuzzo has great boys and girls run |
17 | 17 | 11 | Lyons | 17 | 5 | 2 | Jenna Fuller is a top underclassman |
18 | HM | HM | Geneva | 15 | 6 | 2 | Jenna Dominguez one of state’s top frosh |
19 | 25 | NR | Fremd | 10 | 8 | 4 | Emilijia Peleckas had fine state tourney |
20 | 15 | HM | WW South | 14 | 7 | 3 | Paige Miller is an elite freshman |
21 | NR | NR | Sycamore | 24 | 3 | 1 | Top talent returns from AA 3rd-place team |
22 | 21 | NR | St. Francis | 17 | 5 | 0 | Kendra Pasquale leads talented list of returners |
23 | HM | 21 | Metea V | 12 | 9 | 4 | Junior Katherine Wieland is an elite defender |
24 | HM | HM | Wheaton A | 22 | 3 | 3 | Gretchen Pearson ignites Class A state title run |
25 | 18 | NR | Andrew | 20 | 3 | 1 | Alanna Lalich keys unbeaten conference run |
Special mention: Minooka, Lincoln-Way North, Batavia, Libertyville, Lockport, Lincoln-Way West, Fenwick, Crystal Lake South, Carmel, Downers Grove South, Marian Central, Lake Forest, Latin, Marist, Palatine.
EDITOR'S NOTE: In the interests of full disclosure to our Chicagoland Soccer readers, Patrick Z. McGavin's niece is on the Geneva High School varsity.
EDITOR'S NOTE: In the interests of full disclosure to our Chicagoland Soccer readers, Patrick Z. McGavin's niece is on the Geneva High School varsity.