Chicagoland Soccer Top 25
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Informed that the First 50 published last week is primarily a conversation starter to begin the new season rather than something permanent and locked down, a coach responded: “Believe me, it started some conversations.”
If the First 50 is a projection model, the formal start of the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 poll is our way to measure the constantly shifting results and data of prep soccer.
The season is raw, begun with brutal heat, lightning and some wild results. State-wide teams were forced to batten down the hatches.
One thing to consider is how the sport privileges historically strong programs. Take for example Libertyville, a program that had a run of three state title appearances during a four year-run with one championship and two runnerup finishes to Naperville North in Class 3A.
The Wildcats had a down spring, but word circulated of a bounce back in the fall. Libertyville, one dares say, is back as evidenced by its 2-0 shutout win at Benet.
Crystal Lake South is another example, an elite program of late that was unfortunately omitted from the First 50. That was, quite frankly, an error.
We are still adjudicating all the factors, the pandemic era, the quick turnaround from the spring, summer leagues and contact dates and now the first flush of games.
Libertyville and Crystal Lake South made big leaps this week. They probably should have been more highly regarded to begin with.
If journalism is that notorious “first draft of history,” the poll is an heir to that tradition, bound more often than not to getting things right.
The other quality about the spring was the absence of traditional tournaments, save for some end of the year conference tournaments.
Those tournaments have a way of separating and creating their own lists and hierarchies. With the Windy City Classic, Barrington Classic, St. Charles Invitational, Best of the West, Northside College Showcase, Hillner Classic, Novy Classic and Wolter Titan Invitational among others this week and last, they are back with a vengeance.
With them is greater clarity.
A final word about Chicagoland Soccer's pair of regular-season polls. After the state focus of the First 50 preseason state poll, the Top 25 returns and is restricted to only Chicago-area schools. The Illinois 10 focuses only programs outside of Chicago.
Placings from last week (LW) below are updated in a modified form. For instance, Naperville Central was 13th in the First 50. Althoff and Notre Dame (Quincy) were ahead of them. For the purposes of this week’s poll, the Redhawks are recognized as 11th.
Games through Sunday
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Informed that the First 50 published last week is primarily a conversation starter to begin the new season rather than something permanent and locked down, a coach responded: “Believe me, it started some conversations.”
If the First 50 is a projection model, the formal start of the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 poll is our way to measure the constantly shifting results and data of prep soccer.
The season is raw, begun with brutal heat, lightning and some wild results. State-wide teams were forced to batten down the hatches.
One thing to consider is how the sport privileges historically strong programs. Take for example Libertyville, a program that had a run of three state title appearances during a four year-run with one championship and two runnerup finishes to Naperville North in Class 3A.
The Wildcats had a down spring, but word circulated of a bounce back in the fall. Libertyville, one dares say, is back as evidenced by its 2-0 shutout win at Benet.
Crystal Lake South is another example, an elite program of late that was unfortunately omitted from the First 50. That was, quite frankly, an error.
We are still adjudicating all the factors, the pandemic era, the quick turnaround from the spring, summer leagues and contact dates and now the first flush of games.
Libertyville and Crystal Lake South made big leaps this week. They probably should have been more highly regarded to begin with.
If journalism is that notorious “first draft of history,” the poll is an heir to that tradition, bound more often than not to getting things right.
The other quality about the spring was the absence of traditional tournaments, save for some end of the year conference tournaments.
Those tournaments have a way of separating and creating their own lists and hierarchies. With the Windy City Classic, Barrington Classic, St. Charles Invitational, Best of the West, Northside College Showcase, Hillner Classic, Novy Classic and Wolter Titan Invitational among others this week and last, they are back with a vengeance.
With them is greater clarity.
A final word about Chicagoland Soccer's pair of regular-season polls. After the state focus of the First 50 preseason state poll, the Top 25 returns and is restricted to only Chicago-area schools. The Illinois 10 focuses only programs outside of Chicago.
Placings from last week (LW) below are updated in a modified form. For instance, Naperville Central was 13th in the First 50. Althoff and Notre Dame (Quincy) were ahead of them. For the purposes of this week’s poll, the Redhawks are recognized as 11th.
Games through Sunday
Rk | LW | Team | W | L | T | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | Morton | 2 | 0 | 1 | Giovanni Alvarez is fantastic talent |
2 | 3 | St. Charles E | 3 | 0 | 0 | Sebastian Carranza off to hot start |
3 | 5 | Lyons | 1 | 0 | 1 | Austin Wiesnewski helps take down Naperville N |
4 | 1 | Naperville N | 0 | 1 | 1 | Keegan Flaherty helped keep Morton off board |
5 | 7 | West Aurora | 2 | 0 | 0 | Two impressive wins |
6 | 8 | Loyola | 3 | 0 | 0 | Ryan Leider is two-way talent |
7 | 30 | Libertyville | 2 | 1 | 0 | Jon Melcher helps shut down Benet |
8 | 4 | Benet | 1 | 1 | 0 | Andy Nash is a promising talent |
9 | 6 | New Trier | 1 | 0 | 1 | Evan Kanellos is another bright talent |
10 | 11 | Fremd | 0 | 0 | 1 | Eli Schoffstall is two-sport star |
11 | 14 | Evanston | 1 | 0 | 1 | Strong performance against Fremd |
12 | 23 | York | 2 | 0 | 0 | Gustavo Herrera makes grand varsity debut |
13 | 11 | Naperville Central | 1 | 1 | 0 | Ben Teitjen looks to unlock attack |
14 | 17 | Barrington | 1 | 0 | 0 | Jeremiah Gascho creative and dynamic in middle |
15 | 25 | Rolling Meadows | 2 | 0 | 0 | Keeper Ramon Orozco is graceful and lean stopper |
16 | 20 | Plainfield North | 2 | 0 | 0 | Cooper Allen is top junior |
17 | 18 | Jacobs | 1 | 0 | 0 | Post-Liam Armstrong era starts |
18 | NR | Prairie Ridge | 3 | 0 | 0 | Edges Warren 1-0 |
19 | 13 | Warren | 2 | 1 | 0 | Cael Harris is offensive catalyst |
20 | 28 | Lockport | 3 | 0 | 0 | Gains Windy City semifinals berth |
21 | 37 | Shepard | 2 | 1 | 0 | Shuts down high-scoring Bloom |
22 | NR | Maine South | 2 | 0 | 0 | Quality program off to fast start |
23 | NR | Addison Trail | 2 | 0 | 0 | Alex Sandoval powers the attack |
24 | 21 | St. Charles North | 1 | 0 | 0 | Walter Delapaz is a top soph recruit |
25 | NR | CL South | 2 | 0 | 0 | Sam Bahnfleth is fast out of the gate |
Look out for: Joliet West, Solorio, Bloom, West Chicago, Saint Ignatius, Stagg, Marmion, Metea Valley, Geneva, Wheaton Academy, St. Laurence, Stevenson, Notre Dame, North Shore Country Day, Oak Park and River Forest.
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