Chicagoland Soccer
boys preseason top 25
By Patrick Z. McGavin
At those moments when it is far too simple and natural to float within our own bubble, it is necessary for an outsider’s perspective. The publication this week of USA Today’s preseason national All-American list is a pungent reminder of the special talent in these parts.
Five of the 22 players deemed the best in the country are deeply familiar. Nearly twenty-five percent (specifically, 22.73) of the best players in the country, voted on by the newspaper in consultation with Top Drawer Soccer, are Chicagoland players. No other state, much less city and its suburbs, had more than three.
Three Naperville North standouts — star senior keeper Tommy Welch, elite defender Colin Iverson and elite junior forward Ty Konrad — highlighted the list. Two Libertyville standouts, senior forward Evan Rasmussen and defender/midfielder Grant Herbek, were also spotlighted.
In Top Drawer’s national rankings, Naperville North (no. 2), Libertyville (no. 7) and Morton (no. 9) are each identified with the best teams in the country.
Chicago soccer weaves a dazzling series of circles. The three teams that ended up last year ranked 1-2-3 in the final Top 50 begin again, as it were, by starting the year as elite programs ready again to do battle.
Naperville North captured its second-consecutive Class 3A state championship by defeating Libertyville 1-0 behind the spectacular play of Welch — the Chicagoland Soccer Player of the Year. He recorded a stunning 13 saves in the state title game, punctuating a remarkable state tournament run in which Welch and the punishing Huskies’ backline did not concede a single goal in the seven-game state tournament.
Naperville North enters the year riding a 19-game winning streak. This is Welch’s final run, for now, as a game-changing keeper. He recently committed to play basketball at Loyola. Iverson scored the game-winner against the Wildcats in the state title game. Ty Konrad emerged as the state’s top junior prospect by leading Naperville-based Galaxy SC to the Under-17 national championship last month in Texas. Nine players from the Huskies were on the team.
Welch, Iverson and Konrad were Chicagoland Soccer all-state players, joined by Rasmussen and Herbek. One significant omission to the new season is former Libertyville keeper Thomas Pearson, who with Welch were the only two underclass keepers on last year’s all-state team. Pearson has elected to bypass the prep season and focus on playing club. Michigan recruit Rasmussen, who had 18 goals and 12 assists last year, is ready to accept the challenge of playing without Ryan Wittenbrink, arguably the state’s best forward last year.
Naperville North defeated Morton in a supersectional for the second-consecutive year. Morton has now lost to the eventual state champion the last four years. The Mustangs finished 22-2-2 in their first year under the direction under coach Jim Bageanis. The perennial power returns eight starters, including two elite talents in all-state players Adrian Barrera and Israel Carranza.
Naperville North and Morton meet on the first Saturday of the season (Aug. 25).
Until proven otherwise, the top three programs are at a different level than the rest of the state. Talent is fairly evenly distributed from the next tier of programs, roughly from no. 4 New Trier to no. 13 Naperville Central, the only team to beat Naperville North last year.
It all starts again Monday. The preseason poll is meant, as much as anything, as a conversation starter. To further that discourse, we added 10 extra teams (25 total) to the "Look out for" special mention section.
Let the arguments and discussions commence.
Editor's note: records are from the 2017 season.
boys preseason top 25
By Patrick Z. McGavin
At those moments when it is far too simple and natural to float within our own bubble, it is necessary for an outsider’s perspective. The publication this week of USA Today’s preseason national All-American list is a pungent reminder of the special talent in these parts.
Five of the 22 players deemed the best in the country are deeply familiar. Nearly twenty-five percent (specifically, 22.73) of the best players in the country, voted on by the newspaper in consultation with Top Drawer Soccer, are Chicagoland players. No other state, much less city and its suburbs, had more than three.
Three Naperville North standouts — star senior keeper Tommy Welch, elite defender Colin Iverson and elite junior forward Ty Konrad — highlighted the list. Two Libertyville standouts, senior forward Evan Rasmussen and defender/midfielder Grant Herbek, were also spotlighted.
In Top Drawer’s national rankings, Naperville North (no. 2), Libertyville (no. 7) and Morton (no. 9) are each identified with the best teams in the country.
Chicago soccer weaves a dazzling series of circles. The three teams that ended up last year ranked 1-2-3 in the final Top 50 begin again, as it were, by starting the year as elite programs ready again to do battle.
Naperville North captured its second-consecutive Class 3A state championship by defeating Libertyville 1-0 behind the spectacular play of Welch — the Chicagoland Soccer Player of the Year. He recorded a stunning 13 saves in the state title game, punctuating a remarkable state tournament run in which Welch and the punishing Huskies’ backline did not concede a single goal in the seven-game state tournament.
Naperville North enters the year riding a 19-game winning streak. This is Welch’s final run, for now, as a game-changing keeper. He recently committed to play basketball at Loyola. Iverson scored the game-winner against the Wildcats in the state title game. Ty Konrad emerged as the state’s top junior prospect by leading Naperville-based Galaxy SC to the Under-17 national championship last month in Texas. Nine players from the Huskies were on the team.
Welch, Iverson and Konrad were Chicagoland Soccer all-state players, joined by Rasmussen and Herbek. One significant omission to the new season is former Libertyville keeper Thomas Pearson, who with Welch were the only two underclass keepers on last year’s all-state team. Pearson has elected to bypass the prep season and focus on playing club. Michigan recruit Rasmussen, who had 18 goals and 12 assists last year, is ready to accept the challenge of playing without Ryan Wittenbrink, arguably the state’s best forward last year.
Naperville North defeated Morton in a supersectional for the second-consecutive year. Morton has now lost to the eventual state champion the last four years. The Mustangs finished 22-2-2 in their first year under the direction under coach Jim Bageanis. The perennial power returns eight starters, including two elite talents in all-state players Adrian Barrera and Israel Carranza.
Naperville North and Morton meet on the first Saturday of the season (Aug. 25).
Until proven otherwise, the top three programs are at a different level than the rest of the state. Talent is fairly evenly distributed from the next tier of programs, roughly from no. 4 New Trier to no. 13 Naperville Central, the only team to beat Naperville North last year.
It all starts again Monday. The preseason poll is meant, as much as anything, as a conversation starter. To further that discourse, we added 10 extra teams (25 total) to the "Look out for" special mention section.
Let the arguments and discussions commence.
Editor's note: records are from the 2017 season.
Rank | School | W | L | T | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Naperville North | 27 | 1 | 1 | Ty Konrad is state’s top junior |
2 | Libertyville | 20 | 1 | 2 | Look for Grant Herbek creating in the middle |
3 | Morton | 22 | 2 | 2 | Adrian Barrera is a smooth and skilled talent |
4 | New Trier | 19 | 4 | 0 | Logan Weaver from brilliantly talented family |
5 | Glenbrook North | 19 | 4 | 1 | Ben Gordon is dazzling talent |
6 | Barrington | 20 | 4 | 1 | Michael Blanke is a talent to watch |
7 | Evanston | 17 | 5 | 4 | Will Weinan is an intriguing all-around talent |
8 | Waukegan | 16 | 3 | 3 | Ezau Millan:wonderful playmaker, finisher |
9 | Solorio | 19 | 6 | 4 | Alejandro Sanchez Jr. is city’s top player |
10 | St. Charles North | 16 | 4 | 4 | Matt Beaulieu leads strong nucleus |
11 | Metea Valley | 15 | 8 | 2 | Evan Lang, James Lynch fun duo to watch |
12 | Wheaton A. | 24 | 5 | 0 | Seamus Kilgallon is electric talent |
13 | Naperville Central | 15 | 5 | 3 | Cameron Strang had a great summer |
14 | Lyons | 18 | 5 | 1 | Nolan O’Malley takes center stage for Lions |
15 | Leyden | 18 | 4 | 2 | Eduardo Hernandez is spectacular |
16 | St. Patrick | 23 | 6 | 2 | Jr F Luis Saucedo is back with a vengeance |
17 | Carmel | 15 | 3 | 1 | Eli Larson is one of the state’s top defenders |
18 | Hinsdale Central | 13 | 10 | 1 | John-Paul Lteif powers intriguing squad |
19 | Buffalo Grove | 15 | 6 | 1 | Sr F Kevin Elioza is creative and dynamic |
20 | Dundee-Cr | 18 | 1 | 2 | Sr Jabari Washington a 2-way talent |
21 | Streamwood | 14 | 6 | 2 | Sr F Alex Chavez is skilled attacking talent |
22 | OPRF | 16 | 4 | 1 | James McGuire powers Huskies’ attack |
23 | Lockport | 11 | 6 | 5 | Nick Kowalczyk is tops in south suburbs |
24 | Elgin | 15 | 2 | 3 | Sr F Omar Lopez scored 26 goals last year |
25 | St. Charles East | 9 | 9 | 4 | Truitt Battin leads the Saints’ resurgence |
Look out for: Lane, Wheeling, Loyola, Oswego, Bradley-Bourbonnais, West Aurora, Neuqua Valley, Conant, St. Ignatius, Lake Park, Mount Carmel, Fremd, Taft, St. Edward, York, Sandburg, Oswego East, Mundelein, Deerfield, Benet, Wheaton North, Lake Zurich, Jacobs, Downers Grove South, Bremen