State preview: Class 3A
By Gary Larsen
Friday’s state semifinals in Class AA and 3A at Hoffman Estates will feature a team making its first state finals appearance, two returning state runners-up, and a total of four programs with multiple state finals trophies to their names.
But only one team in either class returns as a two-time defending state champion. And while it’s always possible that gaudy regular season stats can amount to a hill of beans at the state finals, the numbers that Class 3A juggernaut Naperville North put up defensively this year remain remarkable.
The unbeaten Huskies (24-0-0) have 20 shutouts in 24 games and have only given up five goals all season -- that includes allowing just one goal in the month of October.
Senior keeper Tom Welch has been in net for 18 shutouts and the 6-foot-7, Loyola-bound basketball player holds the program record with 42 career shutouts. The 2017 Chicagoland Soccer Player of the Year has only given up four goals in 22 games in net for a minuscule .19 goals-against average.
Senior center back Colin Iverson has led the way on the backline. Cam Ferus, Christian Romano and Myles Barry joined to create a rock-solid barrier in front of Welch.
“The backline has been a surprise this year,” Huskies coach Jim Konrad said. “The only returning starter was Iverson. Ferus, Romano and Barry have been incredible. The four of them with Tom have been tough to score on.”
The top-ranked team in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 all season is led in scoring by Iverson’s 17 goals. Forward Ty Konrad, the coach's nephew, is the team’s overall points leader with 14 goals and 18 assists. Three-year starter Cesar Recendez has spearheaded the Huskies’ midfield play, along with athletic junior transfer Zach Smith.
North has gone 72-3-4 during the last three seasons. It brings a 43-game win streak over the past two seasons into Friday’s semifinal game against Lake Park.
Naperville North is striving to become the first team to win three-consecutive state titles since Gibault accomplished the feat in 2005-2007. Granite City South leads the category with five-straight from 1976-1980.
Lake Park coach Sean Crosby called the Huskies “organized, physical, and talented,” and knows his side will need to bring its ‘A’ game in order to beat them.
That ‘A’ game features a trio of dynamic midfielders in Franco Presta, Matteo Costa and Jesus Juarez, and a pair of big central defenders in Tom Zakic and Max Ellenbecker.
“When we’re playing at our best, our defensive and midfield lines are interchangeable and move off the ball extremely well,” Crosby said. “We can get numbers up in our attack through defenders just as much as our midfielders.”
The deep team has been led offensively by Costa (12 goals, seven assists) and Presta (17 goals, eight assists) but four other players have scored at least four goals, and three more have scored three.
“We find ways to get goals, and we can rely on a number of players to score in different ways,” Crosby said. “What I’m most proud of is our depth, adaptability, and senior leadership. And every player on our roster has had a moment to step up and produce this season when needed.”
Lancers' keeper Christian Lekki has been sharp in goal with a .83 goals-against average and five PK stops.
Lake Park (21-3-3) was ranked 19th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 at the end of the regular season. The Lancers placed fourth in Illinois in 2013 in their only other state finals appearance. Naperville North seeking its seventh state finals trophy in 11 trips downstate and its fourth state crown.
Naperville North and Lake Park know each other well, having squared off in DuPage Valley Conference play until this season, when Lake Park moved to the newly-formed DuKane Conference.
“They are athletic, organized, excellent on restarts and play hard,” Konrad said of Lake Park. “I consider Sean (Crosby) a friend and have always been impressed by how much he gets out of his kids. He is one of the best young coaches around.”
The Huskies and Lancers square off at 5 p.m. at Hoffman Estates High School. Libertyville (21-0-0) and Collinsville (19-5-2) follow in the second 3A semifinal at 7 p.m.
Libertyville has been ranked second in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 all season-long and makes its sixth appearance in the finals. The Wildcats lost 1-0 to Naperville North in last year’s state title game to match its finishes in 1986 and 2010. They won a state crown in 2015 under previous coach Andy Bitta.
Kevin Thunholm took over the program last year, when the Wildcats went 20-1-2. That gives them a 41-1-2 record so far in Thunholm’s first two years.
This year’s Wildcats are led offensively by senior and Michigan-recruit Evan Rasmussen, who has racked up 33 goals and 14 assists. Junior Mickey Reilly has 13 goals and 11 assists, and senior Tanner Kelly has 11 goals and 10 assists for a team that averaged 3.8 goals per game.
Defensively, Libertyville gave up 15 goals in 21 games for a .71 goals-against average under primary keeper Zach El Ghatit.
“This team is playing high quality soccer with one goal in mind: we have been determined to get back to the state Final Four since last year,” Thunholm said.
“Our boys love playing together and are truly a tight-knit family. Their trust and support for each other is amazing.”
Libertyville takes on a Collinsville program that has won seven state finals trophies in eight trips downstate. The Kahoks won state titles in 1981, ’86, ’91 and ’92.
Head coach Rob Lugge is in his second season at the helm, after a 17-8-0 season last year.
This year’s Kahoks have gotten the program back to the state finals for the first time since 2007.
“When looking at this season, the thing I’m most proud of is the boys’ resiliency,” Lugge said. “We have had our ups and downs this year, but the boys always kept a positive attitude and continued to play. It’s a great group of boys that deserves to be playing this weekend.”
Collinsville is led offensively by Luke Liljegren (15 goals, 7 assists), Logan Whitehead (14 goals, 5 assists), and Zane Baker (9 goals, 10 assists).
Keeper Tate Wyatt has a 1.08 goals-against average from 27 goals in 25 games, but the Kahoks have only given up two goals in their last six games.
“I just want the boys to focus on what we do well and continue to play to our strengths,” Lugge said. “Making it to the state finals has been great for the boys, school and community, and we just hope to make them proud.”
By Gary Larsen
Friday’s state semifinals in Class AA and 3A at Hoffman Estates will feature a team making its first state finals appearance, two returning state runners-up, and a total of four programs with multiple state finals trophies to their names.
But only one team in either class returns as a two-time defending state champion. And while it’s always possible that gaudy regular season stats can amount to a hill of beans at the state finals, the numbers that Class 3A juggernaut Naperville North put up defensively this year remain remarkable.
The unbeaten Huskies (24-0-0) have 20 shutouts in 24 games and have only given up five goals all season -- that includes allowing just one goal in the month of October.
Senior keeper Tom Welch has been in net for 18 shutouts and the 6-foot-7, Loyola-bound basketball player holds the program record with 42 career shutouts. The 2017 Chicagoland Soccer Player of the Year has only given up four goals in 22 games in net for a minuscule .19 goals-against average.
Senior center back Colin Iverson has led the way on the backline. Cam Ferus, Christian Romano and Myles Barry joined to create a rock-solid barrier in front of Welch.
“The backline has been a surprise this year,” Huskies coach Jim Konrad said. “The only returning starter was Iverson. Ferus, Romano and Barry have been incredible. The four of them with Tom have been tough to score on.”
The top-ranked team in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 all season is led in scoring by Iverson’s 17 goals. Forward Ty Konrad, the coach's nephew, is the team’s overall points leader with 14 goals and 18 assists. Three-year starter Cesar Recendez has spearheaded the Huskies’ midfield play, along with athletic junior transfer Zach Smith.
North has gone 72-3-4 during the last three seasons. It brings a 43-game win streak over the past two seasons into Friday’s semifinal game against Lake Park.
Naperville North is striving to become the first team to win three-consecutive state titles since Gibault accomplished the feat in 2005-2007. Granite City South leads the category with five-straight from 1976-1980.
Lake Park coach Sean Crosby called the Huskies “organized, physical, and talented,” and knows his side will need to bring its ‘A’ game in order to beat them.
That ‘A’ game features a trio of dynamic midfielders in Franco Presta, Matteo Costa and Jesus Juarez, and a pair of big central defenders in Tom Zakic and Max Ellenbecker.
“When we’re playing at our best, our defensive and midfield lines are interchangeable and move off the ball extremely well,” Crosby said. “We can get numbers up in our attack through defenders just as much as our midfielders.”
The deep team has been led offensively by Costa (12 goals, seven assists) and Presta (17 goals, eight assists) but four other players have scored at least four goals, and three more have scored three.
“We find ways to get goals, and we can rely on a number of players to score in different ways,” Crosby said. “What I’m most proud of is our depth, adaptability, and senior leadership. And every player on our roster has had a moment to step up and produce this season when needed.”
Lancers' keeper Christian Lekki has been sharp in goal with a .83 goals-against average and five PK stops.
Lake Park (21-3-3) was ranked 19th in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 at the end of the regular season. The Lancers placed fourth in Illinois in 2013 in their only other state finals appearance. Naperville North seeking its seventh state finals trophy in 11 trips downstate and its fourth state crown.
Naperville North and Lake Park know each other well, having squared off in DuPage Valley Conference play until this season, when Lake Park moved to the newly-formed DuKane Conference.
“They are athletic, organized, excellent on restarts and play hard,” Konrad said of Lake Park. “I consider Sean (Crosby) a friend and have always been impressed by how much he gets out of his kids. He is one of the best young coaches around.”
The Huskies and Lancers square off at 5 p.m. at Hoffman Estates High School. Libertyville (21-0-0) and Collinsville (19-5-2) follow in the second 3A semifinal at 7 p.m.
Libertyville has been ranked second in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25 all season-long and makes its sixth appearance in the finals. The Wildcats lost 1-0 to Naperville North in last year’s state title game to match its finishes in 1986 and 2010. They won a state crown in 2015 under previous coach Andy Bitta.
Kevin Thunholm took over the program last year, when the Wildcats went 20-1-2. That gives them a 41-1-2 record so far in Thunholm’s first two years.
This year’s Wildcats are led offensively by senior and Michigan-recruit Evan Rasmussen, who has racked up 33 goals and 14 assists. Junior Mickey Reilly has 13 goals and 11 assists, and senior Tanner Kelly has 11 goals and 10 assists for a team that averaged 3.8 goals per game.
Defensively, Libertyville gave up 15 goals in 21 games for a .71 goals-against average under primary keeper Zach El Ghatit.
“This team is playing high quality soccer with one goal in mind: we have been determined to get back to the state Final Four since last year,” Thunholm said.
“Our boys love playing together and are truly a tight-knit family. Their trust and support for each other is amazing.”
Libertyville takes on a Collinsville program that has won seven state finals trophies in eight trips downstate. The Kahoks won state titles in 1981, ’86, ’91 and ’92.
Head coach Rob Lugge is in his second season at the helm, after a 17-8-0 season last year.
This year’s Kahoks have gotten the program back to the state finals for the first time since 2007.
“When looking at this season, the thing I’m most proud of is the boys’ resiliency,” Lugge said. “We have had our ups and downs this year, but the boys always kept a positive attitude and continued to play. It’s a great group of boys that deserves to be playing this weekend.”
Collinsville is led offensively by Luke Liljegren (15 goals, 7 assists), Logan Whitehead (14 goals, 5 assists), and Zane Baker (9 goals, 10 assists).
Keeper Tate Wyatt has a 1.08 goals-against average from 27 goals in 25 games, but the Kahoks have only given up two goals in their last six games.
“I just want the boys to focus on what we do well and continue to play to our strengths,” Lugge said. “Making it to the state finals has been great for the boys, school and community, and we just hope to make them proud.”