Taft, Amundsen christen new CPL tourney
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Chicago Public League soccer is growing in stature and depth. The rise is so significant that the league now has a second postseason tournament.
Surprise finalist Amundsen meets Taft in the championship of the new Windy City Cup at 5 p.m. Thursday at Toyota Park.
In this year’s expanded CPL championship tournament, 32 teams made up the original draw. The 16 teams that failed to advance to the main bracket elimination round made up the Windy City Cup field.
Taft (6-11-2) was the verge of advancing to the main draw. They went 1-1-1 in group play, but a one-sided loss to finalist and 2017 Class AA champion Solorio sealed their fate.
“We were mad, but we were all realistic enough, the coaches and the kids. Even if we had made it, we probably were not going to go very far,” Taft coach Jeff Lucco. “We were a lot more frustrated at the beginning of the year with the losing than we were at the end.”
The Eagles have won twice as many games (4) in the city tournament than they won during the regular season. Just two years removed from playing in the city championship against Lane, Taft has always been better than its record.
The team struggled scoring, recording just four goals in the first 12 games of the year. Playing a host of strong suburban programs mixed with conference play, the Eagles lost four-consecutive games by the score of 1-0.
With the start of group play on Sept. 21, Lucco elevated three players from the lower level that have infused the team with athleticism and skill.
Three sophomores, forward Jairo Duarte, holding midfielder Michal Kaczkowska and defender Anibal Hernandez, started and played well in the Eagles’ opening 4-0 victory over Senn.
“I didn’t bring them at the beginning of the year, because I didn’t know how much they’d play, and I prefer they play the whole time,” Lucco said. “As we struggled, at those three spots in particular, center back, holding midfielder and forward, there’s no reason not to try it.
“Jairo is the kind of player we have never had since I have been at Taft: a really small, quick, shifty forward who is really hard to mark and great in space. He has made Brandon [Tovar] better because he is always making runs on balls that Brandon is playing into space.
“All three of them started against Senn, which we won, and that immediately brought the confidence up of the other guys up. They changed the complexity of the team. We’re a lot younger now.”
Six different players scored in the Eagles’ 6-2 semifinal victory over Schurz on Tuesday at Lane. Forward Chris Reynoso had a goal and two assists.
Amundsen (6-8-2) is a surprise entrant. The Vikings have played well during the second half of the season. They shut down a talented Lake View offense, winning on penalty kicks, 4-1, after a scoreless regulation and two overtimes. Amundsen plays fast and physical.
The Windy City Cup is a chance for kids to get exposure and teams to jell in preparation for the state tournament.
“This is a really good chance to grow, for a young team to get on a win streak and have a chance to play in Toyota Park,” Lucco said.
“It’s really important.”
By Patrick Z. McGavin
Chicago Public League soccer is growing in stature and depth. The rise is so significant that the league now has a second postseason tournament.
Surprise finalist Amundsen meets Taft in the championship of the new Windy City Cup at 5 p.m. Thursday at Toyota Park.
In this year’s expanded CPL championship tournament, 32 teams made up the original draw. The 16 teams that failed to advance to the main bracket elimination round made up the Windy City Cup field.
Taft (6-11-2) was the verge of advancing to the main draw. They went 1-1-1 in group play, but a one-sided loss to finalist and 2017 Class AA champion Solorio sealed their fate.
“We were mad, but we were all realistic enough, the coaches and the kids. Even if we had made it, we probably were not going to go very far,” Taft coach Jeff Lucco. “We were a lot more frustrated at the beginning of the year with the losing than we were at the end.”
The Eagles have won twice as many games (4) in the city tournament than they won during the regular season. Just two years removed from playing in the city championship against Lane, Taft has always been better than its record.
The team struggled scoring, recording just four goals in the first 12 games of the year. Playing a host of strong suburban programs mixed with conference play, the Eagles lost four-consecutive games by the score of 1-0.
With the start of group play on Sept. 21, Lucco elevated three players from the lower level that have infused the team with athleticism and skill.
Three sophomores, forward Jairo Duarte, holding midfielder Michal Kaczkowska and defender Anibal Hernandez, started and played well in the Eagles’ opening 4-0 victory over Senn.
“I didn’t bring them at the beginning of the year, because I didn’t know how much they’d play, and I prefer they play the whole time,” Lucco said. “As we struggled, at those three spots in particular, center back, holding midfielder and forward, there’s no reason not to try it.
“Jairo is the kind of player we have never had since I have been at Taft: a really small, quick, shifty forward who is really hard to mark and great in space. He has made Brandon [Tovar] better because he is always making runs on balls that Brandon is playing into space.
“All three of them started against Senn, which we won, and that immediately brought the confidence up of the other guys up. They changed the complexity of the team. We’re a lot younger now.”
Six different players scored in the Eagles’ 6-2 semifinal victory over Schurz on Tuesday at Lane. Forward Chris Reynoso had a goal and two assists.
Amundsen (6-8-2) is a surprise entrant. The Vikings have played well during the second half of the season. They shut down a talented Lake View offense, winning on penalty kicks, 4-1, after a scoreless regulation and two overtimes. Amundsen plays fast and physical.
The Windy City Cup is a chance for kids to get exposure and teams to jell in preparation for the state tournament.
“This is a really good chance to grow, for a young team to get on a win streak and have a chance to play in Toyota Park,” Lucco said.
“It’s really important.”