Double draw sets Windy City tables
Girls and boys round of 32 set for season-opening tourneys
By Steve Millar
BRIDGEVIEW – The Windy City Ram Classic draw Wednesday night formed the opening round for the 32-team brackets for the girls and boys tournaments in 2019.
It also served as a meeting of the minds for approximately 50 coaches in attendance for the event at the Second Star Club at SeatGeek Stadium (formerly Toyota Park), which was organized by tournament host Reavis.
The unique format that brings the boys and girls sides together helps build early excitement.
“It’s so cool having all these soccer minds in one room,” Reavis boys coach Mark Gniadek said. “These coaches all bounce ideas off each other. It’s awesome that we get to do it at SeatGeek Stadium, and it’s just a great night.”
The Windy City Ram Classic started as an eight-team boys tournament in 2002; the first girls event took place in 2013. Both tournaments have had 32-team fields since 2014.
The event is a strong source of pride within the Reavis athletic department, and the Rams’ two young head coaches are excited to be a part of it.
Gniadek completed his first season as head coach in the fall; he took over for longtime coach Bob Morack, who’s now school's athletic director and serves as Windy City Ram Classic tournament director.
Meanwhile, former assistant Jeff Grider is set to embark on his first season as girls coach. He takes over for Phil Basile, who resigned.
“It’s a little surreal,” Grider said. “This is my first go at being a head coach and being at SeatGeek Stadium for this event really feels special.
“Being a soccer fan, you always see World Cup draws or Champions League draws, and this is similar, so it’s really fun to be a part of it.”
The Windy City Ram Classic girls tournament is set to begin March 12.
Matches on the left side of the bracket include first- and second-round games at Argo, Lincoln-Way West, Reavis and Homewood-Flossmoor.
At Argo, the Argonauts will host Marian, while Fenwick meets Thornwood (co-op). At Lincoln-Way West, the host Warriors will meet Willowbrook, and Plainfield South takes on Shepard.
Hinsdale South and Joliet Central will meet up at Reavis, where the host Rams will face off with defending champion Stagg. At H-F, the host Vikings take on Leyden, and Oak Lawn meets IC Catholic Prep.
On the right side of the bracket, first and second-round games will be played at Lincoln-Way East, Bolingbrook, Romeoville and Glenbard East.
At Lincoln-Way East, the host Griffins take on Morton and Minooka meets T.F. United (co-op). At Bolingbrook, the host Raiders face off with Addison Trail and Tinley Park plays Glenbrook South.
The host Spartans take on Andrew at Romeoville, where Providence and Eisenhower will also square off. At Glenbard East, the host Rams take on Joliet West and Lincoln-Way Central meets Bremen.
The rounds of 16 for both the championship and consolation brackets will take place at the opening host sites March 14.
Quarterfinal and semifinal games are set for March 16 and 19, respectively, at Reavis, with the championship to be played at SeatGeek Stadium at a date to be announced.
The tournament field is highlighted by Andrew, the 2018 Class 3A fourth place finisher, and nine 2018 regional champions: Andrew, Fenwick, Glenbard East, Glenbrook South, Lincoln-Way East, Lincoln-Way West, Minooka, Providence and Stagg.
Allison Kaim, coach of defending champion Stagg, enjoys competing against a wide of variety of teams in the event.
“You try to schedule different teams, but it’s not easy and a lot of the time you end up scheduling a lot of the same nonconference games,” Kaim said. “This tournament guarantees you’re going to see some different teams than you normally see. It’s exciting, and it helps us as a team.”
Kaim said opening the season with an event like the Windy City Ram Classic, and the extra incentive of having a chance to play in the championship or consolation title game at SeatGeek Stadium, helps motivate her team to get ready for the season.
“The players see how awesome it is to be able to play at this stadium, so the girls are always fired up to play in this tournament to have a chance to play here,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity.”
Click here to see the girls draw listed on the schedule page.
Opening day for the Windy City Ram Classic boys tournament, Aug. 27, is more than six months away but there’s already excitement building after some intriguing first round matches that were drawn Wednesday night.
There is still one spot to be filled for the boys tournament.
On the left side of the bracket, first- and second-round matches will be played at Reavis, Marian, Plainfield South and Marist.
At Reavis, the host Rams will take on crosstown rival St. Laurence, while Lockport meets Cristo Rey. At Marian, the host Spartans face off with Fenwick and University (Chicago) plays Oak Lawn.
Crosstown foes Lincoln-Way West and Providence will meet at Plainfield South, where the host Cougars take on defending champion Bremen. At Marist, the host RedHawks will take on Andrew and IC Catholic Prep plays Hinsdale South.
Lemont, Joliet West, Bolingbrook and Argo will host first- and second-round games on the right side of the bracket.
Juarez will take on a team to be determined at Lemont, where the host Indians meet Young. At Joliet West, the host Tigers meet up with Shepard while Lincoln-Way East takes on Kennedy.
Joliet Central and Bloom will square off at Bolingbrook. The host Raiders face T.F. United (co-op). H-F and Romeoville will meet up at Argo, where the host Argonauts battle Soto.
Soto is coming off a fourth place finish in Class A in 2018 and the field has eight 2018 regional champions: Bremen, Cristo Rey, Lemont, Lincoln-Way East, Providence, St. Laurence, Soto and University (Chicago).
“All the teams in this tournament are competitive and that makes it more fun for the kids,” Bremen coach Tom Piotrowski said. “Anyone in this tournament could give us a hard time, and that’s good for us to get that challenge at the start of the season.”
For Reavis, Gniadek expects his players to be counting down the days until the opener with rival St. Laurence.
“This will give us something to fire them up for the next six months,” he said. “It’ll be the talk all summer.”
Girls and boys round of 32 set for season-opening tourneys
By Steve Millar
BRIDGEVIEW – The Windy City Ram Classic draw Wednesday night formed the opening round for the 32-team brackets for the girls and boys tournaments in 2019.
It also served as a meeting of the minds for approximately 50 coaches in attendance for the event at the Second Star Club at SeatGeek Stadium (formerly Toyota Park), which was organized by tournament host Reavis.
The unique format that brings the boys and girls sides together helps build early excitement.
“It’s so cool having all these soccer minds in one room,” Reavis boys coach Mark Gniadek said. “These coaches all bounce ideas off each other. It’s awesome that we get to do it at SeatGeek Stadium, and it’s just a great night.”
The Windy City Ram Classic started as an eight-team boys tournament in 2002; the first girls event took place in 2013. Both tournaments have had 32-team fields since 2014.
The event is a strong source of pride within the Reavis athletic department, and the Rams’ two young head coaches are excited to be a part of it.
Gniadek completed his first season as head coach in the fall; he took over for longtime coach Bob Morack, who’s now school's athletic director and serves as Windy City Ram Classic tournament director.
Meanwhile, former assistant Jeff Grider is set to embark on his first season as girls coach. He takes over for Phil Basile, who resigned.
“It’s a little surreal,” Grider said. “This is my first go at being a head coach and being at SeatGeek Stadium for this event really feels special.
“Being a soccer fan, you always see World Cup draws or Champions League draws, and this is similar, so it’s really fun to be a part of it.”
The Windy City Ram Classic girls tournament is set to begin March 12.
Matches on the left side of the bracket include first- and second-round games at Argo, Lincoln-Way West, Reavis and Homewood-Flossmoor.
At Argo, the Argonauts will host Marian, while Fenwick meets Thornwood (co-op). At Lincoln-Way West, the host Warriors will meet Willowbrook, and Plainfield South takes on Shepard.
Hinsdale South and Joliet Central will meet up at Reavis, where the host Rams will face off with defending champion Stagg. At H-F, the host Vikings take on Leyden, and Oak Lawn meets IC Catholic Prep.
On the right side of the bracket, first and second-round games will be played at Lincoln-Way East, Bolingbrook, Romeoville and Glenbard East.
At Lincoln-Way East, the host Griffins take on Morton and Minooka meets T.F. United (co-op). At Bolingbrook, the host Raiders face off with Addison Trail and Tinley Park plays Glenbrook South.
The host Spartans take on Andrew at Romeoville, where Providence and Eisenhower will also square off. At Glenbard East, the host Rams take on Joliet West and Lincoln-Way Central meets Bremen.
The rounds of 16 for both the championship and consolation brackets will take place at the opening host sites March 14.
Quarterfinal and semifinal games are set for March 16 and 19, respectively, at Reavis, with the championship to be played at SeatGeek Stadium at a date to be announced.
The tournament field is highlighted by Andrew, the 2018 Class 3A fourth place finisher, and nine 2018 regional champions: Andrew, Fenwick, Glenbard East, Glenbrook South, Lincoln-Way East, Lincoln-Way West, Minooka, Providence and Stagg.
Allison Kaim, coach of defending champion Stagg, enjoys competing against a wide of variety of teams in the event.
“You try to schedule different teams, but it’s not easy and a lot of the time you end up scheduling a lot of the same nonconference games,” Kaim said. “This tournament guarantees you’re going to see some different teams than you normally see. It’s exciting, and it helps us as a team.”
Kaim said opening the season with an event like the Windy City Ram Classic, and the extra incentive of having a chance to play in the championship or consolation title game at SeatGeek Stadium, helps motivate her team to get ready for the season.
“The players see how awesome it is to be able to play at this stadium, so the girls are always fired up to play in this tournament to have a chance to play here,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity.”
Click here to see the girls draw listed on the schedule page.
Opening day for the Windy City Ram Classic boys tournament, Aug. 27, is more than six months away but there’s already excitement building after some intriguing first round matches that were drawn Wednesday night.
There is still one spot to be filled for the boys tournament.
On the left side of the bracket, first- and second-round matches will be played at Reavis, Marian, Plainfield South and Marist.
At Reavis, the host Rams will take on crosstown rival St. Laurence, while Lockport meets Cristo Rey. At Marian, the host Spartans face off with Fenwick and University (Chicago) plays Oak Lawn.
Crosstown foes Lincoln-Way West and Providence will meet at Plainfield South, where the host Cougars take on defending champion Bremen. At Marist, the host RedHawks will take on Andrew and IC Catholic Prep plays Hinsdale South.
Lemont, Joliet West, Bolingbrook and Argo will host first- and second-round games on the right side of the bracket.
Juarez will take on a team to be determined at Lemont, where the host Indians meet Young. At Joliet West, the host Tigers meet up with Shepard while Lincoln-Way East takes on Kennedy.
Joliet Central and Bloom will square off at Bolingbrook. The host Raiders face T.F. United (co-op). H-F and Romeoville will meet up at Argo, where the host Argonauts battle Soto.
Soto is coming off a fourth place finish in Class A in 2018 and the field has eight 2018 regional champions: Bremen, Cristo Rey, Lemont, Lincoln-Way East, Providence, St. Laurence, Soto and University (Chicago).
“All the teams in this tournament are competitive and that makes it more fun for the kids,” Bremen coach Tom Piotrowski said. “Anyone in this tournament could give us a hard time, and that’s good for us to get that challenge at the start of the season.”
For Reavis, Gniadek expects his players to be counting down the days until the opener with rival St. Laurence.
“This will give us something to fire them up for the next six months,” he said. “It’ll be the talk all summer.”