Every year, the Downstate teams are wondering about Chicago teams, and the Chicago teams are wondering about the Downstate teams.

So leave it up to your favorite blog, Cornerkicks, to give you the best scouting report out there. And make sure to pick up Friday's Sun-Times for a complete Class AA state preview, All-Area Girls Soccer Team and the 2008 Sun-Times Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

Until then, here's a look at Althoff, which will face Homewood-Flossmoor at 1 p.m.:

Althoff is very solid and they have beaten all the best teams in southern Illinois. They did lose to St. Louis power, Nerinx Hall, but they were short-handed during the loss.

*Very young team with most of the best players freshmen or sophomores.

*Enrollment is under 600, so can they compete with the big schools? Won their last 15 and controlled from start to finish against a pretty good Chatham-Glenwood team.

*Lost top scorer Liz Ebel (60-plus career goals) to an ACL just before the start of the season and still managed to outscore opponents 123-19 this season.

*Solid both offensively and defensively.

*Very physical team - not afraid to shoulder tackle to get the advantage.

*Very attack minded - will attack with three or four. Not afraid to pass backwards to someone with a better angle on the goal.

*Players to watch offensively - Megan Pawloski, a sophomore wants the ball to her left side; not afraid to put up shots from 20-plus yards; and fights like crazy to get free including. Megan Jaskoviak, a senior who is tough in the box and very physical with a hard shot.

*Players to watch defensively: Jenni Hamlin and Allison Bevenue (aka AB). Both are seniors and rock solid. Very physical and will take what the refs give them unless they are completely overmatched.

*Style of play is of course a German style-build up with patience and then let it rip in the box with major physical play. Why do I say "of course" - their coach is German...Juergen Huettner.

- Joe Trost

Posted by Corner Kicks at 09:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Makes some of the so-called "soccer experts," who sit in the stands and on message boards under made up names, realize there are a lot of other teams out there that can hang with the so-called elite group in girls soccer.

From U-High, H-F and Maine South to St. Ignatius, Hersey and others, this year and the postseason showed the gap is narrowing. Now why that is - that's for a different discussion. I really just shake my head when people go out and watch or play the same team year after year after year after year after year. As I said the other day, Monday was the first time I appeared at New Trier stadium in two years. New Trier was a great team, but it wasn't the only team around the past five years.

We cover hundreds of soccer teams, and I'll be the first to admit that I get tired of watching the same teams play year after year after year after year. I really wish some people (coaches or athletic directors) would take an extra second or two and try to add a new team or two to their schedule. Yes, there are rival games and things like that to keep - I understand that.

But admit it, in girls soccer more than any other sport, there is an elite bunch of teams that believes they are just too good to play anyone outside of their click. I have no reason not to believe that when some teams play the exact same schedule year after year after year after year.

- Joe Trost

Posted by Corner Kicks at 11:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

FINALLY: Homewood-Flossmoor will become the first team from the south suburbs to advance to the Class AA state finals other than a team from Sandburg or either of the Lincoln-Ways. And outside of Providence's appearance in Class A a few years back, no other south suburban program has advanced to the state quarterfinals.

THE POWER OF THE VIDEO: After losing to Fenwick in consecutive Class A sectional finals a few years ago, St. Ignatius coach Aaron Carpenter showed his team a video of the Bulls finally beating the Pistons in the NBA Playoffs back in the early 1990s. The Wolfpack went on to beat Fenwick that year. And guess what Carpenter pulled out of the video room on Monday before St. Ignatius played in its third consecutive supersectional game? That's right - the same video.

TOUGH LUCK: You sort of have to feel for Lemont coach Rick Prangen today. His team fell to H-F in a shootout last night, which was the latest tough defeat in a supersectional game for one of his squads. But it also marked another step forward for the girls program with the supersectional appearance. On the boys side, he suffered a handful of tough supersectional losses to Rich East and Lincoln-Way Central before leading his first boys team to the state quarterfinals last fall.

Posted by Corner Kicks at 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A little bit of this and that...

COMING FRIDAY: A so-called 'Player of the Year' doesn't have to be the best player from the best team - right? Can anyone find me a stat more interesting than this one - Naperville Central scored 21 goals in 2007 and 64 in 2008 playing against the same schedule with basically the same team returning. The one BIG difference - Florida State-bound Casey Short played this spring for the Redhawks. We're not talking a 10- or 20-goal difference - but a 43-goal improvement.

WHO NEEDS TWO? Were there more people in attendance at the Class A state finals Friday or more that went through the doors at the local Panera Bread right down the street from North Central College? (You get my drift).

GREAT MOMENTS: As much as I pound on the need for an updated state tournament format to eliminate the AYSO feeling from the IHSA playoffs, I will continue to say what I've said for years - there is no better feeling than competiting for your high school with the student body and community cheering you on in the stands.

OVERHEARD: Despite trailing 2-1 at the half to St. Ignatius on Monday in the New Trier Supersectional, a player from Glenbrook South told her teammates at the half - "I don't care if we lose 7-1, I want us to have fun and walk off the field at the end of the game proud of what we've accomplished this season."

YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: As Glenbrook South coach Seong Ha and I talked before Monday's game, he pointed out how many "good guys" (meaning coaches) were left in the state playoffs. That got me thinking that there were a lot of good, young coaches involved in Monday's matches - Maine South's JJ Crawford, Homewood-Flossmoor's Todd Elkei, Hersey's Brad Abel, St. Ignatius' Aaron Carpenter, Waubonsie Valley's Julie Bergstrom, St. Charles North's Ruth Vostal, U-High's Mike Moses and Lemont's Rick Prangen.

AND THEN YOU HAVE THE DINOSAUR: Downers South coach Barry Jacobson. There is no better story this weekend than the classy Jacobson. As I said in Sunday's Class AA supersectional preview story (that appeared in that thing they call a newspaper), Jacobson became the first coach in Illinois to win 400 games earlier this spring. Now can he close the season with his first state title?

FULL OF ENVY: Before Monday, the last time I covered a game at New Trier was the opener of the 2006 season when the Trevians faced nationally-ranked St. Joseph out of St. Louis. And I swear every time I cover a game there, I'm always amazed how the field is in perfect shape. Glenbrook South athletic director and former soccer coach Steve Rockrohr and I both agreed it's a true credit to whatever New Trier does to keep that field in amazing condition.

AND FINALLY: I'm so glad the season is almost over so I don't have to do rankings again until the fall. As messed up as the weather has been this spring, the rankings were just like the weather - a mess. I really wish I could have done this - 1. Waubonsie Valley and then listed every other team in the area. That's a credit to Waubonsie Valley and it also shows how balanced teams were this season.

Posted by Corner Kicks at 09:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Glenbrook South puts an end to New Trier's consecutive state run. Homewood-Flossmoor and St. Ignatius are back in the same spot, can they take the next step?

Hersey beats Fremd for the third time to advance to Monday's round of 16, and Lemont also moved on. Waubonsie is back in the super again - surprise, surprise. Last year, it was St. Charles East. This year, it's St. Charles North in its way.

Downers South sent the IHSA a thank you card for moving it out of the Naperville-area sectional, and the Mustangs are hoping to give coach Barry Jacobson - Mr. 400 - his first state crown.

Of the six area supersectionals, six of the remaining 12 teams in those games played in the Pepsi Showdown this past April.

And maybe come Monday, the warm weather will finally arrive and stick around for more than 12 hours.

Posted by Corner Kicks at 09:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBacks (0)

As a follow up to yesterday's blog about Marian Catholic coach Nasser Shahtaji, the stage is now set. I received this email from Shahtaji today, and it adds even more to the storyline that I spoke about in yesterday's blog.

Dear Joe,

First of all, my family & I appreciate very much your kind words about us and Marian Catholic. We are very grateful to you for recognizing our efforts at your "Corner Kicks."

Well, with H-F's victory over Andrew yesterday, the stage is set.

I always have mixed emotions when Marian Catholic plays H-F. As you mentioned, coaching there for several years, Alan, Eric & Pamela (my three children) played and led the teams as captains. It gives me that special feeling about the game. Although, the above factors are just history, I have to remember that my wife is a graduate of H-F, too!!

Hopefully, the outcome of tomorrow's game won't be the same as 1999's (when Marian lost to Lincoln-Way in its only sectional finals appearance in school history). H-F is a solid team with no weaknesses, with an outstanding keeper, extremely tough defenders, very smart , skillful mid and forwards who play very well with ball and without ball.

They deserve to be recognized among the top teams in state. Todd (Elkei) and Vince (Bove) work very hard with their team and both of them are very dedicated coaches who strive to make H-F the best team in state.

Regards & thanks,

Nasser Shahtaji

Posted by Corner Kicks at 10:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Nasser Shahtaji has been around since I began covering soccer in 1995.

But how many people know about Shahtaji? How many people know the amount of time he dedicated to the Homewood-Flossmoor soccer programs during the 1990s? How many people know the amount of time he's dedicated to the Marian Catholic programs? How many times has the IHSSCA honored him?

Shahtaji's team advanced to the Lincoln-Way Central Sectional Final on Monday in what will be Shahtaji's final season as head coach at Marian Catholic. But here's the ironic twist - he could be facing his former program, H-F, if the Vikings knock off Andrew on Tuesday night.

You want a storyline - there is none better than this one come Thursday night.

Shahtaji's children were solid high school players, and he's given so much back to the sport over the past decade.

Quietly with class - just like their coach - Marian has made a run. It really is a great story.

- Joe Trost

Posted by Corner Kicks at 10:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

On Monday, Latin and Parker will battle for the Class A Peotone Sectional title at 6 p.m. For those of you who don't know, the rivals are located less than a mile from one another off of Clark St. in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.

Now tell me something...how many students do you think are going to get in their cars, sit in traffic on the Dan Ryan during rush hour and drive down I-57? Wait, before you try to answer that - how many students at Latin or Parker even know where Peotone is at?

I know things need to be set in advance - I do. But come on folks, common sense has to set in at some point right? Parker has a quality field, and I know Latin coach Tom Bower wouldn't mind playing at Parker to allow the student bodies from both schools a realistic opportunity to support their teams.

Keep in mind, the Class A sectional semifinal results were known last Thursday evening. That gave the IHSA more than 72 hours to make a phone call to Parker to host and find three officials for the game. Remember, 95 percent of the Class AA sectional semifinals are on Tuesday, so there are plenty of officials that could work the game tonight.

This isn't the first time something like this has happen - two schools right by one another traveling a great distance in the postseason - and it won't be the last time. But at a time when the IHSA needs the revenue and needs to promote the game of high school soccer, common sense has to settle in for the good of the sport and its athletes.

For years, I've tried to cut the folks down in Bloomington slack. But this is just another bonehead, refusing to adjust moment where they are blowing an opportunity to enhance the memories for these teams in this game. I don't care if this is the way it's always been done - nothing is ever written in stone.

Do you really think there is going to be anyone that cares if this game is not played in Peotone?

So play in Peotone in front of parents and a couple cows or play at Parker in front of a couple hundred students?

Again, Mr. IHSA Add-A-Tude needs a friend - Get-A-Clue.

- Joe Trost

Posted by Corner Kicks at 04:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Where would we be without email and the web? I mean seriously? If we didn't have either, how would I have received this email and then been able to share it with you about the IHSA-YSO:

"Joe, Man, you weren't kidding about that field. What a turnip patch. The refs at the game didn't know the rules regarding overtime in the playoffs. I don't know if they deliberately tried to job us or what, but they made us play two mandatory OTs WITHOUT a golden goal. We scored in the first 10-minute OT and they made us play a second 10-minute OT - not that we should have even been in OT (like 20 shots shanked wide), but come on. How can three refs ALL get it wrong, and not listen to me?"

All I can is....mercy.

- Joe Trost

Posted by Corner Kicks at 12:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)