Facebook App
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.
Cell Phone Alerts
Comments
Joe,
When you get a chance check out the Carmel Catholic stats. They've scored a great deal of goals. Much more than last year with a decent schedule.
Posted by: Russ | May 27, 2008 11:18 AM
joe,
i concur, casey short is flat out amazing. my kid graduates this year...has played against and with short on her club team and she has defended great players in her last four years...nequa and newtrier girls in 2005, waubansee and naperville central, st chas north the last three years. My daughter states that she has played against many great players but there is always something that you can do to slightly limit their game. in short's case...she's the whole package.
Posted by: joe | May 27, 2008 1:07 PM
Joe,
It's too bad you can't even mention the winner of the class A state championship on your blog. But you do have the time to make fun of it (catch my drift). In case anyone cares, and we know Joe doesn't Rochester won the single A tournament. A very good team with a good coach and good group of players. But hey if they were AA they wouldn't get past regionals, So why bother spending any time on them. Just shows how many people don't get it. (catch my drift). High school athletics are for the players, regardless of what others think. Teams like Rochester should be celebrated for their accomplishment not belittled. But that would mean someone would need to have a clue (catch my drift).
When discussing all the classy coaches in High School, it's too bad that the discussion is limited, because I can tell you from experience, there are plenty of classy coaches at the A level. When more than half your roster was never on a soccer field before their first try out as a freshman in High School, and you get the team to the state playoffs for single A, that's doing some real coaching. But hey that means someone would have to have clue. (catch my drift).
TROST RESPONDS: Catch this clue - read the past blogs and then you'll realize that I'm saying something needs to be done to re-energize the tournament (catch the clue). And after you are done trying to look for past blogs touching that same subject, read the note from Super Monday that talked about the need for change (catch the clue). Remember, the Class A tourney used to draw big crowds - even when it was Downstate. Enjoy the summer, and we'll all keep an eye on Lisle next season.
Posted by: Coach K | May 27, 2008 1:16 PM