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I said it last week - I'm glad I'm done ranking teams this spring, because it really has been a messed up year. As I write this, I'm not sure if Waubonsie Valley is one of the top three teams in Illinois history or if the competition was down this year between No. 1 and the rest.
As I sat down to do the final rankings, I just shook my head and laughed.
Here are the final rankings, and then I have some thoughts. This will be an interesting week of blogs, because I have a lot of thoughts now that the season is officially over...or is it?
1. Waubonsie Valley 26-0-1
Loses only three seniors to graduation
2. Wheaton North 17-3-2
Preseason No. 2 captured Pepsi Showdown title
3. Wheaton-Warrenville South 19-2-1
No surprises: another solid year
4. Naperville Central 20-6
How will they fair without Casey Short next year?
5. Hersey 18-3-4
Expectations will be even higher next year
6. Fremd 18-4-1
Won’t be sending Hersey a Christmas card
7. New Trier 19-5-2
Is the Trevians’ dominant run over?
8. H-F 24-4
Young Vikings will be back
9. St. Ignatius 27-2-1
Young, exciting team gave Normal West a battle
10. Maine South 20-3-4
Is 2009 the time to bring home a state trophy?
OTHERS: Downers South, Carmel, H-F, Neuqua Valley, Lake Forest, York, Mundelein, St. Charles East
All right....
I have no problem with Waubonsie Valley being No. 1 - obviously - and Wheaton North being No. 2. I don't care where the Falcons lost or who they lost to at the end, because I saw them enough this year to know they were the second best team. I've said it before - the state tournament is not a true tournament to decide rankings.
Now, Wheaton South at No. 3. The Tigers had only two losses - both to Wheaton North, who lost to Naperville Central. So should Naperville Central be No. 2 with six losses? Granted, some of those losses came with Casey Short over in Europe during the season.
Hersey at No. 5, who lost to unranked Carmel, who advanced to the state quarterfinals. Hersey also lost to St. Charles North, but beat Fremd three times this season. Maybe Hersey is ranked too high?
Fremd at No. 6 with just four losses, three coming to Hersey. So if Hersey is too high, then Fremd has to drop, too. But Fremd's only other loss was to Waubonsie Valley, and how can you fault them for that - no one beat Waubonsie Valley.
New Trier may be too high, too. They advanced to the title game of the Pepsi Showdown and lost to No. 2 Wheaton North. They also lost to No. 1 Waubonsie Valley and No. 4 Fremd if I'm right. So it's not like they were losing to bums.
No. 8 H-F had a great year. They only lost to Althoff (advanced to state title game), New Trier in overtime, Normal West (without a full squad) and one of the top teams in Iowa - not bad. I guess maybe their performance on Friday soured me a little. But one game shouldn't make a season right?
St. Ignatius came on this year and will need to take the next step next year. Great talent, nice team. But they did catch a lot of good programs on a down or so-called average year - Lyons, Lincoln-Way East, Sandburg, Hinsdale Central, etc. Not their fault, because if they didn't win those games they wouldn't be here. Unlike past years, their supersectional didn't feature one of the top teams in the country (New Trier teams of the past). But they only lost to St. Charles North 1-0 and to unbeaten at the time (but I think overrated) Normal West 1-0 on Friday.
No. 10 Maine South lost to York, who had a great year but faded at the end of the year. They also lost to Waubonsie Valley on Friday, but hung with them. And they lost to an Evanston squad that was hard to figure out this year.
Then you get to the others, and you have Carmel and Downers South right off the bat. I've always said I will be the first person someday to not rank the team that wins the so-called state title No. 1 at the end of the year. If anyone else besides Waubonsie Valley would've won the state title this past weekend, guess what? They would have been ranked behind the Warriors. If it was a true seeded tournament, it's a different story.
But when a team goes through the toughest sectional, toughest supersectional and hadn't lost all year going into Friday, one game is not going to knock them from the top.
But back to Carmel and Downers South. Carmel had two losses all year, one to Downers South and one to a very solid Mundelein team. Well, if I rank Carmel, I have to rank Downers South. Even though Downers South finished fourth, I still didn't rank them. They had a nice season, and hey, it would have made me look better to rank them at the end because I ranked them to start the season. But just as the case was with past Lyons teams, their sectional helped extend their season - I think.
I hate saying that, because I'm not talking anything away from anyone. But this is what is debated when I do rankings.
So let's look at the rest of the best - Neuqua Valley, which lost to Naperville Central but beat them when it counted; Lake Forest solid all year and then slipped; York just faded late; Mundelein and St. Charles East solid.
So the only thing I'm sure about is No. 1, and I guess in the end - that's all anyone will remember anyways.
- Joe Trost
Comments
if normal west was soo overrated then why did they only lose to waubonsie 1-0. ignatius has a great year and definatlety deserve higher than nine. you have doubted us all season. and to put hf before us that is pathetic. they got killed by aldoff. you will see ignatius will be back next year dont worry joe trost.
TROST RESPONDS: H-F beat St. Charles North 2-0, who beat St. Ignatius. Pretty simple.
Posted by: Anonymous | June 3, 2008 12:19 PM
With regards to your next blog about "parents", I have to laugh that as I was chatting throughout the season about "we" play tonight or "we" won 1-0 with another parent. She reminded me that "we" don't do anything but show up and cheer; it is our daughters that have put in countless hours and made many sacrifices to be the successful athletes that they are. "We" (the parents) are just lucky to be along for the ride!!
Not sure that I agree completely with all the teams above Maine South in your final rankings ( although you're right, does it really matter in the end?)....but glad to see the Hawks in your top ten. "We're" hoping for even better in the future!!
Posted by: soccer fan | June 3, 2008 4:01 PM
So if Hersey was ranked "too high" how do you explain the 15 shutout season they had? Or having to go through probably the second toughest sectional (behind Waubonsie's). St. Charles North has always been an elite team and losing to them in the pepsi showdown quaterfinals should not be a reason for a lower ranking. And yea they lost to an unranked Carmel team but just like you stated above, "one game should not knock them from the top". Don't get me wrong Waubonsie deserves to be #1, but I think Hersey's ranking is well deserved also. Let's not forget how they had the best season in school history, and how everyone doubted that they could beat Fremd for a third time in the sectional final, but proved everyone wrong. I think that shows just how special Hersey really was.
Posted by: Anonymous | June 5, 2008 3:43 PM
I can't say I really care much about rankings and I must agree that WV was the best team this year. (But not by much ). Most team around Chicago play about 10 conference games each season so possibly a little more should be done in terms of playing competitive teams outside their usual "area" teams. The Pepsi Challenge was a real good start. And that kind of thinking should be continued and expanded a bit. Let's settle it on the field.
Posted by: Charlie | June 8, 2008 8:33 PM
Hersey is overrated and proved it with their lackluster performance against unranked Carmel. They didn't even beat Fremd in the sectional final. That was a gift from the referee. Fremd legitimately scored in the 4th OT. The video is on YouTube.
Posted by: Hersey Lost | June 9, 2008 11:34 AM
You know, I've been following soccer for a while, both my sons have played, and through my years of watching I'm disgusted at the lack of class some high schools have. I am not a fan of Hersey nor Fremd but I've heard about the controversial call that was made during the sectional final game. And I will tell you one thing, arguing and complaining about it on a blog, which in no way will change the result of the game, is disgraceful. What's done is done. Fremd show some class and accept the fact that the call was made, whether it was the correct call or not. Leave it on the field because I'm sure that's what all the players did.
One more thing, if Hersey is overrated, please explain to everyone that 3 out of your 4 losses were from Hersey. Sure you can get a gift from the ref one game, but what about the other two? I suppose they were probably "gifts" also...
Again, understand I'm on no ones side here, but the way Fremd is handling the lost is disappointing.
Posted by: Carl | June 9, 2008 10:01 PM
When it mattered most, in the state playoffs, Fremd won the game. Nobody is complaining about the others. Fremd is the only top ranked team hersey beat all year. Hersey tied or lost to 7 unranked teams.
Posted by: Soccer Girl | June 10, 2008 1:43 PM
Carl is probably the father of the hersey player who headed the ball back to her keeper in the 4th OT. State playoffs, golden goal situation, Fremd won.
Posted by: Hersey Lost | June 11, 2008 8:12 PM
all I have to say is...
3 TIMES!
Posted by: anonymous | June 14, 2008 5:42 PM
Fremd won when it mattered.
Posted by: Fan of the Truth | June 18, 2008 1:39 PM
3 TIMES!
Posted by: anonymous | June 23, 2008 11:52 AM
2 times, then a loss when it mattered.
Posted by: Fan of the Truth | June 24, 2008 12:05 AM