Entering his fifth year in the MLS, the San Jose midfielder was asked this past weekend when he was in Chicago if he would change anything about his prep career (when he chose to play high school and club)?

"I look back at playing in high school and love that I got to play with some of my best friends," said the former high school and college All-America star. "I had a similar decision whether to play in college or playing in Europe. I don't regret a thing."

Thankfully, I have some thoughts on State Cup and Regionals to throw out there to get my mind off of your bad performance this weekend.

So here are the first two of the day, with more to come later:

*Is State Cup and Regionals a big thing anymore? The U-16, U-17 and U-18 Chicago Magic teams all play for the U.S. Developmental Academy, and they were not permitted to participate in State Cup and Regionals. The U-19 Magic team is now the Chicago Fire Juniors, as most of the boys play in the Fire PDL league for the summer.

*Three local Chicago girls from Eclipse Select are at a U-17 Women's National Team camp this week in New Jersey. This is the last camp before the CONCACAF qualifier.

*And when it comes to the Eclipse Select, it's damn if you do - damn if you don't. Last year, they struggled to get teams to Nationals. That had people questioning one of the nation's premier girls soccer clubs. This year, they have a number of teams headed to Nationals, and now critics are saying they should be there with all the talent they have.

But here's the most interesting question I have....

That's exactly what I and a reporter from the Tribune said when talking about recent postings on message boards and blogs.

Have to say, it's been an interesting week. And I hope you don't mind that soccer will have to take a backseat in today's blog.

A former co-worker of mine, Jeff Ponczak, died last Saturday at the age of 39. Even as I type this, I still can't believe it. I couldn't believe it when my Dad called to tell me the story was in the paper - http://www.southtownstar.com/sports/1006541,061508jeffponczakobit.article.

I really learned a lot from Jeff early on in my career. He always had time to answer questions and help the young college kid sitting next to him.

Tomorrow is never promised, and sadly, we all tend to forget that.

"This allegiance is groundbreaking for both sides. AS Monaco is committed to an alliance with all levels of soccer in the Chicago Magic program, and their U16 and U18 youth academies will be the foundation of our combined efforts. The Magic is at the forefront of soccer in the U.S.," AS Monaco President Jerome de Bontin said. "AS Monaco has one of the best academies in the world--the reserve team just won the 2008 U23 French championship--and has a long history of pioneering relationships with the purpose of identifying and developing talented soccer players."

The new partnership will elevate the Magic program by including sponsorship and technical support covering all U.S. Soccer Development Academy expenses for Chicago Magic coaches and players, an annual exchange program allowing top prospects to train in Monaco and AS Monaco coaches conducting special training sessions and camps in the U.S.

*The ridiculous Feb. 25 starting date.

*Waubonsie Valley's dominance.

*More players skip high school soccer than ever before.

*The younger talent that grabbed the spotlight.

*Downers South coach Barry Jacobson becoming the first Illinois girls soccer coach to win 400 games.

*Pepsi Showdown becomes largest girls soccer tournament in the country.

*New Trier's amazing consecutive quarterfinal run comes to an end.

*A number of long-time girls soccer coaches retire.

But man, there really are some losers. Coaches, members of the media and even players talk about them all the time. I've seen parents from Fremd to Lincoln-Way and countless others make fools out of themselves and continue to even after their kid(s) have moved on. I've had college coaches ask me to hide them when they see a parent walking toward them in the past during club events.

After two coaches forwarded emails they received last week, it makes me wonder - is it only going to get worse?

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

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.:

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.

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.

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."

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.

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.