Top 10 Teams
Blazing Trojans return 10 starters from Class 3A sectional finalist. Junior forward Omar Ortiz and senior forward Jonathan Magana (35 goals, 10 assists) power devastating attack. Three starters and senior goalkeeper Angel Galvan are back from defense that posted eight shutouts.
2. Stagg (20-3-2): Chargers bring back six starters from 3A sectional qualifier. Senior midfielders Kacper Dziubek and Bart Jaskowski and senior forward Piotr Zawislan lead the offense. Senior goalkeeper Jose Flores solidifies the defense.
3. Sandburg (17-2-3): Eagles welcome back four returning starters. Senior midfielder Ben Lyons, a four-year starter, is the offensive standout. Junior midfielder Kyle Harms and senior forward Miguel Lopez are top newcomers. Senior goalkeeper Luke Thiesse tallied 10 shutouts last season.
4. Lockport (15-5-1): Porters return seven starters, including senior two-way standouts Nate Blazewski and Tyler Malczewski and senior goalkeeper Luke Cibula. The three-year veterans contributed to team’s 3A third-place state finish in 2021. Junior midfielder Ismael Gomez is an exciting offensive talent.
5. St. Laurence (19-3-3): Vikings feature five returning starters from 2A sectional finalist. Senior midfielders Edgar Perez, Johnny Esparza and Tristan Figueroa and senior forward Eduardo Lalo Perez make the offense go. Junior Matthew Suchecki and sophomore Juan Cervantes are go-to defenders.
6. Mount Carmel (14-4-5): After reaching 2A supersectional, Caravan are back up in 3A. Junior forward Brandon Razo (12 goals, 7 assists) leads dynamic and athletic attack featuring six returning starters. Senior midfielders Hugo Rincon and Ryan Nichols and senior forward Americo Castaneda all will contribute.
1. Bloom (21-6-2):
Five starters are back from 2A sectional finalist. Junior midfielder Tyler Chrisman (5 goals, 11 assists), senior midfielder Ali Nabulsi and sophomore forward Brett Tucker (6 goals) lead the offense. Senior goalkeeper Amir Biba
7. Lemont (14-4-7):
recorded 15 shutouts and allowed just 14 goals last season.
8. Shepard (18-8): Astros, who must replace elite scoring of graduated Zach Soltysiak and playmaker Aidan Breslin, return a solid nucleus of size, speed and versatility.
9. Lincoln-Way Central (11-7-1): Knights build on seven returning starters, with senior midfielder Johnny Roussakis leading way. Senior forward Noah Anhalt, senior midfielder Dylan Maksa, sophomore midfielder Connor Pate, senior defender Drew Schiller and senior goalkeeper Theodore Utz are a solid core.
10. Beecher (20-5-2): Junior midfielder Logan Wilkins, who scored program-record 35 goals, leads group of eight returning starters. Sophomore forward Wences Baumgartner and junior defender Tyler Kramer also are top returnees.
The 25 Players to Watch
Johnny Arvanetes, Andrew, senior, midfielder; Nate Blazewski, Lockport, senior, defender; Brandon Bravo, Bloom, senior, midfielder; Emmanuel Calixto, Eisenhower, senior, forward; Tyler Chrisman, Lemont, junior, forward; Ahmed Dhalai, Richards, senior, forward; Kacper Dziubek, Stagg, senior, midfielder; Antonio Ferreira, Marian Catholic, junior, forward; Adam Jedrzejczyk, Oak Forest, junior, goalkeeper; Eduardo Lalo Perez, St. Laurence, senior, forward; Ben Lyons, Sandburg, senior, midfielder; Jonathan Magana, Bloom, senior, forward; Tyler Malczewski, Lockport, senior, defender; Brian McCracken, Lincoln-Way East, junior, midfielder; Diego Ochoa, Reavis, junior, midfielder; Israel Orozco, Thornton co-op, senior, forward; Omar Ortiz, Bloom, junior, forward; Edgar Perez, St. Laurence, senior, midfielder; Mario Ramirez, De La Salle, junior, midfielder; Brandon Razo, Mount Carmel, junior, forward; Johnny Roussakis, Lincoln-Way Central, senior, midfielder; Luke Thiesse, Sandburg, senior, goalkeeper; Caden Udani, Lincoln-Way East, senior, forward; Logan Wilkins, Beecher, junior, midfielder; Piotr Zawislan, Stagg, senior, forward.