Chicago Public League Sports Blog

UNO Soccer Academy Still Set To Open This Fall

The new UNO Soccer Academy (GB&D photo).

Despite some political controvery and wranglings regarding contracts and funding, the CPS is still scheduled to open the UNO Soccer Academy this fall. The new charter school when all is said and done will cost an estimated $98 million. That is one of the more expensive high schools ever built in Illinois - although comparable in costs to relatively new high schools Solario and Westinghouse.

The school will be located at 5050 S. Homan Avenue in Chicago's Gage Park neighborhood. This will be the 11th school in the United Neighborhood Organization (UNO) whose purpose will be to play a large role in the development of the expected largely hispanic population for the school.

This school will be different than the others in the UNO network in that it will use soccer as a way to attract kids to academics. I know that this type of model has worked in some other foreign countries like Spain and in South America.

I'll be curious to see how it pans out here in Chicago.

Fabulous Fall

The CPS performance this fall is making a case that the CPS is more than basketball

When people think of the CPS they think it's a basketball conference. And rightfully so, basketball will always be king at the CPS. It helps when it seems like every year the nationally ranked players and teams. This year is no different. Simeon with Jabari Parker(one of the nations' stop senior players) and their rosterful of Division 1 players and Whitney Young with Jahil Okafor (one of the nation's top junior players) and their crew will make high school sports headlines for the next couple of months.

But at the same time, the CPS is making serious progress in a few other sports. Consider the advancements in the following sports:

Soccer



Lane Tech rampaged through the state playoffs beating Niles West, New Trier, and Evanston before finally falling to Glenbrook North in the sectional finals (final 16) in class 3A. Lane ended up ranked in the area in boys soccer. This is the first time I have seen a class 3A team ranked that high so late in the season. But it wasn't just Lane. Lake View and Washington both advanced to the state Super Sectionals (elite 8) in class 2A. Also, to show you how deep the CPS is in soccer, the CPS champ was Kelly. They lost ot the first round of the state playoffs 1-0 to a good Hinsdale Central program, but maybe the best team in the CPS this year. Plus Mather won state last year. The CPS has a 4-6 very high caliber soccer programs particularly at the 2A level and some with serious potential. I feel that Kelly, Lane Tech, Washington, Lake View are seriously established and schools like Farragut, Little Village, Hubbard, Curie, Whitney Young, and Juarez have potential to take it to the next level.  With an abundance of talent at the lower levels and lots of enthusiasm,look for the CPS to be a player at the state level every year from this point out.

Girls Swimming

All-state diver Ashley Bernardo(sr) of Northside Prep.

The CPS had a breakout season in girls swimming with 3 all-state performances at the state meet and a bevy of qualifiers. This was the best performance as a whole that the CPS has done at the IHSA state meet. Lane Tech and Northside Prep are the cream of the crop in the CPS. The quality of coaching and numbers are really high at both schools. Previous to this year, they were already established programs, but it seems like this year they both took it to another level. Lane has over 50 girls in its swimming program, making it a big sport at Lane. Whitney Young is not too far from Lane and Northside. The Dolphins took 3rd at both the frosh-soph and varsity levels. Jones and Payton decided to co-op and form one combined team. Lincoln Park and Curie have some potential to take it to the next level as well.

Boys Cross Country

The days where the CPS sends a team downstate are becoming a norm. The CPS sent 3 teams (Lane, Jones, Mather) and a bunch of individuals to the state meet. Lane qualified 2 years in a row now in class 3A.  But 2012 will always be remembered as the Jones College Prep state championship team. With Lane and Jones both having great young coaches and a boatload of talent to develop at the lower levels, look for both programs to continue to be a player at the state level in years to come.

Hubbard, Curie, and Whitney Young have good developing programs.

Golf
Yes golf. Whitney Young boys golfer Conor Dore(so) placed 9th at the state final. That was the first state medalist for the CPS since Mike Cooper of Fenger placed 4th in 1972. Lindblom has a developing program. On the girls side Payton and Taft seem to have the most promise.

 

Boys Soccer Super Sectional Scoreboard

Wheaton Academy 1 Lake View 0
Peoria Notre Dame 4 Washington 0

Boys Soccer Sectional Final Scoreboard

Glenbrook North 1 Lane Tech 0
Washington 4  St. Laurence 1

Washington advances to the elite 8 in class 2A boys soccer.

Washington Stuns #1 Lincoln Way West in Boys Soccer State Playoffs

Washington stunned #1 ranked Lincoln Way-West in the class 2A Lincoln Way-West Sectional Semi-Final. Washington, from the south east side has gone on a rampage in the state playoffs so far.  They have beaten #1 Lemont, #2 Bremen, and now #1 Lincoln Way-West.

Maybe it is because Mather won state last year, but me (and the Chicago area soccer community) is really starting to notice the competitiveness of CPS in the state soccer playoffs. For probably the first time the CPS will send at least 3 teams to the sectional finals of the state playoffs. Lane plays Glenbrook North. Washington plays St.Laurence. The winner of the Lake View and Prosser game today plays in the sectional final plays the winner of Ridgewood and Payton. Payton is the favorite in that game.

 

Lane Comes Back to Beat Evanston

Lane Tech 2 - Evanston 1 (OT)


Lane's Ivan Rizov(M-jr-right) battles for possession against Evanston.

Lane came back from a 1-0 2nd half deficit to beat Evanston the New Trier Sectional Boys Soccer Semi-Finals. Evanston scored on a long goal from 35 yards out by Wes Phelps(sp?) 8 minutes into the game. But Lane did not panic. They played a good game in the first half - missing several scoring opportunities.

Lane started out the 2nd half with a lot of energy. They tied the game a few minutes into the half when defender David Molina(jr) scored on a well placed low shot after a corner kick. After that Evanston was lucky to not give up the go ahead goal in regulation. Lane, led by players such as twins Sergio and Jose Fuentes were much faster, skillfull, and quicker than the Evanston defense. They kept relentless pressure on Evanston Goalkeeper David Foreman(sp?). A couple minutes into overtime Lane got the go ahead goal from Adalberto Rojas(sr, F) on another well placed shot from the side of the goal.

Lane has been on a rampage through the Central Suburban League in these playoffs. They have beaten Niles West, New Trier, and now Evanston. They will have to go through one more as they play next the winner of Maine South and Glenbrook North. There's a part of me that hopes it is Maine South because Maine South plays Lane in the football playoffs, and I would love for Lane to beat Maine South in soccer.

This Lane team has already done the CPS proud. This is one of the deepest run I have ever seen a CPS team go in class 3A.


Lane's Marco Ramirez(#16, D, jr) goes airbound to try to control the ball. #40 David Molina scored the tying goal.

New Trier Trevian Slayers!

Lane Tech 1 - New Trier 0 (OT)


Lane Tech players celebrate after their victory over New Trier in the state soccer playoffs.

Sergio Fuentes(M-jr) of Lane Tech scored a goal 8 and a half minutes into overtime to give Lane Tech the New Trier regional final victory.

Despite going through the regular season undefeated on the field, Lane may have been a bit over looked this year. Maybe because the strike cut out a few games against some suburban teams. Then Lane lost in the city championship to Kelly.

But this win over New Trier was the signature win the program has been looking for. It came against a New Trier program that is always one of the best in the north suburbs. New Trier has 3 state trophy's in the last 6 years including state championships in 2006 and 2008.

Believe me this result was not a fluke. Lane outplayed New Trier almost the entire game. Both teams had their chances during regulation, but Lane ended regulation with a flurry. New Trier survived the assault on their goal the last few minutes of regulation. New Trier goalie Andrew Gjersten had to save a series of shots as time winded down including a shot at the buzzer.

In over time Lane kept the pressure. Within the first few minutes, they had 3 corner kicks. Finally with about 1 minute and a half left in the first overtime, Sergio Fuentes  connected on a goal about 15 yards from goal after a great cross .

Next, Lane plays the winner of the #8 Evanston and #1 Maine West game. The game will be this Tuesday at New Trier.

Other CPS State Regional Finals Soccer Scores
Class 2A
Kennedy 2 Little Village 1
Payton 3 Elmwood Park 1
Washington 2 Bremen 1 (2OT)

Wed. Boys Soccer State Playoffs Scoreboard

Regional Finals

Class 1A
Lisle 10 AceTech 0
Chicago Academy 4 Gordon Tech 0
North Shore 2 Noble 1 - OT

Regional Semi-Finals

Class 2A
Elmwood Park vs Von Steuben- ppd.
Farragut 4 Montini 2
Glenbrook South 3 Bulls 2
Pritzker 6 Sullivan 2
St. Lauurence 12 Bowen 0

Class 3A
Hinsdale Central 1 Kelly 0

Washington Stuns #1 Lemont in Boys Soccer State Playoffs

CPS Results at IHSA State Playoffs, Regional Semi-Finals

Class 2A
Washington 1 Lemont 0
Fenton 6 Westinghouse 3
Kennedy 2 St. Francis 1
Lake View 3 Roosevelt 1
Prosser 3 Northside 1
Ridgewood 3 Kelvyn Park 2
Riverside Brookfield 1 Solorio 0
St. Joseph 6 Muchin 1
Wheaton Academy 6 Jones 1
#14 Little Village 4 , #4 Nazareth Academy 3

Class 3A
Lane 2, Niles West 0
Leyden 3, Foreman 2
Maine South 3, Schurz 2 (PK)
Maine West 3, Steinmetz 1
Morton 5, Lincoln Park 0
New Trier 1, Mather 0
St. Ignatius 5, Young 0

Kelly Upsets Lane for the City Soccer Title

Kelly 2 Lane Tech 1

Tied 1-1 at the half, it was anyone's game in the 2nd half. Kelly's Omar Guzman scored the winning goal in the 66th minute. Meanwhile on the other side of the field Kelly goal keeper Allesandro Juarez stopped a couple good scoring opportunties for Lane including two point blank shots near the end of the first quarter.

Lane dominated the time of possession of this game and had their opportunities to score. But Kelly, didi what it took on both sides of the ball to come up with the upset win over previously unbeaten on the field Lane Tech. This is Lane's 2nd straight loss in the city championship. Both by one goal margins.

Kelly a #12 seed in the state series next week has a tough opening round game versus Hinsdale Central.

Lane Tech a #4 seed, plays Niles West at New Trier next Tuesday.