Chicago Public League Sports Blog

Whitney Young Blanks Juarez for City Soccer Title

Whitney Young won it's first ever boys varsity city title with a 2-0 win over Juarez. The Dolphins scored the winning goal on a header by senior forward Cody Wilkins with about 20 minutes left to play. Juarez outshot Whitney Young by nearly 2-1 in the first half. So Juarez had all the momentum going into the firs half. But in soccer, all you need it's not the number of shots you take but the number of shots that go in. Wilkins header proved the winner.

Whitney Young is now 17-4-1 with the state playoffs coming up next for all teams.

CPS Boys Soccer Results

First place - Whitney Young
Second Place - Juarez
semi-finals - Lane Tech, Kelly.

Juarez Upsets Lane in Double OT; Whitney Young Blanks Kelly to Make Soccer Final

Juarez upset Lane Tech to make their 2nd city finals in three years.

I predicted a Lane Tech vs Whitney Young final. But Juarez did not follow the script, as Juarez upset favored Lane Tech 3-2 in double overtime at the CPS boys varsity soccer semi-final game at Lane Stadium.

The game was scoreless for the first 62 minutes of the game before Juarez's Adrian Salazar connected on a penalty kick at the 62:04 mark. The goal must have razzled Lane because only about a minute later Elisio Coronel connected on another goal to give Juarez a seemingly insurmountable 2-0 lead. But Lane Tech big man Renzo Ayala (sr) scored two goals to tie the game at 2-2. Ayala's second goal came on a direct kick with only 3 minutes remaining in overtime. Juarez won the game with a goal in the second overtime to stun the Indians.

Whitney Young won the first semi-final game with a 2-0 dominating win over upstart Kelly. Justin Taylor, who has been a hot goal scorer lately scored the winning goal with 11 minutes remaining to play.

I would have loved to see a Lane Tech vs Whitney Young final, but as it turns out Juarez just outscored Lane today. Meanwhile, Whitney Young looked really good. I'm picking a Whitney Young victory over Juarez by a score of 3-0 at the city final this Thursday at North Park College.

Renzo Ayala (sr) of Lane Tech scored on a direct kick with 3 minutes remaining to tie the game.

Whitney Young and Lane Tech....My Picks in the CPS Boys Soccer Semi-Finals

Lane Tech and Juarez clash in the second semi-final game

Rivals Lane Tech and Whitney Young have met in countless battles  for city championships over the years in every CPS sport. But in boys soccer, Lane has been the dominant figure with 8 city championship appearances and two city titles since the CPS started the city tournament in 1972. Meanwhile, Whitney Young has never had an appearance at the city final in boys soccer.

The Whitney Young Dolphins are looking to change that this year. But it will have to get by a "hot" Kelly team in semi-final #1 at Lane stadium this Tuesday, 5:00pm. Whitney Young plays an 8th seeded Kelly team that has gotten hot at the right time. Kelly went into the city playoffs with an uncharacteristic sub .500 record - so not much was expected of them. But Kelly, the city runner up's have overcome the odds with a victory over Wells in the final 16 and an upset 1-0 victory over Schurz in the quarterfinals.

Whitney Young has been the most impressive team in the CPS playoffs thus far. The conference champion Dolphins beat North Grand 4-1 in the final 16 and then got past Mather by the same score in the quarterfinals.

I am predicting that Whitney Young size and skill will be enough to overpower Kelly.

In the second semi-final at 7:00pm, soccer powers Lane and Juarez clash. Lane is the defending city champions and Juarez finished 2nd in the city two years ago. So the two are accustomed to winning and know each other well. Lane did beat Juarez 3-1 during the regular season so I am picking Lane to win the game.

The finals will be this Thursday at North Park College.

I'm picking a Lane Tech vs Whitney Young final. To me there is not much better activity to watch than a Lane Tech vs Whitney Young final - regardless of the sport.

CPS Boys Varsity Soccer Semi-final Schedule
Tuesday, October 13. 2009
Lane Stadium

Kelly vs Whitney Young 5:00pm
Lane Tech vs Juarez 7:00pm

Neilski's picks

Whitney Young 3 Kelly 2
Lane Tech 3 Juarez 1

Guzman leads Lane Tech to 4-2 victory over Taft to advance to city semi-finals

Mid-fielder Emanuel Guzman (jr) of Lane Tech, an all-state player, scored 2 goals versus Taft.

Taft wanted more than anything to get back at Lane after Lane knocked out Taft in the city semi-finals a year ago. As it turned out the same result happened again this year as Lane knocked out Taft again in the city playoffs. This time the score was 4-2 and this time it happened in the quarterfinals. Leading the scoring for Lane Tech was junior mid-fielder Emanuel Guzman who tallied two goals. Guzman, who plays for the prestigious Chicago Fire Academy club team during the off season, is an all-state player and is regarded as one of the top players in the state regardless of class. Guzman was the only sophomore named in the 2008 IHSSCA All-state team.

Lane Tech will play Juarez in the CPS semi-final #2 at Lane Stadium this Tuesday at 7:00pm. Juarez beat Von Steuben 1-0 in a CPS quaterfinal game on a Josh Garibay goal in overtime.

Kelly looks to advance to it's third straight city championship.

Kelly Advances to semi-finals with 1-0 overtime victory over Schurz

It took 8th seeded Kelly overtime but it finally got past Schurz 1-0. Kelly's Oscar Rios found the back of the net mid-way through the overtime period. Kelly is looking to advance to it's third straight city championship. Kelly won it two years ago and lost to Lane last year. Kelly, started the city playoffs with under a .500 record, after a slow start to the season. However, Kelly seems to be finding it's groove again.

Whitney Young surprisingly beat Mather 4-1 in quarterfinal action. I was expecting a much closer game. 

Kelly plays Whitney Young in CPS semi-final #1 this Tuesday at Lane stadium (5pm).

CPS Boys Soccer Quarterfinal Results

Kelly 1 Schurz 0 (OT)
Whitney Young 4 Mather 1

Juarez 1 Von Steuben 0 (OT)
Lane Tech 4 Taft 2

CPS Semi-final Schedule
Tuesday, October 13. 2009
Lane Stadium

Kelly vs Whitney Young 5:00pm
Lane Tech vs Juarez 7:00pm

CPS Boys Soccer Playoff Bracket

Fans could see Kelly (above) make it again to the finals, but they may have to get past a very good Whitney Young or Mather team in the tough upper bracket.


Quarterfinals
McKinley Park, Saturday, October 10, 2009

Schurz vs Kelly - 9:00am
Mather vs Whitney Young - 11:00am

Juarez vs Little Village/Von Steuben - 1:00pm
Taft vs Lane Tech - 3:00pm

Semi-finals
Lane Stadium, Tuesday, October 13, 2009

(Schurz/Kelly) Winner vs (Mather/Whitney Young) Winner - 5:00pm
(Juarez vs Little Village/ Von) Winner vs (Taft/Lane Tech) Winner  - 7:00pm

Finals
North Park College, Thursday, October 15, 2009

Neilski's Take
I see Whitney Young and Kelly playing in the semi-final #1. That game could go either way, either team could advance to the final, but it will be very close.

The lower bracket is going to be shouldn't have as much drama. Juarez will take care of business to make it to the semi-finals. Lane and Taft will be a very close game. A case can be made with Taft who beat Lane last year in the state playoffs, but the two have not faced off this year. That game could go either way. Juarez is dangerous and could be a serious threat to advance to the finals.

Me feel is that either Kelly or Whitney Young should advance to the finals from the top bracket and either Taft, Lane, or Juarez in the lower bracket.

I would love to see a Whitney Young vs Lane Tech final. But it will more likely be a Kelly versus Lane Tech rematch of last year's city final.

We will see what happens this Saturday in the city quarterfinals.




Geovany Avila (jr, Defense) and Lane Tech are looking to get back into the semi-finals. But they have to get by a determined Taft team in the quarterfinals.




 

Favorites Advance in CPS FInal 16 Boys Soccer Playoffs

 

Lakeview advanced to the state quarterfinals last year but could not make it past the city final 16 this year in the soccer rich CPS.

I know I've been talking about football and cross country on this blog. But once in a while I keep my eye out on other CPS sports. After basketball boys soccer is the most competitive sport from top to down, with so many thriving and competitive programs. One thing going on right now is the CPS boys soccer playoffs. The playoffs are down to the final 16 teams which played their games Thursday.

Here are some of the results that have come in and some of my thoughts

Lane Tech 3, Hubbard 2
The defending city champs got pushed to the limit by a Hubbard team in which they beat by the exact score on the last day of the regular season. The Lane Tech Indians may have the city's best player in junior mid-fielder Emanuel Guzman.

Taft 6, Lincoln Park 5
This game just shows you how competitive the CPS is. Despite graduating many of it's top players from last year from a team that made it to the semi-finals and knocked out city champ Lane Tech from the state playoffs, Taft is still a dangerous team. Taft needed to score 6 goals to overcome a pesky Lincoln Park team.

Schurz 6 Phoenix 0
Schurz mad a statement that this is a team to look out for as it advances to the Public League quarterfinals.

Kelly 3 Wells 0
2008 City runner up's Kelly are looking to make another run at city.

Mather 1 Amundsen 0
Mather has the second most city championships (4) in it's illustrious history. This team is capable of advancing to the finals. They beat a good Amudsen team today and already has beaten defending city champion Lane Tech 3-2 during the regular season. Mather has a balanced scoring attack. Look out for Meriton Bekteshi, Steven Yuonus and Chidozie Nwagbara.

Juarez 3 Lake View 2
This game should have been at least in the quarterfinals. It's a shame one of these two powers had to go out so early.

Whitney Young 4 North Grand 1
Whitney Young are the surprise team of the CPS this year with big wins over suburban Streamwood in the Pepsi Showdown then they won the First Division Championship with a 6-1 conference record. The Dolphins are one of the pre-tournament CPS favorites. Mather and Whitney Yougn clash this Saturday in the CPS quarterfinals.  Whitney Young could be the biggest team size wise in the CPS. Justin Taylor has been on a roll recently for Whitney Young.

Kris Dus (jr) forward from Lane Tech

Highlights of 2008 - Lane Tech's 100th Anniversary - Part 3 (boys swimming, boys soccer)

Top 10 Lane Tech Highlights 2008 - #7, #6

#10 - Girls Bowling Upends Morgan Park
#9 - Boys Track wins 3rd straight city championship
#8 - Wrestling Team Wins City Championship - 1st for Lane Tech in 2008

#7 - Boys Swimming Wins City - 6th time in last 7 years

 

1943 Lane Tech Boys Swimming State Championship team

Lane Tech has as many state championships in boys swimming (8) then all the other sports teams combined. That is a fact that not too many people know. So Boys Swimming IS Lane Tech's most successful sport in it's history as far as winning state championships. While the boys swimming team no longer dominates against state competition as it once did, there is no question that it rules the city. In 2008, Lane Tech captured its 6th city championship in 7 years when it won with 384 points to Whitney Young's 355 points.

#6 Boys Soccer Team Knocks Out Kelly to Win City Championship

 

Greg Gaczol (left) and Humberto Pina display the city championship plaque

There can be a strong argument that after basketball boys soccer is the most competitive Public League sport. That is why Lane Tech's city championship in boys soccer in 2008 deserves to be high on the list. Lane Tech defeated soccer power Kelly in penalty kicks for the victory.

There are strong signs that Lane Tech is becoming a serious city soccer program versus the soccer rich Public League. Lane Tech has appeared in three of the last 4 city championships, after appearing in only one city championship the past 27 years prior to 2005. Furthermore, Lane has won the frosh-soph city championship the past two years.

See the video below for a clip of the winning penalty kicks in the city championship:

Abrupt End! Taft Womps Lane 3-0

A Taft player goes airborne against Lane's Gustavo Guzman.

After advancing to the state super sectionals (a game away from state) last year, Lane hoped to make some noise in the state playoffs. Instead, Lane left with a whisper and Taft left with the noise as Taft crushed Lane 3-0 in the first round of the state playoffs.

Taft got some redemption after Taft's heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Lane in last week's city semi-finals.

Taft scored with 15 minutes left in the first half. It all started on a goal kick by Lane. Lane booted it near mid field. But after 3 precise passes; #10 Altjas from Taft found the back of the net to give Taft a 1-0 lead.

Lane had a couple scoring opportunities early in the second half. One of them, a shot by forward Henry Gomez hit the goal post. After that, it was all Taft. Taft scored it's second goal on an errant pass by a Lane defender.

Lane's soccer season ends in the first round of the state playoffs. Lane had been undefeated - until tonight - against Public League opponents - and won the city championship last Friday over Kelly.

Congratulations by a fine season by Lane Tech and good luck to Taft this Saturday against #1 state ranked New Trier.

Lane and Taft players battle for position on a corner kick.


The scene at New Trier high school as the players warm up. I counted at least 6 soccer fields at New Trier - no wonder New Trier is ranked #1 in the state.



Taft continues it's season against #1 state ranked New Trier this Saturday.

Videos Now: Lane Tech vs Taft

On October 21, 2008 Lane Tech played Taft in a boys varsity state playoff first round soccer game at New Trier. Below is some actual game footage to end the first half. Taft won 3-0.

Videos Now : Lane Tech beats Kelly in Penalty Kicks to win boys varsity city championship

 

The celebration begins

Lane players celebrate with their fans in the stands.

 

Greg Gaczol (left- goal keeper) and Humberto Pina (sr -all-city) shows off the championship plaque.

On October 17, 2008 Lane and Kelly played together for the boys varsity city championship. Lane had to hold off a Kelly team that had several scoring opportunities fail to find the net during regualtion and overtime.  Lane Tech and Kelly went into Penalty Kicks tied 0-0 after regulation and two overtime periods. Lane came away with the victory (see the video below).