Boys soccer: Scouting Fox Valley
By Steve Nemeth
Daily Herald Correspondent
Fox Valley boys soccer at a glance
Top teams: Elgin - Maroons loaded with talent, size, speed, and determined to avoid last year's regional title stumble. Goalie Martin Jimenez has pro potential, Omar Lopez (the No. 12 point producer in 3A for 2017) aims for school's season scoring record, tri-captains Jimenez, Alex Kunick, Julian Garfias lead nine starters among 15 returnees.
Dundee-Crown - Chargers consider regional loss as premature end in 18-1-2 season, so big chip sits on shoulders of all-state candidate Jabari Washington plus fellow seniors in defender Ivan Aviles and FVC's top keeper Damian Smiech.
Crystal Lake South and Hampshire - Both envision slipping past Dundee-Crown in FVC and lengthy post-season run as proof that strong 2017 finishes showed program's elevation. Alex Canfield and Nick Langdon lead Gators while Jack Fairwood and Sawyer Shores pace Whip-purs.
St. Charles East and St. Charles North - Two programs never to be overlooked even though 2017 fourth-place North Stars graduated seven starters and Saints continue makeover in Vince DiNuzzo's second year. Question is which solves chemistry equation by season's end?
West Aurora - Veteran coach Joe Susterstic and long-time aide Kevin Briars have a deep, multi-skilled line-up convinced this is their year. IHSSCA all-stater Patient Yuha has pair of all-sectional teammates in Santi Barrios and Andy Emile.
Top returning players: Martin Jimenez (Elgin), Sr. GK; Evan Sajtar (St. Edward), Jr. GK; Damian Smiech (Dundee-Crown), Sr. GK.
Liam Armstrong (Jacobs), So. D; Santi Barrios (West Aurora), Sr. D; Hernan Garcia (Bartlett), Jr. D; Jose Ibarra (Streamwood), So. D; Nick Langdon (Crystal Lake South), Sr. D; Jabari Washington (Dundee-Crown), Sr. D.
Austin Snobel (Jacobs), Sr. M; Truitt Battin (St. Charles East), Sr. M; Matt Beaulieu (St. Charles North), Sr. M; Jack Fairwood (Hampshire), Sr. M; Tucker Jahns (Kaneland), Sr. M-F: William Kmeciak (Westminster Christian), Sr. M; Parker Kolb (St. Charles North), Jr. M; Sr. M; Brandon Ruffner (Huntley), Sr. M.
Alex Canfield (Crystal Lake South), Jr. F; Alex Chavez (Streamwood), Sr. F-M; Josh Johansen (St. Edward), Jr. F; Omar Lopez (Elgin), Sr. F; James Serrano (Marmion), Sr. F; Anthony Sisler (South Elgin), Jr. F; Patient Yuha (West Aurora), Sr. F; Aleksandar Zdravkovic (Larkin), Jr. F
Dates to circle:
Sept. 4 - Wheaton Academy at St. Edward, 4:30 p.m.
-- 2017's Class 2A vs. 1A third-place teams in meeting of division favorites for new MSC.
Sept. 19 - Streamwood at Elgin, 4:30 p.m.
-- Outcome will haunt one team by the end of the revised UEC marathon.
Sept. 20 - Tri-Cities Night / St. Charles North at East, 5 p.m., plus Batavia vs. Geneva, 7 p.m.
-- Fundraiser for Charlotte Victoria Jennison (daughter of former East coach Paul Jennison)
Oct. 6 - Elgin at West Aurora, 11 a.m.
-- No meeting in 2017 when each won a UEC division crown, will this be a title showdown?
Oct. 9 or 11 - Crystal Lake South at Jacobs, 6:30 p.m. or Hampshire at CL South, 4:30 p.m.
-- One of these games figures into Fox Valley Conference championship
Season skinny: Exactly how much does football-driven conference shuffling impact soccer? Answers vary.
Yes St. Charles East and North won five and Batavia claimed two of the last eight Upstate Eight River Division titles, but it's now a top-to-bottom 10-school race and the two favorites are last year's division champions - and neither comes from the Tri-Cities. Elgin ruled the River and West Aurora topped the Valley. However, with more annual postseason success than either, don't overlook last year's sectional finalist Streamwood when it comes to the UEC where East Aurora and Glenbard East plan to be spoilers as does Larkin led by the state's No. 43 point man in Aleksandar Zdravkovic; Glenbard South is the unknown newcomer.
Speaking of the new DuKane Conference, St. Charles North finished fourth in Class 3A in 2017 and will build around four returning midfielders since the other seven starters graduated. It's year two for coach Vince DiNuzzo at East as he continues making over the Saints while both Batavia and Geneva rely on an influx of young talent. But another former UEC program in Lake Park is loaded and the Lancers along with former DuPage Valley members Glenbard North plus Wheaton North and Warrenville South believe the first edition of this league is wide open.
Having once domiated the Big Northern and the Kishwaukee River, Burlington Central has a massive rebuilding to undertake before ultimately heading to the Fox Valley Conference for 2019.
Speaking of the FVC, defending champ Dundee-Crown will be challenged by a much-improved Crystal Lake South and Jacobs hopes quantity fills the gap in quality with departures of all-league players like Noah Melick (tied for 22nd in state points), Colin Walsh (25th in points), Dan Buirge and Gabe Swarthot. As a follow-up to last year's regional plaque, Hampshire coach Richard Schuster has fully implanted a system that can take advantage of the Whip-Purs' speed, chemistry, confidence and hunger.
Yes St. Edward lost the state's No. 1 goal scorer (70) and point producer (150) and an all-area everyman in Will Gaston, but Joshua Johansen leads a Green Wave onslaught of veteran returnees in an effort to duplicate last year's Class 1A third-place finish. Johansen was the state's No. 2 assist artist with 43 set-ups to go with 18 goals for 79 points, which tied for 19th in state point production.
In addition to being free to score more, he can still set up Uriel Carachure, Zach Olenek, Chase Brieger or Jackson Godfrey. Senior Carson Scarnegie anchors the defense in front of Evan Sajtar, a junior goalie who boasted an 0.96 goals-against-average with 13 shutouts.
The Green Wave aim for another division title in a revamped Metro Suburban Conference where the Red Division now includes Aurora Central Catholic and Aurora Christian.