Boys soccer: 5 to watch this fall across the Herald-News area

There are plenty of boys soccer players from around the Will and Grundy county area worth keeping an eye on this year. Here are five of our picks to watch in the 2025 season.

1. Marshall DeGraff, Plainfield Central, sr., GK

DeGraff isn’t just one of the best returning goalkeepers in the area; he’s one of the best all-around players in the state. A Bowling Green commit, DeGraff has 25 career shutouts and is a two-time all-region player. He’s also a two-time All-Southwest Prairie Conference selection and was the conference MVP last year after posting 11 shutouts and allowing just 19 goals. Opposing teams will be hard-pressed to score on the Wildcats with DeGraff protecting the net for one last season.

2. Ethan Koranda, Minooka, sr., M

Ethan Koranda of Minooka (courtesy of Nate Springs )

A first-team selection to the Herald-News All-Area Team last year, Koranda is back for his final season leading the Indians. An All-Southwest Prairie Conference pick and all-sectional team selection who scored four goals with nine assists, Koranda is a four-year varsity starter. Hopes are high that Minooka will bounce back from a down year by their standards, and Koranda will be critical to making that happen.

3. Diego Garcia, Romeoville, sr., F

Year after year, Romeoville is one of the top programs in the area. Many have led the Spartans before, including Kameron McShaw last season. Now it’s Garcia’s turn. A first-team Herald-News All-Area selection last year, Garcia contributed 20 goals and seven assists. That was enough to net him all-conference and all-sectional honors. With McShaw gone, Garcia will now be counted on even more for Romeoville as it looks to turn its outstanding regular-season success into postseason glory.

4. Ricardo Camacho, Joliet Central, sr., F

Ricardo Camacho of Joliet Central (Courtesy of Ulises Ornelas )

Two years after going winless, Joliet Central had six victories last fall. Eight of those defeats came by one goal, showing improved competitiveness from the Steelmen. Camacho has been the leading scorer for Joliet Central the past two years, and he’ll look to close out his career with another such season. The senior had 16 goals with six assists in 2024. He has a knack for finishing in tight contests and should only be better in his final season.

5. Jacob Hareza, Lockport, sr., F

Jacob Hareza of Lockport. (Courtesy of Lockport Athletics )

The bad news for Lockport is that the 2024 Herald-News Boys Soccer Player of the Year, Ismael Gomez, is gone, and he took his 34 goals and 13 assists with him. The good news is that Jacob Hareza is back after being a second-team selection on the Herald-News All-Area Team last year. He also earned all-sectional and all-conference honors with 17 goals and 15 assists. Lockport advanced to the supersectional last season and should be in a position to do so again with Hareza around.