Herald-News Girls Soccer Notebook: Sectional assignments - most, anyway - revealed; state-ranked teams abound

The Illinois High School Association recently announced postseason assignments for the area’s girls soccer clubs.

The Joliet Herald-News coverage area features some of the best teams that the state has to offer. They will begin postseason play May 5 for Class 1A and May 12 in 2A and 3A.

In Class 3A, several teams are in a sectional whose site has yet to be determined. The winner of that sectional will play the winner of the Reavis Sectional in the Andrew Super-Sectional. Teams in the undetermined sectional include Eisenhower, TF North, Mother McAuley, Bloom Township, Homewood-Flossmoor, Lincoln-Way East, Joliet Central, Joliet West, Lincoln-Way Central, Lincoln-Way West, Oak Lawn, Sandburg, Shepard, Stagg, Rich Township, Thornwood and Andrew. Regionals will be hosted by Mother McAuley, Homewood-Flossmoor, Lincoln-Way Central and Lincoln-Way West.

Also in Class 3A, the remainder of the area teams are in the Bloomington Super-Sectional. Minooka is in Sub-Sectional B of the Edwardsville Sectional, along with Bradley-Bourbonnais, Decatur Eisenhower, East Moline United, East Peoria, Moline, Normal Community and Pekin. Moline and Normal Community will be regional hosts.

The other area teams will play in the East Aurora Sectional, which features East Aurora, Metea Valley, Waubonsie Valley, West Aurora, Bolingbrook, Lockport, Naperville Central, Neuqua Valley, Naperville North, Oswego East, Oswego, Plainfield Central, Plainfield East, Plainfield North, Plainfield South, Romeoville and Yorkville. Regionals will be held at East Aurora, Metea Valley, West Aurora and Bolingbrook.

In Class 2A, all of the area’s teams feed into the Washington Super-Sectional. In the Nazareth Academy Sectional are Illinois Math and Science Academy, Chicago Back of the Yards, Chicago Hancock, Chicago Kennedy, Chicago Noble/Mansueto, Chicago Solario Academy, Hinsdale South, Glenbard North, Joliet Catholic Academy, Nazareth Academy, Lemont, Benet Academy, Kaneland, Providence Catholic, Plano, Wheaton Academy and Wheaton St. Francis. Regionals will be held at Chicago Noble/Mansueto, Hinsdale South, Lemont and Wheaton St. Francis.

Also in Class 2A, Morris is in Sub-Sectional B of the Dunlap Sectional, along with La Salle-Peru, Metamora, Morton, Ottawa, Streator and Washington, with regionals being held at Morton and Streator.

In Class 1A, Beecher, Reed-Custer, Coal City, Herscher, Bishop McNamara, Manteno, Momence and Wilmington are in Sub-Sectional B of the Manteno Sectional, with Herscher and Manteno hosting regionals. In Sub-Sectional A, Peotone will compete with Chicago Carver Military Academy, Chicago Catalyst/Maria, Chicago Horizon/Southwest Chicago, Chicago Morgan Park Academy, Chicago University and Chicago Christian, with Chicago University and Chicago Christian hosting regionals.

Who’s hot

Teams are starting to get ready for the postseason, but some may be more ready than others.

As ranked by maxpreps.com (with records through Wednesday’s action), Plainfield North is the top-ranked team in the area, taking the No. 5 spot in Class 3A with their 13-1-2 record. Lincoln-Way Central (10th, 10-1-2), Lincoln-Way East (13th, 12-2), Lockport, (18th, 11-2-1), Minooka (29th, 8-2-3), Plainfield South (33rd, 12-2-1), Lincoln-Way West (41st, 9-4-3) and Plainfield East (51st, 8-3-2) are all ranked in the top 75.

In Class 2A, Lemont is the highest ranked area team, coming in at 29th with its 7-4-1 record. Other area teams in the top 75 are Morris (56th, 8-5-2), Providence Catholic (64th, 5-12-1) and JCA (75th, 3-8-3).

In Class 1A, Coal City is the top ranked area team at 25th with a 7-3-2 record. Also in the top 75 are Reed-Custer (35th, 6-3-1), Peotone (50th, 6-5-1) and Wilmington (65th, 7-8-1).

Stiff competition

Plainfield South and Plainfield North were each undefeated in the Southwest Prairie Conference before North beat South 7-0 on Monday. It was the 11th shutout for the Tigers this season, and they got two goals each by Kolbie Harriman and Hanna Manuel. For the year, North has outscored its competition 78-5 and has not allowed a goal in a conference match, outscoring SPC rivals 29-0.

On Tuesday, Lockport got a leg up in the Southwest Suburban Conference Blue via a 4-2 win over Lincoln-Way East. For the season, the Porters have outscored their opponents 65-7, while the Griffins own a 43-14 advantage over their opponents.