The News-Gazette’s Top 10 Boys Soccer: It’s Time for the Playoffs | sport

There wasn’t much to complain about last week. Just a preseason game here and there to end the regular season before going into win-or-go-home mode. Some teams have already started. Some are eagerly awaiting their first postseason match. Prep Coordinator Zach Piatt takes a look at how it all starts:

1. St. Joseph Ogden

➜ Record: 20-2-1

➜ Previous ranking: No. 1

The Spartans ended the regular season with a bang, defeating Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond 14-0. Tyler Hess was all over the statistics with three goals and six assists. Logan Mills led the net scoring with four goals, followed by Zach Harper with three and Quinn Stahl and Alex Acosta with two goals each. SJ-O will play its Class 1A St. Anne Regional semifinal game against Iroquois West.

2. Fisher/GCMS

➜ Record: 17-3-1

➜ Previous ranking: No. 2

Heading into their 1A Fisher Regional semifinal game against Unity, the Bunnies are riding a six-game winning streak and have eliminated four straight opponents. Their 2-0 win over Teutopolis gave them and goaltender Parker Baillie 16 shutouts on the year, extending their program single-season record. With Zack Zbinden back in the mix, watch out for Fisher/GCMS.

3. Oak wood/salt fork

➜ Record: 20-3

➜ Previous ranking: No. 3

With a chance to bounce back after a loss to Fisher/GCMS before the postseason, O/SF did just that with a 6-1 win over BHRA thanks to four goals from Mason Swartz. O/SF hopes it can carry that momentum into its 1A Hoopeston Area Regional semifinal game against host Cornjerkers.

4. Watseka/Milford

➜ Record: 16-4-1

➜ Previous ranking: No. 4

After two close games, the Warriors had to work hard to close out the regular season. They won 4-3 against Georgetown-Ridge Farm/Westville, with David Bell scoring the winning penalty. Reed and Custer then played to a 1-1 tie, with Bell scoring the team’s only goal and Jason Moore making a season-best 10 saves. Still a dangerous team heading into the 1A St. Anne Regional semifinals with Clifton Central.

5. University High

➜ Record: 16-6

➜ Previous ranking: No. 6

The Illineks ended their regular season a few days ahead of everyone else with a 10-1 victory over Cornerstone Christian to secure the East Central Illinois Conference title. Uni High is now on a five-game winning streak after losing four of its last five games. This team is firing on all cylinders heading into the 1A Fisher Regional semifinal game against St. Thomas More.

6th Centenary

➜ Record: 11-7-2

➜ Previous ranking: No. 7

Things weren’t looking good for the Chargers after losing their third straight game last week, but they were able to bounce back with wins over Rantoul/Paxton-Buckley-Loda and Bloomington to start the postseason with some momentum. Centennial will play regional 2A host Charleston for a spot in the finals. Coach Thair Al-Saqri said his team was the best in the region. Time to prove it.

7. Mahomet-Seymour

➜ Record: 13-7-2

➜ Previous ranking: No. 5

The Bulldogs are the only team in this ranking that still has one regular season game left to play, a road game against Taylorville on Thursday. They then await the winner of Mt. Zion and Rantoul/Paxton-Buckley-Loda for a 2A Meridian Regional semifinal showdown. MS is currently off at 0-2, but Taylorville is its chance to get back on track before postseason play.

8. Urbana

➜ Record: 10-8-1

➜ Previous ranking: No. 9

The Tigers endured one of their most difficult stretches ever over the final three weeks of the regular season, losing five of their last seven games, but ended the game on a positive note with an 8-0 win over Peoria. Seven different players scored the winning goal. Urbana is hoping that will be just enough to advance them to a 2A regional run on home soil, starting with Danville.

9. St Thomas More

➜ Record: 9-6-4

➜ Previous ranking: No. 10

The Sabers finished the regular season with a 4-0-2 run and carried that mojo to an 8-0 victory over Judah Christian in the 1A Fisher Regional quarterfinals on Tuesday. STM is now tasked with facing third-seeded Uni High, a team the Sabers lost 5-0 a month ago, in the semifinals.

10. Unity

➜ Record: 8-7-3

➜ Previous ranking: Unranked

The Rockets had the definition of a regular season with ups and downs and ended it on a downturn with two losses and a tie in their last three games. They put all that aside, however, and earned a 3-1 comeback win over Monticello in the quarterfinals of the 1A Fisher Regional on Tuesday thanks to goals from Teaguen Williams, Ryan Robinson and Nolan Remole. Next it’s the turn of the host bunnies.