The IHSA Class 2A & 3A Boys Soccer State Finals shift to a new venue in 2011, as Lincoln-Way North High School in Frankfort will serve as the host of the eight matches on Friday and Saturday, November 4-5. The 2011 tournaments mark the 40th annual season of the Boys Soccer State Finals and the fourth of the three-class system. Friday’s Class 2A semifinals feature defending state champ Peoria Notre Dame and Mather matching up at 11 a.m., while Glenwood and Marmion Academy meet at 1 p.m. The Class 3A semifinals will unfold during the evening session, as Naperville Central and Fremd face off at 5 p.m., followed by Gurnee Warren vs. Berwyn-Cicero Morton at 7 p.m. All eight Class 2A and 3A state final tournament matches on Friday and Saturday will be webcast live with full video and audio free of charge on IHSA.tv, as Rusty Silber and Mike Karberg bring viewers the play-by-play from Frankfort.
CLASS 2A
PEORIA NOTRE DAME IRISH (20-5-0)
Head coach Mike Bare returns his squad to the state tournament for the fourth straight year, as the Irish look for their second consecutive state title and third in four seasons. With many of the team’s top players from a year ago gone to graduation, the 2011 edition has reloaded behind 20-goal scorers Dylan Stockman (20 goals, 9 assists) and Drew Whalen (20 goals, 11 assists), who have helped Notre Dame outscore opponents 25-2 thus far in the postseason.
MATHER RANGERS (19-3-1)
Mather had never won a state final tournament game in four previous appearances, but first-year head coach Branko Cvijovic is already guaranteed to bring home the school’s first-ever trophy in boy’s soccer in 2011. The Ranger offense runs through senior forward Qudos Lawal, who has 35 goals and 20 assists this season, many of which have been setup by senior forward Chisom Ogbana (13 goals, 19 assists).
GLENWOOD TITANS (16-5-2)
All three of Glenwood’s state final trips have come under the watch of head coach Jay Lipe, who led the Titans to the Class AA state title during the school’s last state final trip in 2005. This season’s Titan squad is paced by a trio of double-digit goal scorers, with seniors Andrew Walters (14 goals), Connor Carnduff (13 goals, 15 assists) and Jordan Fields (10 goals) leading the way.
MARMION ACADEMY CADETS (19-6-3)
Marmion head coach Kevin O’Connor has led the Cadets to winning records and double-digit victories in 14 of his 15 seasons at the school and adds a new milestone in 2011 with the school’s first state final trip. Seniors Mike Frasca (41 goals) and Mick Maley (23 goals, 17 assists) give the Cadets one of the most prolific one-two scoring punches in all of Class 2A.
CLASS 3A
NAPERVILLE CENTRAL REDHAWKS (18-4-0)
Head coach Troy Adams has Naperville Central in the state finals in just his second year at the helm, as the school makes its second state final trip overall and first since a second-place finish in 1988. Junior midfielder Pat Flynn (14 goals) is the team’s top scorer, while junior goalie Mike Pavliga (.55 GAA) is a key part of a stellar Redhawk defense that has notched 14 shutouts and has not allowed more than two netters in a match this season.
FREMD VIKINGS (16-5-2)
Fremd head coach Steve Keller has been at the helm for five of the school’s eight state final appearances and hopes to get his first state championship in 2011. Seniors Yusuke Kanada (10 goals) and Brian Hindle (5 goals, 19 assists) pace the Viking offense, which has outscored foes 14-2 in five postseason matches, and will look to avenge a 3-0 loss to Naperville Central in August during the semis.
GURNEE WARREN BLUE DEVILS (22-3-3)
Warren scored the upset of the postseason, knocking off defending state champ and nationally ranked Rockford Boylan 2-0 in the Sectional Final after losing to the same team 4-1 earlier in the year. Head coach Jason Ahonen’s squad has yet to allow a postseason goal this year, while Daniel Szczpanek (20 goals, 21 assists) and Tony Severini (16 goals) have sparked the team to a nine-match winning streak entering the state tourney.
BERWYN-CICERO MORTON MUSTANGS (22-3-1)
Morton will add to its rich soccer tradition in 2011, as the school makes its seventh state final appearance overall and third under head coach Mike Caruso. The Mustangs hope to capture their first state title behind the play of senior midfielders Jeses Morales (12 assists) and Alonzo Torres, who have tallied 17 goals apiece this season to pace the squad.
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SITE
Lincoln-Way North HS (Frankfort)
Directions
SCHEDULE
Friday, November 4
Session 1 - Class 2A
Semifinal #1 - 11:00 a.m.
Peoria Notre Dame vs. Mather
Semifinal #2 - 1:00 p.m.
Chatham-Glenwood vs. Marmion Academy
Session 2 - Class 3A
Semifinal #1 - 5:00 p.m.
Naperville Central vs. Fremd
Semifinal #2 - 7:00 p.m.
Gurnee Warren vs. Berwyn-Cicero Morton
Saturday, November 5
Session 3 - Class 2A
Third-Place - 11:00 a.m.
Championship - 1:00 p.m.
Session 4 - Class 3A
Third-Place - 5:00 p.m.
Championship - 7:00 p.m.
WATCH
All matches available live on www.IHSA.tv
LISTEN
Currently no radio broadcasts for this event
RESULTS & BOX SCORES
IHSA Boys Soccer Page
TICKETS
$6 per session
INTERACT
Chat
Photos
Video
HISTORY & RECORDS
2011 2A State Series
2011 3A State Series
Past Champions
Record Book
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