The season produced four area programs that won regional titles and Champaign Central nearly won a sectional title. Sports Editor Matt Daniels takes a final look at the region’s landscape in The News-Gazette’s latest Top 10 poll for the 2023 season:
1. Champaign Central
Record: 19-4-2
What worked: Lots of goals. From a lot of game makers. Whether it’s Diego Zarco, Matthew Winterbottom or Ben Wellens, Alex Zarco’s Maroons could turn into a group of standout players this fall. In contrast, Central has 10 wins by at least six goals, lost only to Class 2A state champion Peoria Notre Dame in Big 12 play, won a Class 2A regional title, and pulled off a dramatic shootout win against Springfield in the 2A sectional. semifinal game and lost to Rochester—who eventually finished fourth in the state—in a 1-0 sectional title game.
2. Muhammad Seymour
Record: 16-5-4
What worked: Another Apollo Conference title for the Bulldogs, who relied on big contributions from the likes of Nolan Wheeler, Isaac Warren, Mekiya Jones, and others. MS has reeled off three separate winning streaks of at least three games, with coach Jeremy Davis’ squad tested early with quality non-conference games. This led to an unbeaten run through the Apollo, as MS outscored their league opponents by a score of 63-2. The success continued into the postseason, as the Bulldogs won a Class 2A regional title at home before losing a close 2-1 game to Rochester in the sectional semifinals.
3. Fisher/GCMS
Record: 21-3
What worked: Unselfish play and a group of key contributors led the Bunnies to become the only area team to reach the 20-win mark this fall. Zach Zbinden led the way for Fisher/Gibson-City-Melvin-Sibley, but a group of contributors like David Hull, Isaiah Johnson and Jakub Chytek, among others, helped coach Robbie Dinkins’ program post a 13-game winning streak as of September 2018. of 5 Until September 26. The Bunnies won the Rivals Cup in Manteno and advanced to the Class 1A regional final, losing just 3-1 to eventual 1A state runner-up Normal U-High.
4. Oakwood/Salt Fork
Record: 17-8-1
What worked: A second straight Vermilion Valley Conference championship and Class 1A regional title shined a bright light on Oakwood/Salt Fork this fall. Ethan Merritt has been a scoring machine, with Brody Taflinger and Macin Phillips contributing greatly to coach Eric Fenton’s program. All the accolades the team received in October meant a lot after Oakwood/Salt Fork struggled through the first three weeks of the season, posting a 4-5-1 record in their first 10 games. But after losing a road game to Uni High on Sept. 13, Oakwood/Salt Fork rattled off nine straight wins to turn its season around.
5. Hoopeston area
Record: 19-6
What worked: There’s bound to be ebbs and flows in any season, but the Cornecker’s have managed that well. Coach Kevin Root’s program — led by Owen Root, Talan Greedy Nelson, Mason Rush and Gavin Montez — won their Cornerker Classic in the second week of September and started 10-1. A four-game losing streak then ensued, only for the Hoopeston area to reel off nine straight wins, culminating with a Class A regional championship. Their run to Normal U-High ended in the semi-finals, but the 19-win season is nothing to be ashamed of.
6. Uni Hi
Record: 12-7
What worked: Even with a challenging regular season schedule, the Illineks reeled off two separate wins in four games and advanced to the Class 1A regional tournament. Coach Joe Krehbiel’s program received stellar performances from the likes of Shabi Prasanth, Nate Roth, Henry Wang and a host of others scoring at a high rate, as Uni High outscored its opponents 78-46. Uni High lost to both Normal U-High and Peoria Christian — two teams that reached the 1A state tournament — in the regular season with three losses to 2A teams in Champaign Central, Centennial and Urbana as well.
7. Centenary
Record: 10-8-2
What worked: The Chargers’ ability to stay resilient and overcome a tough start to the season. Coach Paul Hackman’s program was staring at a 2-5-1 record after a tough, last-minute 2-1 loss to rival Champaign Central on Sept. 12. But instead of indulging, Victor Fernandez, Tresodie Ondongo, Tyler Losinski and the rest of their teammates went to work. Centennial went unbeaten in its next six matches. The final result saw Centennial defeat Urbana in the Class 2A regional semifinal game and stay with Mahomet-Seymour for most of the 2A regional title game.
8. Georgetown Ridge Ranch/Westville
Record: 12-4-1
What worked: The Buffaloes relied on stingy defense and opportunism to frustrate teams for much of the season. The formula worked for coach David Barney’s program, as G-RF/Westville started the season with a 9-1-1 record. Its only regular season losses were to eventual Class A regional champions Oakwood/Salt Fork and the Hoopeston area. Luke Barney, Nathan Blue and Matthew Darling, among others, helped the Buffaloes to eight eliminations before the season ended with a 2-1 loss to Watseka in a Class 1A regional semifinal game.
9. Saint Joseph Ogden
Record: 16-8
What worked: Another double-digit win total and another spot in the Class 1A regional championship game for the Spartans. SJ-O’s fast 5-0 start under first-year coach Chris Stevens saw the emergence of players such as Logan Mills, Spencer Wilson, Zach Harper and Alex Acosta. When SJ-O’s offense was clicking, it was difficult to find an area team that could score goals with such great shot. The Spartans scored at least six goals in 11 different games before seeing their season end in a high-scoring 1A regional championship game against Oakwood/Salt Fork.
10. Urbana
Record: 8-10-3
What worked: A program as rich in tradition as the Tigers entered the 2023 season having won back-to-back Class 2A regional titles and advancing to the 2A Super Sectional playoff in 2021. But coach Mickey Kowalski’s latest team was unable to reach those heights in an up-and-down season. The Tigers sat at 3-2-1 the week after Labor Day after an 8-2 win over Uni High and a 1-1 tie against Centennial. But the Tigers never found themselves above .500 after that. However, promising underclassmen like Julio Hernandez and Anthony Becerril give Orana hope not only in 2024, but also in 2025.
early after an 8-2 home win against Uni High on September 5, but it never happened
The News-Gazette’s coverage of the last 10 boys’ soccer games has been dominated by Champaign Central as they have worked their way to first place. With an impressive display of skill and teamwork, the team has shown their determination and drive to succeed on the field. From nail-biting victories to standout performances, Champaign Central’s journey to the top of the standings has been a thrilling one to follow. Let’s take a closer look at the highlights of their recent games and the players who have contributed to their success.