2002 Season Wrap Up

Coaching Staff
Head Coach - Jim Johns
Assistant Coaches - Dan DiMarco - Joe Krasucki - Gus Nicosia
JV - Wayne Hartmann and Jenny Hyngstrom
Sophomore - Trey Stevens and Brian Koenig
Freshman A - Sara Nelson, Gus Nicosia and Dave Rosenberg
Freshman B - Bart Carbonneau

The Neuqua Valley High School boys soccer program had a very successful 2002 season. We had five levels, freshman A and B, sophomore, junior varsity and varsity with over hundred student athletes participating. The program compiled and overall record of 87 wins 16 losses and 6 ties. Each level participated in two invitational soccer tournaments as well as the conference competition.

The Freshman B team 13 – 6 – 2 (3 – 0 – 1) won the Upstate Eight Conference outright, took second place in the Wildcat tournament and finished third in the St Joseph Soccer Tournament.

The Freshman A team was the first NVHS boys team to go undefeated and untied. The team finished 21 – 0 – 0 (8 – 0 – 0)! They won the Best of the West Tournament and the St Joseph Soccer Tournament as well as the Upstate Eight Conference. The team scored a record 102 goals. We also set a team record for fewest goals allowed 3.

The Sophomore team finished a very strong season with a record of 15 – 5 – 1 (8 – 2 – 0) We won the very competitive Upstate Eight Conference outright, in a very close race.

The Junior Varsity team finished with a very impressive record of 16 – 2 – 2 (6 – 1 – 0). We were runner up in the consolation bracket of the Larkin Varsity Soccer Tournament and won the Wildcat Tournament. We were also champions of the Upstate Eight Conference.

The Varsity team finished with a record of 22 – 3 – 1 (10 – 0 – 0). We set a number of team records in 2002:

• most wins 22
• most goals scored 87
• fewest goals allowed 20
• most shutouts 13
• most consecutive games won 15
• most consecutive games undefeated 17
• highest rankings
  • #1 Chicago Tribune
  • #3 Chicago Suntimes
  • #1 Daily Herald
  • #2 in Region VII (NSCAA)
  • #9 Nationally (NSCAA)

We won the very competitive Upstate Eight Conference for the first time with an undefeated and untied record of 10 – 0 – 0!  We also finished runner up in the "Best of the West Tournament" and the "Warrior Invitational Tournament". We won the IHSA Regional Championship and lost in overtime in the Sectional Semifinals.