HS Notebook: Big rule change in Illinois

by Will Parchman

October 3, 2014

Anyone even moderately versed in DMV (that’s D.C., Maryland, Virginia) soccer knows McDonogh. The school’s produced some of the area’s top soccer talent down the years, including 2014 boys Gatorade Player of the Year for Maryland in George Campbell, who’s now at Maryland.

But even this year seems to be exceptional for the East Coast powerhouse. At 9-0-0, the boys squad is ranked No. 1 in the most recent TopDrawerSoccer.com FAB 50 poll, while the girls side is ranked No. 3 at 7-0-0. The girls team has outscored its foes 36-1, while the boys side’s hardly slowed down despite losing one of the best players in program history in Campbell.

Incredibly, the buck hasn’t stopped at soccer. Through last weekend, the Baltimore Sun had both McDonogh soccer teams, the football team and the field hockey ranked No. 1 in its regional high school polls. Spread between those four sides, there was only one loss to be had. The soccer teams are certainly upholding their end of the bargain there.

It doesn’t seem likely either of these sides will face equal opposition any time soon, but upsets happen. On the boys side, the Owings Mills outfit is guided by Tunde Akinlosotu, a silky striker who recently struck for the winner in a hard-fought 2-1 win over league rival Loyola. As for the girls team, only New Jersey power Northern Highlands and recent risers Pennington lie above them in the FAB 50.

On a pace like this, No. 1 isn’t so far away.

Paralyzed coach inspires high school team

Seventeen years ago, Javier Saavedra was hit by a stray bullet in Guatemala. Today, as a high school soccer coach, he’s a font of inspiration for an entire community.

Saavedra was a second-hand victim of a drive-by shooting in his native country, which restricted him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. You can read more of the full story at SaukValley.com here, but suffice it to say that Saavedra’s had quite the journey to prominence in his local community in Rockford, Illinois. Rockford is rebuilding, and they’ve got some ground to cover as they come online with Saavedra’s teachings, but it would appear they’re on track.

That’s thanks to Saavedra’s input and the inspiration he’s provided his team. A story to monitor as Rockford continues its maturation.

Yellow card rule in Illinois rankles coaches

Being a physical soccer team in Illinois just got considerably more costly.

This season, the Illinois High School Association became the first in the nation to ratify a rule that forces teams to miss the postseason entirely if they accumulate more than 25 yellow cards in a season. One can understand the impetus, but is it too harsh? A number of coaches recently told STLToday.com’s David Kvidahl that they’re not exactly happy with the move.

“IHSA has the right to pull you from the postseason,” local Gibault High School coach Matt Reeb told Kvidahl. “I don't think they should punish one school that for being at or around 25 cards.”

According to the IHSA, 31 teams would’ve missed the postseason last year if this rule had been implemented. That may be five percent of the total number of teams playing, but to hear the IHSA tell it, the rule adds a layer of accountability to the mix for teams going in hard for too many challenges. It also appears the state is attempting to restrict the more physical side of the game and promote more fluid interchange. That’s one side of the coin.

The other is what many coaches have described as over-regulation. Can you go into a 50/50 challenge with the same vigor if you know a card could potentially keep you from the postseason? If you play 18-20 games in the regular season, a little more than a yellow card per game will keep you from qualifying. Many teams go games without being carded, but if you’re involved in a physical game, can you really avoid it?

All questions the IHSA is seeking to answer this year. Chances are, the issue will simmer as teams adapt. But should they have to?

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