Boys soccer season has returned! We asked our coaches to tell them more about their teams. Here’s what they had to say.
*Coaches were contacted multiple times for this exercise. Those responses are below. Don’t see your team? Email Michael Wojtychiw at mmwojtychiw@cps.edu.
School name: Acero Garcia HS
Returning starters (name, class, position):
Edgar Rangel, Senior, defender
Christopher Lino,sophomore, central defender
Andres Maldonado, senior, striker
Daniel Rodriguez, Senior, defender
Returning Non-starters:
Edgar Ortiz,senior, defense
Top newcomers (name, class, position):
Jayden Munoz, sophomore, CDM
Fernando Venegas, sophomore, striker
Fernando Andrade, senior, Midfielder
Victor Olivares, senior, striker
Games to watch: Soto Vs. Garcia
Coach’s season outlook:
Very excited for the new season with this hardworking group of boys. This is a very new team with only about 5 returners. This is also a very young time with more than half the team being freshman/sophomores.
School name: Englewood STEM High School
Last season’s record: 6–3, Advanced to Phase IV of the CPL Tournament
Social media handle: Instagram: englewoodstemsoccer
College commits: N/A
Returning starters:
Edgar Cruz, 11th Grade, Forward, 6 Goals
Robert Benners Corro 12th Grade, Forward, 13 Goals, All-Conference Open Division
Miguel Colmenarez Roa 11th Grade, Forward, 1 Goal
Luis Romero Mota, 12th Grade, Midfield, 13 Goals, CPL All-City
Joanderth Rodriguez 11th Grade, Midfield
Keiser Castro, 10th Grade, Midfield
Kevin Ortiz, 12th Grade, Defense
Justin Soto, 12th Grade, Defense
Returning non-starters:
Samuel Exume, 10th Grade, GK/Midfield
Silvano Soto 11th Grade, GK/Defense
Dajuan Warren, 12th Grade, Defense
Ah’King Nicholas, 12th Grade, Defense
Alex Llamas, 11th Grade, Midfield
Anthony Ortiz, 11th Grade, Defense
Top newcomers:
Aidan Ellis, 11th Grade, GK
Omar Garcia, 12th Grade, Defense/Midfield
Jesus Cruz, 9th Grade, Forward
Games to watch:
Potential Rematch vs Horizon Science Academy Southwest on 10/02 (TBD)
Coach’s season outlook:
The Englewood STEM Panthers advanced to Phase IV of the CPL Tournament in 2025 and look to repeat that success this season while pushing further in the phase matches. The Panthers are excited to welcome new goalkeeper Aidan Ellis (11th) to the squad. A multi-sport athlete in basketball and baseball, Ellis spent the summer developing his newfound goalkeeping skills. The team is also excited for the healthy return of Omar Garcia (12th), who will play center back after recovering from a season-ending injury suffered in August 2025.
Many of the Panthers’ senior players will fill key starting roles this season, and the team will lean on their leadership as it chases the goal of winning the Open Division in the Southeast Conference. Captains Kevin Ortiz (12th) and Luis Romero (12th) will be instrumental to the team’s success.
School name: Gurdon Hubbard High School
Last season’s record: 8-4-5
Returning starters (name, class, position):
Isaias Alvarado 10 GK
Angel Arguello 12 STR
Aaron Briones 12 MID
Juan Brizuela 10 MID
Rafael Cervantes 12 MID
Raul Diaz 12 STR
Avian Flores 12 DEF
Gustavo Gomez 12 MID
Jared Huerta 12 DEF
Axel Mendez 12 DEF
David Raygoza 10 MID
Christian Salguero 11 MID
Alexis Torres 12 STR
Angel Yanez 12 MID
Returning non-starters (name):
Christopher Cordova
Top newcomers (name):
Ayden Garcia
Games to watch:
Goode vs Hubbard
Coach’s season outlook:
Challenging and exciting season ahead.
Kenwood Academy: A New Era Begins as the Broncos Return to the First Division
There is a different feeling surrounding Kenwood Academy soccer this season.
Last year, the Broncos put together a 13-3-4 campaign, going a perfect 5-0 in conference play and winning the Second Division South championship. The result was promotion to the First Division.
Now, Kenwood enters a new level of competition—and does so with an entirely new coaching staff, a new vision and a familiar face leading the way.
Former Bronco Stokely Davis has come home.
Davis, a former Kenwood player who experienced the program during its heyday in the early 2010s, returns to the school as head coach after the retirement of the program’s longtime coach. During his playing days, Davis was part of a Kenwood program that produced multiple undefeated seasons.
Now, more than a decade later, he has returned to help build the next version of the Broncos.
And he isn’t coming alone.
Davis has assembled an impressive coaching staff that brings experience from across Chicago soccer:
- Alex Simmons — Chicago Fire
- Josiah Ash — Whitney Young
- Nile Lansana — KICS and Jones
The new staff brings together experience from youth development, high school soccer and the professional game, but perhaps the most important connection is their shared understanding of Chicago soccer.
For Davis, this isn’t simply a new coaching job.
It’s a homecoming.
A Program Ready for Its Next Chapter
Kenwood’s promotion changes the conversation around the program.
Last season, the Broncos were chasing a championship and fighting for promotion. This year, they’ll face programs with significantly more resources, deeper rosters and established First Division pedigrees.
Some of those programs can see 60–100 players come through their tryouts.
Kenwood’s approach is different.
The Broncos may not have the same resources, but Davis believes they have something that can’t be purchased:
identity.
“We are South Side strong. We are creative. We are technical. And we belong in this division.”
That mentality will be central to Kenwood’s season.
The Broncos aren’t entering the First Division simply hoping to survive. The stated team goal is to finish in the top two of the conference and make a strong run in the city playoffs.
It is an ambitious goal, particularly for a newly promoted team.
But that’s precisely the point.
A Core That Knows How to Win
Kenwood returns a strong group of starters from last year’s championship team.
Seniors Caleb, Manny, Luis and Angel will provide leadership, while juniors Owen and Varro return with valuable experience.
Behind them is a deep group of returning players, including Alex Dyer, Dante Scaletta, Luca Scaletta, Ethan Johnson, Jonathan Ford, Bryce Kalley, Dominic Stieber, Ezra Skol, Samir, Sam Baduin, Julian and Ife.
The Broncos will also welcome two freshmen who could make an immediate impact.
Sam, a freshman midfielder, will be one newcomer to watch, while Dom Stieber, another freshman midfielder, brings additional youth and energy to the center of the field.
The combination of experienced seniors, returning contributors and young players could make Kenwood one of the more interesting teams to follow as the season develops.
Two Games to Circle
Two early-season games could provide an early glimpse into what this new-look Kenwood program is capable of.
September 8 — Lincoln Park
The Broncos will face Lincoln Park in a friendly that should give the new coaching staff an opportunity to evaluate the team against strong competition before the conference season fully develops.
But there is another layer to the matchup: it will be one of the first opportunities for the new Kenwood staff to see its philosophy tested against another established program.
September 16 — Jones
The September 16 matchup with Jones could be even more significant.
Jones represents the type of First Division opponent Kenwood will now regularly encounter, making the game an important measuring stick for a program entering a new level.
For a team that wants to finish in the top two of its conference, these are the types of matches that will tell the story.
More Than Wins and Losses
For Davis, however, the ultimate measure of the season won’t necessarily be found in the standings.
Yes, he wants to win.
Yes, he wants to compete for a conference championship.
Yes, he wants Kenwood to make a deep city playoff run.
But there is a larger objective.
Developing the players themselves.
Davis wants to increase the overall soccer knowledge of every player in the program.
What is their soccer vocabulary?
Can they explain why something happened during a match rather than simply knowing that it happened?
How does their confidence show when the game gets difficult?
Can they communicate with teammates?
Can they solve problems independently?
And ultimately, are they becoming better people through the process?
For Davis, those questions are just as important as the final score.
The goal is to develop better human beings and potential college athletes, not simply better high school soccer players.
That philosophy also fits with the program’s growing college aspirations.
Kenwood had two players commit to play college soccer last year, and the program is hoping to produce three college commits this season.
A Homecoming With Something to Prove
There is something poetic about Davis returning to Kenwood.
He once wore the jersey.
He experienced the program when it was competing at its highest level.
Now he returns years later, not as a player, but as the person responsible for helping define what comes next.
The Broncos are no longer the same program they were in the early 2010s.
And they aren’t interested in trying to recreate the past.
Instead, this coaching staff is attempting to build something new—one that combines the history and identity of Kenwood with a modern approach to player development.
The First Division will provide plenty of challenges.
Kenwood will face teams with more players, more resources and more established infrastructure.
But the Broncos aren’t measuring themselves by what they don’t have.
They’re focused on what they do have.
South Side pride. Creativity. Technical ability. Experience. Youth. And a coaching staff with a personal investment in seeing Kenwood succeed.
Last season, Kenwood proved it belonged at the top of the Second Division.
This season, the Broncos get the opportunity to prove something bigger:
They belong in the First Division, too.
And for Stokely Davis, the journey is about much more than returning Kenwood soccer to where it once was.
It’s about helping the next generation decide where it can go.
School name: Walter Payton College Prep (Grizzlies)
Last season’s record: 13-5-3 overall; 2-0-3 in conference — second place in the Chicago Public League First North, unbeaten in conference play. Advanced to the IHSA Regional Final, falling 3-2 at Ridgewood on Oct. 24 after a 4-3 Regional Semifinal win over Amundsen. Scored 53 goals, conceded 36.
Social media handle: @wpcpboysvarsitysoccer
Storylines
- A near-total rebuild. Payton graduated 17 of last season’s 25 varsity players. Only eight return: Kavin Bendre, Zachary Frank, Carter Knudsen, Avery Splinter, Liben Tensae, Max Valle, Desmond Walkowiak and Jack Zaikos. A team that won a Regional Semifinal has to reassemble almost from scratch.
- Unbeaten in conference — and still second. Payton didn’t lose a First North match all year, but three draws cost them the title. Converting draws into wins is the entire season in one sentence.
- Unfinished business at Ridgewood. The 2025 season ended a single game short of a Sectional, 3-2 in the Regional Final.
Coach’s season outlook: City and state championships are the goal.
School name: Phoenix Military
Last season’s record: 6-12-1
Social media handle: pmasoccer
Returning starters (name, class, position):
GK – Gabriel Yepez – Senior
D – Yael Aguirre – Senior
D – Angel Aquino – Jr
D – Raul Camacho – Senior
D – Aldo Resendiz – Jr
M – David Cruz – Senior
M – Julio Vazquez – Senior
M – Kain Rojas – Senior
F – Jorge Garcia – Senior
Returning non-starters (name, class, position, stats):
D – Giovanni Padilla – Senior
F – Alan Viramontes – Senior
Top newcomers (name, class, position):
M – Anderson Gomez – Freshman
F – Angel German – Soph
Games to watch:
09/08 Vs Catalyst Maria
9/25 Vs Chicago Hope
10/02 VS MLA
Coach’s season outlook:
We are excited to work with the group of boys we have. Both programs are full of talented, committed and enthusiastic group of boys ready to learn from us. It’s time to revive this program and cement them as one of the top 1A teams in Chicago. We expect us to compete on all fronts this season. (Conference, CPL tournaments and state tournament)
School name: Taft High School
Last season’s record: 19-1 (CPL Champions)
Social media handle: @taft_hs (Twitter) @tafthighschoolchicago (Instagram)
Returning starters (name, class, position and honors):
- Max Gonzalez (Senior-M): All-Midwest, IHSSCA All-State, CPL All-City
- David Dabek (Senior- D): IHSSCA All-State, CPL All-City
- Christian Suarez (Senior- M) IHSSCA All-State, CPL All-City
- Sebastian Melendez (Junior-D)
- Smajo Fazlagic (Junior-D)
- Jakub Kedzierski (Senior-D)
- Bryan Mendez (Senior-F)
Returning non-starters (name, class, position):
- Jesse Barahona (Junior-F)
- Kaloyan Velinov (Junior-F)
- Memphis Render (Senior-M)
- Lucas Salame (Senior-D)
- David Gomez (Junior-D)
- Denys Smaliuha (Senior-M)
Top newcomers (name, class, position):
- Michael Merino-Ibarra (Senior-M)
- Arsenii Peleshok (Junior-D)
- Mateusz Dabek (Sophomore-D)
Games to watch:
- 8/29 vs Stagg
- 9/3 vs OPRF
- 9/23 vs Lane Tech
Coach’s season outlook: This is the most experienced and deep team we have had in school history. Returning three IHSSCA All-State players and the nucleus of a team that started the season 19-0 before being upset in the IHSA Playoffs, our team is hungry to prove we are one of the best teams in the state. There is a clear goal of winning the CPL Championship and making it to the IHSA State Finals weekend. Looking to fill the void left by the graduation of an IHSSCA All-State & CPL All-City goalkeeper will be difficult, but made less so by what we believe is the most talented team in the CPL and one of the most talented in IHSA.
School name: George Washington High School
Last season’s record: 6-12-2 overall (1-4-2 CPL Premier League)
Social media handle: @GWHS_Patriots / @GWHS_BoysSoccer (Instagram)
Returning starters (name, class, position, stats and honors (if any)):
- Alexander Chavez | Senior | Forward
- Javier Sanchez | Junior | Defender
- Esteban Diaz | Junior | Defensive Midfield
- Christopher Arias | Junior | Attacking Midfield
- Eduardo Lopez | Junior | Defender
- Santiago Gallegos | Junior | Defender
Top newcomers (name, class, position):
- Giovanni Villanueva | Senior | Winger / Defender
- Santiago Villegas | Junior | Striker
Games to watch:
- Aug 25 vs. De La Salle: Season opener against the defending 2A State Champions
- Aug 31 vs. Curie High School: Early-season CPL matchup at home to set the tone for the conference season.
- Sep 18 vs. Kankakee High School (at Bloom High School): A premier non-conference match featured as part of Hispanic Heritage Night games, celebrating community culture alongside high-level Chicagoland soccer.
Coach’s season outlook:
“We bring back a highly battle-tested group of seniors who understand the demands of CPS Premier League play. Our focus this season is technical efficiency in the final third, maintaining tactical discipline at the back, and controlling tempo in tight games. If we bring high intensity every match, we have the quality to contend for the Chicago Public League title and make a deep postseason run in IHSA Class 2A.”
School name: Whitney Young
Last season’s record: 10-13-2
Social media handle: wyboyssoccer
Returning starters (name, class, position, stats and honors (if any)):
Curtis Jackson, Senior, Defender, All Sectional, 2 Goals
Karl Patel, Senior, Defender, 4 goals 2 assists
Francisco Lomeli, Forward
Top newcomers (name, class, position):
Eli Guerrero, Freshman, Midfield
Games to watch: Vs Lane Tech 9/21, Lake Park, 9/12, Lyons Township 10/1, Glenbard North 10/10
Coach’s season outlook: A lot of sophomores from the team last year are older now, looking to make a jump and improve on last years results. Plenty of exciting new talent we are excited to watch play.