The News-Gazette's final girls' soccer Top 5 poll: Champaign Central ends at No. 1
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Jun. 27—Sports Editor Matt Daniels provides one last update on the best of the best among the area girls' soccer programs from the 2026 season:
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➜ 14-6-1
➜ No. 2
➜ Having superb talent like Eastern Michigan commit and Dominican University recruit lifts the Maroons into a different category. Especially after Central made up for its 3-2 regular-season loss against Mahomet-Seymour on March 31 with a 3-1 victory against the Bulldogs to win a Class 2A regional championship on May 30 in Champaign. Coach won his 100th match this season with the Maroons, who overcame losing Schulze to a quadriceps injury during the latter part of the regular season.
➜ 17-5-2
➜ No. 1
➜ Just like the customary orange and navy blue striped uniforms the Bulldogs wear, consistent winning seasons happen on a routine basis for M-S. The Bulldogs didn't hoist a Class 2A regional championship plaque this year for the first time since 2015, but it wasn't a lost season. Hardly. Coach ' program, led by Player of the Year and Central Michigan recruit , registered the most victories by an area team, enjoyed two separate streaks of at least seven matches without a loss and outscored its opponents 104-17.
➜ 12-11
➜ No. 3
➜ The Chargers started off on such an impressive note that any team would be hard-pressed to maintain. Centennial won its first six matches, including lopsided road wins against Uni High and Monticello, and outscored its opponents 25-3 to start the season with a perfect 6-0 record. Some struggles ensued in Big 12 Conference play, and Centennial saw its season end with a 3-0 loss against Normal West on May 19 during a Class 2A regional semifinal match. But having a player like to build around next season is exciting.
➜ 12-6-1
➜ No. 5
➜ The Sabers are still trying to win the program's first regional championship since 2018, but 2027 might be the year the drought ends. That's because talented and versatile contributors like , , and are all set to return next season for coach Josh Stebbins' program. A program that beat Monticello twice during the regular season and stayed right with host Bloomington Central Catholic before losing 1-0 in a regional title match on May 22. The future looks promising on the pitch for STM.
➜ 16-8-2
➜ Not ranked
➜ : Underestimate the Sages at your own peril. Coach 's program had to replace some key cogs ahead of the 2026 season, but and Co. did just that. Monticello posted its fourth consecutive season with a winning record, and the Sages have gone 76-23-5 in that span. Including back-to-back Class 1A regional titles. Monticello won its latest postseason hardware with a 1-0 victory against Peoria Christian on May 22. All the more impressive considering Monticello went into the postseason on a three-match losing skid.