Patrick McGavin’s boys soccer notes

Lake Park is still hot. The Lancers won the DuPage Valley Conference as a first-year entrant last season and upset St. Charles East to reach the Class 3A state semifinals, where Lake Park finished fourth. The No. 12 Lancers have begun the season 3-0 and are the team to beat in their invitational. Senior midfielder Oliver Horgan is the team’s top returning player. “No one knew about us last year and now we have a target on our backs,” coach Anthony Passi said.

No Public League team is ranked after the first week, but watch out for upstart Lake View. The defending city champion Wildcats knocked off Loyola 5-0 and stunned Lane 3-2 in a rematch of last year’s city title game. Senior forward Jeff Boateng has four goals after his team’s first two games. Amazingly, Lake View is not even part of the Public League’s top conference, the Premier.

New Trier coach Wes Molyneaux spoke with enthusiasm about the breakout potential of this year’s team with six returning starters and multiple players with experience back. New Trier is playing up to its coach’s heightened expectations. The No. 11 Trevians are off to a smoldering 4-0 start after Monday’s 4-2 victory over Buffalo Grove in their own tournament. Molyneaux said senior midfielder Steven Childs “the best player I’ve had since the 2007 state championship team.”