Lemont’s Kyle Spoo signs National Letter of Intent to play soccer at Loyola Chicago

2/3/2010

Kyle Spoo led coach Rick Prangen's team in goals scored three straight seasons.

Lemont High School senior Kyle Spoo, who capped a terrific prep soccer career by helping his team to an IHSA Class 2A Super-Sectional appearance in 2009, has signed a National Letter of Intent to play men’s soccer at Loyola University Chicago beginning next fall.

Spoo was named as an All-Midwest selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) in the fall, making him one of just 10 players from Illinois to earn the distinction. He also was an Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association (IHSSCA) All-State honoree, and was tabbed as the top player from Lemont’s IHSSCA section.

Spoo’s final season was his best, as he helped coach Rick Prangen’s team to a 21-5-1 record, including a 9-2 mark in South Suburban Conference play, from his midfield position. Spoo tallied team and career highs of 20 goals, 15 assists and 55 points on his way to SSC Blue Player of the Year accolades. The Indians won SSC Blue and IHSA Regional and Sectional titles in 2009, and advanced to their third Super-Sectional match in four seasons. Spoo also earned all-area honors from the Southtown Star, Lemont Reporter/Met and Joliet Herald News.

Over his four-year career, Spoo helped Lemont to a composite record of 79-20-9 (35-6 SSC), as well as four IHSA Regional crowns, three SSC Blue titles, three IHSA Sectional championships, one IHSA Super-Sectional victory and the school’s first-ever appearance in the IHSA Elite 8. He scored a total of 163 points (64 goals, 35 assists) over four seasons - leading the team in scoring as a junior and senior and in goals scored each of his last three years - and was a four-time all-conference honoree.

As a rookie in 2006, he scored 20 points (9 goals, 2 assists) while Lemont went 19-4-4 (9-1 SSC) and won SSC Blue and IHSA Regional and Sectional crowns. He tallied a team-high 19 goals and added five assists in 2007, as the Indians finished 22-3-3, won conference, regional, sectional and super-sectional titles, and made their first-ever IHSA Elite 8 appearance. He paced Lemont with 41 points (16 goals, 9 assists) in 2008 as the squad finished 17-8-1 and won a regional crown.

A high honor roll student and team captain, Spoo will play for head coach Brendan Eitz at Loyola. Just the second men’s soccer coach in the program’s history, Eitz has guided the Ramblers to a 44-36-16 record during his five-year tenure, which includes a Horizon League regular-season title in 2007, as well as conference tournament crowns and subsequent NCAA Tournament berths in both 2006 and 2008. One of few coaches in the country to lead both a men’s and women’s team to the NCAA Division I Tournament, Eitz spent 10 years as Loyola’s head women’s soccer coach prior to taking over his alma mater’s men’s program. The Ramblers went 4-8-4 last season, including a 1-5-4 mark in conference play.

For more information, contact Director of School and Community Relations Tony Hamilton at (630) 243-3280.