Stevenson head girls soccer coach PepeJon Chavez, who guided the Patriots to the IHSA Class 4A supersectional last spring, has been chosen to lead the boys program as well. He has served as an assistant coach in the boys program since 2010. Chavez replaces Mark Schartner, who retired in November after 34 seasons.
Stevenson had its best girls soccer season last spring, its second under Chavez, finishing with a 22-2-2 record and winning its first sectional championship. The 22 wins were the most victories in school history. The Patriots also captured their second straight regional title as well as the North Suburban Conference crown. Stevenson did not give up a goal in its seven conference games.
Before joining the Stevenson coaching staff in 2010, Chavez led the women’s and men’s soccer programs at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minn., for three seasons. He spent 10 years as a coach at the NCAA Division III school after playing for there for two seasons.
Schartner finished his career with a 426-208-102 record, which ranks among the top 10 for victories in IHSA history. After taking the reins in 1987, Schartner’s squads captured one supersectional and three sectional championships, plus 10 regional titles, and the 2012 team finished fourth in the state. He also led the girls program for 19 seasons, from 1995 to 2013. During his tenure, the Patriot girls were 225-108-54 with five regional championships.
Schartner was inducted into the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2017, the first person from Stevenson selected for the honor, and was added to the Lake County High Schools Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.
There will be a meeting for all perspective boys soccer student-athletes to meet Coach Chavez at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17 in Room 2002.