Wayyyyyy to early 2024 programs to lookout for!
- Thread starter Hernandez03
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Downers Grove North is going to be a problem for the entire state next year
Convinced Lansu might be a Jedi. Wows me. Name sounds like one even.
While might be true. They were in the state title game last year. Not an emerging team. My prediction is there is no surprise team who makes a Semi run or better in 6a/7a/8a. It will be one of the usual's.Like it is almost every year.
It depends on how you define a dark horse. Marist is coming off a 4-5 regular season and should be much improved in the 2024 season. I'm not sure you would define them as a dark horse since they have had a fair amount of success the last ten years. However, I think they will reach new levels of success in the near future; meaning a state championship sometime in the next three years, possibly even this coming season.
Marist lost 6 games last year, including to a 4A team and a 5A team and was destroyed by the 8A state-champion. What do they have coming back that makes you believe that they could possibly win the 8A championship next year? I like their new head coach and i do think he will be successful, but I do not see them competing for an 8A title next year.
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Fitz is a great hire for Marist but agreed them competing for state next year will be tough. They have some holes to fill on both sides of the ball but I think the biggest question mark will be at QB. McAuliffe can be a good QB but he is such a great weapon as a WR/RB so taking him away from that hurts the O overall.
My view is based largely on the new head coach. It is more likely that they would win a state championship in 2025 or 2026, but a deep run in 2024 should not be ruled out. He had York in the semifinals each of the last two seasons and it doesn't seem to me that York's level of talent was much different than Marist's last season. Marist lost a lot of close games last year that will probably be wins this year. Both Marist and York lost to Loyola last year, with York having the more competitive loss. Both Marist and York lost to Glenbard West last year, with Marist having the more competitive loss.
My guess is that Marist will finish the regular season with a 7-2 record this coming season with a quarterfinal loss in the playoffs. Being one of the eight best 8A teams in the state would make them a legitimate "dark horse" for the 8A title. I did not mean to suggest in my prior post that they would be a favorite for the 2024 championship. I meant merely that the possibility could not be ruled out.
I am guessing they will be one of the two or three best 8A teams in 2025 and 2026, and I'll take a shot by saying they will win the championship in one of those two years.
Watch out for Stevenson. Started 9 sophmores last year.
I heard a number of DGN's finest are transferring to Bishop Sycamore
St. Francis. Lost their star QB, but also heard they had a solid sophomore in the wings. Majority of their incredibly strong receiving core will be coming back, lost a WR to a transfer to Naperville Central. They'll be stronger this year in my opinion, especially after making such a deep and unlikely run last year.
Significant transfer to NC.
They have two good QBs that will be Juniors.
Got a WR/DB transfer from an out of state move that is suppose to be good.
OL/DL numbers always concern me.
The run last fall was not at all unlikely, most predicted it.
Reavis was young last young & was 4-5 & barely missed the playoffs. Should have gotten in. But will that translate to playoffs in 2024? Home game or 2 & some playoff wins? Argo nice core coming back too but as nice as back to back playoff appearances were/are going 5-5 & running clocked in round 1 two years in a row unimpressive. Would like to see 7-2 & host & win some playoff games
Although not necessarily a dark horse, can anyone verify that 9-3 LW West had a handful-plus of sophs up and starting most of last season? Beyond that, their schedule looks favorable, especially Weeks 2 & 3 where they face a 3-6 and 0-9 from their division. Regarding cross-overs as a result of the SWSC/DVC merger, I still can not wrap my head around the fact that all 3 Lincolnways avoided both of the other 2 sister schools in what was supposedly a random draw. Seems to defy the laws of probability to me.
Y'all know I'm a big S Elgin Storm guy but I don't think they make any noise with all the staff leaving and players jumping ship.
There was a lot of players that liked playing for the former coach.
I'm with you on that one. Not sure of a landing spot for many of them. If playing time is the issue, then I'm not exactly sure where you go to get more of that either.
They better get a head coach in place soon. U-46 wants all five schools to play nice in the sandbox.
Just to clarify one of the QBs is a senior, was previously with SF, transferred to FL and it seems like he’s back now after starting for a big program down there last year. The junior QB is supposed to be excellent as well (both were invited to the Army All-American combine)…SF will be very strong at the QB position again this year and it’ll be interesting to see who gets the starting nod week 1. Good problem to have.
WR they’ll be very deep, the transfer to NC was significant but WR is their deepest position (and apparently they have a rising freshman WR next year who could get a lot of varsity reps - could be the top receiver in IL for his class). Two of the receivers have multiple FBS offers…and the rest are very good in their own right…they’ll be a tough cover just as they were last year.
The DB/WR from Wisconsin apparently was an All-conference player at a big school, so he should be a key contributor.
Like you said question will be at the LOS…they lost a bunch of starters on both sides of the ball there but if they can reload there they’ll be in good shape.
But agree with your take fully…skill positions on offense and DBs will be very, very good. It’ll be how they are on the LOS and at the LB spots that will determine how far they can go.
Is it week 1 yet?
If Driscoll had survived, they probably would be the prime beneficiary of the South Elgin uncertainty.
Kenwood @ SF week 1
Not sure what happened with DGN or if was only a 1 year thing.
DGN @ O Fallon week 1
I thought St.Francis was going to play in the ESL Classic
Bummer. Was looking forward to that rematch and it would have been one of the premier games of week 1.
Curious from any CPS guys how Kenwood is looking next year? I know Turner went to Simeon and it looks like they graduated a ton of talent, but they have been a very strong program in recent years.
They will be better for sure. Solid experience. and should compete with Warren & LZ. NSC needs Stevie to be Stevie..
From a Warren perspective .... Warren has 4-5 returning sophomores starters as well. They have the #1 RB in NSC returning in All State RB Aaron Stewart (sophomore) + #1 athlete in NSC with Zay Montgomery he led the NSC in punt/kick returns (Yards & TD's) + is warrens #1 man corner & slot.
NSC should be very competitive in 2024. 🎢
All.... I suppose this falls under "emerging team." My good friends along route 4 continue talking up the Chatham Titans. One of their faithful last night I was speaking with on the phone compared them to the 2019 team.
I don't know.... that team had it all. Scored in bunches and had an outstanding defense. Curious to see if this years Titan d will be like that. A good test at home with Edwardsville week one. If Chatham pops them hard it could be trouble for everyone else in the CS8. We will see. Ratsy P.S. Of course the Flyers likley will petition up once again. 6A south bracket where both teams will be come postseason. Ratsy
I don't know.... that team had it all. Scored in bunches and had an outstanding defense. Curious to see if this years Titan d will be like that. A good test at home with Edwardsville week one. If Chatham pops them hard it could be trouble for everyone else in the CS8. We will see. Ratsy P.S. Of course the Flyers likley will petition up once again. 6A south bracket where both teams will be come postseason. Ratsy
Comparisons to the 2019 team are premature IMO.
As of now, the incoming 2024 team is superior to the 2019 Titans in only one area, the passing attack with Knoedler and his top 4 Receivers returning. The 2019 team had Leflore and Lehnen, both dangerous runners, a large and physical Offensive Line, and a hard-hitting athletic Defense.
Although they lost to East St Louis in the semi-finals, I would rate the 2019 team as highly as some of the best Cyclone and Rocket championship teams.
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All.... Yep in our spirited discussion ☺️ I reminded him of that Bulldog game last year as well. Can't be doing that on defense. He not being all that religious of a gent I also mentioned pick out a deity of his choice and pray that the Ihsa will go 1-32 in 6A. Might delay things a bit. ☺️ Ratsy
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