Wittymoniker1 said:

Chaka, how U feeling about Rita? From reading some comments on this board about Marist and BR, will she start the year 0 - 3?

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@Wittymoniker1 I think the biggest question mark will be on defense. I know they return some key players on offense. Will they use Walter on both sides of the ball? I know of a transfer that has come in that will help the dline. I see 6-3 or 7-2.

All.... So I was at a gathering of people watching the Masters yesterday. Among the crowd were a few high school football fans. Two of them told me they had" heard" the Ihsa is looking hard at all classes going 1-32 in postseason seedings. I told them this rumor comes up every year just about at this time. Also there is already travel guidelines in place that would allow a 1-32 seeding which never occurs.

One I talked with is a (his words) Chatham Redskin fan. He had done his preseason homework like the rodent does every year and saw what Chatham could be facing in that south bracket of 16. When he was finished all I could come up with ( after having several Leinenkugel's - that was what the hosts were providing lol) is hope springs eternal.... 🤞 Ratsy

pjjp said:

I’ve noticed they have not had the same level of success on the lower levels the last few years as has been their standard. Is it fair to wonder if there might be a drop in the talent level hitting the varsity the next few years?

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I've noticed the same and have wondered if this could be the result of a growing DePaul Prep, as Loyola has traditionally drawn students from all across the northside of the city.

DePaul Prep's enrollment of around 1,350 is double what it was when they moved to their new campus five years ago. While I think that Loyola's enrollment has remained stable, it wouldn't surprise me at all if some student athletes who, up until DePaul's resurgence would have gone to Loyola, are now choosing to study and participate in athletics closer to home at DePaul Prep.

I couldn't be happier for Pat Mahoney, the current DePaul Prep AD. Pat was the former Loyola AD who went to DePaul Prep after being made the fall guy for something out of his control at Loyola. I believe that the successful athletics program he has built since being hired at DPP in 2018 has been a key driver of enrollment growth for the school.

Pre season #1 IMO goes to LWE

MC has a stacked team but struggled on D last year and are up a class

DGN should be in everyone’s top 5

Cross Bones said:

Imagine beating JCA, Richards, the team that beat MC, Providence then getting to the dance, and the team you play is using cheat codes to win 😒

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However, if they were using regulation high school goal posts, they would not have beaten JCA in round 1

Watched O'Fallon's Connor Blue blow through Althoff this weekend. The Panthers have lots of pitching besides him - they are tough.

crazylegs777 said:

1985 Tinley Park. If Steve Maslan plays & plays QB a great possibility they win state 2 years in a row. Brian Wise at WR instead of QB.

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Bold thought. However, recalling that the '86 Champs were overwhelmingly dominated by seniors, most of whom went both ways, I wonder if everyone would have be ready a season earlier to go to the top.

tjjrr said:

I will go out on a limb and say Chatham is the odds on favorite to win their half of the CS-8 this year. Their backups and underclassmen should be getting plenty of playing time in the second half of some of their games. With that said, 2026 should be a rebuilding year, considering they dress 44 seniors on a roster of around 60 to 65 players.

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All.... Yes I agree they are the odds on favorite in the East. Week four at Rochester should be a fun game. With the Rockets getting turf no more high grass or bad field conditions that can pop up. Good for everyone. 🙃

What I'm interested in seeing is how they do at Edwardsville week one. The Tigers went 6-4 last year a down season for a program like they have. Chatham played them tight losing 14-7 where they had opportunities to win. The Tigers can be tough though losing to the Flyers in a close one 14 -7 and on the road in 2024.

I looked at them a couple of months ago. They return their starting QB and three star Devyon-Hill-lomax a tall lanky wideout among others. At worst entering week four I see the Titans 3-1 but should they win handily in week one everyone should take note. Ratsy

tjjrr said:

I will go out on a limb and say Chatham is the odds on favorite to win their half of the CS-8 this year. Their backups and underclassmen should be getting plenty of playing time in the second half of some of their games. With that said, 2026 should be a rebuilding year, considering they dress 44 seniors on a roster of around 60 to 65 players.

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After a Senior heavy Titans squad completely dominated the CS8 in '19 and reached the 6A semifinals, they went 4-2 (COVID) and 6-4 the next two seasons.

I will go out on a limb and say Chatham is the odds on favorite to win their half of the CS-8 this year. Their backups and underclassmen should be getting plenty of playing time in the second half of some of their games. With that said, 2026 should be a rebuilding year, considering they dress 44 seniors on a roster of around 60 to 65 players.

Cross Bones said:

Imagine beating JCA, Richards, the team that beat MC, Providence then getting to the dance, and the team you play is using cheat codes to win 😒

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Care to expand on that?

Carmel Mundelein is my prediction

Riverside Brookfield

SiuCubFan8 said:

That is nuts but it concerns me that kids are max effort all the time with the focus on velo. Can't be good on the arm. But in the end it is all genetics when it comes to that unnatural motion.

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It's different times. In just the past twenty years the average high school velo has grown dramatically. You have kids throwing high 80s who are worried they don't have college velo.

All.... I forgot to mention as it applies to the Titans. The face of class 6A postseason has changed a bit. That south postseason bracket could end up even more of a buzz saw. Should JCA make it in even with their tough schedule I like the Hilltoppers chances and to go south. On top it the last time Nazareth was in 6A (2017) they went that way. "Sprinkle" in the Flyers and a much better Crete Monee team this season. Round two games couild be a knock down bloodbath for some. Ratsy

All.... What are they feeding those kids over at Chatham? (lol) Going over some CS8 rosters I came across young Mr. Parker OT for the Titans listed at 6'3" 250. (Hudl roster) Not anymore. Now coming in at 6'4" 290. Yowza! "Meat" on the line is always a good thing. Ratsy

StL_Alum said:

I like Harold, but he’s got his hands full at DLS. Gonna be tough to right that ship but I guess the only direction they can go is up. It’s crazy to me how fast things went south over there.

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Argo dropped them but DLS got Reavis now

Not interested past results…

crazylegs777 said:

Hard to get excited about a league who had #1 seed get destroyed in round 2 of the playoffs & only got there because they barely beat another CPS team. Then got nuked running clocked in the Prep Bowl by a team that finished the regular season 3-6

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All... I don't follow CPL action much unless there is a chance one of those teams might go south in postseason play and come my way. Overall for sure those schools have had it pretty rough in playoff action.

Doing a quick search Whitney Young the #1 seed referenced is 3-17 in the playoffs. Sullivan who was #1 in the 4A north bracket were pounded by Geneseo last year in round one is 0-17.

Two teams that have decent success as of late one of course Phillips (25-10) who have 2 first place and one second trophy. But their glory years seem to be waning. The other Morgan Park coming in at 23-27. A smattering of semi playoff games among the others but not many. Ratsy

Holy crap. First time back here since the season ended, looking for any tidbits concerning Carmel, not expecting this.

Hard to get excited about a league who had #1 seed get destroyed in round 2 of the playoffs & only got there because they barely beat another CPS team. Then got nuked running clocked in the Prep Bowl by a team that finished the regular season 3-6

chakazulu89 said:

Definitely, GW will be a sleeper team and make a nice run this upcoming season..

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Chaka, how U feeling about Rita? From reading some comments on this board about Marist and BR, will she start the year 0 - 3?

K3D88 said:

Zero research done but here are a few sleepers/team you'd prefer not to run into come playoff time:
8a: Marist
7a: DGN / Batavia
6a: Naz/ESL
5a: Rochelle
4a: St Laurence

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Rochelle’s coach has done a truly fantastic job with that program but they lost a ton of seniors from last year’s squad.

I’d slot them as a sleeper in ‘26.

What's odd is fishing for answers to a purely hypothetical question.