Wilmo grinds Herscher down. Clock + Shutout.
CC over RC. Heard that RC didn't attempt a pass vs Wilmo and sat some kids. Any truth to that? If so, what the deal there? Either way 35-7.
Manteno over Peotone. Panthers seem to be firing on all Cylinders on offense. I'll take them.
Streator over Lisle. 28-7
What makes most sense is that they split based upon recent historical competitiveness. That means DC, CLC, CLS, Hamp, McH, in one…BC, CG, HDJ, Hunt, PR in the other. Two crossovers, two non cons.
Makes for some topics of discussion, but the outlook isn’t super accurate. Obviously it will get a little better every week.
Wilmington currently listed as 2nd smallest 3A school. The smallest 3A school is Lisle who is currently 0-5 and has no chance at making the playoffs, yet they are still listed.
Steve Soucie has his playoff projections, which is more accurate than the IHSA Playoff Outlook page. I think you need to subscribe to Local Shaw to see his weekly projections.
Makes for some topics of discussion, but the outlook isn’t super accurate. Obviously it will get a little better every week.
Wilmington currently listed as 2nd smallest 3A school. The smallest 3A school is Lisle who is currently 0-5 and has no chance at making the playoffs, yet they are still listed.
Nothing of note last week. I guess the Herscher/Streator game probably could have been GOTW, but I just felt like the CC/Peotone game had more implications for the playoffs. This week has one key matchup, and two lower tier teams looking to just get a win.
Braidwood (0-5) @ Coal City (4-1) - Nothing to worry about here for the Coalers. They get a tune up week before traveling to Wilmington for what many would have considered to be the ICE championship next week, but we will dive more into that next week. I think CC rolls coal and comes away with an easy win. CC 49 RC 7
Hershcer (3-2) @ Wilmington (5-0) - Another one sided affair. Even if the score isn't astronomical (I do think it will be) in the end, I think it will be a classic Wilmo ground and pound. Controlling victory for Wilmington. Cats 42 Herscher 14
Lisle (0-5) @ Streator (1-4) - Lisle won't find their first win of the season this week. Give me the team who has done it once this year. Streator 28 Lisle 7
Peotone (3-2) @ Manteno (5-0) - Route 50 Rumble is your ICE GOTW........I like Manteno to remain undefeated. They haven't beat anyone great, however they still haven't lost. Although Peotone's losses were to Wilmo and CC they happened to be in the last two weeks and the momentum is down for the 'Tone. Plus this is probably the toughest 3 week stretch for any team in the ICE this year. I like the Panthers to pull the "upset" here and secure their spot as the 3rd best in the ICE. Manteno 35 Tone 20
Without looking too much into the future can we just talk about how awesome week 9 will be? CC Manteno will be huge and I'm going to predict that RC and Lisle will be using week 9 to get one of those teams their lone win.
However, besides requiring a new divisional alignment in the CCL, it also results in a four-school Chicagoland Prairie Conference that includes a couple of other faith-based schools, namely Walther and St Edward.
Can you add three more schools to this new conference and create 3 divisions of 6, thereby achieving the minimum needed for an automatic qualifier and reducing the number of crossovers? Someone else mentioned Marian Catholic. Perhaps, but Leo would be more their size. How about the following:
Montini
Marmion
St Francis
Wheaton Academy
DLS
IC
Aurora Christian
Aurora Catholic
Mac
Leo
CTK
Chicago Hope
St Bede
Ottawa Marquette
St Ed
Walther
Woodstock Marian
Chicago Christian
I don't want either of those schools with how bad they currently are. St. Eds is rumored to be dropping football and Walther is other earthly bad right now.
However, besides requiring a new divisional alignment in the CCL, it also results in a four-school Chicagoland Prairie Conference that includes a couple of other faith-based schools, namely Walther and St Edward.
Can you add three more schools to this new conference and create 3 divisions of 6, thereby achieving the minimum needed for an automatic qualifier and reducing the number of crossovers? Someone else mentioned Marian Catholic. Perhaps, but Leo would be more their size. How about the following:
Montini
Marmion
St Francis
Wheaton Academy
DLS
IC
Aurora Christian
Aurora Catholic
Mac
Leo
CTK
Chicago Hope
St Bede
Ottawa Marquette
St Ed
Walther
Woodstock Marian
Chicago Christian
All.... Not quite yet. They put out an early one on occasion from time to time. This is one of them. It's about 99% complete but there are several 2 and 2 teams not updated. Which when added in eventually has the possibility to shift bubble teams. Update could arrive as early as 10am today. Ratsy
All.... Not quite yet. They put out an early one on occasion from time to time. This is one of them. It's about 99% complete but there are several 2 and 2 teams not updated. Which when added in eventually has the possibility to shift bubble teams. Update could arrive as early as 10am today. Ratsy
Corey, I picked the Bears to win yesterday. But I must admit, I wasn't completely confident in the pick. I made the pick based more on the injuries LA has and not the fact I thought the Bears would beat them, injuries or not.
Interesting though. The DeKalb AD has more narcissistic thoughts about himself than most if not all ADs. What spot can "he" put them in that is better than where they currently are located?
It's a joke to be honest. They should be in the upstate 8. No one cares about their kids or the morale of the school. I hate to see any program put in this position.
Upstate8 is a joke of a conference. SE, GBE, GBS, and now WA all beat up on bad football teams only to get into the playoffs to get completely outclassed. These teams win games by half time, sit starters in 2nd half, never get challenged but maybe 1 or 2 games a season, as a result are never prepared for playoffs. These kids never get a chance to become better, always over evaluate their own talent, which falls apart as soon as they are tested. US8 had a great opportunity to put all these teams on one side when spitting the conference, to get them playing better more consistent games, but of course they took the easy way. One thing new is they now get to schedule 3 out of conference games, some took harder games while others continued the same old pattern with easy games. Time will tell.
West and Central avoiding East in cross-overs has been going on for the last 4 seasons including this one. Yet East managed to get Andrew all 4 and Stagg 3 of those.
How would you like to divide them:
1) Enrollment:
Group Big) Huntley. Jacobs. Dundee-Crown. Hampshire. McHenry.
Group Little) Crystal Lake South. Prairie Ridge. Crystal Lake Central. Cary-Grove. Burlington Central.
2) Location:
Group North) McHenry. Prairie Ridge. Crystal Lake Central. Cary-Grove. Crystal Lake South.
Group South) Huntley. Hampshire. Burlington Central. Dundee-Crown. Jacobs.
3) Location Again:
Group West) Burlington Central, Hampshire, Huntley, Jacobs. Crystal Lake South.
Group East) Cary-Grove. Dundee-Crown. Crystal Lake South. Crystal Lake Central. McHenry.
I would love to see the conference not be closed, but either a school leaves or a couple get added. I don't see how any of these scenarios would really work.
BTW, for the East/ West, you have CLS twice and no PR.
Agreed. I came into the year thinking the Hilltoppers had two guaranteed losses on their schedule (MC and Naz). Watched the end of the Marist/Rice game. I would add Marist to the list of losses. Too big and too fast for this JCA team. Was really impressed with Ritter, the QB transfer from LWE. I still don't understand how Marist is in the Orange division. and IC is in the Green. For whatever reason, IC has gotten screwed in their Division placement, since they entered the CCL, IMO.
If JCA can get to 4 wins, I like their chances of making the playoffs. At this point, it looks like both Marist and Oswego have good chances of going undefeated, which would pump up the Hilltoppers' playoff points. If I had to predict right now, I think Fenwick wins on Friday, and JCA goes into Week 9 with 3 wins needing to beat Provi in New Lenox to get to 4. A lot is riding on this Fenwick game. The Friars have looked good so far.
IC didn't get screwed, they were placed in their division the first year based on them complaining where to be. There is a formula that places all the teams based on enrollment, football numbers in the program and success within the conference.
