Linked is my Final State Wide 2019 Final Class 8A Top 10 poll. I'll start to break down Class 8A thru 5A Top 10 here and will list each class in a separate thread.
Also I generally use the final 2019 Class 8A thru 5A enrollment numbers/classes at this time of the year before IHSA releases the 2020 preseason class breakdown.
Your preseason thoughts on 8A? Post em here.
EDGYTIM.com 2019 Final Class 8A Top 10 poll
On The Edge Teams in Class 8A:
7. Minooka- The Indians have had a terrific 3 year run under first Terry McCombs then John Belskis and both led the Indians to three straight state playoff bids. Minooka just graduated a ton of key names from a season ago including 9 starters on a very good Indians defense. Minooka has a deep program and overall numbers have never been an issue here, so if anyone can reload in the SW Prairie it's the Indians. Minooka will rely early on it's offense led by QB Josh Davis along with two starters back upfront on the O line in Dylan Meyer and Will Wessling while ILB Zach Wingerter is a vocal leader on defense along with senior LB Mason Cave. While the Indians I feel are very much a state playoff team for 2020. Top 10? I'd say right now that Oswego is the favorite again in the SWP if that gives you any indication.
10. Neuqua Valley- The Wildcats and head coach Bill Ellinghaus live off of being "overlooked" and being an "underdog" so I'm sure the NV fan base is loving this for now. Yet NV also will need to reload in several key spots this summer including replacing 8 graduated starter on defense along with four graduated starters on a very good NV offensive line from a season ago. Also the graduation loss of Mark Gronowski (SD State) will be huge. Yet I'm a big fan of kids like RB Armani Moreno, TE/LB Trey Borske plus WR Garrett Stare and WR/TE Greg Teresky who are all back in 2020. My take is vert similar on NV as it is for Minooka...good team strong program that always seems to find a way who I expect to be a playoff caliber team. Yet Top 10? Let the debate begin...and I'm just happy I don't have to pick a DVC winner yet because that going to be a big question mark for me and others this summer.
Flip Flop?
Bolingbrook- Yes I listed the Raiders in the locks story and I list several good reasons why they deserve it. Yet out of the team I listed as locks, Bolingbrook is also the team I'm flip flopping on right now. I love the defense and the talent level on defense as well. Yet can the Raiders find offense with a newer OL and a new signal caller this fall? Also the Raiders play in a no nonsense conference with the likes of LWE and HF. Again I would probably by now have a much better idea on the Raiders offense...but with no spring/summer camps and team events? Time will tell.
2020 Preseason Class 8A: Locks
Also I generally use the final 2019 Class 8A thru 5A enrollment numbers/classes at this time of the year before IHSA releases the 2020 preseason class breakdown.
Your preseason thoughts on 8A? Post em here.
EDGYTIM.com 2019 Final Class 8A Top 10 poll
On The Edge Teams in Class 8A:
7. Minooka- The Indians have had a terrific 3 year run under first Terry McCombs then John Belskis and both led the Indians to three straight state playoff bids. Minooka just graduated a ton of key names from a season ago including 9 starters on a very good Indians defense. Minooka has a deep program and overall numbers have never been an issue here, so if anyone can reload in the SW Prairie it's the Indians. Minooka will rely early on it's offense led by QB Josh Davis along with two starters back upfront on the O line in Dylan Meyer and Will Wessling while ILB Zach Wingerter is a vocal leader on defense along with senior LB Mason Cave. While the Indians I feel are very much a state playoff team for 2020. Top 10? I'd say right now that Oswego is the favorite again in the SWP if that gives you any indication.
10. Neuqua Valley- The Wildcats and head coach Bill Ellinghaus live off of being "overlooked" and being an "underdog" so I'm sure the NV fan base is loving this for now. Yet NV also will need to reload in several key spots this summer including replacing 8 graduated starter on defense along with four graduated starters on a very good NV offensive line from a season ago. Also the graduation loss of Mark Gronowski (SD State) will be huge. Yet I'm a big fan of kids like RB Armani Moreno, TE/LB Trey Borske plus WR Garrett Stare and WR/TE Greg Teresky who are all back in 2020. My take is vert similar on NV as it is for Minooka...good team strong program that always seems to find a way who I expect to be a playoff caliber team. Yet Top 10? Let the debate begin...and I'm just happy I don't have to pick a DVC winner yet because that going to be a big question mark for me and others this summer.
Flip Flop?
Bolingbrook- Yes I listed the Raiders in the locks story and I list several good reasons why they deserve it. Yet out of the team I listed as locks, Bolingbrook is also the team I'm flip flopping on right now. I love the defense and the talent level on defense as well. Yet can the Raiders find offense with a newer OL and a new signal caller this fall? Also the Raiders play in a no nonsense conference with the likes of LWE and HF. Again I would probably by now have a much better idea on the Raiders offense...but with no spring/summer camps and team events? Time will tell.
2020 Preseason Class 8A: Locks
