2025 Central State Eight Updates.
- Thread starter cornerrat
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There's only 17 schools between Rochester* at 681 enrollment for next cycle and Jacksonville at 859 kids.
How long before Jacksonville is a 4A lock? In between these two are some annual playoff teams that I noticed, quick glancing...
Wheaton St. Francis
Morris
MTZ
Providence
Dixon
Nazareth
Geneseo
Waterloo
Highland
Maybe more, I didn't look that hard.
How long before Jacksonville is a 4A lock? In between these two are some annual playoff teams that I noticed, quick glancing...
Wheaton St. Francis
Morris
MTZ
Providence
Dixon
Nazareth
Geneseo
Waterloo
Highland
Maybe more, I didn't look that hard.
Morris has been on the 4A/5A bubble recently. They went up slightly in enrollment and seem more likely to be 5A in '25. They are also one of a few teams that could realistically be in either the North or South bracket depending on the draw.
Looking at Jacksonville's enrollment by grade (source ISBE), they appear likely to stay close to their current number for the foreseeable future.
On the other hand, Rochester seems likely to fall to less than 600 students within 4 years, absent new development.
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All.... 848 to 853 is a pretty narrow window for the Skins. I've been yapping about postseason class designation since enrollments came out recently. But the more I look at it with that new enrollment and waiver rule all of those 500 or so teams could make a real change this year to set the playoff field. I think surprises will come at that time for many ending up elsewhere. A slight glimpse will be available when the Ihsa comes out in May with all of the those changes and the list. Nothing in stone as we all know until the playoff qualifiers are announced. It should be fun. Ratsy
Rochester sub 600? 681 to less than 600 in 4 years is quite a steep drop. Did district lines get redrawn out that way? I guess what are the possible causes for that? In my head, Rochester is booming like Chatham in the 90s. I know they aren't, and locals have always told me Rochester won't grow like that. But I guess I didn't think it would ever decline like that given how strong that district has been and how successful their athletics have been over the past 25 years.
No boundary changes as far as I know.
There was significant development from approximately '93-'08, which added hundreds of new houses in the District. It slowed considerably after the housing crisis in '08 and really hasn't picked back up.
I moved into the District in '03 and my kids started school within a few years. Many others similar to me moved in during that time frame and had young kids. Most of those kids have now moved through the District and there hasn't been much new housing built recently. The largest Senior classes in Rochester history were from around '17-'22 but the lower grades at the same time were much smaller and that has carried forward to the present.
A potential benefit to future enrollment is the development of a fairly significant apartment complex close to the Intermediate School, but it will take time to see if that has much of an impact.
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All.... "If you build it they will come." Chatham has the blue prints for that if needed. š š± Ratsy
Works on this side of the state I guess... Where I grew up, they keep building and people keep leaving. Location in this equation sure goes a long ways, and having jobs, of course, which Qtown simply does not. Unless, that is, you're a retail/food service career kind of person!
Ho hum, life rolls on... QND's largest classes were in the 70s. I think I was in one of the last classes to have north of 150 graduating. And it was a measly 160ish... Chatham definitely bought into this tactic though, and for them, it seems to have paid off. I don't know what's Glenwood's enrollment was prior to the 90s, but it had to be small.That's tough... really makes no sense to me either. Generally, successful athletics, strong and high ranked district, you just wait and the people move in... Taxes might have swayed some to look elsewhere, I have to believe Rochester is amongst the highest along with Sherman and anything touching Plains district's lines as the highest in the capitol area. However in my experience, taxes don't keep the type of people seeking "refuge" in the burbs from moving in.
I graduated from CGHS in '86. My Senior class was about 175.Works on this side of the state I guess... Where I grew up, they keep building and people keep leaving. Location in this equation sure goes a long ways, and having jobs, of course, which Qtown simply does not. Unless, that is, you're a retail/food service career kind of person!
I was actually thinking the opposite. At first glance, I see at least 4 playoff teams who had smaller enrollments than Morris last year having a larger enrollment than Morris this year due to multiplier and waiver adjustments. Montini, St. Laurence, U High, DePaul. Being they were the smallest 5a last season, this may be Morrisā best chance of staying in 4a that they have had in quite some time. I understand how playoff lines are drawn and I may be missing something here, but I can see them being a problem for a lot of 4a playoff teams this season (junior heavy last season).
My mother retired from the state in 2021, maybe 2020 can't remember. But she always told me when she started out of college she wanted to be in Springfield as they had more opportunities for advancement at the time then the office in Quincy she would be working at. So her and my father began looking for homes in the Springfield area. Chatham was where they really honed in on and even put earnest money on a home before backing out due to a poor inspection or something crazy like that. At this time it was 1988, and Chatham was just starting or just before it's 90s surge in population. A couple thousand people according to the interwebs.
I've thought about it in the past, about what it would have been like to have grown up in Chatham from the 90s (I was born in 1989) and then graduating high school like I did in the early 00's... to see the growth that district and town. They've gone from 5,500 to 14,000 in 30 years. So much milder growth than I have in my head, but still growth where most are seeing decline.
It has to be insanity for you rocket, to have grown up there and now see where Glenwood and Chatham are at... pretty awesome stuff!
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All.... Boylan is another one going from 4A to 5A. General thinking as a rule does come to the conclusion that most of those schools getting multiplied for the most part are larger will push the "string" down from top to bottom. We will see.
On a separate subject it's my understanding that the Skins have 13 starters back 6 on offense and seven on defense. Included in the group your qb and rb both who had very good seasons. Morris looks to be a load this year regardless what class they end up in. A very aggressive non con schedule with Wilmington, Mahomet-Seymour, and Peoria (w 1, 2, 3) and Byron Center week nine. Get through all of that incuding conference play Morris will certainly be battle tested. Ratsy
At my 20-year reunion, they offered us "old timers" a tour through the then new high school, which is a fabulous facility. I couldn't do it. The jealousy factor kicked in hard as I started thinking about the less than stellar building I spent 4 years in.
I can definitely relate... Every time I attend a QND game since our athletic facilities were upgraded, it stings a little seeing what these kids have that we didn't. We championed that mud dog spirit though. You had to "back then" (circa 2004-2007) when our field was little more than a pasture with bleachers. Few know, but the truth is where QND's current athletic facilities reside was once, long ago, the city dump. The south redzone, the practice fields south of the game turf, and the softball setup were all heaping piles of garbage and landfill at one point. There's still to this day enormous holes along the edge of the practice area where it's caved in over time. We always though the whole field would sink in one day. The steam that would rise off the grass in the mornings during two-a-days was unpleasant, to say the least. That smell I can't forget and it always clung to your skin like some sticky gunk. But it's what we had and we were proud as heck of it.
I'm sure you were proud of the Glenwood you attended also. I know you're all proud of that football stadium too, it's certainly top notch for high school football in this state. And while I'd prefer to never have to witness QND take a beating there, it'd still be a neat treat to get to tailgate in the lots over there with the ND flags at some point.
I'm already fearing our return trip to SHG... who also has a world class stadium compared to us and most for high school football. It's just a different animal in the CS8 we've learned, and we're lucky to avoid two or three of the heaviest hitters with the division setup. But it's going to be eye opening for many less seasoned QND faithful this year when they have to travel to one of the big boys this Fall and step into the Cyclones home.
Thanks for your kind words, Roamin'. I do think the stadium at SHG is a very nice one, and rarely do you see a visitor's stands the same size basically as the home stands. As for your stadium I didn't think it was a bad place to play at all. Quite the opposite. My only request would be 2 things. They need better and brighter lighting, and please, please, will someone take a chainsaw and cut that tree down that sits to the right of the visitor stands, totally blocking the scoreboard, LOL. In all honesty after what you guys did to us I didn't want to even look at the scoreboard, other than to see how much more time we had to endure the tail kicking that SHG received that night. But by all means, come on over this year and hopefully the Cyclones can "repay" you guys from last year, or at the very least come out on top this time.
You know what's wild, I didn't even realize that tree was still there! I also never really venture down to that corner of the field. I'm either at the tailgate house, just inside the west gate, or over in the main stand chatting away. Never even thought about that tree... I would agree, that looks to be in a very annoying spot from the google satellite image I'm staring at. My only rationale explanation would be that it was planted in memoriam at some point and they don't want to or can't remove it for that reason? It doesn't appear to be that old of a tree though... I'll ask those in the know... I doubt it was planted for the sole purpose of keeping away support from seeing the scoreboard.
The lighting sucks, we've all been saying it for years. I know it's on the list of things we're actively fundraising for at the booster and football committee level. So hopefully soon! And if you're in tune with any Quincy news at all, you've possibly seen that a softball coach was fired for tweeting, sorry X'ing, his feelings about his softball fields lighting situation... and they're fighting about stoplights on Broadway... lights are a popular point of discussion right now in Adams County. LOL
As for the trip to the house that Ken Leonard built... play nice Cyclones. We know we stole one last year when y'all was vulnerable early on with a young squad. This reminds me of the time Bishop Mac came to Quincy in 2004. We somehow managed to beat them 16-7 in a dogfight. The next year for the away half of the 2 year deal, they absolutely slaughtered us 47-7. Rarely during my high school career can I say I felt helpless on the football field... And even more rare was QND taking a beating by 40 pts during that era under Bill Connell. But this is one of the few moments. I feel the same way about this away trip to SHG...
To bring this full circle as to why I'm feeling this way...
In 2004, we caught BMac on a 5-5 year during the Rich Zinanni era. A rarity, if you know the coach and the program's history. We got dismantled the following year by a 9-3 version that lost by 1 score to none other than Ken Leonard and the SHG Cyclones in the 5A quarterfinals. An SHG team that brought home the 5A state title that year beating Rock Island Alleman (another private we've been discussing lately on this site).
A year makes a world of difference when you're talking high school football... And if the outcome goes your way, we all know that's how it should be anyways. The ship has corrected itself. But we're pretty stoked we got one win in the series and it should be fun regardless. Bringing together these two schools more often is only a positive in my book. We're all in the same diocese, we're all followers of Christ in the same faith, and we're all crazy about football in the Fall. Plus we generally enjoy a good tailgate now and then! I'll definitely be there.
SHG is due for another piece of hardware from my view...
Last season, Rochester's freshmen played only 4 conference teams: Chatham, U High, Springfield, and SHG. I believe they ended up playing only a 7-game schedule.
All.... Yes the lower level games are getting tough to schedule I suppose. Years ago it would be unthinkabe to not have a nine game schedule in those formative years.
The Cyclones for 2025 at the freshman level will play eight. Out of the CS8 Normal U, QND, Springfield, Chatham and Rochester. The other three CBC, Mascoutah and a new one at the frosh level Bloomington.
Only eight sophomore games. The same cast other then Lanphier replaces Bloomington. Ratsy
All.... Drove by yesterday. Other then more seating ( a pet peeve of mine) it's really nice. Ratsy
capitolcitynow.com
Ribbon cutting for Southeast HS new Spartan Field - Capitol City Now
The natural grass field will provide a safer and longer lasting playing surface for the players.
capitolcitynow.com
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
www.hudl.com
Parker Loveless on Hudl
Watch Parker Loveless's videos and highlights on Hudl. More info: Glenwood High School - Glenwood Football / Class of 2027 / Chatham, IL
www.hudl.com
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
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.
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.
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. š
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
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.... š¤ Ratsy
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.... š¤ Ratsy
MTZ has a better team this year than last. Their Senior class had single digit kids in it. They lost Trimble and a few noteworthy, yet undersized Sr. LBs... They still have Anderson, Harvey, & Stocks... It's going to take a "buffet of TD's" to have a chance to win that game... Stocks played the last 3 playoff games at QB with a broken collar bone and a separated AC joint... Kid took 4th in state at 215 in wrestling and is looking to podium in track to complete the triple crown... He's going to cook this year... Don't take my word for it... Go down the rabbit hole... š
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All.... Preseason rankings and score projections for the most part are not what one should consider as a whole solid but I like throwing them out especially when they come up wrong. Usually those sites are more accurate around mid season. Having said that this is what 2025 Massey is showing.
Fwiw they have the Braves ranked at 144 and the Rockets 74. Head to head projection 41-20 Rochester on the week two game. I believe the score will be closer. Look for you qb through the air to pick on that week two Rocket defense. Calpreps has a playoff division ranking. I booted out the private schools that are now multiplied in 4A which CP doesn't know about . The two schools come in at 5 and 6.
Mt Zion brings back back 8 on offense and six on defense. Rochester returns around the same. The real benefit of this matchup more so for the Braves regardless of who wins is both schools will be in the south bracket with a possibility of a rematch. Second time around games can be extremly interesting. Ratsy
I was going to save this for Mr. or Ms. Bacon and his/her fluffing of the "other" Macon County pub that's laid dormant for it's entire existence until last year (all whilst watching their little buddies in Maroa take all the trophies), but it fits here too...
As our good buddy Mr. ChinMusic used to tell me in his cheeky way before big Rocket games... "Everyone's got a chance until they don't."
All.... Massey (preseason) score projection. ESTL 42 Chatham 7 (97%) Oh my..... Ratsy
All.... Coach Allison and Coach Leonard were on 1450 AM at separate times the past couple of days. Not much X's and O's talk. Rockets have a 7 on 7 in Chicago coming up and some type of camp I assume it includes a 7 on 7 in Crown Point (IN) as well. Not as many 7 on 7"s due to limited preseason Ihsa hour regulations if I understood that correctly. New turf at Rocket stadium close to being done.
I liked this. Coach Allison mentioned they changed weight lifting times which has worked out well over the last three months. Fot the most part happy with how the new two division setup is going other then once again looking for week 1 and 2 non con games in 2026 which are hard to get for SHG. Starting " 6 or 7 sophomores" with an opener against a team like CBC in 2024 was a rough way to go. CBC by the way is loaded once again. Cycs open up with them at home.
I would assume since Mascoutah who is going to the Southwestern Conference in 2026 likely will end the week two non con game after this season for SHG. Just looked up the Ihsa open dates list. Saw five possibles currently listed I would like to see for a game next year. Cahokia, Crete Monee, Marion, Morris, or a Catholic "Holy War" with PND. lol
CS8 fans can go to 1450 and get the podcast audio on both coach's talking . They are fairly short in time. Ratsy
I liked this. Coach Allison mentioned they changed weight lifting times which has worked out well over the last three months. Fot the most part happy with how the new two division setup is going other then once again looking for week 1 and 2 non con games in 2026 which are hard to get for SHG. Starting " 6 or 7 sophomores" with an opener against a team like CBC in 2024 was a rough way to go. CBC by the way is loaded once again. Cycs open up with them at home.
I would assume since Mascoutah who is going to the Southwestern Conference in 2026 likely will end the week two non con game after this season for SHG. Just looked up the Ihsa open dates list. Saw five possibles currently listed I would like to see for a game next year. Cahokia, Crete Monee, Marion, Morris, or a Catholic "Holy War" with PND. lol
CS8 fans can go to 1450 and get the podcast audio on both coach's talking . They are fairly short in time. Ratsy
ih$a has cut 5 days off summer contact days. it went from 25 to 20.
All.... The "good ol" Ihsa looking out for everyone. That might be hard to track around the state in some cities. šµšš On a different subject below are the last four season numbers for the 32 playoff qualifiers in class 5A.
2021 - 794.00 - 1303.00
2022 - 859.00 - 1287-50
2023 - 848.00 - 1297.00
2024 - 848.00 - 1272.50
The Senators new enrollment comes in at 1268.00 Preseason classification numbers when all teams are listed might not have Springfield in that class. But as the field narrows from week to week and teams drop out of postseason contention anything is possible. It looks to be close.
Early season games can be tricky but I'm not going to be surprised after week four the Senators are 4-0 like last season before it gets interesting with the next five. SHS could do some real damage in the southern bracket of 16 in 5A if that should occur. Massey has that week one game on the road by the way with the Maroons 40-20 (80%) Springfield. Ratsy
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All.... Overall quite a bit. On offense among others besides Brody the Senators return their top rb Armanze Lewis 133-669 (5.0) 10 td and receiver Kale Thurman 64-855 (13.5) 7 td. Both will be seniors.
As you can see on the video if you don't wrap up low young Mr. Lewis who is listed at 245lbs you are going to have trouble. š®āšØ Ratsy
Armanze Lewis on Hudl
Watch Armanze Lewis's videos and highlights on Hudl. More info: Springfield High School - Springfield High Varsity Football / FB, RB, DE, DT / Class of 2026 / Springfield, IL
www.hudl.com
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Not necessarily a "road map" for the upcoming season but here are the returning All-Conference players in the CS8 by team/division:
West
QND 4 (1 first team, 3 second team)
SHG 5 (3 first team, 2 second team)
Springfield 7 (2 first team, 5 second team)
Lanphier 1 (second team)
Jacksonville/Southeast 0
East
Chatham 6 (3 first team, 3 second team)
Rochester 7 (3 first team, 4 second team)
U High 2 (1 first team, 1 second team)
MacArthur 2 (both second team)
Lincoln 1 (second team)
Eisenhower 1 (first team)
West
QND 4 (1 first team, 3 second team)
SHG 5 (3 first team, 2 second team)
Springfield 7 (2 first team, 5 second team)
Lanphier 1 (second team)
Jacksonville/Southeast 0
East
Chatham 6 (3 first team, 3 second team)
Rochester 7 (3 first team, 4 second team)
U High 2 (1 first team, 1 second team)
MacArthur 2 (both second team)
Lincoln 1 (second team)
Eisenhower 1 (first team)
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