2025 season

[sporthog9er]

Alright football board is going to be slow. Official start of IHSA season begins tomorrow. What's everyone's thoughts on the year? Teams you want to highlight?

From what I've read in off-season, teams that look to be loaded again in no particular order:

Mt. Carmel
Provi
Edwardsville
Rice
Naz
JCA

Interested in McHenry, Huntley. Fox Valley in general could be strong this year.

LWE has the Bauer train going this year, they could be better. Minooka has studs. LWW with Essenburg and other D1 arms will probably be good. Lockport looked young last year and could be very tough.

Love baseball season!

@pjjp @rocketnation @USD24 @crusader_of_90 @playboymixx @Kevin JCHS 81 @SiuCubFan8

 

[SiuCubFan8]

I know SFHS has some pretty talented kids, some of them young. They will be good as usual, can they start to get to the higher level?

 

[rocketnation]

Perennial 3A contender Chatham (30-6 last season) returns LHP and Tennessee commit Cameron Appenzeller. The Titans are the early conference favorite.

 

[sporthog9er]

Perennial 3A contender Chatham (30-6 last season) returns LHP and Tennessee commit Cameron Appenzeller. The Titans are the early conference favorite.

Appenzeller is unbelievable. Chatham should be poised for a good playoff run. Very interested to see where the kid gets drafted.

 

[prince_of_pilfer]

HS baseball is Catholic league heavy and then throw in Edwardsville.
Naz will be good as long as Thome is there. Mt Carmel is going to be really good as well. On the public side it's Edwardsville. McHenry will be someone to reckon with the next couple of years and Huntley is going to do some damage as well.

Thing with baseball come playoff time is if you run into that team seeded 6 or 7 let's say but has that one pitcher who's headed to a MAC school or something and he gets hot. It's game over for those perennial favorites. IHSA really needs to change the playoffs, but we know that will never happen because of their lazy a$$es.

 

[SiuCubFan8]

Got some decent weather rest of the week for outdoor practice.

 

[crusader_of_90]

RIce and Eville get a nod.

National High School Top 50: March 6

With the PG High School Showdown now in the rearview mirror, we have our first update to the National High School Top 50, our first since the preseason release.

www.perfectgame.org

 

[DadCoachSports]

Libertyville is going to be a tough out with Schambow and Co.

 

[sporthog9er]

Current PBR preseason top 25

1. Providence
2. Edwardsville
3. Lincoln-Way West
4. McHenry
5. Libertyville
6. Brother Rice
7. Normal Community
8. Lemont
9. Minooka
10. New Trier
11. St Laurence
12. JCA
13. Mt Carmel
14. Mascoutah
15. Huntley
16. Glenwood
17. Nazareth
18. Morris
19. Stevenson
20. Triad
21. Father McGivney
22. Hampshire
23. Mahomet-Seymour
24. St Charles East
25. Benet

 

[USD24]

I'm gonna say Providence, Lincoln Way West and Edwardsville will all be in the top 4. Not sure on the other team.

 

[USD24]

RIce and Eville get a nod.

National High School Top 50: March 6

With the PG High School Showdown now in the rearview mirror, we have our first update to the National High School Top 50, our first since the preseason release.

www.perfectgame.org

Surprised Providence is not on there. IMO, they are the top team in Illinois to start the year. They bring back 6 starters plus the top three arms from last year's 4A championship team.

 

[SiuCubFan8]

Games today...

 

[sporthog9er]

McHenry comes in at #4. Some big arms there.

 

[USD24]

LWW #3
Edwardsville #2

Which means Providence will be the pre-season #1 ranked team.

 

[EdgyTim]

Got to cover some baseball last season for WJOL. Provi was stacked and bring back several key names for sure....

 

[sporthog9er]

Providence 24 Joliet Central 0....

 

[crusader_of_90]

Althoff drove to Memphis to play two Illinois teams ...

 

[PowerI66]

Fremd will be strong this year out of the MSL West. This years junior class has all the pieces and more that Conant's senior group last year had.

 

[sporthog9er]

Alright a couple weeks in, some early thoughts ...

What's going on with Mt Carmel?

Andrew starting 10-0 is shocking. Don't seem to have "studs" but just a good core group who play well. Good for the tbolts.

LWW hasn't really played anyone. Interested to see Bauer vs Essenburg.

Speaking of Bauer...just ridiculous what he is doing. Not sure how many more HS pitches he will throw or should throw ..for good reasons.

Libertyville looks very strong. So does Naz, Rice, McHenry and Hampshire.

DeKalb? Good for them!

Issues with JCA? Seemed to have some odd losses.

Watch out for Fremd

Provi doesn't have many games in, but they will be there at the end I'm guessing.

Minooka could be scary good this year.

 

[rocketnation]

Two important early season CS8 games this week: SHG vs Chatham Glenwood and Normal U High vs Rochester.

 

[PowerI66]

Alright a couple weeks in, some early thoughts ...

What's going on with Mt Carmel?

Andrew starting 10-0 is shocking. Don't seem to have "studs" but just a good core group who play well. Good for the tbolts.

LWW hasn't really played anyone. Interested to see Bauer vs Essenburg.

Speaking of Bauer...just ridiculous what he is doing. Not sure how many more HS pitches he will throw or should throw ..for good reasons.

Libertyville looks very strong. So does Naz, Rice, McHenry and Hampshire.

DeKalb? Good for them!

Issues with JCA? Seemed to have some odd losses.

Watch out for Fremd

Provi doesn't have many games in, but they will be there at the end I'm guessing.

Minooka could be scary good this year.

Interesting. The new power 25 update has Fremd well below both teams they beat.