I knew 8A was going to be crazy but sheesh.
Oak Park
Marist
Stevenson
Naperville North
3 of the 4 losing at home.....
Wha happen
Oak Park
Marist
Stevenson
Naperville North
3 of the 4 losing at home.....
Wha happen
8A Sheesh
- Thread starter LakeCtyNewt
- Start date
Of the four, I thought the losses by Stevenson and Marist were particularly bad losses. Stevenson has put up points all year but didn't get it done tonight (scoring 20). Marist has lived on their defense this year. Giving up 31, to an admittedly good New Trier team, at home was a surprise to me. Very impressive win on the road for the Trevians. 8A is incredibly deep, as expected.
New Trier didn't surprise me as much. Veteran team that is physical up front. Teams like that fair well in the playoffs usually.
Stevenson loss shocked me. But if you think about the conditions tonight, Stevenson is not a running team. When you rely so heavily on the pass - especially when the weather in the playoffs is supposed to be bad, things like this happen.
Consider this, they were very close to getting tripped up in round 1 vs Lyons on a night almost identical to this one - except about 20 degrees colder.
Stevenson loss shocked me. But if you think about the conditions tonight, Stevenson is not a running team. When you rely so heavily on the pass - especially when the weather in the playoffs is supposed to be bad, things like this happen.
Consider this, they were very close to getting tripped up in round 1 vs Lyons on a night almost identical to this one - except about 20 degrees colder.
You just described Marist. The strength of their team this year was their line play, and they have a much better playoff history than NT. And, they were at home. The loss surprised me....taking nothing away from NT.
PJJP
I guess the question we have to ask now is, just how good was the ESCC? Benet won tonight in a close one. Naz should roll tomorrow and MCC won.
It wasn't very good, and Marist is an 8A team in a medium sized conference. So...they can be difficult to gauge. But, they've had some good playoff runs in recent years. And they've had some quick exits too. This was a quick one. My point is that I thought they had the type of team to make a run this year, because this was by far the best defense they've had in the Dunne era. Giving up 31 at home to NT was a disappointment and a surprise. JMO.
Sorry, but the ESCC does not serve Marist's football interests well. NT is a very solid playoff team, but going 8-1 and winning the conference means nothing at this point. Alumni want championships there badly. Last season, Dunne coached the hell out of their 5-4 team all the way to the championship game. A first round exit with the expectations this team had with Dunne will reverberate for some time on 115th Street.
8A is an insane asylum this year. So many good teams. West Aurora proved it tonight. So did Huntley. And New Trier. This does mean Stevie Marist Naperville North and OPRF are not good. We knew this was going to be insane, maybe not this insane though. But especially the lower half of 8A is going to be an absolute crapshoot. And top half will be wars to end all wars.
Agree 100 % While Marist helps the smaller schools, I agree it's not good for them.
I thoroughly enjoy this website as everyone loves high school football; like myself, but why does the ESCC get ridiculed as much as it does? I am beginning to think that the only reason people say it was a "dumpster fire" this year was because JCA sucked @ 1-8 while everyone's favorite team Naz went 5-4. New Trier is a very good team who beat a very good Marist team. With everyone agreeing that 8A is loaded why is Marist all of a sudden not worthy of there 8-1 record? The ESCC "other" teams besides everyone's favorites (JCA & Naz) beat up on each other each & every week. These "other" teams can make some noise so I guess all we can say is let's wait & see...
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The ESCC in most years gets nothing but praise on here. This year, dumpster fire. It happens.
Also, it has nothing to do with JCA being down, and more along the lines of not passing the sniff test top to bottom.
This is what I was referring to above. Many of the players were back (sans the offensive skills) from last year's team. This was an experienced, playoff tested Marist team. Expectations were high this year. To lose at home in the opening round was a surprise and disappointment for Marist's program. To be considered a perennial power, as Marist seemed to be on the cusp of becoming, you can't lose games like they did last night.
Naz is everyone's favorite team? Do you read this board ?
Naz Naz Naz Naz Naz Naz Naz Naz Naz Naz Naz Naz Naz Naz,...and hey....how about Naz?
I think they're wonderful. They embody everything that is great about HS football. They are humble. Take criticism well. Accept defeat without excuses and consistently praise their opponent.
Great responses and yes it appears Naz is a crowd favorite on this board. The past 2 years they were awesome and fun to watch. However, this year now it appears they can/will win 5A just because they made the play-offs at 5-4? I hope they make a run just like ALL the ESCC teams that was my point.
In football, I think the ESCC would help quiet the naysayers by separating into divisions with the strongest programs in one and the others elsewhere. This is why the CCL Blue has the credibility it does as those teams face each other year after year primarily. Add in one or two cross over games against the lesser teams and schedule quality non-conference opponents and the better ESCC teams will see the question marks fade.
Was anyone here at the St. Charles Lockport game? Of out all the scores, this is most shocking to me... Are St charles east this good? I can never remember a SICA/Southwest Suburban team get rolled like this.
I had heard St. Charles was talented but a year away due to all the underclassmen. Can they make a run this year?
I had heard St. Charles was talented but a year away due to all the underclassmen. Can they make a run this year?
So no one apparently is safe in 8A.
OPRF
Hinsdale Central
Brother Rice
Stevenson\
If the rest of the playoffs will be this good cant wait.
OPRF
Hinsdale Central
Brother Rice
Stevenson\
If the rest of the playoffs will be this good cant wait.
But I think only two undefeated teams have been bounced so far?
West Aurora and Hinsdale Central? Maybe more to come this afternoon and evening?
I was at the game. I think it is a little bit of both. Lockport had a sophomore QB starting, but their defense was completely overmatched against st. charles' option attack.
St. Charles is INCREDIBLY well coached and they run the triple option. their QB makes as good decision as I can remember in the triple option and they have a sophomore fullback who is already a D-I prospect.
St. Charles E's challenge will be if they get down big, can they come back without a passing game. I think they can make a run if they run into teams who havent had to face an option team. This will be tough to prep for in a week.
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