Ok, now that we have our 2021 state champs crowned, how about some thoughts for the "Bridesmaid Award"? Being a Glenbard North fan, I would like to nominate the Panthers. In the last 5 years (no playoffs last year of course) they gave East St Louis their closest game in the 2016 playoffs (if you haven't seen the "89 Blocks" doc yet I would recommend) and this year they gave Lockport their closest game in this year's playoffs. GN has been to State 4 times and has yet to bring home the big trophy to Carol Stream. Who else out there is yet to be the bride?
Best program that has not won state yet?
- Thread starter GoGBN2013
- Start date
Good list, Benet has been to the semi's 3 times recently but only one state try in 1984. WB has been good but never been to state. Lemont's been 3 times to state and lost so they are close to GN. (all this from Wiki so could be some errors)
3 state games, 3 2nd place finishes, would have thought they would have won a title.
I looked back 2 months and didn't see anything but sorry if this is a rehash.
I just remember arguing with someone about whether Lemont or GBN was best program without a title😂. It’s always a good topic
Edwardsville has won about 70% of their games all time and almost always make the playoffs. They have been to two state title games, losing in 7A in 2001 and 2002.
Easy question...Tolono Unity and SJO, great rivals about 20 minutes apart, but a combined 0-11 in title games..
Wow, TU's losses are much more recent than GBN's! The Rockets' program now is winless in six title game appearances: 2021, '15, '12, '09, '05 and '00.
Just throwing out St. Charles North to the conversation. Maybe not as lengthy of a history as GBN and others though. In the mix year after year though. Great year resulted in runner up a few years ago though.
No. STN has only been around 20 years and they only have 1 10 win season.
Prior to the split, St. Charles was amazing in the 90s but with the playoffs done by region they would run into one of the top teams in the state in the first or second round.
Glenbard North gets my vote for the large school category. Not sure why they and Wheaton North decided they couldn't compete in the DVC and leave.
Yes they are the Marv Levy of the Blue, but Marist has won state a couple of times in boys volleyball which is their signature sport.
That's a good point, I'm not really sure but think it was more of an enrollment thing, not competition or geography. DuKane ranges from 1859-2511 and DVC for 2021 was 1807-3522. This is another topic I guess but not really sure of all the backroom maneuvering on this issue. It would have been a helluva conference though and Dekalb could've stayed wherever they were.
The addition of the Valleys was seen as a reason to bolt. The size may have mattered but those that bolted felt more inline with Batavia, Geneva, and the Chucks. My argument has always been that this would have a been a stellar conference (albeit closed, which no one wants if we are being truthful):
NN
NC
NV
WV
MV
WWS
WN
Batavia
GBN
Tough kids at this school. They play an old school brand of football. Do they still have a gigantic fullback. Every time I saw them they had a big unathletic looking kid destroying linebackers for their tailbacks.
I don’t know how long they’re going to keep this up though. Big demographics changes.
Agree with all three. WB’s run over the last 5 years that playoffs were held has them going down to the eventual state champ in the quarters or semis (2019).
That’s the last 5-7 years though. I’d like to see the same over 10-20 years. Great program right now but I’ll wait to see more success first. Benet not so much. Too many down years.
WN, WWS, GBN & LP left the DVC not because of football they were more successful (11 1st & 9 2nd combined) then the Naperville schools historically. The issue that caused the split was all the other sports and what the enrollment discrepancies caused. Fielding 5 or 6 levels of golf, tennis, etc.. was not a possibility for the now DuKane schools.
Lost in the title game to St. Rita in 2006, won it in 2007.
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2016 GN and WB were in the same bracket, GN traveled to ESL and lost on a TD pass with 3 seconds left, it was a brutal, lost 32-28. WB lost the next week to ESL 60-27. Will be rooting for WB if/when they get to State just as long as you're not playing GBN.
Interestingly the next week ESL beat Benet, 20-0!
Current head coach has had the school in the playoffs 8 of the last 10 years, with one of the years missed being playoff eligible and missing the field by 1 playoff point. Again, 4 quarters and 1 semis in the last 5 and being knocked out by the eventual champ is pretty damn good. Good programs build, and this is evidence of steady growth and proving it with multiple classes of kids. To me, this is enough.
2022 will be another great year for WB football.
I have to go with Sterling of course, they have been to the semis twice in the last 5 years or so, Chicago Philips knocked them out one year and Saint Rita the other. I’ve said for a long time if Sterling were ever in the southern bracket they would have made it to the state game because many years the North bracket I feel has 3-5 teams that would beat the south bracket runner ups, I don’t know if they will ever beat the CCL teams and the one year they did it was a CPL team that knocked them out! Lol
Don't worry now that all "north" teams won this year the IHSA will have to find a way to make it more equitable and next year probably make it East/West
Champaign Central?
7th all time with 707 wins but has never been to a title game.
7th all time with 707 wins but has never been to a title game.
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