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Class 5A Semis

I’m predicting Sterling finally beats a perennial power in a close game at home similar to the Boylan game, I know Montini beat Sycamore in a close game and Sycamore was Sterling’s only loss in week 9 but this is a different team that played Sycamore when you add the players that were out for that game, Boylans bruising running backs that no one could stop in regular season we’re held to 37 yards total rushing yesterday. This Sterling team has a lot of athletes and it’s hard to key on one or two, I’ve only seen Montini play twice but I think our lines can compete this year. Going to be a great game!

I’ll take JCA over Hillcrest, I don’t know a lot about either team but base my pic on tradition and how well JCA is playing in the post season.
 
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After watching the last 3 weeks of games I think JCA is now the favorite to win 5a.
 
Come on. Do you honestly believe Montini is not the overwhelming favorite in 5A?

No I have been watching JCA closely the last few games and my hunch is they are now the 5a favorite.
 
No I have been watching JCA closely the last few games and my hunch is they are now the 5a favorite.
You have called JCA the 5A favorite about 4 times in 3-4 different threads. I'm not sure if you really believe that or doing a little trolling.

JCA is playing very well right now, but not too many people are calling them the 5A favorite. That title still goes Montini.

I hope JCA can win a title, but favorite, no way.
 
No but my other hunches during the playoffs came true being...

Willowbrook/Batavia game could go either way and would be a very close game. I felt this on bracket Saturday four weeks ago.

I also thought the Sycamore/Montini game would be decided in the last two minutes of the game which nobody believed me.
 
Kevin,

JCA is hitting on all cylinders right now and are a much better team than when I saw them play IC earlier in the year.
 
Kevin,

JCA is hitting on all cylinders right now and are a much better team than when I saw them play IC earlier in the year.
Agreed.

They are playing very well with just the right amount of hunger to win. But please don't paint a target on them. o_O
 
I’m predicting Sterling finally beats a perennial power in a close game at home similar to the Boylan game, I know Montini beat Sycamore in a close game and Sycamore was Sterling’s only loss in week 9 but this is a different team that played Sycamore when you add the players that were out for that game, Boylans bruising running backs that no one could stop in regular season we’re held to 37 yards total rushing yesterday. This Sterling team has a lot of athletes and it’s hard to key on one or two, I’ve only seen Montini play twice but I think our lines can compete this year. Going to be a great game!

I’ll take JCA over Hillcrest, I don’t know a lot about either team but base my pic on tradition and how well JCA is playing in the post season.

I think Montini wins over Sterling and this my rationale. St Francis is not that good. I watched the 2x this year (vs Wheaton Academy and Aurora Christian). SF barely beat AC at home and AC was not at full strength.

Boylan barely beat SF.
Sterling barely beat Boylan.

Montini faces a much tougher level of competition than does Sterling.

Bronco by 13.
 
I thinks it’s a given that the JCA offense is gonna have the ability to move the ball and put up points. I think now it falls on the defense against an obviously athletic and talented Hillcrest team to get them to the weekend after Thanksgiving. I can easily see 80+ points being scored in this game.
 
I thinks it’s a given that the JCA offense is gonna have the ability to move the ball and put up points. I think now it falls on the defense against an obviously athletic and talented Hillcrest team to get them to the weekend after Thanksgiving. I can easily see 80+ points being scored in this game.
Hillcrest just shutout Cahokia in the quarters. These are their prior results:

Aug 24 7:00 W 27 16 H Olympia Fields (Rich Central) 5-5 1045.00
Aug 31 7:00 W 52 0 A Richton Park (Rich South) 1-8 947.00
Sep 7 7:00 W 47 7 A Palos Heights (Shepard) 8-3 1744.00
Sep 14 7:00 W 42 7 H Oak Forest 2-7 1290.00
Sep 21 7:00 W 27 7 H Lemont (H.S.) 5-5 1404.00
Sep 28 7:00 W 59 0 A Tinley Park (H.S.) 4-5 1049.00
Oct 5 7:00 W 49 7 A Lansing (Thornton Fractional South) 6-4 1880.00
Oct 12 7:00 W 50 6 A Calumet City (Thornton Fractional North) 3-6 1452.00
Oct 19 7:00 W 43 6 H Midlothian (Bremen) 3-6 1405.00
Oct 27 3:00 W 47 0 H Jerseyville (Jersey) 5-5 832.00
Nov 3 3:00 W 40 7 H Decatur (MacArthur) 7-4 1093.00

I don't think this semi-final game will be anywhere near as high scoring as 80+ points. The Hillcrest defense is too good.
 
All due respect, which of the teams listed post an offensive threat to Hillcrest similar to what they will see with JCA?
 
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It’s the 5A time machine, and it’s 2011 all over again without Ty in the backfield. Looking forward to seeing Montini/JCA in the finals thanksgiving weekend. If the top 4 divisions end up going the way they look, I may just fly in to see the games. Unfortunately, we were eliminated yesterday by Harrisburg at the HS level and Penn State plays Maryland.

Hillcrest just shutout Cahokia in the quarters. These are their prior results:

Aug 24 7:00 W 27 16 H Olympia Fields (Rich Central) 5-5 1045.00
Aug 31 7:00 W 52 0 A Richton Park (Rich South) 1-8 947.00
Sep 7 7:00 W 47 7 A Palos Heights (Shepard) 8-3 1744.00
Sep 14 7:00 W 42 7 H Oak Forest 2-7 1290.00
Sep 21 7:00 W 27 7 H Lemont (H.S.) 5-5 1404.00
Sep 28 7:00 W 59 0 A Tinley Park (H.S.) 4-5 1049.00
Oct 5 7:00 W 49 7 A Lansing (Thornton Fractional South) 6-4 1880.00
Oct 12 7:00 W 50 6 A Calumet City (Thornton Fractional North) 3-6 1452.00
Oct 19 7:00 W 43 6 H Midlothian (Bremen) 3-6 1405.00
Oct 27 3:00 W 47 0 H Jerseyville (Jersey) 5-5 832.00
Nov 3 3:00 W 40 7 H Decatur (MacArthur) 7-4 1093.00

I don't think this semi-final game will be anywhere near as high scoring as 80+ points. The Hillcrest defense is too good.
 
Kevin,

JCA is hitting on all cylinders right now and are a much better team than when I saw them play IC earlier in the year.
True but they haven’t really played anyone in the post season, I knew once Highland met JCA Montini, Sterling or Hillcrest they would be exposed and JCA got the chance.
 
Jca is the overwhelming favorite but they will lose to Montini in the finals,,,,,,,again!
 
All due respect, which of the teams listed post an offensive threat to Hillcrest similar to what they will see with JCA?
Fair enough. I don't see 80+ points, but you may be right. The beauty of it is we will find out on Saturday.
 
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Jca is the overwhelming favorite but they will lose to Montini in the finals,,,,,,,again!
favorite - Not
overwhelming favorite - o_O certainly not
lose to Montini - lets try to get past a good Hillcrest team before losing to the Heavy Favorite
 
favorite - Not
overwhelming favorite - o_O certainly not
lose to Montini - lets try to get past a good Hillcrest team before losing to the Heavy Favorite
80 percent of observers would say Montini is the favorite.

10 percent would probably day Hillcrest.

9.9 percent might say Sterling

Only Jchill would label the 4 loss team the favorite and blame the coaching staff if it didn't work out that way.

JC is definitely capable of winning it but they have to get through a big Hillcrest challenge before they can take on the final challenge of montini or sterling. They are definitely not the favorites at this point.
 
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Couldn’t agree more! In all honesty, I feel like the fact that they took their lumps to a certain degree, has without question fortified their resolve for this playoff run. One thing to be said for this group (JCA), they will be intimidated by no foe moving forward! A lot of fun to watch this unfold.
 
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80 percent of observers would say Montini is the favorite.

10 percent would probably day Hillcrest.

9.9 percent might say Sterling

Only Jchill would label the 4 loss team the favorite and blame the coaching staff if it didn't work out that way.

JC is definitely capable of winning it but they have to get through a big Hillcrest challenge before they can take on the final challenge of montini or sterling. They are definitely not the favorites at this point.

I ducking hate that there is confusion about my moniker...who am I, the Mac daddy or the daddy Mac. Cause inside out is wiggity wiggity wack
 
I remember the last time Sterling played Montini, it was in the quarters and I’d say around 2008 without looking it up, it was in Montini awesome run of winning 5 state titles in a row, or was it 6? Montini had a D1 receiver that was commited to I believe Nebraska, I remember the score was 10-7 at halftime, and after half time Montini ran away with it and again without looking it up I think won by two maybe three scores, I do remember Montini going on to play JCA in the final game and Montini beat JCA by a much bigger margin than they beat Sterling in a high scoring game. That wasint a particularly great Sterling team, I think this Sterling team will compete much better and I don’t think this Montini team is as good as that 2008 team, forgive me if my year is off, this is all by memory.
 
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I remember the last time Sterling played Montini, it was in the quarters and I’d say around 2008 without looking it up, it was in Montini awesome run of winning 5 state titles in a row, or was it 6? Montini had a D1 receiver that was commited to I believe Nebraska, I remember the score was 10-7 at halftime, and after half time Montini ran away with it and again without looking it up I think won by two maybe three scores, I do remember Montini going on to play JCA in the final game and Montini beat JCA by a much bigger margin than they beat Sterling in a high scoring game. That wasint a particularly great Sterling team, I think this Sterling team will compete much better and I don’t think this Montini team is as good as that 2008 team, forgive me if my year is off, this is all by memory.

Depends on what Montini team shows up - the team that destroyed Providence or the team in the second half of the Loyola game will be a tough out. The team that played the first half of the Sycamore game will send Sterling to Champaign
 
a game played in 2011 (in the 2nd round) has nothing to do with a game in 2018. montini is the best team sterling has seen all year. there's no questioning that. now please, just shut up and let the players play.
I didn’t say it did, I was just reminiscing of the last time Sterling played Montini
 
I am looking forward to a good game in Sterling Saturday. Montini will be the best team Sterling has seen for sure but not by a ton. I don't think anyone involved with Sterling will be intimidated with what Montini brings to the table. In the past that may have been different.

I have seen both teams in multiple games and there should be some great matchups all over the field.

The atmosphere should be unreal given the fan bases and setting. I like the warriors to break through.
 
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Best of luck to Sterling Saturday. But as a JCA Fan (if we can beat Hillcrest) I'm not sure I would rather play a Sterling team that handled Montini. o_O
 
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