Playoff neutral sites

[jotapepe]

I love the idea of having playoff games at neutral sites (remember Friday Night Lights in the Astrodome? (it was at UT in real life but I digress)), and I wonder how that would play out in Illinois, so we can really see who's the best without home-field advantages. So I plotted a hypothetical neutral site setup for the Illinois first round. Criteria:
- THIS IS A THOUGHT EXPERIMENT. I know it would never happen and maybe isn't even a good idea, but I had fun with it.
- I generally prefer turf over grass. That's not necessarily my thoughts for what makes a "good field" in the regular season; I only prefer turf in the playoffs because it's November and the weather is bad.
- The main thing is what's between the schools. I generally prefer stadiums with more seats over those with less.
- This is more a problem with lower classes, but I prefer stadiums with substantial visitor's side seats.
- No doubling up - one game per stadium, per round.
- I went 8A first and then on down.
- I only used other high school fields. No colleges (at least not first round!).
- I kept the all-CPS games at CPS fields.

So, without further ado:
8A
LWE vs. Conant at Downers Grove South
Lane Tech vs. Neuqu Valley at York
Warren vs. Stevenson at Libertyville
Huntley vs. Andrew at West Aurora
South Elgin vs. Belleville East at Champaign Centennial
Maine South vs. Bolingbrook at Lyons
Glenbard West vs. Lockport at Bolingbrook
Glenbrook South vs. Homewood-Flossmoor at Morton
York vs. Oswego East at Wheaton-Warrenville South
Naperville North vs. Marist at Hinsdale Central
Palatine vs. Downers Grove South at Addison Trail
Glenbard East vs. Minooka at Plainfield East
Plainfield North vs. Rich Township at Lincoln-Way West
Lyons vs. Naperville Central at Downers Grove North
Loyola vs. Plainfield South at Lake Park
O'Fallon vs. Edwardsville at Collinsville

7A
Mount Carmel vs. Buffalo Grove at Leyden
Lincoln Park vs. Downers Grove North at OPRF
Collinsville vs. Bradley-Bourbonnais at Normal Community
Jacobs vs. Brother Rice at Glenbard North
St. Charles North vs. Maine West at Streamwood
Elk Grove vs. Hoffman Estates at Conant
Prospect vs. Reavis at Ridgewood
St. Rita vs. Geneva at Glenbard East
Hersey vs. Argo at Maine South
Guilford vs. Batavia at Huntley
Yorkville vs. Libertyville at Elgin
Moline vs. DeKalb at Sterling
Pekin vs. Plainfield Central at Streator
Hononegah vs. Normal Community at LaSalle-Peru
Wheaton North vs. Willowbrook at Glenbard West
Lake Zurich vs. Larkin at Dundee-Crown

6A
Wauconda vs. Schurz at Stevenson
Niles Notre Dame vs. Antioch at Mundelein
Deerfield vs. St. Ignatius at Maine West
Belvidere North vs. Grayslake Central at Woodstock
Prairie Ridge vs. Crystal Lake South at Crystal Lake Central (too easy!)
Kaneland vs. Riverside-Brookfield at West Chicago
Grayslake North vs. Senn at Buffalo Grove
Amundsen vs. Harlem at Barrington
Lemont vs. Blue Island Eisenhower at Sandburg
Glenwood vs. Quincy at Jacksonville
Perspectives vs. Kenwood at Gately
Bremen vs. Washington at Ottawa Marquette (I know, they're a 1A school, they have a big facility)
Simeon vs. Oak Forest at Marist
Crete-Monee vs. Champaign Centennial at Kankakee
Normal West vs. Danville at Urbana
East St. Louis vs. Richards at Decatur Eisenhower

5A
Sycamore vs. Westinghouse at Fenton
Bulls Prep vs. Carmel at Niles Notre Dame
Goode vs. Pritzker at Rockne
Sterling vs. St. Viator at DeKalb
Morgan Park vs. Fenwick at Argo
Payton vs. Speer at Lane
Boylan vs. Hillcrest at East Aurora
Glenbard South vs. Nazareth at Nazareth
Mahomet-Seymour vs. Ottawa at Normal West
Metamora vs. Jacksonville at Lincoln
Morris vs. LaSalle-Peru at Ottawa
Triad vs. Centralia at Breese Central
Highland vs. Dunlap at SHG
Mascoutah vs. Marion at Mount Vernon
Decatur MacArthur vs. Peoria at Bloomington
Kankakee vs. Mount Vernon at Decatur MacArthur

4A
Richmond-Burton vs. Ridgewood at Jacobs
Sullivan vs. UP-Bronzeville at Hanson
Wheaton Academy vs. Providence at Neuqua Valley
JCA vs. Phillips at Shepard
Hyde Park vs. Johnsburg at Elk Grove
Dixon vs. Rochelle at Oregon
St. Francis vs. Marengo at South Elgin
Evergreen Park vs. Comer at St. Rita
Carterville vs. Geneseo at Glenwood
Coal City vs. East Alton-Wood River at Mahomet-Seymour
Rochester vs. Effingham at Mount Zion
Breese Central vs. Mount Zion at Effingham
SHG vs. Hall at East Peoria
Richland County vs. Waterloo at Centralia
Macomb vs. Quincy Notre Dame at Illini West
Murphysboro vs. Columbia at Sparta

3A
Peotone vs. Princeton at Seneca
Genoa-Kingston vs. Elmwood/Brimfield at Hall
IC Catholic vs. King at Riverside-Brookfield
Stillman Valley vs. Monmouth-Roseville at Geneseo
Reed-Custer vs. Carver at Lincoln-Way Central
Durand/Pecatonica vs. Catalyst-Maria at Burlington Central
Seneca vs. Winnebago at Mendota
Byron vs. Lisle at Sycamore
Prairie Central vs. PBL at GCMS
Hillsboro vs. Roxana at Staunton
Harrisburg vs. Tolono Unity at Richland County
Monticello vs. Mt. Carmel at Mattoon
Benton vs. Olympia at North Mac
SJO vs. Robinson at Charleston
Williamsville vs. Carlinville at Rochester
Eureka vs. Beardstown at Canton

2A
Maroa-Forsyth vs. North Lawndale at Bradley-Bourbonnais
El Paso-Gridley vs. Farmington at Peoria Stadium
Rockridge vs. Newman at United Township
Mercer County vs. Bloomington Central Catholic at Dunlap
BHRA vs. Westville at Danville
Knoxville vs. Mendon Unity at Macomb
Wilmington vs. Chicago Christian at Joliet Memorial Stadium
Tri-Valley vs. Clifton Central at Pontiac
St. Teresa vs. Chester at Edwardsville
Carmi-White County vs. Athens at O'Fallon
Pana vs. Auburn at Taylorville
Fairfield vs. North Mac at Vandalia
Johnston City vs. Flora at Hamilton County
ALAH vs. Vandalia at Shelbyville
Althoff vs. Shelbyville at Salem
Red Bud vs. Nashville at Belleville East

1A
Lena-Winslow vs. Chicago Richards at Hampshire
ROWVA/Williamsfield vs. Stark County at Galva
Fulton vs. Aurora Christian at Dixon
Annawan/Wethersfield vs. Rockford Lutheran at Rock Falls
Chicago Hope vs. Goode at Mount Carmel (on Dante)
St. Bede vs. Forreston at Rochelle
Ottawa Marquette vs. Morrison at Bureau Valley
Dakota vs. Iroquois West at Yorkville
Ridgeview/Lexington vs. Madison at Springfield Southeast
Red Hill vs. Salt Fork at Marshall
Tuscola vs. Brown County at Riverton
Routt vs. Villa Grove at Warrensburg-Latham
Camp Point Central vs. Dupo at Jersey
Sesser-Valier vs. Central A&M at Greenville
Greenfield/Northwestern vs. Calhoun at Carrollton
Rushville-Industry vs. Cumberland at Williamsville

Thoughts?

 

[RD_Watcher]

This is a great thought experiment! I really like some of the settings and matchups. For instance, the GBW vs Lockport at Bollingbrook would be cool - especially on the black turf.

One further discriminator to truly call it a "Neutral Field" would be no in-conference teams. For instance, you have Lyons vs. Naperville Central at DGN, where Lyons plays at least every other year.

Again, super impressive. Great job!

 

[Fishwater41]

Maybe the worst idea I have ever heard

 

[jotapepe]

Maybe the worst idea I have ever heard

It’s not meant to be a serious suggestion. I know it wouldn’t actually be a good idea. Just fun to think about. Just as productive as most of the other threads on this site 😂

 

[Fishwater41]

If you want to lose 80% of attendance this is a great idea

 

[MalleusMaleficarum]

My comment is only related to the finals. Would love to see some title games back at Hancock Stadium. Would the 13,391 seat capacity make that impossible for all 8 classes to play there? I note that Huskie Stadium has a capacity of 30,998. Did that enter into the picture when the IHSA chose that venue for the current alternate year system with Memorial Stadium? Any thoughts, opinions, alternatives, etc.?

 

[SouthofI80FootballFan]

Like all other sports do that Super Sectional at neutral sites, I thought they would have moved to neutral sites in football for the Semis a long time ago.

Would be cool to see 4 venues with 2 games and even televise the games and stream somewhere other than NFHS. However, the coaches would never give up the opportunity to play the semis at home.

 

[Illgold22]

Great idea but just not possible in first 2 rounds. Wouldn’t get workers from host schools to work them, and host schools would not give access to everything needed. But I do agree that neutral sites are needed in quarters/semis. 8A and Joliet memorial, 7a at St. Xavier, 6a at North Central, 5a at Elmhurst etc….

 

[MC63]

Maybe the worst idea I have ever heard

I love visiting schools and experiencing their spirit.

How awful an idea.

 

[Sparty Jones]

I applaud the effort.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. - Teddy Roosevelt

 

[mchsalumni]

Maybe the worst idea I have ever heard

It's a dream scenario. Talk to your dad, it's never too late to work it out.

 

[EdgyTim]

My comment is only related to the finals. Would love to see some title games back at Hancock Stadium. Would the 13,391 seat capacity make that impossible for all 8 classes to play there? I note that Huskie Stadium has a capacity of 30,998. Did that enter into the picture when the IHSA chose that venue for the current alternate year system with Memorial Stadium? Any thoughts, opinions, alternatives, etc.?

I've said for a few years now that the next go around the games will be back at Illinois State and I stand by that today as well. Also Hancock locked out IHSA and not the other way around....and a decision ISU has regretted for many years now. Venue size isn't an issue but having the ability to host teams, have an indoor facility for warmups etc is a plus...and ISU right now is building a domed indoor practice facility that will be done by next season.

 

[MalleusMaleficarum]

I've said for a few years now that the next go around the games will be back at Illinois State and I stand by that today as well. Also Hancock locked out IHSA and not the other way around....and a decision ISU has regretted for many years now. Venue size isn't an issue but having the ability to host teams, have an indoor facility for warmups etc is a plus...and ISU right now is building a domed indoor practice facility that will be done by next season.

Hopeful news, indeed. Thanks for the info.

 

[godfthr53]

I like that Naz gets to play at home.

 

[The_Oldfan]

I love the idea of having playoff games at neutral sites (remember Friday Night Lights in the Astrodome? (it was at UT in real life but I digress)), and I wonder how that would play out in Illinois, so we can really see who's the best without home-field advantages. So I plotted a hypothetical neutral site setup for the Illinois first round. Criteria:
- THIS IS A THOUGHT EXPERIMENT. I know it would never happen and maybe isn't even a good idea, but I had fun with it.
- I generally prefer turf over grass. That's not necessarily my thoughts for what makes a "good field" in the regular season; I only prefer turf in the playoffs because it's November and the weather is bad.
- The main thing is what's between the schools. I generally prefer stadiums with more seats over those with less.
- This is more a problem with lower classes, but I prefer stadiums with substantial visitor's side seats.
- No doubling up - one game per stadium, per round.
- I went 8A first and then on down.
- I only used other high school fields. No colleges (at least not first round!).
- I kept the all-CPS games at CPS fields.

So, without further ado:
8A
LWE vs. Conant at Downers Grove South
Lane Tech vs. Neuqu Valley at York
Warren vs. Stevenson at Libertyville
Huntley vs. Andrew at West Aurora
South Elgin vs. Belleville East at Champaign Centennial
Maine South vs. Bolingbrook at Lyons
Glenbard West vs. Lockport at Bolingbrook
Glenbrook South vs. Homewood-Flossmoor at Morton
York vs. Oswego East at Wheaton-Warrenville South
Naperville North vs. Marist at Hinsdale Central
Palatine vs. Downers Grove South at Addison Trail
Glenbard East vs. Minooka at Plainfield East
Plainfield North vs. Rich Township at Lincoln-Way West
Lyons vs. Naperville Central at Downers Grove North
Loyola vs. Plainfield South at Lake Park
O'Fallon vs. Edwardsville at Collinsville

7A
Mount Carmel vs. Buffalo Grove at Leyden
Lincoln Park vs. Downers Grove North at OPRF
Collinsville vs. Bradley-Bourbonnais at Normal Community
Jacobs vs. Brother Rice at Glenbard North
St. Charles North vs. Maine West at Streamwood
Elk Grove vs. Hoffman Estates at Conant
Prospect vs. Reavis at Ridgewood
St. Rita vs. Geneva at Glenbard East
Hersey vs. Argo at Maine South
Guilford vs. Batavia at Huntley
Yorkville vs. Libertyville at Elgin
Moline vs. DeKalb at Sterling
Pekin vs. Plainfield Central at Streator
Hononegah vs. Normal Community at LaSalle-Peru
Wheaton North vs. Willowbrook at Glenbard West
Lake Zurich vs. Larkin at Dundee-Crown

6A
Wauconda vs. Schurz at Stevenson
Niles Notre Dame vs. Antioch at Mundelein
Deerfield vs. St. Ignatius at Maine West
Belvidere North vs. Grayslake Central at Woodstock
Prairie Ridge vs. Crystal Lake South at Crystal Lake Central (too easy!)
Kaneland vs. Riverside-Brookfield at West Chicago
Grayslake North vs. Senn at Buffalo Grove
Amundsen vs. Harlem at Barrington
Lemont vs. Blue Island Eisenhower at Sandburg
Glenwood vs. Quincy at Jacksonville
Perspectives vs. Kenwood at Gately
Bremen vs. Washington at Ottawa Marquette (I know, they're a 1A school, they have a big facility)
Simeon vs. Oak Forest at Marist
Crete-Monee vs. Champaign Centennial at Kankakee
Normal West vs. Danville at Urbana
East St. Louis vs. Richards at Decatur Eisenhower

5A
Sycamore vs. Westinghouse at Fenton
Bulls Prep vs. Carmel at Niles Notre Dame
Goode vs. Pritzker at Rockne
Sterling vs. St. Viator at DeKalb
Morgan Park vs. Fenwick at Argo
Payton vs. Speer at Lane
Boylan vs. Hillcrest at East Aurora
Glenbard South vs. Nazareth at Nazareth
Mahomet-Seymour vs. Ottawa at Normal West
Metamora vs. Jacksonville at Lincoln
Morris vs. LaSalle-Peru at Ottawa
Triad vs. Centralia at Breese Central
Highland vs. Dunlap at SHG
Mascoutah vs. Marion at Mount Vernon
Decatur MacArthur vs. Peoria at Bloomington
Kankakee vs. Mount Vernon at Decatur MacArthur

4A
Richmond-Burton vs. Ridgewood at Jacobs
Sullivan vs. UP-Bronzeville at Hanson
Wheaton Academy vs. Providence at Neuqua Valley
JCA vs. Phillips at Shepard
Hyde Park vs. Johnsburg at Elk Grove
Dixon vs. Rochelle at Oregon
St. Francis vs. Marengo at South Elgin
Evergreen Park vs. Comer at St. Rita
Carterville vs. Geneseo at Glenwood
Coal City vs. East Alton-Wood River at Mahomet-Seymour
Rochester vs. Effingham at Mount Zion
Breese Central vs. Mount Zion at Effingham
SHG vs. Hall at East Peoria
Richland County vs. Waterloo at Centralia
Macomb vs. Quincy Notre Dame at Illini West
Murphysboro vs. Columbia at Sparta

3A
Peotone vs. Princeton at Seneca
Genoa-Kingston vs. Elmwood/Brimfield at Hall
IC Catholic vs. King at Riverside-Brookfield
Stillman Valley vs. Monmouth-Roseville at Geneseo
Reed-Custer vs. Carver at Lincoln-Way Central
Durand/Pecatonica vs. Catalyst-Maria at Burlington Central
Seneca vs. Winnebago at Mendota
Byron vs. Lisle at Sycamore
Prairie Central vs. PBL at GCMS
Hillsboro vs. Roxana at Staunton
Harrisburg vs. Tolono Unity at Richland County
Monticello vs. Mt. Carmel at Mattoon
Benton vs. Olympia at North Mac
SJO vs. Robinson at Charleston
Williamsville vs. Carlinville at Rochester
Eureka vs. Beardstown at Canton

2A
Maroa-Forsyth vs. North Lawndale at Bradley-Bourbonnais
El Paso-Gridley vs. Farmington at Peoria Stadium
Rockridge vs. Newman at United Township
Mercer County vs. Bloomington Central Catholic at Dunlap
BHRA vs. Westville at Danville
Knoxville vs. Mendon Unity at Macomb
Wilmington vs. Chicago Christian at Joliet Memorial Stadium
Tri-Valley vs. Clifton Central at Pontiac
St. Teresa vs. Chester at Edwardsville
Carmi-White County vs. Athens at O'Fallon
Pana vs. Auburn at Taylorville
Fairfield vs. North Mac at Vandalia
Johnston City vs. Flora at Hamilton County
ALAH vs. Vandalia at Shelbyville
Althoff vs. Shelbyville at Salem
Red Bud vs. Nashville at Belleville East

1A
Lena-Winslow vs. Chicago Richards at Hampshire
ROWVA/Williamsfield vs. Stark County at Galva
Fulton vs. Aurora Christian at Dixon
Annawan/Wethersfield vs. Rockford Lutheran at Rock Falls
Chicago Hope vs. Goode at Mount Carmel (on Dante)
St. Bede vs. Forreston at Rochelle
Ottawa Marquette vs. Morrison at Bureau Valley
Dakota vs. Iroquois West at Yorkville
Ridgeview/Lexington vs. Madison at Springfield Southeast
Red Hill vs. Salt Fork at Marshall
Tuscola vs. Brown County at Riverton
Routt vs. Villa Grove at Warrensburg-Latham
Camp Point Central vs. Dupo at Jersey
Sesser-Valier vs. Central A&M at Greenville
Greenfield/Northwestern vs. Calhoun at Carrollton
Rushville-Industry vs. Cumberland at Williamsville

Thoughts?

I see all kinds of financial issues. Who pays to open up all of those fields. As I understand the current structure, the home school operates the field, lights, security.as usual. IHSA takes the gate and rebates money for operating expenses back to the home school. Especially in week one with a mismatch on the table,most of the gate revenue would be from home fans. Now suppose you ARE at a third site, just for example SHG playing Hall at East Peoria. No local fan interest. 80 mile drive from Springfield, Hall fans looking at a beat down. What sort of gate is host school looking at, with or without IHSA taking a cut?

I've heard of the crowds in Texas where more people show up on a middling Friday night than for the State championships here. It would involve massive losses for the host fields and for IHSA, not to mention vastly increased travel costs for the participating teams.

 

[RD_Watcher]

A lot of people don't understand what a "Thought Experiment" is, or just simply didn't read the original post.

Jotapepe says in the post, "THIS IS A THOUGHT EXPERIMENT. I know it would never happen and maybe isn't even a good idea, but I had fun with it."

Perhaps some believe conducting an exercise such as this is futile and a waste of time, as it would never happen for a multitude of reasons. Got it.

 

[Schwab54]

I love the idea of having playoff games at neutral sites (remember Friday Night Lights in the Astrodome? (it was at UT in real life but I digress)), and I wonder how that would play out in Illinois, so we can really see who's the best without home-field advantages. So I plotted a hypothetical neutral site setup for the Illinois first round. Criteria:
- THIS IS A THOUGHT EXPERIMENT. I know it would never happen and maybe isn't even a good idea, but I had fun with it.
- I generally prefer turf over grass. That's not necessarily my thoughts for what makes a "good field" in the regular season; I only prefer turf in the playoffs because it's November and the weather is bad.
- The main thing is what's between the schools. I generally prefer stadiums with more seats over those with less.
- This is more a problem with lower classes, but I prefer stadiums with substantial visitor's side seats.
- No doubling up - one game per stadium, per round.
- I went 8A first and then on down.
- I only used other high school fields. No colleges (at least not first round!).
- I kept the all-CPS games at CPS fields.

So, without further ado:
8A
LWE vs. Conant at Downers Grove South
Lane Tech vs. Neuqu Valley at York
Warren vs. Stevenson at Libertyville
Huntley vs. Andrew at West Aurora
South Elgin vs. Belleville East at Champaign Centennial
Maine South vs. Bolingbrook at Lyons
Glenbard West vs. Lockport at Bolingbrook
Glenbrook South vs. Homewood-Flossmoor at Morton
York vs. Oswego East at Wheaton-Warrenville South
Naperville North vs. Marist at Hinsdale Central
Palatine vs. Downers Grove South at Addison Trail
Glenbard East vs. Minooka at Plainfield East
Plainfield North vs. Rich Township at Lincoln-Way West
Lyons vs. Naperville Central at Downers Grove North
Loyola vs. Plainfield South at Lake Park
O'Fallon vs. Edwardsville at Collinsville

7A
Mount Carmel vs. Buffalo Grove at Leyden
Lincoln Park vs. Downers Grove North at OPRF
Collinsville vs. Bradley-Bourbonnais at Normal Community
Jacobs vs. Brother Rice at Glenbard North
St. Charles North vs. Maine West at Streamwood
Elk Grove vs. Hoffman Estates at Conant
Prospect vs. Reavis at Ridgewood
St. Rita vs. Geneva at Glenbard East
Hersey vs. Argo at Maine South
Guilford vs. Batavia at Huntley
Yorkville vs. Libertyville at Elgin
Moline vs. DeKalb at Sterling
Pekin vs. Plainfield Central at Streator
Hononegah vs. Normal Community at LaSalle-Peru
Wheaton North vs. Willowbrook at Glenbard West
Lake Zurich vs. Larkin at Dundee-Crown

6A
Wauconda vs. Schurz at Stevenson
Niles Notre Dame vs. Antioch at Mundelein
Deerfield vs. St. Ignatius at Maine West
Belvidere North vs. Grayslake Central at Woodstock
Prairie Ridge vs. Crystal Lake South at Crystal Lake Central (too easy!)
Kaneland vs. Riverside-Brookfield at West Chicago
Grayslake North vs. Senn at Buffalo Grove
Amundsen vs. Harlem at Barrington
Lemont vs. Blue Island Eisenhower at Sandburg
Glenwood vs. Quincy at Jacksonville
Perspectives vs. Kenwood at Gately
Bremen vs. Washington at Ottawa Marquette (I know, they're a 1A school, they have a big facility)
Simeon vs. Oak Forest at Marist
Crete-Monee vs. Champaign Centennial at Kankakee
Normal West vs. Danville at Urbana
East St. Louis vs. Richards at Decatur Eisenhower

5A
Sycamore vs. Westinghouse at Fenton
Bulls Prep vs. Carmel at Niles Notre Dame
Goode vs. Pritzker at Rockne
Sterling vs. St. Viator at DeKalb
Morgan Park vs. Fenwick at Argo
Payton vs. Speer at Lane
Boylan vs. Hillcrest at East Aurora
Glenbard South vs. Nazareth at Nazareth
Mahomet-Seymour vs. Ottawa at Normal West
Metamora vs. Jacksonville at Lincoln
Morris vs. LaSalle-Peru at Ottawa
Triad vs. Centralia at Breese Central
Highland vs. Dunlap at SHG
Mascoutah vs. Marion at Mount Vernon
Decatur MacArthur vs. Peoria at Bloomington
Kankakee vs. Mount Vernon at Decatur MacArthur

4A
Richmond-Burton vs. Ridgewood at Jacobs
Sullivan vs. UP-Bronzeville at Hanson
Wheaton Academy vs. Providence at Neuqua Valley
JCA vs. Phillips at Shepard
Hyde Park vs. Johnsburg at Elk Grove
Dixon vs. Rochelle at Oregon
St. Francis vs. Marengo at South Elgin
Evergreen Park vs. Comer at St. Rita
Carterville vs. Geneseo at Glenwood
Coal City vs. East Alton-Wood River at Mahomet-Seymour
Rochester vs. Effingham at Mount Zion
Breese Central vs. Mount Zion at Effingham
SHG vs. Hall at East Peoria
Richland County vs. Waterloo at Centralia
Macomb vs. Quincy Notre Dame at Illini West
Murphysboro vs. Columbia at Sparta

3A
Peotone vs. Princeton at Seneca
Genoa-Kingston vs. Elmwood/Brimfield at Hall
IC Catholic vs. King at Riverside-Brookfield
Stillman Valley vs. Monmouth-Roseville at Geneseo
Reed-Custer vs. Carver at Lincoln-Way Central
Durand/Pecatonica vs. Catalyst-Maria at Burlington Central
Seneca vs. Winnebago at Mendota
Byron vs. Lisle at Sycamore
Prairie Central vs. PBL at GCMS
Hillsboro vs. Roxana at Staunton
Harrisburg vs. Tolono Unity at Richland County
Monticello vs. Mt. Carmel at Mattoon
Benton vs. Olympia at North Mac
SJO vs. Robinson at Charleston
Williamsville vs. Carlinville at Rochester
Eureka vs. Beardstown at Canton

2A
Maroa-Forsyth vs. North Lawndale at Bradley-Bourbonnais
El Paso-Gridley vs. Farmington at Peoria Stadium
Rockridge vs. Newman at United Township
Mercer County vs. Bloomington Central Catholic at Dunlap
BHRA vs. Westville at Danville
Knoxville vs. Mendon Unity at Macomb
Wilmington vs. Chicago Christian at Joliet Memorial Stadium
Tri-Valley vs. Clifton Central at Pontiac
St. Teresa vs. Chester at Edwardsville
Carmi-White County vs. Athens at O'Fallon
Pana vs. Auburn at Taylorville
Fairfield vs. North Mac at Vandalia
Johnston City vs. Flora at Hamilton County
ALAH vs. Vandalia at Shelbyville
Althoff vs. Shelbyville at Salem
Red Bud vs. Nashville at Belleville East

1A
Lena-Winslow vs. Chicago Richards at Hampshire
ROWVA/Williamsfield vs. Stark County at Galva
Fulton vs. Aurora Christian at Dixon
Annawan/Wethersfield vs. Rockford Lutheran at Rock Falls
Chicago Hope vs. Goode at Mount Carmel (on Dante)
St. Bede vs. Forreston at Rochelle
Ottawa Marquette vs. Morrison at Bureau Valley
Dakota vs. Iroquois West at Yorkville
Ridgeview/Lexington vs. Madison at Springfield Southeast
Red Hill vs. Salt Fork at Marshall
Tuscola vs. Brown County at Riverton
Routt vs. Villa Grove at Warrensburg-Latham
Camp Point Central vs. Dupo at Jersey
Sesser-Valier vs. Central A&M at Greenville
Greenfield/Northwestern vs. Calhoun at Carrollton
Rushville-Industry vs. Cumberland at Williamsville

Thoughts?

Sullivan Vs UP Bronzeville @ Hanson! That’s a CPS dream come true! Can we get a special exemption from the IHSA to play this game on a Thursday!?!?! Can’t wait for Hanson to be back!

 

[jotapepe]

So, Round 2 of this THOUGHT EXPERIMENT!! Same criteria as last week, except that, all else being equal, some preference would be given to any site that did not host a first-round game. Without further ado...
8A
LWE vs. Neuqua Valley at Lockport
Warren vs. Andrew at Maine South
Maine South vs. South Elgin at Conant
Glenbard West vs. Glenbrook South at Elk Grove
Marist vs. York at Morton
Palatine vs. Minooka at Naperville North
Plainfield North vs. Lyons at Downers Grove South
Loyola vs. Edwardsville at Normal Community

7A
Mount Carmel vs. Downers Grove North at Reavis
Brother Rice vs. Collinsville at Champaign Centennial
St. Charles North vs. Hoffman Estates at Elgin
Prospect vs. St. Rita at Proviso East
Hersey vs. Batavia at Lake Park
Yorkville vs. Moline at LaSalle-Peru
Pekin vs. Normal Community at Morton
Lake Zurich vs. Wheaton North at Schaumburg

6A
Wauconda vs. Niles ND at Buffalo Grove
St. Ignatius vs. Grayslake Central at Glenbrook South
Prairie Ridge vs. Kaneland at Hampshire
Harlem vs. Grayslake Central at Woodstock North
Lemont vs. Quincy at Washington
Bremen vs. Kenwood at Brother Rice
Simeon vs. Crete-Monee at Thornton
East St. Louis vs. Normal West at SHG

5A
Sycamore vs. Carmel at Streamwood
Goode vs. Sterling at DeKalb
Morgan Park vs. Payton at Gately
Nazareth vs. Boylan at Dundee-Crown
Mahomet-Seymour vs. Metamora at Bloomington
Morris vs. Centralia at Decatur MacArthur
Highland vs. Mascoutah at O'Fallon
Peoria vs. Kankakee at Pontiac

4A
Richmond-Burton vs. UP-Bronzeville at Prospect
Providence vs. JCA at Joliet Central (Holy War II!!!)
Rochelle vs. Johnsburg at Belvidere North
St. Francis vs. Evergreen Park at Lyons
Carterville vs. Coal City at Decatur Eisenhower
Rochester vs. Breese Central at Alton
SHG vs. Waterloo at Edwardsville
Macomb vs. Murphysboro at Jersey

3A
Princeton vs. Genoa-Kingston at Plano
IC Catholic vs. Stillman Valley at Burlington Central
Reed-Custer vs. Durand/Pecatonica at Sycamore
Seneca vs. Byron at Mendota
Prairie Central vs. Roxana at Mount Zion
Tolono Unity vs. Mt. Carmel at Marshall
St. Joseph-Ogden vs. Olympia at Clinton
Williamsville vs. Eureka at Pekin

2A
Maroa-Forsyth vs. Farmington at Normal West
Rockridge vs. Bloomington Central Catholic at Dunlap
BHRA vs. Knoxville at Bloomington Central Catholic
Tri-Valley vs. Wilmington at Streator
St. Teresa vs. Athens at Springfield Southeast
Pana vs. Fairfield at Effingham
Johnston City vs. ALAH at Flora
Red Bud vs. Althoff at Freeburg

1A
Lena-Winslow vs. ROWVA/Williamsfield at Prophetstown
Fulton vs. Rockford Lutheran at Dixon
Chicago Hope vs. Forreston at Huntley
Ottawa Marquette vs. Dakota at Rochelle
Salt Fork vs. Ridgeview/Lexington at Rantoul
Tuscola vs. Routt at Rochester
Sesser-Valier vs. Camp Point Central at Roxana
Greenfield/Northwestern vs. Cumberland at Pana

 

[RD_Watcher]

Marist vs York @ Morton might actually fill those stands.

 

[cpacmel]

My comment is only related to the finals. Would love to see some title games back at Hancock Stadium. Would the 13,391 seat capacity make that impossible for all 8 classes to play there? I note that Huskie Stadium has a capacity of 30,998. Did that enter into the picture when the IHSA chose that venue for the current alternate year system with Memorial Stadium? Any thoughts, opinions, alternatives, etc.?

Bloomington-Normal tries to bring IHSA football title games back to Hancock Stadium

Bloomington-Normal and ISU have submitted a bid to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) to host the state football title games from 2023 to 2027, said Crystal Howard, president and CEO of the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

www.wglt.org