why arent these two areas regularly laying down a monster team or two...every season, even if not the same school. if springfield can, they should too...hmmm
rockford...peoria
- Thread starter JCHILLTOPPERS
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Maybe because Peoria and Rockford are more basketball towns. I have no other explanation for it.
There’s one reason Springfield turns out a good team, Ken Leonard.
Peoria is more a basketball town than Rockford. One problem with Rockford is their conference is so incestuous and they never see another opponent until the playoffs. That lack of outside competition hurts.
I think metamora used to be on the level that I am thinking about. It's hard for me to think of washington objectively. But even then, i think they advance far mostly due to lack of adequate competition around them, which kind of proves my point.
I also find the "they are basketball towns" lacking. I do not totally discount them, though.
For Illinois to really be considered a good football state, we need those areas to - every year - produce competitive teams - and at least one challenger...no matter whether that's always the same school.
It's been way too long since honnenegah (i have no clue how to spell it, spell check suggested "megaphone" for me) and boylan were regular players...Rockford's population is about 150,000 and Peoria is 112,000. They are the 3 and 7 respectively by population.
Now that I look at the list, there is not excuse for the bloomington schools either.. Bloomington and Champaign ..they are 11 and 12 in Illinois respectively both with roughly 80k and combine for just over 150,000.
It would be one thing, maybe, if these schools never were good at football, ie the morton argument - but at times, and for long stretches in history, they were more than good...more than just relevant.
With ESL, Montini, St Rita, JCA and possibly Rochester in 5A, do you really think they have a good chance? A chance maybe, but no way would I say a good chance. Edgy doesnt even have Boylan ranked in the top 10 in 5A
I would agree that in the past Boylan would make deep runs, however in recent years, that has not been the case.
2014-lost in 1st round
2015- did not qualify
2016- lost in 1st round
2017- did not qualify
2018- lost in quarters
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Was just going to say, Boylan not being a power is a very recent thing. The beginning of the downturn there was losing coach Appino who then went to Rockford (Auburn) and quickly made them competitive until he stepped down there as well. Problem with reviving things at Boylan is that Rockford has grown up and out and you have good schools and football at Rockton/Roscoe (Hononegah), Machesney/Loves Park (Harlem), and Belvedere. So kids aren’t necessarily leaving those towns to attend Boylan anymore.
Sorry, I am used to thinking of SHG as 6A as of late. That just makes the field for Boylan even tougher.
This is as much talent as Boylas has had since those title teams. I can't speak on the teams you mentioned, but I feel okay putting Boylan in the same category.
Hate to be blunt but if you put them in the same category as most of those teams you’d be wrong... unless Boylan has something special this year I’m unaware of.... we have to wait and see how good some of those listed teams end up being and maybe some will be less than expected and similar to Boylan but the ones that live up to expectations will be well beyond Boylans capabilities (barring something unknown).... you have to remember with the multiplier changes this year some teams who normally play 7a playoffs will be in 5a this year.
In any case, I think it's great how loaded 5a will be this year.
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