So Which 3-3 Teams Can Break Out? Part 1
Boylan- GuilfordFreeport/East- The Titans (remember them...sorry can't help myself) should be able to get to 5 wins and get in the playoff field...and playing in the locked NIC-10 does not help out Boylan point wise here.
Freeport- East/Boylan/Belvidere North- The Pretzels have also been improved this fall but some big games await in getting to the magical 5 wins. Boylan is still Boylan and Belvidere North is playing lights out defense so far this fall.
Rockford East- Freeport/Jefferson/Boylan- The E-Rabs are a very young team with some serious talent and they have played like a young team this season. IN all honesty Rockford East might have the best path to 5 wins out of all the NIC-10 teams at 3-3.
Antioch- Grayslake Central/Round Lake/Lakes- A must win 5 games to get in team here. The Sequoits will have it's hands full this week with up and coming Grayslake Central, but Round Lake looks winnable. Then comes Lakes....a program with a ton of history against Antioch and a program that would love nothing better than knocking The Och out of playoff contention.
Centralia- Marion/Mt. Vernon/Collinsville- The Orphans look like they are up against it to get to 5 wins....but don't be fooled. Marion is always solid and Mt. Vernon should be a win. Collinsville? 6-0 is 6-0 but the Kahoks play as a independent after escaping the Southwestern conference a few years ago and haven't exactly played a rugged schedule this fall. I can see a path to 5 wins here.
Bremen- Hillcrest/TF North/Tinley Park- I can see Bremen getting to 6 wins here to be honest....yet games with Hillcrest and Tinley Park are always rivalry games year in and year out.
Reavis- Ike/Shepard/Richards- Toughest path out of all four schools here.
Oak Lawn- Shepard/Argo/Evergreen Park- Both Shepard and EP will be challenges here for the Spartans.
Argo- Oak Forest/Oak Lawn/Shepard- The Argonauts might have the best path to 5 wins here.
Eisenhower- Reavis/Evergreen Park/TF North- Eisenhower also has a real chance I feel at 5 wins here.
Note: I would not be shocked to see Shepard (2-4) win it's last 3 games and wend up as a 5-4 qualifier and the Astros also could be a 4 win team qualifier with a ton of playoff points.
Plainfield South- Plain Cent/Plain East/Joliet West- South could still very much win the conference and this week against Central goes a long way towards that. I see 5 wins here for South. FYI the East teams at 3-3 have ridiculously low playoff points, again hopefully a wake up call to those in the East still not playing true non conference games.
Minooka- Plain North/Yorkville/West Aurora- getting to 5 will be a challenge but it can still get done. This week against Plain North is almost a playoff game for the Indians and Yorkville is always a tough game for Minooka.
West Aurora- Oswego/Plain N/Minooka- Easily the toughest path coming out of the West for the Blackhawks. I don't see 5 wins here.
Bradley- Andrew/Stagg/LW East- The Boilers have a pretty good shot here to 5 wins and this week at Andrew in my eyes is a must win. 4 wins will not do it for Bradley.
East Aurora- Larkin/West Chicago/Bartlett- The Tomcats have a decent path but a win this week against Larkin is a must win deal.
Elgin- South Elgin/Larkin/Glenbard South- Nothing easy here for the Royals and Larkin in Week 8 is always a huge rivalry game in the Elgin area.
Larkin- East Aurora/Elgin/Streamwood- The Royals have a path but again playoffs start this week against East Aurora.
Lyons Township- Leyden/Glenbard West/DB North- A very tough path here for the Lions and this team will need 5 wins to get into the state playoffs. The Lions need to take care of business this week against Leyden then find a way to get one over the last two weeks.
Geneseo- Quincy/Rock Island/Moline- Each week gets harder the remainder of the way. Take away the Week 1 win over Chicago Noble Comer and the Leafs haven't beaten a team with a winning record so far this season.
United Township- Alleman/Galesburg/Sterling- United Township look to have a decent shot at 5 wins but they need to get that done before Week 9 when the Golden Warriors come calling.
Boylan- GuilfordFreeport/East- The Titans (remember them...sorry can't help myself) should be able to get to 5 wins and get in the playoff field...and playing in the locked NIC-10 does not help out Boylan point wise here.
Freeport- East/Boylan/Belvidere North- The Pretzels have also been improved this fall but some big games await in getting to the magical 5 wins. Boylan is still Boylan and Belvidere North is playing lights out defense so far this fall.
Rockford East- Freeport/Jefferson/Boylan- The E-Rabs are a very young team with some serious talent and they have played like a young team this season. IN all honesty Rockford East might have the best path to 5 wins out of all the NIC-10 teams at 3-3.
Antioch- Grayslake Central/Round Lake/Lakes- A must win 5 games to get in team here. The Sequoits will have it's hands full this week with up and coming Grayslake Central, but Round Lake looks winnable. Then comes Lakes....a program with a ton of history against Antioch and a program that would love nothing better than knocking The Och out of playoff contention.
Centralia- Marion/Mt. Vernon/Collinsville- The Orphans look like they are up against it to get to 5 wins....but don't be fooled. Marion is always solid and Mt. Vernon should be a win. Collinsville? 6-0 is 6-0 but the Kahoks play as a independent after escaping the Southwestern conference a few years ago and haven't exactly played a rugged schedule this fall. I can see a path to 5 wins here.
Bremen- Hillcrest/TF North/Tinley Park- I can see Bremen getting to 6 wins here to be honest....yet games with Hillcrest and Tinley Park are always rivalry games year in and year out.
Reavis- Ike/Shepard/Richards- Toughest path out of all four schools here.
Oak Lawn- Shepard/Argo/Evergreen Park- Both Shepard and EP will be challenges here for the Spartans.
Argo- Oak Forest/Oak Lawn/Shepard- The Argonauts might have the best path to 5 wins here.
Eisenhower- Reavis/Evergreen Park/TF North- Eisenhower also has a real chance I feel at 5 wins here.
Note: I would not be shocked to see Shepard (2-4) win it's last 3 games and wend up as a 5-4 qualifier and the Astros also could be a 4 win team qualifier with a ton of playoff points.
Plainfield South- Plain Cent/Plain East/Joliet West- South could still very much win the conference and this week against Central goes a long way towards that. I see 5 wins here for South. FYI the East teams at 3-3 have ridiculously low playoff points, again hopefully a wake up call to those in the East still not playing true non conference games.
Minooka- Plain North/Yorkville/West Aurora- getting to 5 will be a challenge but it can still get done. This week against Plain North is almost a playoff game for the Indians and Yorkville is always a tough game for Minooka.
West Aurora- Oswego/Plain N/Minooka- Easily the toughest path coming out of the West for the Blackhawks. I don't see 5 wins here.
Bradley- Andrew/Stagg/LW East- The Boilers have a pretty good shot here to 5 wins and this week at Andrew in my eyes is a must win. 4 wins will not do it for Bradley.
East Aurora- Larkin/West Chicago/Bartlett- The Tomcats have a decent path but a win this week against Larkin is a must win deal.
Elgin- South Elgin/Larkin/Glenbard South- Nothing easy here for the Royals and Larkin in Week 8 is always a huge rivalry game in the Elgin area.
Larkin- East Aurora/Elgin/Streamwood- The Royals have a path but again playoffs start this week against East Aurora.
Lyons Township- Leyden/Glenbard West/DB North- A very tough path here for the Lions and this team will need 5 wins to get into the state playoffs. The Lions need to take care of business this week against Leyden then find a way to get one over the last two weeks.
Geneseo- Quincy/Rock Island/Moline- Each week gets harder the remainder of the way. Take away the Week 1 win over Chicago Noble Comer and the Leafs haven't beaten a team with a winning record so far this season.
United Township- Alleman/Galesburg/Sterling- United Township look to have a decent shot at 5 wins but they need to get that done before Week 9 when the Golden Warriors come calling.
