If that happened, it would be even likelier to push Morris South. Ideally that would make Rochester v. Morris in the semis. But given IHSA's way of ,'seeding',not necessarily.
The 4A Map Just Got REAL Interesting
- Thread starter cigaros
- Start date
I had said it didn't matter. But this scenario changes my mind. Ken Leonard is retiring after this season as the winningest coach in Illinois history. Few could argue against Derek Leonard being among the very top tier of Illinois' young coaches.
It would be something special to see them coaching in back--to-back games on Thanksgiving Friday.
I think the competitiveness of the two classes would be reduced for sure, but I guess that would be the lone bright spot.
Since 1975, I have watched Griffin/SHG play for titles in 4A, 5A. 6A, and reach
Since 1975 I have watched Griffin/SHG play title games in 4A, win titles in 6A and 5A, and play in 7A. Between enrollment fluctuations and various multipliers, the only thing that seemed inevitable was JCA waiting somewhere up the line. Speaking for no one else at all, and despite the disrespect from some, I know what we have this year and was hoping for a rematch. But I also know that you seldom get what you want, and if JCA won't be waiting in Champaign (and with the greatest of respect, it seems unlikely that they will) getting to see both Coaches Leonard leading title games on the same night wouldn't be a bad ending.
I somewhat understand your perspective. My alma mater “dropped down” last year. Everyone seems to be trending that way with 8 man and the Covid year. We had a long time member of the staff in his retirement year last season and it was great to send him off on top. At the same time it felt weird (as someone with no ties to the program other than being an alum and fan) to drop down and have two or three closer games in the regular season than any in the playoffs. But I think it was you who said previously - you go where they send ya.
Now Penlight you’re better than that. IMG actually has more than 10 D1 players in every class and more often than once in the last 10 years have had the top 2-3 ranked players in the country at multiple positions on their national traveling team. They also have multiple teams. Mater Dei also has more than 20 players on their current team with D1 offers in all their classes. Here’s to a successful and healthy finish to everyone’s season.
@DMurph11 first off greetings from Hawaii this week! Don’t spin your wheels on this too much. The myopic approach a lot of the old posters have here will take you down a rabbit hole that’s difficult to escape. On a different note since I’m pretty sure we’ve spent some time together you need to visit the next time you find yourself in PA or on the east coast. Additionally, Kevin has returned to Mecca and you need to visit him as well to get to a game at Lake Travis!
As a fan and alum of Highland who has never seen my team reach a state final, yes. Yes, I don’t want to see SHG in the path of a really good Highland team.
I managed to see IC/JCA game and was impressed. You have a great team, but there are a couple of small schools downstate that might not be as easy as you think, especially if it's good weather on that UofI turf.
Highland has been very impressive this year, but I’d rather Rochester face them once than SHG for a second time. The game’s location would be an important factor in a Highland-Rochester playoff contest.
It sure is, Geneseo should get back in this year in 4A as long as they beat Rock Island Friday. It has been an unbelievable drought for us.
Wouldn't Geneseo getting in pretty much assure Morris going South?
Are you guys favored? It appears to be a toss up to me, but it's at Rock Island. Both teams are currently 4-3, with tough week 9 games. One will qualify for the playoffs with the win tomorrow. The other will have to win their week 9 game or wait to see if 4-5 teams get in. If 4-5 teams happen to be needed to fill the 256-team field, there is still the issue of having enough playoff points. I estimate the final playoff-point total for both Rock Island and Geneseo being in the low 40s. Not sure that gets a 4-5 team in. Anyway, with the Maple Leafs' tradition, it would be nice if they could make it.
I noticed that as well. If they make it, they will be an underrated 5-4 team
It was on the table and then rescinded prior to the summer. I wish they would go 1-32 in all classes.
Early projections see Providence meeting JCA in the quarters and JCA winning by a touchdown.
Where does Highland stream their games. The CS8 has no interesting games this weekend and I think I 'd like to get a look.
Personally, I really doubt that any Southern Illinois school other than ESL, Edwardsville or O'Fallon can beat Rochester, simply because mone ever have in well over a decade, but I'm open to being convinced. (For me. SOUTHERN Illinois starts at I-72, not I-80)
If PC and JC meet the round before a potential RB semifinal, that is a big boost for RB. I believe both JC and PC would be underdogs to RB but capable of beating them. Coming off a rivalry quarterfinal round, that could give the winner a big boost but is more likely to leave them primed for a letdown.
would love to see a quarterfinal round where RB, Francis, JC, and PC play each other. Hoping none of those games become second round games.
Agree on all points. I was crazy excited over a 1-32 set up. We could see some new teams and new fan bases. It would also create a more pure semifinal and final rather than in past years when we knew a semifinal game was the ACTUAL final. Calpreps states Rochester wins by 2 touchdowns over Carterville.
I would like it noted that if RB and SHG meet in the 4A final, I see SHG winning by at least two touchdowns. That will annoy some from the North. So be it. They also preached about how St. Rita was going to trounce Rochester. I noticed the boards get REAL quiet when Rochester was up 42-7 before Derek let off the gas. And no, St. Rita did not fight their way back into to it to make it respectable. Their 1st team scored against the Rocket NEXT team and the Rocket ball boy went in on defense as well. The Rocket offense did not throw pass once they went up by 35.
I really cannot see that happening unless Providence drops another game, which would likely earn them a first round trip to either R-B or St. Francis.
That kicker you speak of is going to be Athlete of the Week when it's announced today.
NFHS for the stream, they have a pretty good crew that run it. I think they’ll run for as many yards as they’d like against Mascoutah tonight, but I am interested in how well they contain Mascoutah’s big play offense.
THAT would be beyond cool, a girl playing on a boys football team making AOW.
But (and no disrespect to her), I hope you realize that NO Springfield player will EVER win the SJR AOW. I don't care if a kid of either sex scores 8TDs, 50 points in a BB game or runs a world record 1500 meter. Its a reader vote, and some of the small towns around Springfield vote en bloc for their kids whereas Springfield readers don't often vote and split their votes among 4 nominees or more when they do.
If the playoffs started today, Morris would meet Rochester in the quarterfinals. And win by a score. However, if the game is at Rochester, it will be a long drive back up North
For what it’s worth, given Provo’s ridiculous amount of playoff points, if they go 5-4 I think getting a 14 seed (maybe even as high as a 13) is a good bet. In this scenario, assuming SF and R-B are the 1 and 2 seeds (big IF with SF having to travel to IC in a game they’ll probably be slight underdogs) that should prevent Providence from having to make a trip to either.
RB gave JCA their toughest game last year. And if memory serves, JCA let off the gas last year vs SHG en route to a 56-27 win in the championship game. But neither of those games matter this year, so I am not sure what relevance the 5A championship game from 2 years ago has on this year's 4A championship.
It was in response to the idea that SHG's schedule is not as strong as many in the North and that they are not capable of beating anyone in the North in the Final. I was calling out the past underestimation of the South by the Northern bracket team's fanbases. I also put it in writing that SHG will beat RB by 2 touchdowns in the FINAL if they both make it. JCA is not last year's JCA. And yes, SHG is going to have one of those seasons such as the 2013/14 teams had.
And that strikes me as incredibly ironic since the Springfield schools have 1100, 1300, and 1500 students respectively. You can vote daily. And those kids have parents who can vote as well. Whereas the Rochester, Williamsville, SHG, Pleasant Plains, et al do not have the student populations or the number of parents to match in voting potential. It merely shows how unsupportive the Springfield fans are of their programs in any sport. That is a "them" problem which the smaller rural or private schools have elected to not be their problem.
I will call SHG the favorite in either 3A or 4A. It’s the reason why I don’t want to see them in 3A. I think if it’s 3A, the north will almost assuredly be playing for runner up. In 4A, it will at least have a good chance to be compelling.
Althoff beat them. None of the schools you mentioned would ever play Rochester due to enrolment differences. I think this Highland team can beat them if only because this is not one of Rochester's better teams.
IMO, ICCP is as good as any of the top 4a teams in the north and would give SHG a game.
I cannot help but remember a column Edgy wrote back when the first of the two Gabe Green teams shocked the North by knocking off mighty Montini at DeKalb. I can't find it now but he started by mentioning that "everybody's wisdom" on his board that SHG couldn't possibly defeat the invincible maroon and gold - and then adding ,'everybody but him'. He went on to say that only someone who didn't fully understand IHSA football would ever dismiss a Ken Leonard team. This year reminds me of then. Most of the posters here are Northern Illimois fans who seem to think that every SHG and Rochester championship was blind luck by a bunch of country rubes. There are a dozen reasons given (JCA, last year, weak conference, etc,) from people who didn't see Glenwood and Rochester trying to cover five fast receivers, 2-3 of them running wide open, with 3 or 4 HS D-backs. It's as bad as the assumption that a Rochester team that the Cyclones running clocked has gotten better in seven games but that somehow SHG hasn't.
Nothing changes. One way or another, we'll see.
This is one of the best teams SHG has ever had and they are on a mission to send a legendary coach into retirement with one more championship. But every week it seems.like Sam and Tim talk about the stands not being full. Complacency or apathy or WTF. IT sucks. The only thing that still seems to.fill all the seats is the city BB tourney
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