Time to move to “Open” Division for Playoffs?

[JCHillmen]

I don't see where LA opted up this year on their own. Looking at the below list of schools the only two that opted up were ESL and SR. LA is already an 8A school. They have almost as many young men as MC and SR together.

State Series Information & Results | Football | IHSA Sports & Activities

I believe LA opted up last year when they would have been just below the 7A/8A cutoff line.

It was not their intention by any means, but when they dropped a week 9 decision to MC, it created a situation where MC could win 7A and LA 8A. Had they not opted up, us fans would have selfishly gotten an MC-LA rematch in 7A. Instead, they both cruised to titles in their respective classes.

I believe they wound up in 8A naturally this season.

 

[HotBeer]

Bullcrap, MC would play 8a... just tell them. They have under 600 young men, but that's the IHSAs job, why should MC tell them to do it. MC has won titles in 8a, 7a, 6a and 5a, noone else has done that. Just put them there and all public schools will still cry

Yes, Wheaton Warrenville South has done that as well.

 

[MC63]

With 15 State titles how many times has JCA petitioned to play "UP" a class or two?

I'd love to know that.

 

[USD24]

I'd love to know that.

Pretty sure it’s the same amount of times as Mt Carmel

 

[JCHillmen]

Pretty sure it’s the same amount of times as Mt Carmel

Yep, we're all looking up at ESL, LA, and Rita when it comes to opting up. Any other fan base below 8A pointing fingers at others is hypocritical.

And he knows the answer to this question.

If he wasn't grinding some ridiculous axe, he would also acknowledge that "opting up" only became an option around 2010 (give or take a few years, as I don't recall the exact year). In that span, MC has won 5 titles (4 of them below the largest class). JC has won two titles.

2/15 of JC's titles came in an era where they could conceivably have opted up further. 4/15 of MC's have, the most egregious of which was this past season with perhaps the most grossly incorrectly classified team in IHSA football history. MC is the poster child for trophy shopping.

All the other MC faithful know that last paragraph was in jest. But it is fascinating how this tired whining has come full circle and now MC being in 7A is now universally recognized as more egregious than Montini in 3A or JC in 5A.