Well, here we are - the final week of the regular season. Unfortunately, this Friday night will be the final time many kids ever put on shoulder pads and a helmet. The final time they find themselves on a field of competition with their teammates. The final time they hear the cheers of the crowd from the sidelines. While they may not realize it now, in 20 years, the win/loss record will not matter.
The Gold Division has been clinched by Willowbrook, who will be the Conference Representative, firmly slated in the 7A Playoffs. With a win, DGS will get to 5 wins and almost certainly earn at At-Large birth in the 8A playoffs. Hinsdale South has an outside chance of making the playoffs with a win to get to 4-5, but would need a lot to happen elsewhere, as they currently sit with only 34 points (the projected current point cut line for 4-5 teams is 39, according to Catch-22s Wk 9 thread). PE, Morton, AT and Leyden are all assured to be turning in their equipment next week. Leyden could play spoiler on their way out, though. DGS needs to get to 5 wins, as they currently only have 33 points.
The Silver Division is much more.... fluid. HC, GW and York have all clinched playoff spots by way of 6 wins. LT, DGN and OPRF all sit at 4-4, and have paths to make the playoffs win or lose. The only school assured to complete their season this Friday night is Proviso West. While the top 3 have all clinched, the conference champion is still yet to be determined. At the least, HC is a Co-Champion. GW needs to win to be a Co-Champion. York needs to win, and for GW to win to be a Co-Champion. Just as important is claiming the conference representative spot in the playoffs, as this will give the rep school a higher seed.
Using the IHSA tie-breakers, if GW beats HC, it will come down to tie breaker 2 - Fewest total points allowed in Head to Head games between co-champions; or tie breaker 3 - Highest Point differential in Head to Head games between co-champions. As York is the only team to have played both HC and GW, they set the mark at points allowed with 37. GW gave up 12 to York, so has 24 to give; HC gave up 23, so has 14 to give. York's point differential is set at 6, GW currently sits at 2, and HC at 4. Of course, the only reason any of this will matter is if GW beats HC, and does so in overwhelming fashion. If GW wins in a close one - as recent history would suggest - York will be the conference representative.
As exciting as the HC @ GW game will be on Saturday afternoon, the Lyons @ DGN game will be just as important and drama filled. Both sit at 4-4, and both will qualify for an At-Large birth in the Playoffs - DGN likely in 7A, Lyons firmly in 8A. This is essentially a "must win" for Lyons, as they currently only have 37 points, and likely won't make it at 4-5. It's not so cut and dry for DGN, however, as they currently sit with 45 points, the most in the division. However, they would need several other games to fall their way, so for sake of argument, this is a "Win and you're in, lose and go home" scenario for both teams.
And finally, we come to OPRF, who faces York this week. Their win over DGN last week brought them to 4-4, and at 39 points, currently has them projected to be one of the few 4-5 teams to make the playoffs. An upset of York on Friday would assure them a spot, but even with at loss, they may still be practicing on Monday.
There are some games to make moves in the standings this week. This is a week where you may not be able to pick chalk and come out clean. Good luck!
Lyons Township (2-3, 4-4) @ Downers Grove North (1-4, 4-4)
Oak Park River Forest (2-3, 4-4) @ York (4-1, 7-1)
Hinsdale Central (5-0, 7-1) @ Glenbard West (4-1, 7-1)
Proviso West (0-6, 0-8) @ Proviso East (1-5, 1-7)
Addison Trail (0-5, 0-8) @ Hinsdale South (3-2, 3-5)
Willowbrook (5-0, 5-3) @ Morton (3-2, 3-5)
Downers Grove South (4-1, 4-4) @ Leyden (2-3, 3-5)
The Gold Division has been clinched by Willowbrook, who will be the Conference Representative, firmly slated in the 7A Playoffs. With a win, DGS will get to 5 wins and almost certainly earn at At-Large birth in the 8A playoffs. Hinsdale South has an outside chance of making the playoffs with a win to get to 4-5, but would need a lot to happen elsewhere, as they currently sit with only 34 points (the projected current point cut line for 4-5 teams is 39, according to Catch-22s Wk 9 thread). PE, Morton, AT and Leyden are all assured to be turning in their equipment next week. Leyden could play spoiler on their way out, though. DGS needs to get to 5 wins, as they currently only have 33 points.
The Silver Division is much more.... fluid. HC, GW and York have all clinched playoff spots by way of 6 wins. LT, DGN and OPRF all sit at 4-4, and have paths to make the playoffs win or lose. The only school assured to complete their season this Friday night is Proviso West. While the top 3 have all clinched, the conference champion is still yet to be determined. At the least, HC is a Co-Champion. GW needs to win to be a Co-Champion. York needs to win, and for GW to win to be a Co-Champion. Just as important is claiming the conference representative spot in the playoffs, as this will give the rep school a higher seed.
Using the IHSA tie-breakers, if GW beats HC, it will come down to tie breaker 2 - Fewest total points allowed in Head to Head games between co-champions; or tie breaker 3 - Highest Point differential in Head to Head games between co-champions. As York is the only team to have played both HC and GW, they set the mark at points allowed with 37. GW gave up 12 to York, so has 24 to give; HC gave up 23, so has 14 to give. York's point differential is set at 6, GW currently sits at 2, and HC at 4. Of course, the only reason any of this will matter is if GW beats HC, and does so in overwhelming fashion. If GW wins in a close one - as recent history would suggest - York will be the conference representative.
As exciting as the HC @ GW game will be on Saturday afternoon, the Lyons @ DGN game will be just as important and drama filled. Both sit at 4-4, and both will qualify for an At-Large birth in the Playoffs - DGN likely in 7A, Lyons firmly in 8A. This is essentially a "must win" for Lyons, as they currently only have 37 points, and likely won't make it at 4-5. It's not so cut and dry for DGN, however, as they currently sit with 45 points, the most in the division. However, they would need several other games to fall their way, so for sake of argument, this is a "Win and you're in, lose and go home" scenario for both teams.
And finally, we come to OPRF, who faces York this week. Their win over DGN last week brought them to 4-4, and at 39 points, currently has them projected to be one of the few 4-5 teams to make the playoffs. An upset of York on Friday would assure them a spot, but even with at loss, they may still be practicing on Monday.
There are some games to make moves in the standings this week. This is a week where you may not be able to pick chalk and come out clean. Good luck!
Lyons Township (2-3, 4-4) @ Downers Grove North (1-4, 4-4)
Oak Park River Forest (2-3, 4-4) @ York (4-1, 7-1)
Hinsdale Central (5-0, 7-1) @ Glenbard West (4-1, 7-1)
Proviso West (0-6, 0-8) @ Proviso East (1-5, 1-7)
Addison Trail (0-5, 0-8) @ Hinsdale South (3-2, 3-5)
Willowbrook (5-0, 5-3) @ Morton (3-2, 3-5)
Downers Grove South (4-1, 4-4) @ Leyden (2-3, 3-5)
