20 Years: Best IHSA Football Team in the EDGY era?
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I may be a homer but I am going with the 1998 WWS squad although I do believe the 2006 & 2010 are both 10 top teams of the last 20 years.
Random undefeated candidates chronologically
96 MC
97 Lincoln Way
98 MC/WWS
99 JC/Nap C
03 Com
04 JC
05 LWE
06 WWS
08 Maine S
09 Maine S
Driscoll won 7 titles in a row but against 3A schools. That record is impressive but they come no where near the top teams of 20 years.
Actually of those 7 only 1 was 3a. The other 6 were won in 4a. By far the best dynasty. Of course those teams weren't better then the best 7a/8a schools but there is a reason they have divisions 300-500 coed students is a little bit different than 3,000.
A
anon_4vszfu35bv677
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Why?
2008 ESL lost one game by 8 ~ game 1 to Braxton Miller's Huber Heights team in a game played in Cincinnati. Their regular season was a bloodbath and they weren't challenged again until the second week of November. They scored over 50 8 times (+60 4x) and had 4 shutouts (and gave up a FG in another game).
My question would be why are 1 loss teams eliminated from the discussion? Too many teams in Illinois play BS or cup cakes schedules while others challenge themselves every week to narrow the list down to undefeated teams only. To me the greatest team is the greatest team regardless of regular season outcome. That being said, the 2008 Flyers had some huge flaws so I wouldn't consider them one of the greatest teams. I will say that team had one of the greatest High School players to play in Illinois, Terry Hawthorne.
Okay, I going to be a homer and say that 2012 Crete Monee team. That had some of the most explosive players that i have seen. LaQuon Treadwell, Ole Miss,(All-American), Nyles Morgan, Notre Dame (freshmen All-American), Lance Lenoir (D1A All American), Chris Slayton (Stracuse), Jaylan Dunlap (U of I). That was an awesome team. Not to mention Marcus Terrell, QB (Arkansas Pine Bluff- Academic All-American). They would've played for the 8A State Championship!
If Huber was 14 or 15-0 absolutely Flyer in conversation. Huber went 8-4 though.
If one had to choose between the 3 WWS teams you mentioned, I can tell you with some confidence that the vast majority of coaches, players and fans around the program would vote for the 98 team. No one came close to them all year including the state championship and they had multiple D1 players including McGoey-WR (Illinois) Schweigardt-WR(Northwestern) Beutjer-QB (Iowa) Collins-TE (NFL 2 Super Bowl Rings) Burns -RB (D2 school) and that was just on offense. 2006 would be a close 2nd with 2010 in 3rd. But the 98 team will always be recognized as probably one of, if not the best team ever in IL football history.
That makes no sense. What if Ohio was much deeper and it usually is anyway?
They went 13-0 against Illinois teams and murdered them.
Fast, big, physical, deep. No one came near them really...
I wonder what their MOV was compared to other teams in the discussion?
And the number of kids recruited I remember was pretty insane.
did not murder every IL team. Rita pissed one away v them and lost 35-28 after being up 28-7. Then beat GW late 27-20. Also Huber had 4 losses-were shut out twice and lost another 31-14.
Can you give a reason why? Being undefeated shouldn't be a factor, IMO.
Funny that USA Today had MC ranked above WWS in their final 1998 "expert" rankings.
Same "experts" have Stevie as top IL team this year. Crack work!
well MC was #1 all year, went 14-0 and beat PC -who had 1 loss in 4 years -beat them twice and blew them out in 5A title 28-3.
That is a tough argument for me to make with PC there. '02 in 5A out of 8 no multiplier yet, no Blue, playing Pontiac in a title game. I think Sneffner says his 01 is his best. they did have a ton of close games. I personally think PC 94 is their best but just misses the Edgy cut.
thanks for the context...would love to have seen either team play. I know Hetlett at GW loved having 98 WWS WR Schwags coach for him the last few years as he loved to describe all the accolades.
I think the 2008 Flyer squad had everything. Unmatched speed (undisputed), about as big as they get (undisputed) and SWAGGER and RECKLESS ABANDON that caused real FEAR (undisputed.)
I agree. ESL should not have lost to Braxton and the gang. It was a bad performance which would knock any team out of top contention. The only part I disagreed with is ONLY undefeated teams in the discussion which you clarified. Most southern teams will have a tough time with this discussion based on the lack of visibility. Other will have a tough time because they play very solid out of state teams
2008 Flyers #1
The argument that the best team has to go undefeated is laughable.
So if ESL 2008 scheduled a cupcake week 1 and won, then they would be in the discussion for best team? So by playing an inferior opponent makes them better?!
That Braxton Miller team played in extremely tough year of Ohio high school football, which is MUCH tougher than Illinois.
Its just the eye test, win or losses they were the best team.
The argument that the best team has to go undefeated is laughable.
So if ESL 2008 scheduled a cupcake week 1 and won, then they would be in the discussion for best team? So by playing an inferior opponent makes them better?!
That Braxton Miller team played in extremely tough year of Ohio high school football, which is MUCH tougher than Illinois.
Its just the eye test, win or losses they were the best team.
The reason why the ESL team can't be categorized as the best is because we'd look like a joke saying our greatest team in the last 20 years lost to a 8-4 Ohio team. Our best should pummel an 8-4 any other state team. We've all probably seen some of the better ESL plays and know that a lot of the times they are just more talented than the opponent. I feel like whenever they play a team that is able to eliminate their advantage with some sort of game plan usually will fair well against them. Not to mention some of those undefeated teams played some pretty stout competition so the debate over the schedule sponsored by Hostess can't be used.
I'll take the 98 WWS team. Dominated the competition though I'm not sure those teams they beat would have been as good in other years, the WWS team was one for the ages. It was about the time the spread offense started to be seen more in HS and the Tigers had the weapons that year.
I'll take the 98 WWS team. Dominated the competition though I'm not sure those teams they beat would have been as good in other years, the WWS team was one for the ages. It was about the time the spread offense started to be seen more in HS and the Tigers had the weapons that year.
There really is no team I can pick from the large enrollment schools that I can say is outright the best.
I therefore have to differ to Driscoll Catholic as the most impressive team in the last 20 years in the state. 7 Straight Championships! Nuff Said!!
Wassup
I therefore have to differ to Driscoll Catholic as the most impressive team in the last 20 years in the state. 7 Straight Championships! Nuff Said!!
Wassup
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i hate not going with a JC team, but im on record with the 98 WWS or 99 (i think) NC teams. Best we had.