As I begin the 7A playoffs thread...once again congratulations to all of the hard work put in by all of the teams that qualified.
On to the picks. I'm ultimately an 8A guy so due to time restrictions I might be a bit more brief in my 7A predictions. My apologies.
#1 Simeon vs.
#32 Rockford East
-Simeon is a perennial 7A/8A CPS power. They possess a ton of skill and have qualified for the playoffs for what seems like a solid 2 decades. Plus, they defeated the only ever state champion CPS school this season in Phillips. Rockford East is in the closed conference NIC 10 and has 5 wins against teams worse than them, and 4 wins against better teams. However, Rockford East is not a year in and year out playoff team so congrats to them on making it to the playoffs. This seems to have the makings though of a solid and one-sided Simeon Wolverines victory. Simeon advances.
#16 Harlem vs.
#17 Lincoln-Way West
-Both of these teams are 7-2. Harlem plays in the closed conference NIC 10. They had two close losses, otherwise they could be 9-0. Lincoln-Way West on the other hand also had two close losses in the SWSC. Their game against 8A powerhouse H-F could have been a Lincoln-Way West win. Lincoln-Way West is not explosive on offense, but their defense might be one of the best coached and most disciplined in the state. That for me is the difference and I have the Lincoln-Way West Warriors moving on.
#8 Nazareth vs.
#25 Andrew
-Andrew has had quite the turnaround these last two seasons getting back to previous levels of high quality play. The Thunderbolts always play tough and their defense this year has been outstanding in the SWSC. Nazareth spent all season as the #2 team in Edgy's rankings until losing to Marist. One loss to a Top 5 Marist team still shows me just how good this Nazareth team plays. I have the Nazareth Roadrunners moving on to Round 2 against one of the tougher defenses they will play all year.
#9 Hersey vs.
#24 Lincoln-Way Central
-Lincoln-Way Central might be one of the best if not the best team in the state in using formations to get a defense misaligned and off of their game. Hersey is 3 points away from being undefeated on the season. Lincoln-Way Central can always catch a team off-guard and make a deep run in the playoffs, but this season just seems special for Hersey. I have the Hersey Huskies in a very close game for the win.
#4 Batavia vs.
#29 Granite City
-Granite City had one of the craziest schedules this year in trying to fill 9 games without being in a conference. They can score a lot of points when necessary. Getting out of the Southwestern Conference was huge for them and congrats to them for making the most of the move. However, they haven't beaten a team anywhere near this Batavia team. I have the defending 7A champion Batavia Bulldogs winning this one by at least 4 scores.
#13 Moline vs.
#20 Glenbrook North
-Glenbrook North comes in to the playoffs at 7-2, yet doesn't have a win against a winning team this season. Moline repeated as Western Big 6 champions and comes in to the playoffs with one of the top running games in the state. Mike Morrissey is one of the most underrated and under the radar football coaches in the state. His ability to turn around programs is something to be commended. I could see Moline giving Batavia quite a game in the next round. They feature 2 top college level RBs as well as a tough as nails offensive line. The passing game could cost them later on in the playoffs, but for this game I feel the Moline Maroons will advance.
#5 Willowbrook vs.
#28 Lincoln Park
-Lincoln Park makes the playoffs with 5 wins, but 3 of those 5 are by only 8 points or less and they are all against fellow CPS teams. Willowbrook is 9-0 with solid wins in the West Suburban Gold and a crossover victory against Hinsdale Central. The Willowbrook Warriors should win this game with a running clock.
#12 Maine West vs.
#21 Benet Academy
-Maine West at 8-1 is one of the up and coming teams in the state of Illinois. Jason Kradman is a coach that gets hardly any mention, but he should due to how well he has improved the Maine West program since taking over. Benet Academy competes in the always tough ESCC and played the top 3 teams, Marist, Nazareth, and Niles Notre Dame tough. This should be a very close game, but I feel the Benet Redwings end up on top in this one.
#2 Glenbard East vs.
#31 Prospect
-Glenbard East rolls into the playoffs on a dream season at 9-0. Prospect barely qualified for the playoffs at 5-4. Prospect has yet to beat a team with a winning record. Yet this just feels like a game that will be closer than one would think. However, I predict the Glenbard East Rams make it a perfect 10-0 as they advance to Round 2.
#15 East St. Louis vs.
#18 Hoffman Estates
-Both teams are 7-2. East St. Louis has 2 losses against quality out of state teams so it is tough to evaluate them as compared to Illinois teams. They always possess amazing athleticism and are very dangerous come playoff time. Hoffman Estates is a strong team but doesn't seem to have the players to stay with East St. Louis for 4 quarters. The East St. Louis Flyers should win this by at least a couple of scores.
#7 Mt. Carmel vs.
#26 T.F. South
-T.F. South is another team like Lincoln-Way Central that will maximize their athletic ability by using formations to put defenses into a tough position. However with Dave Lehnti calling the defense for Mt. Carmel, you have to think the Caravan will be ready. With a 4 PM start time at Gately the Mt. Carmel Caravan most likely become the first team in the state to advance to Round 2.
#10 DeKalb vs.
#23 Lake Zurich
-This game took me the longest to figure out in any of the 5A-8A brackets. Both of these teams have the potential to make really long runs in 7A. I can't really explain why one of these teams will beat the other, so ultimately I went with the home team the DeKalb Barbs in what I expect to be an outstanding game.
#3 Hononegah vs.
#30 Buffalo Grove
-Hononegah are the champs of the closed conference NIC-10 at 9-0. Buffalo Grove qualifies out of the Mid-Suburban East at 5-4. The Hononegah Indians win this game.
#14 Wheaton Warrenville South vs.
#19 Belleville West
-Wheaton Warrenville South has only a loss against defending 7A champion Batavia. Belleville West lost to Edwardsville and East St. Louis to finish 7-2. Both teams have quality losses, but Wheaton Warrenville South seems to be rounding into form as a team worthy of their strong tradition. The Wheaton Warrenville South Tigers advance.
#6 Rolling Meadows vs.
#27 Alton
-Alton is coached by Eric Dickerson...not that Eric Dickerson by the way. Alton plays in the tough Southwestern Conference and finished 5-4. Rolling Meadows finished 9-0 and features one of the most explosive offenses in the state with its lowest offensive output being 34 points in a game. The Rolling Meadows Mustangs will win this game.
#11 Normal Community vs.
#22 St. Charles North
-Again the #11 vs. #22 game possibly presents the most fascinating matchup in this bracket. St. Charles North has 3 quality losses to playoff teams, and Normal Community is one point from being undefeated. A complete coin-flip game being played at Normal Community, yet somehow I just feel that the St. Charles North Stars win this one.
Well that's it for 7A. Hope you enjoyed reading it.
On to the picks. I'm ultimately an 8A guy so due to time restrictions I might be a bit more brief in my 7A predictions. My apologies.
#1 Simeon vs.
#32 Rockford East
-Simeon is a perennial 7A/8A CPS power. They possess a ton of skill and have qualified for the playoffs for what seems like a solid 2 decades. Plus, they defeated the only ever state champion CPS school this season in Phillips. Rockford East is in the closed conference NIC 10 and has 5 wins against teams worse than them, and 4 wins against better teams. However, Rockford East is not a year in and year out playoff team so congrats to them on making it to the playoffs. This seems to have the makings though of a solid and one-sided Simeon Wolverines victory. Simeon advances.
#16 Harlem vs.
#17 Lincoln-Way West
-Both of these teams are 7-2. Harlem plays in the closed conference NIC 10. They had two close losses, otherwise they could be 9-0. Lincoln-Way West on the other hand also had two close losses in the SWSC. Their game against 8A powerhouse H-F could have been a Lincoln-Way West win. Lincoln-Way West is not explosive on offense, but their defense might be one of the best coached and most disciplined in the state. That for me is the difference and I have the Lincoln-Way West Warriors moving on.
#8 Nazareth vs.
#25 Andrew
-Andrew has had quite the turnaround these last two seasons getting back to previous levels of high quality play. The Thunderbolts always play tough and their defense this year has been outstanding in the SWSC. Nazareth spent all season as the #2 team in Edgy's rankings until losing to Marist. One loss to a Top 5 Marist team still shows me just how good this Nazareth team plays. I have the Nazareth Roadrunners moving on to Round 2 against one of the tougher defenses they will play all year.
#9 Hersey vs.
#24 Lincoln-Way Central
-Lincoln-Way Central might be one of the best if not the best team in the state in using formations to get a defense misaligned and off of their game. Hersey is 3 points away from being undefeated on the season. Lincoln-Way Central can always catch a team off-guard and make a deep run in the playoffs, but this season just seems special for Hersey. I have the Hersey Huskies in a very close game for the win.
#4 Batavia vs.
#29 Granite City
-Granite City had one of the craziest schedules this year in trying to fill 9 games without being in a conference. They can score a lot of points when necessary. Getting out of the Southwestern Conference was huge for them and congrats to them for making the most of the move. However, they haven't beaten a team anywhere near this Batavia team. I have the defending 7A champion Batavia Bulldogs winning this one by at least 4 scores.
#13 Moline vs.
#20 Glenbrook North
-Glenbrook North comes in to the playoffs at 7-2, yet doesn't have a win against a winning team this season. Moline repeated as Western Big 6 champions and comes in to the playoffs with one of the top running games in the state. Mike Morrissey is one of the most underrated and under the radar football coaches in the state. His ability to turn around programs is something to be commended. I could see Moline giving Batavia quite a game in the next round. They feature 2 top college level RBs as well as a tough as nails offensive line. The passing game could cost them later on in the playoffs, but for this game I feel the Moline Maroons will advance.
#5 Willowbrook vs.
#28 Lincoln Park
-Lincoln Park makes the playoffs with 5 wins, but 3 of those 5 are by only 8 points or less and they are all against fellow CPS teams. Willowbrook is 9-0 with solid wins in the West Suburban Gold and a crossover victory against Hinsdale Central. The Willowbrook Warriors should win this game with a running clock.
#12 Maine West vs.
#21 Benet Academy
-Maine West at 8-1 is one of the up and coming teams in the state of Illinois. Jason Kradman is a coach that gets hardly any mention, but he should due to how well he has improved the Maine West program since taking over. Benet Academy competes in the always tough ESCC and played the top 3 teams, Marist, Nazareth, and Niles Notre Dame tough. This should be a very close game, but I feel the Benet Redwings end up on top in this one.
#2 Glenbard East vs.
#31 Prospect
-Glenbard East rolls into the playoffs on a dream season at 9-0. Prospect barely qualified for the playoffs at 5-4. Prospect has yet to beat a team with a winning record. Yet this just feels like a game that will be closer than one would think. However, I predict the Glenbard East Rams make it a perfect 10-0 as they advance to Round 2.
#15 East St. Louis vs.
#18 Hoffman Estates
-Both teams are 7-2. East St. Louis has 2 losses against quality out of state teams so it is tough to evaluate them as compared to Illinois teams. They always possess amazing athleticism and are very dangerous come playoff time. Hoffman Estates is a strong team but doesn't seem to have the players to stay with East St. Louis for 4 quarters. The East St. Louis Flyers should win this by at least a couple of scores.
#7 Mt. Carmel vs.
#26 T.F. South
-T.F. South is another team like Lincoln-Way Central that will maximize their athletic ability by using formations to put defenses into a tough position. However with Dave Lehnti calling the defense for Mt. Carmel, you have to think the Caravan will be ready. With a 4 PM start time at Gately the Mt. Carmel Caravan most likely become the first team in the state to advance to Round 2.
#10 DeKalb vs.
#23 Lake Zurich
-This game took me the longest to figure out in any of the 5A-8A brackets. Both of these teams have the potential to make really long runs in 7A. I can't really explain why one of these teams will beat the other, so ultimately I went with the home team the DeKalb Barbs in what I expect to be an outstanding game.
#3 Hononegah vs.
#30 Buffalo Grove
-Hononegah are the champs of the closed conference NIC-10 at 9-0. Buffalo Grove qualifies out of the Mid-Suburban East at 5-4. The Hononegah Indians win this game.
#14 Wheaton Warrenville South vs.
#19 Belleville West
-Wheaton Warrenville South has only a loss against defending 7A champion Batavia. Belleville West lost to Edwardsville and East St. Louis to finish 7-2. Both teams have quality losses, but Wheaton Warrenville South seems to be rounding into form as a team worthy of their strong tradition. The Wheaton Warrenville South Tigers advance.
#6 Rolling Meadows vs.
#27 Alton
-Alton is coached by Eric Dickerson...not that Eric Dickerson by the way. Alton plays in the tough Southwestern Conference and finished 5-4. Rolling Meadows finished 9-0 and features one of the most explosive offenses in the state with its lowest offensive output being 34 points in a game. The Rolling Meadows Mustangs will win this game.
#11 Normal Community vs.
#22 St. Charles North
-Again the #11 vs. #22 game possibly presents the most fascinating matchup in this bracket. St. Charles North has 3 quality losses to playoff teams, and Normal Community is one point from being undefeated. A complete coin-flip game being played at Normal Community, yet somehow I just feel that the St. Charles North Stars win this one.
Well that's it for 7A. Hope you enjoyed reading it.
