Class 8a observations
- Thread starter NNFAN
- Start date
Prediction will be same as last year. It's LWE and nobody else is really close. If like last year, LWE beats themselves against an opponent that can capitalize, anything can happen.
To me, I see roughly 2 to 3 possible contenders in the top half of the bracket. The bottom half has like 8 or so.
top half looks very predictable. Minooka will win a few. Warren will win a few and beat Minooka and then have an uphill battle against the survivor from the bottom half, most likely LWE?
top half looks very predictable. Minooka will win a few. Warren will win a few and beat Minooka and then have an uphill battle against the survivor from the bottom half, most likely LWE?
From the second round on so many great games. I'll say
Quarter-Finals
Minooka over South Elgin
Warren over Hinsdale Central
Glenbard West over Marist
Lincoln Way East over Neuqua Valley
Semis
Warren over Minooka
Lincoln Way East over Glenbard West
Championship
Lincoln Way East over Warren
If Bolingbrook can get past Hinsdale Central I can see them making a run. Loyola at Maine South is as good as a first round matchup as I can remember. Marist makes a mini run as my sleeper. HF-Neuqua in second round looks super fun. At the end of the day Griffins roll to a title.
Quarter-Finals
Minooka over South Elgin
Warren over Hinsdale Central
Glenbard West over Marist
Lincoln Way East over Neuqua Valley
Semis
Warren over Minooka
Lincoln Way East over Glenbard West
Championship
Lincoln Way East over Warren
If Bolingbrook can get past Hinsdale Central I can see them making a run. Loyola at Maine South is as good as a first round matchup as I can remember. Marist makes a mini run as my sleeper. HF-Neuqua in second round looks super fun. At the end of the day Griffins roll to a title.
Minooka is probably the least respected #1 seed in 8A history.
Quite possibly. They have a nice team this year. Can make some noise. But I am sure the lack of respect is a byproduct of the league, which is fine at the top, but thin and bad at the bottom. Minooka and Oswego are real players in 8a. Yorkville has the potential to make a nice run in 7a. PFN, OE, and WA have disappointed a bit this year and the other half of the league is the Washington generals.
hard to say we really know much about minooka when they have only been tested a handful of times.
Edwardsville will make a run if they get past St Charles East. I can see a run to the Semis.
7 of Minooka's 9 opponents made the playoffs. 5 of the 6 teams in Minooka's division made the playoffs and against the other division they played all 3 teams that made the playoffs. But I think most just see SPC and assume free W's against Plainfield Central and Romeoville whom Minooka didn't play. IMO teams with solid passing games Plainfield East and West Aurora gave them the most trouble. They've accomplished a lot, its not the most talented Minooka team I've seen, but the draw is favorable and the coaching is as good as you can ask for at the high school level. Worst case lose in 2nd round, best case they lose in 8A title game.
It's the same question for all closed conferences. How good are the teams, since they play no non-conference opponents? And other than Oswego, the Southwest Prairie has not historically had much playoff success. Plainfield North had one good run to the 7A title game. Other than that, not so much. Yorkville has a chance to make some noise in 7A this year. Minooka got a decent draw, but Round 2 will be a game they can easily lose.
Sadly none of those statistics about playoff qualifiers matter in a closed league as those conferences are assured roughly that many playoff berths from pure statistics. We will see. They have a nice team. The SPC could really use some wins from minooka , Oswego, and Yorkville to build their credibility.
This is no cake walk for East. The Griffins will have to be at their best to get through some really great teams to make it to the State Championship.
I know we are not playing well, and I don’t want to jinx anything, but I see a path for the Crusaders. Could very well be a path into 1st round destruction, but I Kind of like the chances.
Rice is battle tested. They should roll in game 1.
In 1 week we will know if the Upstate Eight (10) deserves the recognition they have been pining for.
2 Upstate Eight vs. Southwest Prairie West games ought to be interesting.
Bartlett vs. BR ? Rice has been in the playoffs since week 1.
I would think there’d be a decent turnout considering its a playoff game. Checking NetJets flights into Schaumburg Regional Airport now.
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Lol... I was only asking cause it's a unique setup for visitors with Mobile Bleachers. Could be standing room only depending on the turnout. I figure all the SE folks will be there as well.
We welcome the Storm supporters. The enemies of our enemies are our friends.
The problem with LWE for the past several years is outside of HF and BB, they are not terribly tested during the year until they get to the second or third round in the playoffs. NC was not bad.
Minooka over Rice.
BR is battle tested and will roll into the quarterfinals.
Based on the past few weeks I don’t think you’ll see the crusader faithfull predicting this type of playoff success.
That being said I am excited about the offense with a new qb and hopefully Jefferson and Warren at DT with Jones back playing MLB.
Always fun when the playoffs reinforce the strength of the CCL
LWE has not had the tough schedule ND has had and their starters rarely have played more than a half. ND has beaten some REALLY good teams. Being stressed in the regular season pays off in the playoffs.
Just make sure you play Disney and Culture Club music during the BR warmups.
It puts them to sleep and gives you a definite W!
We will make sure we have fresh hot coco for them so they can stay warm
It just amaze me how little respect Warren gets ... a lot of people have not seen them play and just discount them. There is amother team up north besides Loyola. Stay tuned .... home of six flags !
What are you talking about? Lol every one has them in the state championship game... What else do you want?
He’s played the last 3 weeks. (Some conflict with transfer and grades that has been discussed on this board numerous times)
The MLB has missed the past 4 with injury.
I didn’t realize how good he was until their D has been shredded without him.
That's cool hopefully they are both active for Friday. No one wants to see any kid have to sit out for injury etc.
Ignore him. He posts the same thing on every thread.
Every poster says the same thing. Raves about warrens D and talent.
I have them making it to the final even if they have zero offense.