Dark Horse Teams for 2019
- Thread starter Magnum Opus
- Start date
Oak Lawn could be in this conversation although a "complete 180" from their 2-7 last season could be a stretch. How about a "130," instead, to 5 wins? Anyway ... maybe Coach Blackmon from St. Laurence can have a quick impact on their schedule. Mike O'Neil 2.0 down the road? OL has Wilmo in one of their 2 non-cons and Tinley Park (a couple of impact transfers, I heard) in their SSC cross-over.
In OL's division, outside of Richards, some wins should be on the table for the taking. Shepard should be down, Eisenhower has a first-year coach, Evergreen may be a year away, and Argo historically struggles. Reavis will likely feast on 2 soft non-cons then qualify with 5 wins before a Round 1 exit.
In OL's division, outside of Richards, some wins should be on the table for the taking. Shepard should be down, Eisenhower has a first-year coach, Evergreen may be a year away, and Argo historically struggles. Reavis will likely feast on 2 soft non-cons then qualify with 5 wins before a Round 1 exit.
USD,
I’m still trying to get up off the floor from his comment, they were 4-5 last year and will likely struggle to get back to that as I can only see two absolute wins. Perhaps he meant they are going 0-9?
I’m still trying to get up off the floor from his comment, they were 4-5 last year and will likely struggle to get back to that as I can only see two absolute wins. Perhaps he meant they are going 0-9?
Palatine bounces back to a 6-3 / 7-2 kind of team this year, and has the talent in the junior squad to have another year like 2016 in the fall of 2020.
What was the sophomore record for palatine last year? Sounds like they were good.
The JV squad was 5-3-1(3-1-1 in conference), but that doesn't tell the whole story. There were six sophomores starting on last year's varsity - tailback, offensive tackle, middle linebacker, nose tackle, strong safety, and cornerback I believe. As important, their QB Ayala was up with the varsity but backing up during the non-conference part of the schedule.
Ayala IMO has the potential to be as good as Oles(time will tell, but he's really good), and once he came down to the JV squad for the conference schedule they put up 40+ consistently, including a very enjoyable 49-19 drubbing of Fremd's JV squad in his first game. Amazing team speed too..three or four real burners.
Lyons could be the biggest 180 team. Lots of kids out, a whole bunch of Jr's last year and a good new HC.
Two easy ones...Downers North and Downers South could be 270 teams...lol. Both were Jr.-rich teams with very good coaching. Cassens is one of the best all around players in the State for DGN.
LAST...Naper North. Good Athletes, young size, great HC. NN suddenly has a pipeline and has size, but young size. 5-4...not quite 180, but close.
Two easy ones...Downers North and Downers South could be 270 teams...lol. Both were Jr.-rich teams with very good coaching. Cassens is one of the best all around players in the State for DGN.
LAST...Naper North. Good Athletes, young size, great HC. NN suddenly has a pipeline and has size, but young size. 5-4...not quite 180, but close.
Although not a true "darkhorse", I think you have to look at Rita based on going 3-6 last year in regular season. Also, they are 5A as far as I know.
Agree, but only when they're wearing red jerseys. Otherwise they're technically a white Horse.
Jokes aside, 5A will be very interesting this year with Rita (and potentially ESL?) in the fold.
Long term, I wonder if we'll start to see a somewhat normalizing of the distribution of private schools across classes. Would not be surprised to see 3A, 5A, and perhaps 7A hold the majority of private schools long term.
If Rita is 5A is MC going to 6A? Very similar enrollments. If based off of 2018/19 enrollment then MC recent graduating class was tiny..they graduated 120
I gave up trying to figure out how the IHSA does enrollments a while ago. I think Simeon is supposed to be 6A.
How about Curie ? I know they have some big names ( Wesley & Randle ) but do they have any kind of depth or decent QB play ? Naz plays them week 2 , want to see what to look for.
Not a 180 because they were good last year but watch out for Naperville Central. Always a good program and added on one of states best WR.
I believe by the new 2-year look back the IHSA has instituted Rita will not be multiplied this year. That's why they would be 5A.
https://www.ihsa.org/Schools/Enroll...l=/data/school/2019-21 cycle/waivers-fall.htm
Prospect won 5 games last year and made the playoffs. That being said, I think they will be better than that this season.
I think I stated when debouf got hired he would have Prospect in a quarterfinal within 2 years. Not sure if that will happen but I know 5-4 was just the start. I think they are a favorite in the east.
Best recruiters around! But not for this thread. Be careful, Randy Redskin might come back.
5-4 is a 180...it just depends on how the WSS abuses Yorks Head Coach. He couldn't recover after the Glenbard West Humiliation last season after a great start to the season.
With that, I agree. York wont get past DGN, Willowbrook, Glenbard West or OPRF. Schaumburg, DGS and Lyons were basically Junior Teams Last Year, so the test is there. York has one of the Best O-Lines around. With that, if the coaching decides to throw more than 12 times a game, the 10 vacancies on defense from last year will be exposed. They have to control the ball and must have 2-3 6-minute scoring drives a game to pull this off. Gotta keep the D on the sideline until they mature. They have to use their best asset....the O-Line.