ICE Week 6 Wrapup

[PanthersWildcats86]

Not a close game among them on the scoreboard...

Wilmington 49, Herscher 7

Coal City 41, Manteno 7

Lisle 49, Reed Custer 6

Peotone 33, Streator 14

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

Wilmington absolutely dominated Herscher.

Herscher took the opening kickoff, 2 runs netted -1 yard, rollout pass for a first down, and then a crossing pattern short was caught, tackle broken, down sideline for 50+ yard TD.

Wildcats 3 & punt.

After that, all Wildcats. 49 unanswered points. Worked on some shotgun passing plays. Tackling was suspect, a few unnecessary penalties, but basically did whatever they wanted.

Welcome to the playoffs Cats...

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

Hey, somebody finally scored on Coal City...

 

[Wilmatucky]

The playoff outlook will start to get a little more defined ....it’s finally here boys!

 

[Coalertown44]

Hey, somebody finally scored on Coal City...

I think Manteno could of given us a better game but they kind of got away from what was working

 

[4Anorth(not4aFan)]

Not a close game among them on the scoreboard...

Wilmington 49, Herscher 7

Coal City 41, Manteno 7

Lisle 49, Reed Custer 6

Peotone 33, Streator 14

Yet the Interstate lopsided 8 gets ripped on......Just looking Sycamore,Kaneland and LP have 5 wins Morris with 4...LP has the gauntlet to run the last 3 Morris,Sycamore and Kaneland..Should have 3 in post season maybe 4? ICE with 4 in??? Lisle should make it,correct?

 

[Wilmatucky]

Yet the Interstate lopsided 8 gets ripped on......Just looking Sycamore,Kaneland and LP have 5 wins Morris with 4...LP has the gauntlet to run the last 3 Morris,Sycamore and Kaneland..Should have 3 in post season maybe 4? ICE with 4 in??? Lisle should make it,correct?

Maybe the I-8 is more lopsided with how bad sandwich and Plano are fairing but you’re right ICE is starting to look pretty lopsided too. There’s a very hard delegation of squads.

 

[Doctor_D]

Lisle should be in. Possible for Manteno to get in.

 

[Coalertown44]

I have to be honest this conference (ICE) is just really down this year. Especially after having so many good strong years in the I8. I miss the old conference

 

[4Anorth(not4aFan)]

Lisle should be in. Possible for Manteno to get in.

LP should get in with 5 wins...should be enough points having Kaneland,Sycamore and Morris on their schedule....was surprised they were tied with Ottawa at 14 yesterday at one point.

 

[Coalertown44]

Morris going to win out? Or will Kaneland and LP give them a game? Surprised to hear how good Sycamore defense did against them. Morris has a really good offense

 

[Wilmatucky]

I have to be honest this conference (ICE) is just really down this year. Especially after having so many good strong years in the I8. I miss the old conference

I agree 100%.

 

[4Anorth(not4aFan)]

Morris going to win out? Or will Kaneland and LP give them a game? Surprised to hear how good Sycamore defense did against them. Morris has a really good offense

Kaneland game has makings of a good game.LP? Can't overlook them,but have to think Morris will be favored.

 

[Doctor_D]

I have to be honest this conference (ICE) is just really down this year. Especially after having so many good strong years in the I8. I miss the old conference

Seems top heavy for sure. Playoffs will be telling.

 

[Coalertown44]

I agree 100%.

Lisle will be a good test for CC it’s a long drive for all the other ICE teams. Good home field advantage for them. I felt Manteno could of played us better but they bailed on their game plan too early. Our defense stepped it up after their good drive too. Manteno has a good size o line

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

Is the ICE down? I'm not so sure...What if we were still in last year's I8?

What if Manteno played its normal - since the Panthers prior to this year never played a regular season game against a non-con school - schedule of all conference foes. Trade Sandwich and Plano for Morris and Canton...No guarantees, but they are likely 4-2...Next week Homecoming with Peotone would always be huge, but not the most important game of the season. Six wins would have been likely, seven possible...

Would Sandwich and Plano have stiffened CC or Wilmo's schedule...No, they would still be blowing everybody out. And it would have weakened CC's schedule considerably...

If the conference was unchanged, CC and Wilmington would still be dominant. Herscher & RC would still be pretty bad. Streator would likely be at the similar level as Sandwich and Plano. And the Manteno - Lisle - Peotone clump would likely be the same.

Would Seneca, Westmont or Dwight have helped...No. Correction, they might help Herscher & RC...

Next week likely won't be so ugly, with Streator v Herscher and Manteno v Peotone...Wilmo v RC will be ugly...CC @ Lisle will not likely be close, but not hideous...

 

[Wilmatucky]

Is the ICE down? I'm not so sure...What if we were still in last year's I8?

What if Manteno played its normal - since the Panthers prior to this year never played a regular season game against a non-con school - schedule of all conference foes. Trade Sandwich and Plano for Morris and Canton...No guarantees, but they are likely 4-2...Next week Homecoming with Peotone would always be huge, but not the most important game of the season. Six wins would have been likely, seven possible...

Would Sandwich and Plano have stiffened CC or Wilmo's schedule...No, they would still be blowing everybody out. And it would have weakened CC's schedule considerably...

If the conference was unchanged, CC and Wilmington would still be dominant. Herscher & RC would still be pretty bad. Streator would likely be at the similar level as Sandwich and Plano. And the Manteno - Lisle - Peotone clump would likely be the same.

Would Seneca, Westmont or Dwight have helped...No. Correction, they might help Herscher & RC...

Next week likely won't be so ugly, with Streator v Herscher and Manteno v Peotone...Wilmo v RC will be ugly...CC @ Lisle will not likely be close, but not hideous...

I agree that it’s down a little bit. Not because sandwich and Plano are out though. I absolutely love the idea of finding con conference games as long as they are quality.

I just think Herscher isn’t where they have been in the past. Manteno is a little down. Makes for the overall feel that the conference is weaker. I guess as previously posted we will see come playoff time though.

 

[Doctor_D]

Manteno is up from 1-8 last year. They had some fairly ambitious non-con games. Could easily be 4-2 right now instead of 2-4 and fighting for their playoff lives.
Lisle probably slightly down.
Wilmington is better than last year.
Coal City seems quite a bit better.
Peotone seems about the same.
Herscher definitely down.
Streator and Reed-Custer both seem about the same.

Is it really that down?

 

[Coalertown44]

Manteno is up from 1-8 last year. They had some fairly ambitious non-con games. Could easily be 4-2 right now instead of 2-4 and fighting for their playoff lives.
Lisle probably slightly down.
Wilmington is better than last year.
Coal City seems quite a bit better.
Peotone seems about the same.
Herscher definitely down.
Streator and Reed-Custer both seem about the same.

Is it really that down?

Look back at the conference at the 2015-16 season. That was the best I’ve seen the conference. This year I just don’t see it. Steator Bad. RC Bad. Herscher Down. Lisle Down. Manteno better than last year but not what we normally see from them. Wilmington is good but no where comparable to the past. Peotone is good, I think they will continue that trend and Coal City is better this year and last year than they have been in the past few years

 

[Wilmatucky]

Manteno is up from 1-8 last year. They had some fairly ambitious non-con games. Could easily be 4-2 right now instead of 2-4 and fighting for their playoff lives.
Lisle probably slightly down.
Wilmington is better than last year.
Coal City seems quite a bit better.
Peotone seems about the same.
Herscher definitely down.
Streator and Reed-Custer both seem about the same.

Is it really that down?

The only way to gauge is post season play. See where we really stand.

I also think it’d be a good gauge if for non-cons we set up a conference challenge contract. ICE vs. big northern would be a great test. This would give us a chance to see how our bottom teams fair against bottoms of other conferences. They don’t get a chance to show it in playoffs so this is an opportunity.

 

[Coalertown44]

The only way to gauge is post season play. See where we really stand.

I also think it’d be a good gauge if for non-cons we set up a conference challenge contract. ICE vs. big northern would be a great test. This would give us a chance to see how our bottom teams fair against bottoms of other conferences. They don’t get a chance to show it in playoffs so this is an opportunity.

I agree, I would love to see two conferences make an agreement and schedule a conference vs conference week in weeks 1 or 2

 

[Wilmatucky]

I think my logic in ICE being down is if Herscher, RC, and Streator are all that bad then it’s really hard to tell how good the middle teams in the conference really are.

If those previous three teams are that bad then you’re basically saying Manteno and Lisle are guaranteed three wins. Let’s assume they are losing to the top two Wilmo and CC, how are we judging them? Post season play is the only way to do so. If they make it. Even then they may be in a bad spot with a poor draw due to lackluster play during the season.

Peotone is lower upper tier that’s why I didn’t include them.

 

[DHS2018]

I think the conference is following the trend in small class football and getting weaker as fewer kids play.. My only reference is that as bad as Herscher has looked in conference, they were fairly competitive with the #2 ranked 2A team in week 1..

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

I think my logic in ICE being down is if Herscher, RC, and Streator are all that bad then it’s really hard to tell how good the middle teams in the conference really are.

If those previous three teams are that bad then you’re basically saying Manteno and Lisle are guaranteed three wins. Let’s assume they are losing to the top two Wilmo and CC, how are we judging them? Post season play is the only way to do so. If they make it. Even then they may be in a bad spot with a poor draw due to lackluster play during the season.

Peotone is lower upper tier that’s why I didn’t include them.

We don't have to go too far into the past when it was a 12 team conference, 2 divisions of 6, 4 crossover games. Wilmington had a 10 year + winning streak in the small division, and many years they were the only playoff team from the small. We figured out how good they were from the crossovers.

Is this year like 2014? Wilmo won 3A, CC avenged their conference loss to Manteno in the quarters? No, I'm not sure Peotone is that good. But the Cats and Coalers might well be semi-final teams. And Wilmo has an interesting similiarity to that year...13 & 18 lost heartbreaking 1st round games to running teams that hit long td passes in the late 4th Q...

but tthis year...CC is top 4 in 4a, after being top 5 last year. Lisle has settled back to its usual playoff contention, after snapping its 20+ year losing streak to Wilmo last year. Peotone is playoff ready. Wilmo rebounded to normal. Manteno bit off too difficult a non-con schedule, but they remain unable to stop power run teams. Herscher dropping off the map is what is making the conference look down. RC & Streator are pretty much as expected...

 

[Doctor_D]

Look back at the conference at the 2015-16 season. That was the best I’ve seen the conference. This year I just don’t see it. Steator Bad. RC Bad. Herscher Down. Lisle Down. Manteno better than last year but not what we normally see from them. Wilmington is good but no where comparable to the past. Peotone is good, I think they will continue that trend and Coal City is better this year and last year than they have been in the past few years

I’m looking back at 2015-16 on ihsa. Conference for sure had better depth, but it didn’t translate into a very good overall playoff showing. Nobody made it out of round 2.

 

[Wilmatucky]

I’m looking back at 2015-16 on ihsa. Conference for sure had better depth, but it didn’t translate into a very good overall playoff showing. Nobody made it out of round 2.

Could have been bad draws?

 

[Wilmatucky]

I think the conference is following the trend in small class football and getting weaker as fewer kids play.. My only reference is that as bad as Herscher has looked in conference, they were fairly competitive with the #2 ranked 2A team in week 1..

I want to see a Wilmo vs Maroa matchup. Just as a measuring stick.

 

[DHS2018]

Isn't Herscher the only real deviation from what we have seen the last 5 years?

 

[Wilmatucky]

Isn't Herscher the only real deviation from what we have seen the last 5 years?

I always thought manteno was tough. Maybe it was longer than 5 years ago. They all run together.

Sandwich and Plano weren’t awful. I guess I’m order to beef the schedule up jowcthe schools have to take it upon themselves to get quality non conference games.

 

[Doctor_D]

Could have been bad draws?

Guess you could say that. Most of the scores were not that pretty.
I’d personally trade slightly top heavy with a couple teams making deep runs over big time depth. Obviously both would be preferable.
2014 was good. State champs, semifinalist and quarterfinalist.

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

I always thought manteno was tough. Maybe it was longer than 5 years ago. They all run together.

Manteno had an 8 year playoff run snapped last year after the QB broke his ankle week 2 at Lisle.

The Panthers were the #1 seed in the south bracket in 2011 as an 8-1, while large division representative Coalers were #2 in the north at 8-1. Manteno lost to Wes Lunt & the Rockets 2nd round at Rochester, the champs. Wilmo was 6-3 small champ...Westmont was 2nd in the small (4-1), but the crossover losses were by 49, 35, 37 & 29, & 30 to the Wildcats...4 small division teams were 0-4 in crossovers...Cats beat 4-5 Peotone, Lisle beat 3-6 Herscher in the only crossover wins.

'14 & '15 the Cats and Panthers met week 9 as 8-0 division champs...'16 7-4, '17 6-4...