MC has a warehouse full of talent, setting them up for a 5-peat. Rice is probably the best team that MC will face next year. But who can beat them in 8A? LWE? I doubt it. If the Griffins can't steal another quarterback, they may not even make the postseason. Does Loyola see a resurgence? Inevitably, but next year may be a year too soon. Maine South? Yes, the Hawks will ride their quarterback deep into the playoffs. This gives them at least a chance. What about Oswego? They lost the final 20-3, which seems like a respectable showing, but they made only three first downs that game. If the weather had been more conducive, the score would have been 40-6. That leaves Warren, a perrenial also-ran. Sorry, Micah, but some teams are preordained to lose.
Is MC Primed to Win It All Again?
- Thread starter Silver Rain
- Start date
I could see Rice petitioning to play up in 8A with this years team.
Rice and MC are both stacked. Should be a great game. Both teams will be starting new QBs (does MC start the Senior to be who has waited his turn, the incoming transfer from Plainfield or the rising Elliott?) Rice will start Gallasso but get the incoming Frosh in some reps on some Varsity games (kid is pretty good). Rice has Posey and Diaz at OTs and a nice group of Seniors and Juniors to fill in the Guard and OC positions. McNamara at TE, Strang at WR and Davis (and the rising Soph) at RBs will be tough. MC has best WRs tandem returning and their NG and MLB are top notch.
Loyola will be good too - they have 2 very good QBs (Maloney and Lee) and Junior WR and Senior TE back. Marist is gonna have a tough time in the blue.
Overall MC has the talent to win 8A again but I think they are beatable
Rice and MC are both stacked. Should be a great game. Both teams will be starting new QBs (does MC start the Senior to be who has waited his turn, the incoming transfer from Plainfield or the rising Elliott?) Rice will start Gallasso but get the incoming Frosh in some reps on some Varsity games (kid is pretty good). Rice has Posey and Diaz at OTs and a nice group of Seniors and Juniors to fill in the Guard and OC positions. McNamara at TE, Strang at WR and Davis (and the rising Soph) at RBs will be tough. MC has best WRs tandem returning and their NG and MLB are top notch.
Loyola will be good too - they have 2 very good QBs (Maloney and Lee) and Junior WR and Senior TE back. Marist is gonna have a tough time in the blue.
Overall MC has the talent to win 8A again but I think they are beatable
Other than, I think Loyola, has a CCL team ever petitioned up? BR isn't moving out of 7A.
They return their whole secondary too including the top DB in the State in Harrington.
This is way too early to project being February as I'm sure developments will be made but I'll give a way to early opinion. With Burrell and Thorton and plug in Duran Sims it's almost unfair at the WR position. The QB situation is up in the air but with those 3 plus Jordan Lynch as the QB coach whoever gets the job will be extremely fortunate. RB Nate Samuel really turned it on mid season last year and was an excellent receiver out of the backfield, he had an excellent game vs BR.
In addition to the 4 being back in the secondary and Tucker on the DL and Roman I at MLB they also return Josh Harris, a 300lbs DT and Darin Graham at Edge who has been getting a lot of big D1 offers. He split time last season but many thought he should have never left the field. He gets after the QB.
If MC has a hole to fill it's the OL. They lost 4 starters and that doesn't bode well vs BR strength of their DL. They do have a lot of capable players in the building. A 6'7 290lbs Freshman just got an offer to Kansas State. I'm confident they will be OK they just need to gel. They lost 4 OL starters from the 2022 team and the 2023 line was just as good.
I think BR stays in 7A. They will start the season as the overwhelming favorite to win 7A and why risk it. Winning 7A is perfectly respectable. Winning any class is perfectly respectable people just like to take any shot they can at teams on this board. BR has 700 students, they are getting multipled up already, 7A is fine. After MC made the leap I think they had better games in 7A then they did in 8A TBH.
Could it really get this bad so quickly? At the minimum, maybe fewer running clock wins than usual in regular season conference games to be expected.
I don't think they ever had a bad team, I expect LWE to be just fine
Iād bet there is at least one OL not at MC right now thatās there next year.
.Speaking of catholic schools finding new OL... Providence just picked up a new recruit from Indiana.
I dont acknowledge those other 16 teams per bracket. Gonna redact them like the pdf files
With LWE, you donāt even know if the team is good due to its record always being so padded
they need to be willing to take an in season loss if they ever want to win state again
they need to be willing to take an in season loss if they ever want to win state again
Historically, the best chance of that happening has been in a Week 1 or 2 non-conference game, which could be 2+ months before a first test in the playoffs, especially with the extra week delay due to a potential bye.
With all transfers involving private schools, the IHSA should be able to FOIA tuition and ādealsā made with these athletes. Not saying anything about this particular transfer but I can guarantee it would cut down on a lot of kids transferring. I have been apart of both private and public school programs and itās on the way to how college recruiting is on a smaller scale.
All.... Unless it has changed at least in Illinois the state can't FOIA a private school. Back when Illinois had that tax credit program for private schools which went away a few years ago there had to be some type record available for inspection.
On the federal side there is a program ferpa(?) where a school might receive federal money for something. That could be inspected but I know of no privates going down that route for whatever program the feds are offering that they are getting.
I would assume even though schools on a volunteer basis decide to join the Ihsa those rules would not be any different. Where it could get tricky is requiring non monetary information and what the Ihsa bylaws require a school to follow when joining the Ihsa. Ratsy
I dont know. It seems like none of my/our business who gets aid (whatever its called)
Free tuition, free lunches, free transportation among other things should be accounted for. I agree itās non of anyoneās business but the IHSA should be able to at least see what is provided to each student regardless of public or private school. āAidā to a student athlete at a private school is just a recruiting tool.
I hear you. I just dont know that it matters because even if they know what would they do about it and why? Im not comfortable with the public having access to families finances.
I also am not in favor of ineligability due to transferring. I think Id about always side in favor of letting kids play rather than sitting out. To me forcing kids to not play misses the plot, even in obvious cases of recruiting.
But I definitely understand where youre coming from.
So if I live in Frankfort and I send my kid to Provy then the 12000K i spend in property taxes that go 80% to the school district should also open door for me to get addresses of each kid enrolled to play sports at that school to verify they indeed are residing in that school district no?? The tuition at Rice and Marist alone this year is $15K - so if a parent of a kid on a public school district wants their kid to go to a private and is going to pay something more than their property taxes (that they have to pay regardless to support that public school team) then whatever that private is providing in financial aid (whatever the amount - most get about 25% off due to their parents income levels) then they should be able to do it. You make it sound like kids transferring from public to private is more than kids who leave privates and transfer to publics. It happens just as much.
All.... Hold on Dan you have misconstrued the tenor of my post. I'm a hardcore SHG guy (10G by the way is the freight to attend) and it's none of the publics beeswax since as you pointed out a big chunk of change leaves ones pocket to support public schools for those that send ones kid to private school paying out of pocket as well and how they use it.
My reply to oldsica99 (why he gave me a thumbs up I don't know lol) was strictly how the state and fed interpret this issue as far as I can tell. District 186 in Springfield has serious problems educating kids but continue to move them along and not properly prepare many of them after they graduate for higher education or joining the work force with basic skills that would be needed. (on those that do graduate...) Ratsy
I gave a thumbs up because you replied and I was thanking you for the information.
No one besides Loyola has ever petitioned up to 8a. People only petition to avoid ESL.
I could see Coach Q asking this team if they want to give it a whirl? 7A is always gonna carry the little brother stigma - plus if you want to be the best in the state its going through 8A this year. MC, LWE, MS, LA, etc.
All.... The Mustangs in the 2025/2026 season at 872 (1438.80) when the qualifiers were announced would of landed in class 6A. Not quite half way in among the other 31 teams. Three factors make it difficult to project in the upcoming season where they will play when the postseason arrives. Of course the big one is the new playoff format with all the extra schools getting in causing changes in all the classes. Second REAL enrollment . Is it up or down or fairly stable. Three this will be year two with the new waiver bylaw. Fewer teams getting it .
One last thing and I'm sure a Mustang fan can answer this is the playing up rule. Even though a change in how a school's enrollment is determined from using a two year average to just one - when "playing up " it's a two year cycle. So if year one of that cycle started in 2025 St. Rita will have to play up in 2026. Lots of variables.... Ratsy
One last thing and I'm sure a Mustang fan can answer this is the playing up rule. Even though a change in how a school's enrollment is determined from using a two year average to just one - when "playing up " it's a two year cycle. So if year one of that cycle started in 2025 St. Rita will have to play up in 2026. Lots of variables.... Ratsy
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I believe there current enrollment is around 500, give or more likely take a few. MC is right around 600 and BR around 700 with the same give, or more then likely take a few
All.... 436 but enrollment for being all male doubles and takes it to 872 then the multiplier is added in which got them to that 1438.80 in 2025. Ratsy
Granted DeanofSelection might be needed but what does MC projected D look like next season
DE - ? Owens?
DT - Tucker (JR)
DT - ? O'Connor?
DE - ? Graham?
OLB - ?
MLB - Roman Ig (SR)
OLB - ?
CB - Harrington (SR)
SS - Rogers (SR)
FS - Winters (SR)
CB ; Saldana (JR)
āThe super 32ā playoff format will eventually force all of the CCL into the higher class and based on the qualifications of the first round teamsā¦ none of them will ever be able to go back down to their proper class
Owens
Harris- started a bunch in 2025 until he got hurt. 300lbs
Tucker
Graham
Calberas will be on the field if healthy
Roman I.
You got the secondary right.
Not sure of the 11th player
MC runs a lot of 4, 2, 4 and then a rover OLB player. Conjar was that position last year. Guessing Sergio Calberas will take over for Winkler, started for him when he was hurt a game last year. Not sure who O'Connor is.....?
I think Graham and Owens will be more productive then Jones and Quinn
This is a pretty good breakdown for a Rice guy. But why topiary?
This is a classic secondary, very nearly impenetrable. Who does Rice have coming up at QB? I'm looking forward to another epic clash.
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I cheated and used the ISHA site for rosters from last Championship game
MC is so loaded on both sides of the ball - obviously QB is the big question but with the WRs and RB coming back should be just fine
Rice's OL should be solid
TE - McNamara (Jr) - high 4 star kid
OT - Posey (Sr) - returning starter - some nice P4 offers
OG - Diaz (Jr) - returning starter from DePaul (transfer in with brother)
C - Houff (Jr) -might be put at DE or DT - but just slating him here (decent size 6'3)
G - Frazier (Sr) - part time starter last year - big 6-2 280
OT - Diaz (Sr) - older of tht transfers - started at DePaul big kid 6'5 270 (decent FBS offers)
QB - Gallasso (Sr) - has played up since Soph yr - has gotten some decent playing time over years - he's solid -
Backup will be most likely the incoming Frosh (kid with Michigan and Oregon offers) - https://x.com/sb1qb
RB - Davis (Sr) - decent FBS offers - upcoming Junior will be a good backup
WR - Strang (Sr) - very solid - FCS level kid
WR2 - TBD (had a couple of Srs to be who got some catches
WR3 - Halpenstein (Jr) or the Sr to be (Cartalano - baseball player who got hurt before eason and sat out - very fast)
McGee will also get thrown in as WR - too talented to keep at DE-OLB