New I8 Conference

[gags33]

This could be the first and last year for the new I8 conference for football if they decide to change to districts next year. So who wins it?? Edgy picks Sycamore. Conference play starts this week with the two favorites to win the conference, IMO, squaring off this Friday.. Here are this weeks conference games with predictions. Any insight on these teams? Add what you know.

Sycamore 1-1 @ Kaneland 2-0.. I think kaneland wins . K offense is looking good with multiple weapons. Everybody's producing. Sycamores has only put up 24 pts in 2 games and 6 of those were on a KR. KANELAND

Sandwich 2-0 at Lasalle Peru 1-1. Dont know much about either team. SANDWICH

Rochelle 1-1 at Morris 1-1. This game will be over quick...time wise. They both love to run. Morris will pass a little more than Rochelle but id say between the 2 of them no more than 12 passes. MORRIS

Plano 1-1 @ Ottawa 1-1 . I dont know anything about Plano. Both schools not known for their football. I dont see Plano winning again this year. Ottawa i hear has a decent QB but not much else. OTTAWA.

 

[olderbytheminute]

IHSA has indicated districts will start in 2021 so one more year for your league.

 

[Golden Warrior_rivals219377]

i hope plano, sandwich, and morris all lose by 50. they are the schools who are mainly responsible for the break up of the NIB12.

 

[gags33]

I just never quite understood it. That conference was strong and every year their wetr great rivalries in all the sports between kaneland, dekalb, sterling ,sycamore, and yorkville. And you can throw rochelle in the mix for football. I hate this new conference. I'm not knocking the smaller School in the conference but I just don't see them competing with us or Sycamore. Yorkville and DeKalb went to good conferences. They fit right in as far as numbers and quality of athletes. Kaneland, Sycamore and Sterling and Rochelle got screwed. and I'm not being cocky, and I hate looking ahead, but if kaneland beats Sycamore this Friday, they have a chance of running the table and going undefeated. But the knock will be they didn't face any competition. If you made it out of the NIV 12 and got into the football playoffs, you most certainly earned it. but it is what it is and it's over with and you can only play who you are scheduled to play.

 

[Doctor_D]

i hope plano, sandwich, and morris all lose by 50. they are the schools who are mainly responsible for the break up of the NIB12.

Goes much deeper than that.

 

[DHS2018]

I like to blame Reed-Custer and Seneca for this mess...

 

[Doctor_D]

I feel pretty confident that Plano and Sandwich did not want this.

 

[Coalertown44]

If the schools would of let Morris join none of this would of happened. And the I8 would still be the I8

 

[Golden Warrior_rivals219377]

Goes much deeper than that.

i have no doubt that it does. but as far as i'm concerned, those three schools are the ones who got the ball rolling.

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

I like to blame Reed-Custer and Seneca for this mess...

i hope plano, sandwich, and morris all lose by 50. they are the schools who are mainly responsible for the break up of the NIB12.

If the schools would of let Morris join none of this would of happened. And the I8 would still be the I8

I really think the NIB12 started dying when Streator bailed. Given the problems the Bulldogs had in the I-8, I just can't fathom what they would have gone through remaining in the NIB12.

Yorkville, an original member of the I-8, grew into the NIB12 and continued to grow out of the NIB12. They clearly didn't have much time left in the NIB12 no matter what.

The I-8 was extremely stable, and then Manteno started football. Manteno & Peotone join to go to 10 for football. Herscher sees the writing on the wall that Manteno & Peotone are growing in enrollment and likely to jump for all sports from the RVC to the I-8, and they want to go too...Football in the Corn Belt for the Tigers was a whole lotta travel. But a 12th? Morris, Prairie Central, Streator, Pontiac? I'm pretty sure Mac was not part of the discussion. So Westmont enters as well.

Westmont & Lisle were both well over 600 kids in 2006. Manteno, Peotone, Plano, Coal City, & RC could see 600 kids in their future. Sandwich got up over 800 kids...Dwight/GSW co-op got up to almost 600 kids. Wilmington got to be the smallest school in the conference for football...Seneca got up to 525.

Dwight becomes a economy casualty...when the women's prison closed, they were obviously going to start plummeting in enrollment. They left for the SVC...they are now down to 253 students. GSW has also dropped to about 140 students, down from 240ish...The co-op for football has ended.

Replacement? Streator, who is way bigger than most of the conference but very unsuccessful in the NIB12.

Couple of years pass...Seneca looks at their enrollment figures, sees that the elementary grades are much smaller and see the high school well under 400 kids by 2023...SVC for football, rest of sports to the smaller conference south of them...

This is the end of the line for the I-8 and the NIB12. Morris applies for membership to the I-8. The I-8 suddenly has a group of schools who have shrinking enrollments....today Lisle, Wilmo, RC & Peotone are under 500 kids, and Herscher got down to 530. Plano has grown to 700 and appears relatively stable. Sandwich has shrunk to 700, but appears to be stabilizing. Manteno & Coal City stabilized in the mid-600's. Westmont got under 450 kids, and their football program was just irritating everyone else...

Morris is rejected. There is no other logical new I-8 member, as the Illini Prairie is forming at the same time and taking Prairie Central & Pontiac. The NIB12 is in shambles, down to 5 team divisions with Yorkville looking to get out to a bigger conference.

The six touching schools in the I-8 are getting tired of the travel to Plano & Sandwich - its an hour and a half from Manteno to them. So they decide to withdraw from the I-8...Lisle jumps on board for a conference of 7. Westmont gets pissed off and just leaves immediately for football independence for a year, now in the "nomad" conference...Streator becomes the logical 8th...

Sandwich & Plano are left with an I-8 with only two members, but they are surrounded by NIB12 schools as the NIB12 finally collapses. So they collect the NIB12 pieces and recreate the I-8.

I don't think any single school is responsible for all of these changes. The only sport Dwight even would have had a chance of being competitive in was boys basketball. Seneca was becoming less competitive in all sports - except track. I don't blame Streator for leaving the NIB12 when they were getting their heads beat in regularly. If Morris had been voted into the I-8, that was the end of the NIB12 anyway...they likely could have gone with just one division I suppose. This is just evolution...

 

[Doctor_D]

i have no doubt that it does. but as far as i'm concerned, those three schools are the ones who got the ball rolling.

Plano and Sandwich were basically hung out to dry by the current members of the ICE conference. And all that other stuff that PanthersWildcat said....

 

[DHS2018]

I really think the NIB12 started dying when Streator bailed. Given the problems the Bulldogs had in the I-8, I just can't fathom what they would have gone through remaining in the NIB12.

Yorkville, an original member of the I-8, grew into the NIB12 and continued to grow out of the NIB12. They clearly didn't have much time left in the NIB12 no matter what.

The I-8 was extremely stable, and then Manteno started football. Manteno & Peotone join to go to 10 for football. Herscher sees the writing on the wall that Manteno & Peotone are growing in enrollment and likely to jump for all sports from the RVC to the I-8, and they want to go too...Football in the Corn Belt for the Tigers was a whole lotta travel. But a 12th? Morris, Prairie Central, Streator, Pontiac? I'm pretty sure Mac was not part of the discussion. So Westmont enters as well.

Westmont & Lisle were both well over 600 kids in 2006. Manteno, Peotone, Plano, Coal City, & RC could see 600 kids in their future. Sandwich got up over 800 kids...Dwight/GSW co-op got up to almost 600 kids. Wilmington got to be the smallest school in the conference for football...Seneca got up to 525.

Dwight becomes a economy casualty...when the women's prison closed, they were obviously going to start plummeting in enrollment. They left for the SVC...they are now down to 253 students. GSW has also dropped to about 140 students, down from 240ish...The co-op for football has ended.

Replacement? Streator, who is way bigger than most of the conference but very unsuccessful in the NIB12.

Couple of years pass...Seneca looks at their enrollment figures, sees that the elementary grades are much small and see the high school well under 400 kids by 2023...SVC for football, rest of sports to the smaller conference south of them...

This is the end of the line for the I-8 and the NIB12. Morris applies for membership to the I-8. The I-8 suddenly has a group of schools who have shrinking enrollments....today Lisle, Wilmo, RC & Peotone are under 500 kids, and Herscher got down to 530. Plano has grown to 700 and appears relatively stable. Sandwich has shrunk to 700, but appears to be stabilizing. Manteno & Coal City stabilized in the mid-600's. Westmont got under 450 kids, and their football program was just irritating everyone else...

Morris is rejected. There is no other logical new I-8 member, as the Illini Prairie is forming at the same time and taking Prairie Central & Pontiac. The NIB12 is in shambles, down to 5 team divisions with Yorkville looking to get out to a bigger conference.

I think the dwindling enrollment numbers at many of the Kankakee area teams played a huge part in this and nobody mentions that.. Herscher and Peotone have both went from around 700 to about 500, Reed Custer, Wilmo and Lisle have also lost kids..

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

Plano 1-1 @ Ottawa 1-1 . I dont know anything about Plano. Both schools not known for their football. I dont see Plano winning again this year. Ottawa i hear has a decent QB but not much else. OTTAWA.

Plano has been known for football, but that success has been dwindling. Remember they had a 3 year run of 3A semis '05, 3A title '06, 3A title '07, with 9 playoff appearances since then including last year. But admittedly last year at this point I thought the Reapers might finish 2-7...

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

I think the dwindling enrollment numbers at many of the Kankakee area teams played a huge part in this and nobody mentions that.. Herscher and Peotone have both went from around 700 to about 500, Reed Custer, Wilmo and Lisle have also lost kids..

Reed Custer was up to 680ish kids for a couple years, back under 500. Peotone the same. Wilmo is about 50 down from their high in the 510-20 range.

I think it would have been a real interesting question if Morris was interested in 2006 as an alternative to Westmont...

 

[gags33]

Thanks everybody for all that good info. I did not realize those school were that small..bottom line is Kaneland and Sycamore and Rochelle are to big for this conference and i cant imagine that this last as is. Cant help but wonder where this all will lead to in a year or 2. I got a senior, soph and freshman enrolled in Kaneland. We will get bigger as there are new subdivision being built as we speak. Theyve steadily grown since ive moved here 11 years ago.

 

[Jrc1282]

Your right Kaneland, sycamore and Rochelle are to big for the conference as a whole and I would be willing To bet the smaller schools in the conference will be sending in JV players after the first drive To make sure there starters don’t get hurt for games that are winnable. I know my son is excited to play Kaneland because we played youth tackle there for a few years but who knows how the staff will handle it

 

[gags33]

I doubt theyd do that. If anything we will have our jvs out there after half if need be...but then what happens come jv game time??

 

[Jrc1282]

They play on Monday just the same. Here is a scenario for you let’s say somehow sandwich can go squeeze out a win Friday night against La Salle peru and start the season off 3-0 they need 2 more wins to make it to the playoffs for the first time in about a decade. They look at there schedule and see three consecutive weeks of the top ranked 6A schools around the area. They have 20 juniors and seniors on there roster which I’m pretty sure there’s about 7 that start both ways. And two games against Ottawa and Plano after those three that they match up really well against. What do you do as a coach..... make sure your core players are healthy for Ottawa and Plano so you have a chance or mash the pedal to the floor against those big schools and bring a beat up possibly broken team against Ottawa and Plano and hope for a miracle. Now with that said if they drop this weeks game against LP and go 2-1 to start then they roll the dice and see how it all shakes out. Of course this is just my opinion on this particular team. I think Plano is already in roll the dice mode due to the loss to marengo and Morris won’t back down EVER because there as hard nosed as it gets traditionally.

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

They play on Monday just the same. Here is a scenario for you let’s say somehow sandwich can go squeeze out a win Friday night against La Salle peru and start the season off 3-0 they need 2 more wins to make it to the playoffs for the first time in about a decade. They look at there schedule and see three consecutive weeks of the top ranked 6A schools around the area. They have 20 juniors and seniors on there roster which I’m pretty sure there’s about 7 that start both ways. And two games against Ottawa and Plano after those three that they match up really well against. What do you do as a coach..... make sure your core players are healthy for Ottawa and Plano so you have a chance or mash the pedal to the floor against those big schools and bring a beat up possibly broken team against Ottawa and Plano and hope for a miracle. Now with that said if they drop this weeks game against LP and go 2-1 to start then they roll the dice and see how it all shakes out. Of course this is just my opinion on this particular team. I think Plano is already in roll the dice mode due to the loss to marengo and Morris won’t back down EVER because there as hard nosed as it gets traditionally.

Sandwich admittedly hasn't been good for a few years. But its not been a decade...their last playoff trip was 2013, @ 5 - 5. 2010, they started 8-0, lost week 9 to Wilmington in the battle of unbeaten division champions. The Indians lost in the semis to Rock Island Alleman...2011 they went to the quarters.

2013, they switched offenses from the double wing to a read option type offense. Barely made playoffs. New coach in '14 & 18, haven't sniffed playoffs. Started 3-0 last year & lost 5 straight.

But you have a legitimate point as to whether 3 straight weeks of 6A schools might break them.

This week I look at the opponents so far and figure Sandwich, who beat Chicago Hope 15-14 and Harvard 22-8, has dined on a cupcake and a cream puff so far. LaSalle Peru has lost to Morton and beat Bartonville Limestone. I just don't see LP losing to the Indians...

 

[Still Missing34]

Plano has been known for football, but that success has been dwindling. Remember they had a 3 year run of 3A semis '05, 3A title '06, 3A title '07, with 9 playoff appearances since then including last year. But admittedly last year at this point I thought the Reapers might finish 2-7...

Glad you said that.

 

[Excalibur1188]

Plano has been known for football, but that success has been dwindling. Remember they had a 3 year run of 3A semis '05, 3A title '06, 3A title '07, with 9 playoff appearances since then including last year. But admittedly last year at this point I thought the Reapers might finish 2-7...

You say that, but Plano was about 5 dropped snaps from winning conference last year. They should have beaten Coal City at their place but fumbled 5 snaps. They should have beaten Willy as well, but a pick 6 got called back on a terrible PI call, and a punt that hit a Wilmington player and was recovered by Plano inside their 20 was given to Willy.

Nobody is mentioning Geneseo here... The conference would have been Plano, Sandwich, Ottawa, LP, Morris, Rochelle... However, while Geneseo was a part of the process, they demanded Sterling as an 8th team. When the conference proposed Sycamore, Geneseo bailed, and the conference took Kaneland. Should have never gone past being a 6 team conference.

 

[Golden Warrior_rivals219377]

sandwich lost 52-7 to lasalle-peru. that does not bode well for them the rest of the season.

 

[Jrc1282]

Honestly it’s just an awful situation for the kids. Everybody can point fingers at whatever school they want on how we ended up here but the fact is sandwich and Plano Truly got the short end of the stick, And I feel terrible for the kids that have played their entire careers in hopes one day making it to the varsity level and then these are the cards they are left to play.

 

[Jrc1282]

So week 4 predictions

Kaneland @ sandwich
Kaneland bounces back after a tough loss and I’ll say takes care of business
Kaneland wins 56-7

Lp @ Rochelle
After the last two weeks The Cavaliers have hit their stride but this one will be a close one
Lp edges out Rochelle 14-10

Morris @ Plano
Both teams coming off a win last week honestly I just can’t see the reapers beating the Redskins they have too much fire power

Morris wins 42-14

Ottawa at. Sycamore
Ottawa has a great quarterback and a few weapons but unfortunately it will be no match against the Spartans this one could get out of hand quick

Sycamore wins 48-7

 

[Wilmatucky]

Honestly it’s just an awful situation for the kids. Everybody can point fingers at whatever school they want on how we ended up here but the fact is sandwich and Plano Truly got the short end of the stick, And I feel terrible for the kids that have played their entire careers in hopes one day making it to the varsity level and then these are the cards they are left to play.

Not being a jag but why is this horrible for the kids? I’m not super familiar with their new conference.

 

[Jrc1282]

Because of mismatched schools, We were barely competitive in the old interstate eight.
Also I was told last night that sandwich has canceled there remaining JV schedule for the rest of the season. I haven’t officially confirmed yet but I feel confident saying it because one of their players told me

 

[Wilmatucky]

Because of mismatched schools, We were barely competitive in the old interstate eight.
Also I was told last night that sandwich has canceled there remaining JV schedule for the rest of the season. I haven’t officially confirmed yet but I feel confident saying it because one of their players told me

Because the JV is taking a beating so badly? I feel bad if they cancel their season, those kids will get no experience before Varsity so it will really kill their programs. I don't feel bad for them joining a conference with more competitive schools though.

 

[Doctor_D]

Because the JV is taking a beating so badly? I feel bad if they cancel their season, those kids will get no experience before Varsity so it will really kill their programs. I don't feel bad for them joining a conference with more competitive schools though.

Look at the enrollments. It’s a pretty tall order for Plano and Sandwich to deal with a conference where Morris is middle of the pack. Then throw in teams like Kaneland and Sycamore. Any of the old I8 teams would struggle.

Edit: Morris is mid pack competitively. Small end with regards to enrollment

 

[Jrc1282]

No because we need all available players on Friday night. And there is not enough kids left over to have a game on Monday is pretty much what I’m gathering. And you know as well as I do we didn’t join this conference it was our only option after all you guys split. I’ve seen enough of your posts on here and last season in the Taptalk forum to know your well educated On the subject.

 

[Coalertown44]

Was Sandwich a yes or no vote on bringing in Morris a couple years ago?

 

[Jrc1282]

Before my time, transferred in to the district a month before the shiz hit the fan, if only I would have known never would of moved here.

 

[Wilmatucky]

No because we need all available players on Friday night. And there is not enough kids left over to have a game on Monday is pretty much what I’m gathering. And you know as well as I do we didn’t join this conference it was our only option after all you guys split. I’ve seen enough of your posts on here and last season in the Taptalk forum to know your well educated On the subject.

I didn't mean to sound rude. I don't know much about the schools that are in the new I8 conference. I was simply asking. I didn't realize that there was that much of a size difference. I also didn't realize that those schools were hurting that bad for numbers.

Will it get better for Plano and Sandwich if districts do in fact go through?

 

[Coalertown44]

Well from what I heard Plano was a yes and Sandwich was a no. If Morris would of gotten in then all of this could of been avoided in my eyes

 

[DHS2018]

Was Sandwich a yes or no vote on bringing in Morris a couple years ago?

From what I have heard... Coal City, Plano and Sandwich were the only sold yes votes.. RC, Wilmo, Manteno. Westmont and Peotone were the solid no votes.. Herscher, Streator and Lisle were in the middle and all were just content with what the 8 team set up offered and happy to have a home

 

[Excalibur1188]

Honestly it’s just an awful situation for the kids. Everybody can point fingers at whatever school they want on how we ended up here but the fact is sandwich and Plano Truly got the short end of the stick, And I feel terrible for the kids that have played their entire careers in hopes one day making it to the varsity level and then these are the cards they are left to play.

Exactly... Which is why it is unfortunate nobody knows exactly how this happened, because the kids deserved better and this was either just kind of lazily thrown together, or Sandwich and Plano were delusional about needing to compete in this group of teams.

 

[gags33]

The conference as a whole would benefit with districts...no less do you want to play us, do we want to play you.. Sycamore, Kaneland and maybe even Rochelle dont belong here. I kinda feel bad for those kids also from a football standpoint. I dont think they can stack up to the bigger schools athleticly or physically.

On to predictions,

KANELAND at Sandwich. Potential to get ugly but you never lnow. Kaneland D needs to bounce back in a big way. 35-7.

Lasalle Peru at ROCHELLE. I think Rochelle will win a close one 21 - 10.

MORRIS at Plano...i i wod think Redskins dominate..35-7...

OTTAWA at Sycamore....upset special. Im dreaming. Sycamore should roll. QB is solid and they can move the ball when in sync. They beat us up and down and made big plays when needed vs. Kaneland. They are a solid 5a team.

 

[Jrc1282]

Districts are official in 2021. That’s already been decided. Unfortunately for this years juniors/ next year seniors they miss it by one year. But for a great deal of the state balance returns 2021

 

[gags33]

Three of the four games last week weren't much of a surprise. But LP was a bit of a shocker. Any one see that game?

 

[Jrc1282]

I had a good feeling Lp was going to edge that one out there linemen are huge..
by the way Gagne your kid had a hell of a game! Started off close till we fumbled the damm ball.

Whoops! Then it was lights out.
I will say I was on your sidelines and all your kids were very respectful with the situation. I had one kid tell me when he came off the field. “Man I feel bad for these guys.... all 20 of them” lol

 

[Jrc1282]

This weeks predictions are very easy

Sycamore at sandwich
Sycamore is rolling and are very hungry for some sandwiches, they will leave this weeks game with a full stomach.
Sycamore 52-7

Lasalle vs Plano
Plano has absolutely no chance against the LaSalle Peru Linemen and the Cavaliers will dominate this contest in the trenches
Lasalle 44-0

Morris vs Ottawa
The Pirates are going to sail their ship into Morris this Friday and chief Reddinger Will refuse To share the peace pipe.
Morris 42-7

Kaneland vs Rochelle
The knights roll into rochelle Friday night for the closest game in the i8 this week. If joe smith puts on his suit of armor this week. They should be able to take care of business
Kaneland 28-14