Also, as Mike Helfgot pointed out in the Tribune:
Three Catholic League Blue teams could still win state championships, Providence in 6A, Mount Carmel in 7A and Loyola in 8A; three teams from the North Suburban Lake Conference, Lake Forest in 6A, Lake Zurich in 7A and Stevenson in 8A; and all three Lincoln-Way schools (what's in the water down there?), West in 5A, North in 6A and East in 7A.
Of the 33 schools I've seen this year, only 10 are still alive. Hard to believe, but Bartlett, Niles North, Taft, Willowbrook, St. Francis, Glenbrook South, Niles West, Benet, Whitney Young, Crete-Monee, Aurora Central, IC Prep, Glenbard North, Bolingbrook, Homewood-Flossmoor, Wheaton Warrenville South, St. Patrick, De La Salle, Glenbard South, Notre Dame, Warren, Fenwick and St. Rita * are all done for the year. Wow!
Here's how I would rank the teams left standing after the second round:
8A
1. Stevenson (9-2)
2. Loyola (10-1)
3. Neuqua Valley (10-1)
4. Marist (8-3)
5. Naperville Central (8-3)
7A
1. Mount Carmel (10-1)
2. Lake Zurich (10-1)
3. Wheaton North (9-2)
6A
1. Providence (7-4)
4A
1. Phillips (8-3)
* Tommy Mister reminded me on Saturday that the Mustangs still have three games left if they make it to the Prep Bowl. Wouldn't that be true for Fenwick and De La Salle as well?
3 comments:
Why no love for the Redhawks? You were there when they beat Neuqua 58-35(!) in September. Their common opponents were Naperville North and Waubonsie Valley. Neuqua beat North by 13, Central by 22. Neuqua beat Waubonsie by 14, Central by 13. And Central will be at home. The "1" in Neuqua's 10-1 is Central. The difference is that Central is in the DVC and Neuqua is in Upstate 8. It's no surprise that the weaker schools ( Glenbard East & West Aurora, west Chicago Last Year ) are all bolting the DVC for the Upstate Eight. It's just a much easier conference. Central vs Loyola for 8A.
Those are all good points, but I'm trying to determine who is the better team RIGHT NOW. Neuqua Valley seems to be on a roll while Naperville Central struggled the last time I saw them against Wheaton Warrenville South in Week Six. (Although the Redhawks just beat Homewood-Flossmoor, a team that impressed me when I saw them play Bolingbrook.) Maybe that three-game losing streak just spooked me.
Oh, well, we'll all have our answer this weekend, won't we?
You are very correct. That's why they have to play them - instead of just leaving it to the prognosticators.
Central's defense had some key injuries during that slump, but they are back with a vengeance.
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