How about Stagg, which is 3-1, compared with last year's 0-9? What's going on down there in Palos Hills? The Chargers haven't finished with a winning season since 2005, when they went 9-2! Will this be the year they return to the playoffs?
Oh, sure, you might be thinking, Stagg's three victories came over teams with a combined 1-11 record. But so what? If they can defeat Sandburg (1-3) and Moline (2-2) they might just qualify for the postseason.*
Or Glenbrook South, which is also 3-1? Last year the Titans were 1-8 under first-year head coach David Schoenwetter. The last time the Glenview squad finished with a winning record was in 2014 (6-4).
The Titans' victories so far came over three opponents with a combined record of 5-7. If they can beat Niles North (2-2) and Niles West (0-4) they too can make the playoffs.
Crystal Lake Central is 3-1, after finishing last year at 2-7. But as recently as 2014 the Tigers were 7-3.
CLC's three wins were over teams with a combined record of 2-10. But if they can beat Hampshire and Dundee-Crown (both 1-3) they may also be headed for the postseason.
Buffalo Grove is undefeated, at 4-0, after last year's dismal 3-6 finish. The Bison were 5-4 in 2014.
Buffalo Grove's opponents are 5-11, and all they have to do is defeat Prospect (1-3), Elk Grove Village (0-4) and/or Wheeling (1-3) and they have a ticket to the Dance.
Hersey is another team off to a 3-1 start after last year's 3-6 finish. The Huskies were 6-4 as recently as 2014.
The Arlington Heights squad has beaten three schools with a combined 3-9 record. If they get past two of those same three teams I just mentioned, Elk Grove Village, Wheeling and/or Prospect, then they may also be playing in November.
Thornton is the other undefeated team in this list, at 4-0, after finishing 2016 at 3-6. In 2015 the Wildcats were 9-2.
Thornton's opponents so far have gone a combined 6-10. If the Harvey school can beat either Sandburg (1-3) or Thornwood (0-4) they could be back in the playoffs.
Finally, there's one of my favorites, LaSalle-Peru. The Cavaliers are 3-1 after last year's 3-6 finish. You have to go all the way back to 2009, when L-P was 7-3, to find the last time they had a winning record.
The Cavaliers beat three teams with a combined 2-10 record, but they still face Sycamore, Ottawa and Yorkville (all 1-3). Not hard to imagine them finding two more victories in that schedule.
Why do I like L-P? Well, I've never actually seen the Cavaliers play but I've always wanted to visit Howard Fellows Stadium, at the top of this post. It's supposed to be one of the best in the state. I wrote about it a few years ago here.
* Most, but not all, teams that finish 5-4 go on to the playoffs. (It's sort of a complicated formula, which I won't go into right now.)
No comments:
Post a Comment