Playoff Pairings Quick Takes
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) announced the playoff pairings on Saturday evening, and there are several intriguing matchups in the Class 8A and Class 7A brackets. Loyola, the three-time defending Class 8A state champions, had to wait anxiously to see if they would qualify for the playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 4-4 record.
Loyola vs. Mount Carmel
The Ramblers lost at home to Mount Carmel on Friday and wound up with a 4-4 regular season record. Five games generally guarantee a playoff spot, but Loyola couldn’t find a Week 2 opponent, so they played just eight games. The Ramblers managed to sneak into the field of 256 teams announced on Saturday evening and will travel to Mount Carmel in the Class 8A first round. It’s a titanic matchup between Catholic League rivals that have combined to win the last three Class 8A and Class 7A titles.
Seeding Issues
Five teams with four wins wound up qualifying for the playoffs: Loyola, UP-Bronzeville, Edwardsville, Joliet Catholic, and Shepard. The top half of the Class 8A bracket is loaded with the three preseason favorites: Loyola, Mount Carmel, and Lincoln-Way East. It’s uncertain if Griffins quarterback Jonas Williams will play in the playoffs, as the USC recruit missed Lincoln-Way East’s last two games with an ankle injury.
Class 8A Bracket
Fremd, with Northwestern recruit Johnny O’Brien at quarterback, is favored to advance to the semifinals against Mount Carmel. The way the bracket fell in Class 8A was kind to Maine South. The Hawks have steadily improved all season and are heavy favorites all the way to a possible championship matchup against Mount Carmel.
Wide Open Class 7A
While a handful of heavyweights could dominate the Class 8A bracket, Class 7A is wide open. Brother Rice is the favorite and has a fortunate road through the first two rounds. But things get very tough for the Crusaders after that, with any of five Super 25 teams looming in the quarterfinals and semifinals, including Carmel, St. Charles North, Downers Grove North, Lincoln-Way West, and Glenbard West.
Batavia Gets Lucky
Batavia, in the top half of the Class 7A bracket, avoided the logjam of Super 25 teams. The Bulldogs would only have to knock off one ranked squad, Hersey or Lincoln-Way Central, to get to the title game.
East St. Louis a No. 8 Seed
The Illinois High School Association seeds the tournament strictly on records and breaks ties with a coin flip. That’s how mighty East St. Louis, a team several schools wanted to avoid so badly that they opted to play up in Class 7A, wound up with the No. 8 seed in Class 6A. The Flyers are 6-3 after losing to IMG Academy, a powerhouse national prep school, 38-14 on Saturday. Their other losses are to Bergen Catholic, N.J. and Bishop Gorman, Nev. No team from Illinois has come within 40 points of East St. Louis.
Conclusion
The IHSA playoff pairings have created several exciting matchups in the Class 8A and Class 7A brackets. While some teams, like Maine South and Batavia, got lucky with their draws, others, like Loyola and East St. Louis, face tougher roads to the championship. Coaches all over the area are coming around on the idea of adding more teams to the state playoffs, and it likely won’t be long until that happens. Ideally, that will come with a new seeding system.
FAQs
Q: Who are the top teams in the Class 8A bracket?
A: The top teams in the Class 8A bracket are Loyola, Mount Carmel, and Lincoln-Way East.
Q: Which team got lucky with their draw in the Class 7A bracket?
A: Batavia got lucky with their draw in the Class 7A bracket, avoiding the logjam of Super 25 teams.
Q: Why did East St. Louis receive a No. 8 seed in Class 6A?
A: East St. Louis received a No. 8 seed in Class 6A because the IHSA seeds the tournament strictly on records and breaks ties with a coin flip.
