IHSA Football Playoffs 2024

#2      
My horse is in 3a with Montini and I'll be in the building for their matchup against Byron next week. I think that is the championship game in 3a that is taking place in the second round.

I'd like to see Bismarck-Henning do work in 2a. Coach Dodd had done a great job there, they just seem to always get worked in the 2nd.

I have some ties to Naz as well in 5a. I hope they repeat.

6a is a fun bracket. ESL, enough said, but Cary Grove is tough and I'd like to see the Aces from Kankakee make their run.

7a seems like another good bracket. I'm rooting for Downers North there.

8a is interesting. Oswego is my sleeper. Their matchup against York should be a battle. Lincoln-Way is probably the front runner.
 
#4      
6a is a fun bracket. ESL, enough said, but Cary Grove is tough and I'd like to see the Aces from Kankakee make their run.
A potential ESL/Glenwood quarterfinal matchup in Chatham could be really fun to watch.

In 4A, PND and Rochester reportedly played an absolute classic last night. First time since 2008 Rockets haven't gotten out of the 1st round, which was also the last time they didn't make it to at least the quarterfinals.

Williamsville and Monticello have met so often in 3A in recent years that it should be a good one too.
 
#5      
A potential ESL/Glenwood quarterfinal matchup in Chatham could be really fun to watch.

In 4A, PND and Rochester reportedly played an absolute classic last night. First time since 2008 Rockets haven't gotten out of the 1st round, which was also the last time they didn't make it to at least the quarterfinals.

Williamsville and Monticello have met so often in 3A in recent years that it should be a good one too.
Wow, PND and Rochester in a 59-58 game.
I get why, but sometimes I wish we could seed these teams in the bracket more appropriately.
 
#6      
Wow, PND and Rochester in a 59-58 game.
I get why, but sometimes I wish we could seed these teams in the bracket more appropriately.
I think doing the playoff seeding the way they do it now is fine. The playoff points system is basically a high school version of SOS that's used at the college and pro levels.

I wouldn't be opposed to them going back to 1-32 seeding in all 8 classes rather than just in 7A and 8A though I understand why they still don't.
 
#7      
I think doing the playoff seeding the way they do it now is fine. The playoff points system is basically a high school version of SOS that's used at the college and pro levels.

I wouldn't be opposed to them going back to 1-32 seeding in all 8 classes rather than just in 7A and 8A though I understand why they still don't.
It is not really SOS because some conferences are pretty poor but have teams that rack up wins and points. Whitney Young is the #1 seed in 7A and likely would lose by 28+ plus points to several teams that didn’t even make the playoffs. Most of the games in the playoffs are not competitive until the quarters or semis and then you have others like 3A where the likely state championship is played in round 2. Ultimately the system will not change and that is fine because the top 4 teams are always going to produce the winner regardless of their seed
 
#8      
I think doing the playoff seeding the way they do it now is fine. The playoff points system is basically a high school version of SOS that's used at the college and pro levels.

I wouldn't be opposed to them going back to 1-32 seeding in all 8 classes rather than just in 7A and 8A though I understand why they still don't.
I think going to 8 classes was a mistake. These teams aren't even playing a balanced schedule in conference. In some cases there is a 3 class difference between schools and that is public schools. 6 was perfect as 2 classes was in bball.
The team I have family playing and cheering for, Montini, as a 9 seed is crazy work. If anyone thinks that is a 9 seed, they are on some serious dope. The 2 losses are by 15 to #5 in 8 and a 4 point loss to #5 in 6. A complete disservice to them, Byron, and the fans who want to see a quality championship or late round playoff game.
 
#9      
It is not really SOS because some conferences are pretty poor but have teams that rack up wins and points. Whitney Young is the #1 seed in 7A and likely would lose by 28+ plus points to several teams that didn’t even make the playoffs. Most of the games in the playoffs are not competitive until the quarters or semis and then you have others like 3A where the likely state championship is played in round 2. Ultimately the system will not change and that is fine because the top 4 teams are always going to produce the winner regardless of their seed
While I get what you're saying, my understanding of playoff points is that it was based on how many wins the teams you faced got throughout the season. That sounds a lot like strength of schedule but I could be wrong. That being said, that's why a 9-0 team in certain classes can get beat by a 5-4 team if the 9-0 team has faced a bunch of tomato cans.

I think going to 8 classes was a mistake. These teams aren't even playing a balanced schedule in conference. In some cases there is a 3 class difference between schools and that is public schools. 6 was perfect as 2 classes was in bball.
The team I have family playing and cheering for, Montini, as a 9 seed is crazy work. If anyone thinks that is a 9 seed, they are on some serious dope. The 2 losses are by 15 to #5 in 8 and a 4 point loss to #5 in 6. A complete disservice to them, Byron, and the fans who want to see a quality championship or late round playoff game.
Be glad we don't have the format they have in Indiana. They use a playoff format similar to what we use for other sports where every school gets in and then they divide the schools in different classes first into what they call subsectionals. This can lead to there being one subsectional with multiple 9-0 or 8-1 teams and another subsectional could have one where the team with the best record is at 4-5. While ultimately you still get the best teams playing in the state title games at the end of the playoffs, it's a really unbalanced way to go about doing it.
 
#10      
I think going to 8 classes was a mistake. These teams aren't even playing a balanced schedule in conference. In some cases there is a 3 class difference between schools and that is public schools. 6 was perfect as 2 classes was in bball.
The team I have family playing and cheering for, Montini, as a 9 seed is crazy work. If anyone thinks that is a 9 seed, they are on some serious dope. The 2 losses are by 15 to #5 in 8 and a 4 point loss to #5 in 6. A complete disservice to them, Byron, and the fans who want to see a quality championship or late round playoff game.
The problem with 6 classes was when a school of 6000 played a school of 2000. In football that doesn't work. I know it happened in the 2000 playoffs. I'm sure it did other times too.
 
#11      
The problem with 6 classes was when a school of 6000 played a school of 2000. In football that doesn't work. I know it happened in the 2000 playoffs. I'm sure it did other times too.
I don't think it is that extreme. There are only about 20 schools with enrollment above 3,000 and maybe 5 over 4,000. The lower cut off for 6 classes vs 8 might drop from around 1900 to 1775 or so.
 
#12      
The problem with 6 classes was when a school of 6000 played a school of 2000. In football that doesn't work. I know it happened in the 2000 playoffs. I'm sure it did other times too.
We have that now 8a. There is only 1 school with a school pop over 7k and they are terrible in both fball and bball. Sorry Morton. The extremely large schools don't win any more often than any other.
 
#14      
We have that now 8a. There is only 1 school with a school pop over 7k and they are terrible in both fball and bball. Sorry Morton. The extremely large schools don't win any more often than any other.
When it happened before it was Lincoln Way before they split into 4 schools. Had around 150 players on their sideline. Played in that game. It would be the equivalent of that same 2000 student school playing a school of 660.
 
#15      
I don't think it is that extreme. There are only about 20 schools with enrollment above 3,000 and maybe 5 over 4,000. The lower cut off for 6 classes vs 8 might drop from around 1900 to 1775 or so.
That is 25 of 32 teams over 3000. If you are a school of 2000 (which wasn't 8A in 2003 it was 7A) that would be like playing a school of 1200. Would say breaking those out is fair to me.
 
#16      
well , they needed to get to about 250 schools in the playoffs so that all teams with 5 wins would get in . it’s not a guarantee , but it’s close .

for the most part , it’s an acceptable system
 
#17      
In 6A, I'm rooting for the Kankakee Kays. Miles Osei is the coach there - an Illini, of course, and a graduate of my high school alma mater, Prospect HS.
In 7A, I'm rooting for Prospect, of course. They play Normal Community this week.
In 8A, I'm rooting for the Lyons Township Lions. LT is my brother's high school and they are coached by Illini Jon Beutjer.
 
#18      
That is 25 of 32 teams over 3000. If you are a school of 2000 (which wasn't 8A in 2003 it was 7A) that would be like playing a school of 1200. Would say breaking those out is fair to me.
No 20 total over 3000
1 @ 7000
4 btw 3000-4000
15 btw 2000-3000

All of those schools will be in the largest class no matter what. Going to 6 classes vs 8 would just put schools mostly in the 1800-1900 range from the second highest class to the highest class.

Of course the IHSA resorts the class cutoffs based on who makes the playoffs.
 
#19      
Size alone does not make you good. My son’s high school has 2,900 and only played one team larger this year and was 1-8.
 
#20      
Size alone does not make you good. My son’s high school has 2,900 and only played one team larger this year and was 1-8.
Agreed but would you like to see a school of 2000 play a school of 660 or even 1300? When the classes can be broken into sections that are more closely related in size?

If size doesn't matter why have classes at all? I know no one would agree to that in football for sure.
 
#21      

I know a couple of you said you were going to the Byron/Montini game tomorrow. They aren't taking cash at the gate, so use this link yo get your tickets.

Hopefully we have some great action all across the state this weekend.
 
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