The first weekend of the state’s expanded high school football playoffs was a success, with as many close games as expected in a seeded tournament and no forfeits (something the naysayers were worried about).
The best game involving local teams was the Class 7A matchup of DePaul Prep at Hampshire. The Rams won a 37-34 overtime thriller. DePaul Prep blocked an extra point with 22 seconds left in regulation, then Emmett McCue kicked a 30-yard field goal in overtime to win.
The Rams (4-6) entered the playoffs on a four-game losing streak and face a tough first-round challenge at Prospect next weekend.
Bye week impact
High school football teams don’t usually have bye weeks, so it will be interesting to see whether the nearly two-week gap between games affects teams significantly.
Many of the area’s top players used the weekend to visit colleges. Kenwood’s football team went bowling together on Saturday.
Heading into the bye week, most coaches didn’t seem particularly positive or annoyed about the week off. That may change based on how things go in the first round.
The Illinois High School Association will announce the first round dates and times on Monday. Expect more Saturday games than in the opening round. Many coaches prefer a Saturday schedule because the 8A through 5A state championship games are played on Saturday.
Public League woes
The new format was no kinder to Public League teams than the old, with the Public League winning just two of 19 opening round games against the rest of the state.
Lane beat Joliet Central 56-0 in 8A, and Corliss beat Champaign Centennial 18-7 in 5A. Simeon (6A) and Muchin (5A) both beat fellow Public League teams and advanced to the first round.
Von Steuben, Perspectives, Kenwood, Westinghouse, Kennedy, Goode, King, Ag. Science, Morgan Park, Phoenix, Clark, Rauner, and Woodlawn received byes to the first round.
Kenwood has a good chance to advance. The Broncos host Glenbard East in 7A. Morgan Park (5A) is a heavy favorite against Oak Lawn. But will face a very tough challenge in the second round against the Kankakee-Providence winner.
King is favored in its first-round matchup against visiting Deerfield.
Super 25 updates
For the first time, the Super 25 saw absolutely no changes. Providence and York were the only teams without byes, and both won blowouts.
The two best teams outside the rankings are likely Wheaton-Warrenville South and Nazareth. Wheaton-Warrenville South had a 6A bye and will host Joliet Catholic in the first round.
Nazareth dominated Shepard 44-14 to improve to 5-5 and will likely coast into the 6A quarterfinals, where the Joliet Catholic/Wheaton-Warrenville South winner will probably be waiting.
Super 25 high school football rankings for Week 11
With record and last week’s ranking
1. Lincoln-Way East (9-0) 1
Bye in 8A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Oak Park.
2. Loyola (8-1) 2
Bye in 8A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Minooka.
3. Brother Rice (7-2) 3
Bye in 7A playoffs.
Next: Hosts St. Charles North.
4. Mount Carmel (7-2) 4
Bye in 8A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Marist.
5. Hersey (9-0) 5
Bye in 7A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Yorkville.
6. IC Catholic (8-1) 6
Bye in 3A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Genoa-Kingston.
7. Bolingbrook (8-1) 7
Bye in 8A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Lockport.
8. Maine South (8-1) 8
Bye in 8A playoffs.
Next: Hosts O’Fallon.
9. Oswego (8-1) 9
Bye in 8A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Naperville Central.
10. Geneva (8-1) 10
Bye in 6A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Carmel.
11. Batavia (7-2) 11
Bye in 7A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Lincoln-Way Central.
12. Homewood-Flossmoor (7-2) 12
Bye in 8A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Conant.
13. St. Ignatius (7-2) 13
Bye in 8A playoffs.
Next: Hosts West Aurora.
14. Sandburg (7-2) 14
Bye in 8A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Barrington.
15. St. Rita (6-3) 15
Bye in 7A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Buffalo Grove.
16. Montini (7-2) 16
Bye in 4A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Geneseo.
17. Downers Grove North (8-1) 17
Bye in 7A playoffs.
Next: Hosts West Chicago.
18. Kankakee (7-2) 18
Bye in 5A playoffs.
Next: Hosts No. 24 Providence.
19. New Trier (8-1) 19
Bye in 8A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Glenbrook South.
20. Morris (9-0) 20
Bye in 4A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Tinley Park.
21. Huntley (9-0) 21
Bye in 8A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Oswego East.
22. York (7-3) 22
Won 47-14 vs. Bloom.
Next: At Downers Grove South.
23. Prospect (8-1) 23
Bye in 7A playoffs.
Next: Hosts DePaul Prep.
24. Providence (7-3) 24
Won 49-13 vs. Mt. Vernon.
Next: At No. 18 Kankakee.
25. Morgan Park (8-1) 25
Bye in 5A playoffs.
Next: Hosts Oak Forest.