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This is the second piece in a series of breaking down each sectional of the IHSA tournament. Let me know your Final Four, winner of each sectional and why?
The reader with the most correct answers at the end of the series will receive a $100 gift package.
Hinsdale Central is the team to beat. But there are some wild cards. St. Ignatius - will it be healthy? Oak Park - peaked early, will it peak again? Lyons - young talent, will it step up? York - bowed out early in 2008 tournament, so will it bounce back this year? Fenwick - Carly Smith (left) and the Friars battle until the final horn.
Here are the seeds:
ST. IGNATIUS SECTIONAL
1. Hinsdale (Central)
2. Chicago (St. Ignatius College Prep)
3. Oak Park (O.P.-River Forest)
4. LaGrange (Lyons)
5. Elmhurst (York)
6. Oak Park (Fenwick)
7. Berwyn-Cicero (Morton)
8. Darien (Hinsdale South)
9. Chicago (Whitney Young)
10. Summit (Argo)
11. Chicago (Kelly)
12. Burbank (Reavis)
13. Chicago (De La Salle)
14. Chicago (Bogan)
15. Burbank (Queen of Peace)
16. Chicago (Clemente)
17. Chicago (Farragut)
18. Maywood (Proviso East)
19. Hillside (Proviso West)
20. Chicago (Hubbard)
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I pick Hinsdale Central. This isnt as tough as a regional as people think.
Hinsdale Central to advance
I agree that this regional is weak. Hinsdale Central has already beaten the 2d, 3d and 4th seeds - St. Ignatius, OPRF and LT. (HC inexplicably lost to York at York 1 to 0, but York is having a down year overall - finishing in a tie for 4th in the conference after winning it last year.) Hinsdale South is an 8 seed in this sectional and its record is 4 - 10 and 2! By comparison, the 8 seed in the Bolingbrook sectional is Plainfield North. So yes, HC will advance.
I think any sectional you post after Bolingbrook would get the label WEAK. There will be a few others I'm certain. This sectional is actually tougher than in the past with the additions of HC, ST Iggy, and York. HC's got the edge, but did lose to York and trailed Lyons at half, St. Iggy has been playing some great soccer the last couple years and dispite injuries continues to compete with the traditional powerhouses plus they host both regionals and sectionals, OPRF has some key injuries depends who can go on game day, Lyons is on a winning streak. York is "down" but thier athleticism and direct style of play will make them competitive, Fenwick has some decent players, even Morton has posted some respectable results like 2-2 with Evanston last week. They also host a regional. This one could be surprising but then the winner gets the winner of the Bolingbrook Sectional so it really might not matter who comes out of this one....
Every year there are some MAJOR upsets and I think this is a sectional that can pull that off, although HC comes out a winner.
Like my post for the Bolingbrook Sectional, I'll even predict some scores:
Sectional semis:
York: 3
St. Iggy: 1
HC: 4
Morton: 0
Secional finals:
HC:3
York: 2
Joe:
I'm putting this here because it's about the playoffs and you really don't seem to include 2A in any discussions.
But I'm picking my "Final Four" in the 2A tournament.
Normal (University)
Lemont
Belleville ( Althoff )
Wheaton Academy
So do I win a $100.00 if I'm right ?
Sorry... I can't pick 3A yet.
Hey Joe,
Fremd beats Hersey for the MSL Cup. No mention in your blog. Whats up. Plus you drop Fremd and Hersey from your bubble teams,but Barrington stays. Whatch out for the underclassmates from the Northwest Suburbs. Thanks for keeping High School soccer alive with your blog.
Matt
I don't mention day-to-day results. That's what a round up is for in the paper or online. Yes, Fremd was dropped from bubble teams, but Hersey was never in that list. That bubble list of teams could be 100 deep. I cut it this week. Fremd did beat Neuqua Valley earlier in the year, but then just lost to New Trier 4-1. Hersey beat Fremd earlier in the year if I recall correctly. And yes, Barrington stays because I believe Barrington has the most talent.
Hinsdale Central moves on
other regional winners:
Lyons,OPRF,St. Ignatius