It might be a month away, but people are already talking about the most highly anticipated matchup of the season, Simeon at Morgan Park.

Morgan Park coach Nick Irvin isn't pulling any punches.

"We are licking our chops for Simeon," Irvin said. "Simeon is a good ball club with a good coach. At the end of the day we have the best player in the state (Wayne Blackshear) and the best shooter (Jerome Brown).

"Everyone wants to see this game. We beat them last time. We run Vincennes. That's the way it's going to be. We are coming after them."

For those of you not familiar with south side geography, both Simeon and Morgan Park are located off Vincennes Avenue.

The pairings have been finalized for the 2011 Preseason Prep Bowl, a football tripleheader in Week 1 at Soldier Field.

Two of the matchups are repeats of 2010: Simeon vs. Mount Carmel at noon and Morgan Park vs. Providence at 6:30 p.m. The middle game at 3:15 will match Young against St. Ignatius.

With the teams, pairings and times are all set, the date - either Saturday or Sunday - won't be determined until the Bears' preseason schedule is released.

All games at Crane
(in bracket order)

North Lawndale vs. Prosser, 4:30
Westinghouse vs. Dunbar, noon
Perspectives-MSA vs. Harper, 9 am
Foreman vs. Crane, 3
Farragut vs. Robeson, 7:30
DuSable vs. Julian, 10:30 am
Hyde Park vs. Uplift, 1:30
Orr vs. Harlan, 6:30

Shootout pairings
The pairing for the 21st annual McDonald's Girls Basketball Shootout Jan. 14-15 and 17 at Willowbrook High School in Villa Park:

Friday's games: Regina Dominican vs. Willowbrook, 5:30 p.m.; Warren vs. Providence, 7; and Lincoln-Way East vs. Trinity, 8:30.

Saturday's games: Prospect vs. St. Ignatius, 10 a.m.; Wheaton North vs. Proviso East, 11:30; Hillcrest vs. New Trier, 1 p.m.; Canterbury, Ind. vs Hinckley-Big Rock, 2:30; Morgan Park vs. Fenwick, 4; Pickerington North, Ohio vs. Geneva, 5:30; Carmel, Ind. vs. Young, 7.

Monday's games: Fenwick vs. Carmel, Ind., 10 a.m.; Marist vs. Pickerington North., 11:30; Marian Catholic vs. Nicolet, Wisc., 1 p.m.; Hinsdale Central vs. Bogan, 2:30; Niles West vs, Bishop McNamara, 4; Plainfield North vs. Maine West, 5:30; Montini vs. Bolingbrook, 7.