The first round of the playoffs provided very few fireworks. Almost everything went as expected.
Only two ranked teams lost: Prairie Ridge and Kenwood. Both drop out. It’s possible that the Wolves will wind up back in the final rankings. They put together an undefeated regular season. But they are out for now and will likely need Nazareth to advance all the way to the Class 5A state title game to reappear in the final rankings.
Kenwood falls out after losing to Downers Grove North. That game was close for a half. The Broncos were just never able to pull all their individual talent together this season.
Lyons and Nazareth join this week. The Roadrunners were an easy decision after they beat Prairie Ride on the road Saturday. The 5-5 record isn’t pretty, but four of the teams that beat Nazareth are ranked higher than them.
I had a lot of confidence in the Lions in the preseason. They returned a ton of starters from a successful team and were ranked No. 11. It’s been an up-and-down season that could turn around quickly with a win against York in the second round. Lyons gave the Dukes a good fight in Week 8.
Super 25 rankings for Week 11
With record and last week’s ranking
1. Loyola (10-0) 1
8A: vs. Neuqua Valley
2. Mount Carmel (9-1) 2
7A: vs. No. 19 Prospect
3. Lincoln-Way East (10-0) 3
8A: vs. Minooka
4. Batavia (9-1) 4
7A: vs. Lincoln-Way Central
5. Maine South (9-1) 5
8A: vs. Belleville East
6. Hersey (10-0) 6
7A: vs. No. 11 Downers Grove North
7. Barrington (10-0) 7
8A: vs. Naperville Central
8. York (9-1) 8
8A: at No. 25 Lyons
9. Kankakee (10-0) 10
6A: vs. Eisenhower
10. St. Francis (8-2) 11
5A: at Sterling
11. Downers Grove North (8-2) 17
7A: at No. 6 Hersey
12. Morgan Park (9-1) 12
5A: vs. No. 21 Sycamore
13. Warren (8-2) 13
8A: at South Elgin
14. Carmel (9-1) 14
5A: at Antioch
15. Lake Zurich (9-1) 15
6A: at Kaneland
16. Morris (10-0) 16
5A: at Sacred Heart-Griffin
17. Glenbard West (8-2) 18
8A: at Edwardsville
18. Wheaton North (7-3) 19
7A: vs. Quincy
19. Prospect (8-2)
7A: at No. 2 Mount Carmel
20. Geneva (8-2) 21
6A: at Lake Forest
21. Sycamore (9-1) 20
5A: at No. 12 Morgan Park
22. IC Catholic (8-2) 23
4A: at Rockford Boylan
23. Nazareth (5-5) NR
5A: vs. Glenbard South
24. Huntley (9-1) 24
8A: at St. Ignatius
25. Lyons (7-3) NR
8A: vs. No. 8 York
