Playing East St. Louis is such a frightening prospect for most high school football programs that some area teams moved up to Class 7A, likely to avoid the Flyers, who were expected to play in Class 6A.
Well, bad news for them. East St. Louis also petitioned up to Class 7A this season. The Flyers have nearly as many future college players as Mount Carmel and beat the Caravan at ISU in Week 1.
That was a statement win for East St. Louis, which Fenwick upset in the 6A title game last season.
“It means something,” Flyers coach Darren Sunkett said after beating Mount Carmel. “We had something to prove. We have been at state seven years in a row. Win or lose, we were there. It is tough to win in the state of Illinois. We came out with a chip on our shoulder. We wanted to show that we could play with Mount Carmel and beat them.”
East St. Louis has a smooth path to the semifinals. Brother Rice could be waiting. The Crusaders also beat Mount Carmel this season and won Class 7A last year.
Brother Rice has an extremely difficult road through the bracket. The Crusaders don’t have any easy wins. St. Charles North, Brother Rice’s potential First Round opponent, is a quality team. And then Batavia and undefeated Normal could be waiting before the Flyers.
The Second Round may feature some of the season's most exciting games, with Brother Rice vs. Batavia, Hersey vs. Glenbard West, and St. Rita vs. Downers Grove North all possible.
Here's how things could go in the Class 7A playoffs.
Edwardsville beats Lincoln Park
Glenbard East beats Bartlett
St. Charles North beats McHenry
Lincoln-Way Central beats Jefferson
Reavis beats Elgin
St. Patrick beats Collinsville
DePaul Prep beats Hampshire
Zion-Benton beats Glenbrook North
Palatine beats Yorkville
Benet beats Moline
St. Laurence beats Belleville East
Lincoln-Way West beats Mundelein
West Chicago beats Prosser
Buffalo Grove beats Andrew
Glenbard North beats Hoffman Estates
Niles North beats Rich
Normal beats Edwardsville
Kenwood beats Glenbard East
Brother Rice beats St. Charles North
Batavia beats Lincoln-Way Central
East St. Louis beats Reavis
St. Patrick beats Westinghouse
Prospect beats DePaul Prep
Zion-Benton beats Guilford
Hersey beats Palatine
Glenbard West beats Benet
St. Laurence beats Plainfield South
Lincoln-Way West beats Plainfield North
Downers Grove North beats West Chicago
St. Rita beats Buffalo Grove
Glenbard North beats Jacobs
Richards beats Niles North
Normal beats Kenwood
Brother Rice beats Batavia
East St. Louis beats St. Patrick
Prospect beats Zion-Benton
Hersey beats Glenbard West
Lincoln-Way West beats St. Laurence
St. Rita beats Downers Grove North
Glenbard North beats Richards
Brother Rice beats Normal
East St. Louis beats Prospect
Hersey beats Lincoln-Way West
St. Rita beats Glenbard North
Brother Rice beats East St. Louis
Hersey beats St. Rita
Brother Rice beats Hersey
