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Another Bloggers Thoughts on Chicago Football
Searching around I found a Chicago Public League blog, that references the first day of Illinois high school practices. I get so wrapped up in football, I forgot that other sports are kicking off as well.
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00df351efa888833013486215312970c
Here is what they think...
Football
Simeon is the clear cut CPS favorite. They have the most potent offense and has a team with at least 6-7 Division 1 prospects. This looks like the year of the Wolverines. But don't tell that to Hubbard, Morgan Park, Lane, Robeson, and Curie. Any one of those teams can put together a good game good enough to challenge Simeon. Curie is one of those teams lurking that I feel has a tremendous upside.
Scott Powers of ESPNChicago is ready for Prep Season
It is good to see that Scott Powers of ESPN Chicago is ready for the 2010 Illinois High School Prep Season, so are we! Seems he is more of a hoops guy, we love the Pigskin!
See What Scott Had to say - http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/teams/preps/news/story?id=5454069
Of note is his top ten reasons to be hyped for this year.
To kick the year off, here's 10 reasons why I'm (Scott Powers is) excited for the 2010 season.
1. Maine South hasn't lost a game in two seasons and will be looking to build on its 28-game winning streak and back-to-back state titles.
2. Maine South, the defending Class 8A champs, and Wheaton Warrenville South, the defending 7A champs, meet the second week of the season.
3. Speaking of great games, Joliet Catholic and Montini meet in a rematch of the Class 5A state championship during Week 1. Not a bad way to start the season.
4. The best two wide receivers in the area are teammates. The football gods have blessed Vernon Hills with two amazing receivers in DaVaris DanielsEvan Spencer. Good to luck to all opposing secondaries this season. and
5. Wheaton Warrenville South's Reilly O'Toole, the area's top quarterback, is headed to Illinois. It's always more interesting when the area's top players stay in state, no matter where they're headed. Already, Illinois and Northwestern have a number of in-state 2011 commitments.
6. The area's running backs could be special. It may not be the year of the quarterback like last season, but there is plenty of talent in the backfield. St. Rita's Jahwon Akui and Lake Zurich's Jacob Brinlee, all-area selections, are back. Thornridge's Mikail McCall is headed to Michigan State. Joliet Catholic's Josh Ferguson is committed to Illinois. Downers Grove South's Josh Williams, Carmel's Jordan Kos, Minooka's Kyle Banks, Oak Park's Tony Stapleton, and Schaumburg's Shepard Little are all also returning.
7. The power conferences continue to be powerful. Let the debate continue which is the area's best conference. The DuPage Valley, Catholic League Blue, East Suburban Catholic, North Suburban Lake, Southwest Suburban Blue and West Suburban Silver are all stacked again.
8. The best aren't afraid to compete with the best. Some of the year's best games may occur in the opening weeks of the season thanks to the top teams scheduling each other. Maine South and Wheaton Warrenville South headline the list, but there are plenty of other great games. In Week 1 alone, the matchups include Montini-Joliet Catholic, Fremd-Lake Zurich, Bolingbrook-Downers Grove South, Libertyville-Barrington, Glenbrook South-Minooka, Wheaton Warrenville South-Hinsdale Central, Oak Park-Glenbard North and St. Charles East-Carmel.
9. Friday night football. Yes, this is very general and could be said for every season, but there's nothing like two of the area's best teams going after each other for four quarters in front of a packed stadium on a Friday night.
10. The unknown. Who could have expected Montini to win a state championship last season after almost not reaching the playoffs at all? Who could have predicted Marist would reach the Class 8A title game? Many unexpected events will happen this season, and I can't wait to find out what they are.
Scott Powers covers high school and college sports for ESPNChicago.com
Chicago Public Schools looks like they will be able to keep non-varisty sports programs
View the article on the Your Season on the Chicago Sun Times
Plans to ax all non-varsity high school sports programs at Chicago Public Schools have been dropped, allowing students to play organized sports this year after all.
The reprieve -- which means student-athletes can begin practice in little more than a week on Aug. 11-- has been welcomed by coaches, teachers, police, parents and students, who feared canceling the programs would leave thousands of students on the streets with nothing to do after school.
Crippling budget woes led the Chicago Board of Education to shut down spring sophomore sports earlier this year, with CPS CEO Ron Huberman warning in March that freshman programs also faced elimination in the 2010-11 school year as administrators struggled to close a $700 million budget shortfall.
CPS spokeswoman Monique Bond said Monday that "no final decision" has been made to save the sports, but "the goal is to restore junior-varsity and sophomore sports to normal levels." The Sun-Times has learned that assurances have been given that the programs can go ahead.
Board members met with principals last Tuesday to confirm that funds would be found, Young Magnet High School Principal Dr. Joyce Kenner said.
Kenner, who also serves on the board of the Illinois High School Association, said, "We're just thrilled that dollars are going to be found and that other funding options are going to be considered to give our children a chance to play sports at all levels.
"It's very, very important to see that our kids stay involved with sports and academics."
Kenner said CPS officials "found some money based on what's happening in Springfield" and would be looking for "innovative ways" to fund the programs.
"This should never happen again," she said. "This had a huge impact on some premier-level athletes."
The news was greeted with relief at sports powerhouse Simeon Career Academy, where basketball coach Robert Smith has helped players develop, including Bulls star Derrick Rose.
"With what is going on in ... Chicago now, I'm happy they did whatever they had to do to find the money to keep it going," Smith said.
"I'm glad I don't have put these young men back on the streets."
Simeon sophomore point forward Jabari Parker said a decision to cancel programs was "selfish" and would have resulted in "a lot more kids getting in trouble."
Chicago Police spokesman Roderick Drew said: "The coaches and students are right. Keeping young people active and engaged in productive activities is one of the best ways to keep them out of trouble."
At Young, sophomore basketball player Scott Kingsley learned from his coach Monday morning that his team's season had been saved. "I was going to go anywhere I had to to play basketball this year," he said. "Basketball is the biggest reason I came to Young."
Kingsley's father, Jim, was so concerned that he contacted the IHSA to see if his son would be allowed to play for another school, and even considered sending him to New Jersey for a year.
"He's a pretty good player and we knew losing the year would be devastating to his development," he said.
Young basketball coach Tyrone Slaughter said, "There were certainly instances where kids decided to go to Catholic schools instead of CPS schools" because of the looming cuts, adding that the news had given him "tremendous joy."
Chicago Teachers Union staff coordinator Jackson Potter said political pressure brought by parents and teachers had brought about the U-turn, and showed that "nothing is set in stone."
Maine West Chris Hare
Coach Chris Hare is the Head Coach for the Maine West Warriors. Maine West plays in the 847 area code football region. Chris Hare has 3 years experience at Maine West with a record of 5-22.
Maine South David Inserra
Coach David Inserra is the Head Coach for the Maine South Hawks. Maine South plays in the 847 area code football region. David Inserra has 9 years experience at Maine South with a record of 104-12. He has qualified for the IHSA playoffs 9 times with this team.
Providence Catholic at Fenwick
Illinois Pigskin Regions
Illinois Pigskin is cut into five regions. We split Illinois High School Pigskin Football into area codes for the main four regions. This includes 618 Football, 217 Football, 309 Football, 815 Football and the fifth region is Chicago which is several area codes in the populated Chicagoland area.
We are adding every game for the entire fall 2010 season and each game can be fan updated. Find your team by region or by conference. As games are updated and confirmed, scores and schedules and conference standings are up to date, often by Friday night. We have been offering live txt score updates for three full seasons with www.618football.com and we will continue doing the same. Score updates for each region can be updated on facebook and our facebook app can show you updated scores.
Central Suburban South
Metro Suburban
West Suburban Silver
