stlouie_lipp wrote:
I go down to Peoria every year for the tourney, and I miss the two class system like you wouldn't believe.
I agree. Less champions, but more prestige involved with winning a regional, sectional etc and getting to state. For years, my old HS pointed to a 1970s 4th place boys Class A finish with much pride. It was clear cut -schools were either big or small. So if your team was on the smaller scale of big teams - you could either wallow in self-pity and assume the role of being a doormat -or relish the role of underdog.
did IL have a 3 class system for a few years, or did it go straight to 4?
MO is holding steady at 5 for boys basketball. You still have the numbers games where local rivals end up in different classes.
...Nevertheless, a whole lot of fun and atmosphere.
Illinois went straight from 1 class to 2 classes, and then to 4 classes.
I agree that the 2-class system held far more allure. In the late 90's, 2 small teams from my home county (Hancock County Illinois) won back-to-back state championships (Nauvoo-Colusa and Warsaw)........... and the will always talk about those 2 years in history.
stlouie_lipp wrote:
I go down to Peoria every year for the tourney, and I miss the two class system like you wouldn't believe.
I agree. Less champions, but more prestige involved with winning a regional, sectional etc and getting to state. For years, my old HS pointed to a 1970s 4th place boys Class A finish with much pride. It was clear cut -schools were either big or small. So if your team was on the smaller scale of big teams - you could either wallow in self-pity and assume the role of being a doormat -or relish the role of underdog.
did IL have a 3 class system for a few years, or did it go straight to 4?
MO is holding steady at 5 for boys basketball. You still have the numbers games where local rivals end up in different classes.
...Nevertheless, a whole lot of fun and atmosphere.
Illinois went straight from 1 class to 2 classes, and then to 4 classes.
I agree that the 2-class system held far more allure. In the late 90's, 2 small teams from my home county (Hancock County Illinois) won back-to-back state championships (Nauvoo-Colusa and Warsaw)........... and the will always talk about those 2 years in history.
Not to mention the "buzz" in Peoria. Every bar near the Civic Center was packed, downtown was hoppin', etc. A big part of that has to do with more public league teams making it (e.g. 3 out of 8) who just can't travel as well as the suburban schools.
Under a heavy police presence -tomorrow's district semi -another Battle of the Hoods - Brenthood and Maplehood. May be all for naught - with a dominate Cardinal Ritter team waiting in the wings.
Leroy wrote:My team won its game 64-15.
Tough match up in region though.
Are there enough players up there to play 5 on 5?
Yeah. This was a first rounder for us against a Christian school that just started up three or four years ago. Heck, they don't even have their own gym yet. But yet they beat another school to get to us.
And I'm guessing we pulled the starters very early Freed. We have a team full of seniors (the football team is losing 12) which is huge for a small school. But the juniors and sophomores are pretty good at hoops too, so I'm sure they scored a few.
Edit - just looked it up. We were up 22-6 at first quarter, 45-6 at half (yes, they did not score), then scored 12 and 7 in the third in fourth.
