Maybe they tried/trying to find a more national out of state game or a more robust opponent than what Fenwick/JCA offer next year......
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CCL/ESCC schedules for 2026
- Thread starter jotapepe
- Start date
Could be! According to Max Preps, if you look at their history week 1, in the Bukovsky era, (Andriano was going Maine South, Palatine, even Loyola maybe once?) it’s been 4 CPS schools, a mediocre team from Wisconsin, and 2 losses to IC which they inevitably stopped scheduling I’m sure for recruiting reasons. Last year they beat Lumen Christi out of Michigan who has a good pedigree so maybe you’re right?
I just feel like you beat the 6a champs last year, you win 4a, why not run it back? OR play a team you’ve had some of the greatest games in IHSA history with in JCA? You have arguably the best Qb in the country and 2-3 wins gets you in!
I didn’t have montini scheduling on my bingo card today
I have it on good authority that JCA did not have much interest in playing Montini and JCA did in fact make the playoffs last year
Foot in mouth on the playoff thing! My apologies to the Hilltoppers I looked at the record and this old man still has 5-4 in his head to make the dance.I have it on good authority that JCA did not have much interest in playing Montini and JCA did in fact make the playoffs last year
Here is the thing. I don't know the inside scoop but I'm not going to assume they are ducking Fenwick or JCA. And I have no love for the Broncos, trust me on that.Could be! According to Max Preps, if you look at their history week 1, in the Bukovsky era, (Andriano was going Maine South, Palatine, even Loyola maybe once?) it’s been 4 CPS schools, a mediocre team from Wisconsin, and 2 losses to IC which they inevitably stopped scheduling I’m sure for recruiting reasons. Last year they beat Lumen Christi out of Michigan who has a good pedigree so maybe you’re right?
I just feel like you beat the 6a champs last year, you win 4a, why not run it back? OR play a team you’ve had some of the greatest games in IHSA history with in JCA? You have arguably the best Qb in the country and 2-3 wins gets you in!
I didn’t have montini scheduling on my bingo card today
Even if they end up with a CPS it still doesn't mean they ducked them. At the time they could have been looking for a superior opponent in or out of state and couldn't and then took what they could at the end of the day.
All.... Il.8to18.org showing Montini has filled their w1 and w 2 games. W1 home playing Hoopeston and on the road W2 at Sandburg. Ratsy
Hoopeston is certainly an odd game. A 1A/2A school with one win last year. Yikes
It was who had an opening. I'd bet they were not Montini's first choice.
when Corner Canyon, IMG, and Gorman are booked, the natural choice is Hoopeston. Imagine having a Qb like that and scheduling Hoopeston.
I know Fenwick called about week 1, JCA seems to be up for debate (I’ve fired my south suburbs contact). My whole point to posting was to commend Naz, IC, MC, Rita, Marist, Fenwick, JCA for scheduling fun and competitive games for the kids. Andriano would’ve scheduled the Bears if they called. New regime, with an alleged million dollar man at Qb seems to play it safe. I’ll be at MC/ESL week 1. That’s enough talk about the broncos for me!
All.... And with the brutal schedule they will play why not. Fwiw I ran preseason Massey projections knowing they are just that and reset after a few games are played.
Broncos have 7 back on offense and five with the defense. Believe I heard earlier on this board they have a transfer or two in for 2026 They lose to graduation their top two rb's although it's no secret with over 4000 yards in passing airing it out is what they like do first. I recall the 2025 final it was almost perfect weather to throw the ball which is not always the case in November. I imagine the staff will have several rb's ready. Critical for Montini will be staying as healthy as possible entering postseason play with that schedule. Ratsy
(6-3) -
(H) Montini 54 Hoopeston 0 (100%)
(A) Montini 27 Sandburg 24 (54%)
(A )Marist 28 Montini 22 (59%)
(A) Nazareth 35 Montini 28 (64%)
(H) Montini 30 Carmel 28 (53%)
(H) St. Rita 28 Montini 20 (65%)
(A) Montini 48 De la Salle 6 (100%)
(H) Montini 42 Marmion 8 (97%)
(H) Montini 34 St. Francis 28 (58%)
I'll take Montini against both Rita and Marist. IMO, Naz is the only game they may lose. I just hope all the Cornjerkers make it home in one piece.
All.... Here we go. (below) Although not a Saturday game I hope the Broncos provide some kind of meal before or on the way home. Noticed that in the past when playing a CPL team that is going to get hammered. Ratsy
Wacky High School Mascots: Cornjerkers – Hoopeston Area (IL) High
Heard from a guy, who knows a guy, who knows a guy that Montini is paying Hoopeston just north of 25k to come up there.
I believe now the only unknown is Brother Rice's Week 2 opponent. I only know of two other non-CPS schools in the state with openings that week, both of whom would have very long trips and neither of whose enrollment is anything close to BR's (BR is over twice as large as Montini in terms of enrollment). Maybe they pick up a CPS opponent for a short drive? I see no Wisconsin or Indiana opponents that would be appropriate with open dates, and Iowa isn't an option; there are likely no reasonable Missouri teams either. There are some opponents in Michigan that seem open and reasonable.
Would be a very big ball drop if Rice can't lock down someone. I understand Hyde Park pulled a fast one but man gotta lock up that schedule.
Agreed. With the new playoff qualification structure, it should be easier for schools like Rice to find in state opponents.
Perhaps Hoopeston has an opening week 2?
Takes two to tango and I know a few 8A schools would not play as well as other CCL teams
Sandburg agreed to play Montini over BR and vice versa is a odd. Similar to York and Naz.
Your source is dead wrong, JCA ducked, not the other way roundCould be! According to Max Preps, if you look at their history week 1, in the Bukovsky era, (Andriano was going Maine South, Palatine, even Loyola maybe once?) it’s been 4 CPS schools, a mediocre team from Wisconsin, and 2 losses to IC which they inevitably stopped scheduling I’m sure for recruiting reasons. Last year they beat Lumen Christi out of Michigan who has a good pedigree so maybe you’re right?
I just feel like you beat the 6a champs last year, you win 4a, why not run it back? OR play a team you’ve had some of the greatest games in IHSA history with in JCA? You have arguably the best Qb in the country and 2-3 wins gets you in!
I didn’t have montini scheduling on my bingo card today
I’m sure brother rice called but I don’t blame them for ducking them, when you have to run the Naz Rita Marist Francis gauntlet….still, hoopeton is odd…
I know people laughed at this, but I really did hear this. Why else would hoopeston take this game? They'd be better off with a forfeit than driving all the way up there and probably coming away with injuries in a game like that.
They may have taken the game for all the playoff points Montini would give them.
Is paying an opponent to play even allowed with the IHSA?
Not sure. But my understanding is that it is very common for teams to pay for other teams' transportation, expenses, food, and the like. Happens a lot with downstate teams playing CPS opponents, I believe.
I'm sure it's not regularly talked about, but I've never heard of this. When I was in HS we played a team from Wisconsin in baseball and we bought them a few pizzas for the ride home but that was it.
If it is allowed and I'm sure Montini does well for themselves, but do they have a spare $25k laying around in their football budget? Or would boosters be willing to donate that much just for a game against Hoopeston?
Right, we are not talking about raising money or allocating money for an IMG trip/visit....Hoopeston!!! I have a difficult time believing Montini is forking over $25K.
The only people that will care about this game are the second stringers.
I have no inside knowledge on anything, but it is hard to characterize the situation as JC ducking Montini (defending 4A champ) when JC then a few weeks later ends up with the defending 6A champ as their week 1 opponent.
They very well could have declined an overture from Montini. But when Montini, Fenwick, and JCA all had week 1 openings and Fenwick and JC end up matched up with each other and Montini ends up with Hoopeston, it is hard to call out the school who ended up scheduling the 6A champ as ducking while white knighting the defending 4A champ who ends up scheduling the creamiest of cream puffs.
There certainly is a chance that Fenwick and JC both denied Montini's request to play. Whether JC wound up with Fenwick or Montini is fairly insignificant as I think Montini will be better this year, but both will be within the same relative degree of difficulty. So if they ducked, they did a pretty poor job of ducking. If they were ducking, they should have found themselves a Hoopeston.
Well then we’ll leave it at them ducking Fenwick then. Close game. Maybe they knew they got away with one last year? I know there’s some bad blood over a staff member that loves to jump programs.