SouthWest Prairie thread 2026 also SouthWest and West Burbs talk

[Cross Bones]

Official season thread for 2026 season. Should be a good campaign with the defending runner ups, Oswego, returning a bunch. Not to mention 4 of the top 10 ranked 3A track teams.

Non conference games goes as such:

Plainfield S
Pekin & Andrew

Plainfield C
East Aurora & Metea Valley

Plainfield E
Argo & DLS

Joliet C
Thornridge & Bremen

Romeoville
Stagg & Tinley Park

Joliet W
Oswego E & Yorkville

Oswego
Neuqua Valley & Geneva

Plainfield N
Lake Park & Glenbard E

Minooka
St Charles N & Neuqua Valley

Yorkville
Crete Monee & Joliet W

Oswego E
Joliet W & Willowbrook

Bolingbrook
Homewood-Flossmoor & Simeon

Some solid schedules and some as a fan Id prefer different games, namely why schedule conference foes in non-conference? Its a whole wide world out there go get some of it. Schedule an U8 team or West Suburban Gold or Silver if you're feeling froggish.

Im looking to see if Plainfield East can build on their success from last season, winning conference and even taking a lead on ESL in the playoffs, they may be the new Fenwick. Feel for Romeoville and Yorkville with their top players getting poached, we'll see if they can recover.

Oswego may be the fastest team in the Chicago area and have some serious talent.

 

[4Afan]

Interesting, is this the only boundary conference in the state? What is their connection to the CCL?

In all seriousness would love to see Morris replace NV in week 2 for Minooka. Zero chance they win every year like in years past, but could complete with their former Little 7 rivals for one game per year.

 

[Cross Bones]

Interesting, is this the only boundary conference in the state? What is their connection to the CCL?

In all seriousness would love to see Morris replace NV in week 2 for Minooka. Zero chance they win every year like in years past, but could complete with their former Little 7 rivals for one game per year.

Yes. Yes it is the only boundaried conference in the land. I actually hope to discuss the SWSC as well as WSC, and DVC here too since I can see DGS, NV, and NC from by house (no Sarah Palin).

I think the 'Ris should try to schedule those games. Hell, is it too late to do a swap with JW?

 

[4Afan]

Yes. Yes it is the only boundaried conference in the land. I actually hope to discuss the SWSC as well as WSC, and DVC here too since I can see DGS, NV, and NC from by house (no Sarah Palin).

I think the 'Ris should try to schedule those games. Hell, is it too late to do a swap with JW?

Not sure the Redskins could fill the schedule as well as the Wilmington/Coal City Coop you've proposed.

 

[Cross Bones]

Not sure the Redskins could fill the schedule as well as the Wilmington/Coal City Coop you've proposed.

I just mean you guys can swap non-cons with JW now... JW gets Lemont and Coal City and Morris gets Oswego E and Yorkville. I dont think any of the matchups is outrageous AND it gets JW to go outside of the conference.

Hopefully our GM can work on getting Wilmo and CC for '27 and '28.

 

[Cross Bones]

I saw that Kankakee won the Naperville North 7 on 7. NN won the linemen challenge. Looked like a good collection of teams as well:

NN
Kankakee
GBW
MS
SF
York
NC
WWS
The Nook
Stevie
Glenbard S
Glenbard N
NV
Plainfield E
MV
Lake Park

 

[AquinasHillmen JC14]

Let’s have some fun with an early SPC divisional prediction:

East Division
1. Plainfield South
2. Joliet West
3. Plainfield East
4. Romeoville
5. Joliet Central
6. Plainfield Central

West Division
1. Oswego
2. Bolingbrook
3. Minooka
4. Plainfield North
5. Yorkville
6. Oswego East

It‘s been a few years now since they split the SPC into these unbalanced divisions. Hopefully one of these years they can change it up and create something different.

 

[Cross Bones]

Let’s have some fun with an early SPC divisional prediction:

East Division
1. Plainfield South
2. Joliet West
3. Plainfield East
4. Romeoville
5. Joliet Central
6. Plainfield Central

West Division
1. Oswego
2. Bolingbrook
3. Minooka
4. Plainfield North
5. Yorkville
6. Oswego East

It‘s been a few years now since they split the SPC into these unbalanced divisions. Hopefully one of these years they can change it up and create something different.

I agree with reconfiguring the divisions, but I must admit there is some uncertainty that makes both interesting.

The East has programs that you legit dont know from year to year how they'll be and there is no reason that they couldnt be consistently solid. That makes for an entertaining conference race like last year. Could be JW, could be PFE, could be PFS, hell it could be Romeoville. I watched some old Romeoville games from 1995 last week, I bet people dont even know they went to the 6A semis that year. Put a beating on a good BR and great Sandburg team. Plainfield C Im not sure why they are as down as they are. Not sure how other sports are but in hoops last year we had scored 34 points before they got on the board and that should never happen.

Anyways...

EAST
Plainfield E
Joliet W
Plainfield S
Romeoville
Plainfield C
Joliet C

WEST
Oswego
Plainfield N
The Nook
Oswego E
The Ville
Bolingbrook

 

[HuskieFan2020]

I agree with reconfiguring the divisions, but I must admit there is some uncertainty that makes both interesting.

The East has programs that you legit dont know from year to year how they'll be and there is no reason that they couldnt be consistently solid. That makes for an entertaining conference race like last year. Could be JW, could be PFE, could be PFS, hell it could be Romeoville. I watched some old Romeoville games from 1995 last week, I bet people dont even know they went to the 6A semis that year. Put a beating on a good BR and great Sandburg team. Plainfield C Im not sure why they are as down as they are. Not sure how other sports are but in hoops last year we had scored 34 points before they got on the board and that should never happen.

Anyways...

EAST
Plainfield E
Joliet W
Plainfield S
Romeoville
Plainfield C
Joliet C

WEST
Oswego
Plainfield N
The Nook
Oswego E
The Ville
Bolingbrook

Plainfield Central is down in every sport and the reasoning is simple: They're a 6A school playing in a majority 7A or 8A conference because that is what the conference wants.

Classic case of another school getting screwed over because "Of what works for the rest of the conference" and the school district wanting to keep all four Plainfield together.

They did redraw the boundaries for Plainfield this year so we will see what they can do this Fall.

 

[SiuCubFan8]

Plainfield Central is down in every sport and the reasoning is simple: They're a 6A school playing in a majority 7A or 8A conference because that is what the conference wants.

Classic case of another school getting screwed over because "Of what works for the rest of the conference" and the school district wanting to keep all four Plainfield together.

They did redraw the boundaries for Plainfield this year so we will see what they can do this Fall.

Do the boundaries change for kids that already started HS or incoming freshman only?

 

[PowerI66]

Do the boundaries change for kids that already started HS or incoming freshman only?

"The change will take effect for the 2026-2027 school year and include moving students from Plainfield North High School to Plainfield East High School and Plainfield High School-Central Campus."

Board of Education approves high school student attendance boundary changes | Plainfield CCSD 202 https://share.google/leuByzFGaYXOtVYbD

 

[JolietWest90]

Joliet West to win the East.

 

[pjjp]

For those in the know, I’ve heard Plainfield South has some very good young talent. Any truth to that rumor?

As for Plainfield Central, they are typically good in baseball. They struggle mightily in football and basketball. I believe they lose a ton of talent to private schools in those two sports.

it will be interesting to see the effect the new boundaries have on the respective schools.

 

[Cross Bones]

Plainfield Central is down in every sport and the reasoning is simple: They're a 6A school playing in a majority 7A or 8A conference because that is what the conference wants.

Classic case of another school getting screwed over because "Of what works for the rest of the conference" and the school district wanting to keep all four Plainfield together.

They did redraw the boundaries for Plainfield this year so we will see what they can do this Fall.

Theres 3 schools in that division with almost identical enrollments though. So it has to be more than being 6A, especially since the 8A schools are the Joliets. I can see them being hit hard by privates, but more than JW, South and East?

 

[SiuCubFan8]

Theres 3 schools in that division with almost identical enrollments though. So it has to be more than being 6A, especially since the 8A schools are the Joliets. I can see them being hit hard by privates, but more than JW, South and East?

3 HCs in 6 years I’m sure doesn’t help.

 

[PowerI66]

Enrollment changes seem to not matter this upcoming season

 

[HuskieFan2020]

Theres 3 schools in that division with almost identical enrollments though. So it has to be more than being 6A, especially since the 8A schools are the Joliets. I can see them being hit hard by privates, but more than JW, South and East?

The way that conference is set up, they have some crossovers every year between the divisions. I know Plainfield Central played Oswego like two years ago. Some of the schools being 6A and others being 8A etc do play a factor but I also think the way that the conferences are set up plays a role as well.

 

[HuskieFan2020]

3 HCs in 6 years I’m sure doesn’t help.

This is part of the conversation as well. It's hard to compete when there is that much turnover at the HC spot for any sport, especially football.

 

[Still Missing34]

I know schedules are made a few years in advance and Neuqua Valley/Geneva sounded and looked great on paper, but I wish Oswego had a harder Non-conference schedule this year (and typically they do).

 

[Cross Bones]

I know schedules are made a few years in advance and Neuqua Valley/Geneva sounded and looked great on paper, but I wish Oswego had a harder Non-conference schedule this year (and typically they do).

I agree, I assume the schedule was made after Geneva went to state, and NV had been solid for a number of years. The games make sense.

 

[Still Missing34]

I agree, I assume the schedule was made after Geneva went to state, and NV had been solid for a number of years. The games make sense.

Yeah, I get why and I think the NV game may be a game that was rescheduled from the 2020 non Covid season.

Gonna be a tough one, my son joined the NV staff this summer.

 

[HuskieFan2020]

Yeah, I get why and I think the NV game may be a game that was rescheduled from the 2020 non Covid season.

Gonna be a tough one, my son joined the NV staff this summer.

That's going to be a fun matchup. How is Neuqua looking this year? I know they've given us (Naperville North) a tough time over the last few years. The atmosphere at these games is always so fun.

 

[Still Missing34]

That's going to be a fun matchup. How is Neuqua looking this year? I know they've given us (Naperville North) a tough time over the last few years. The atmosphere at these games is always so fun.

Honestly, I'm not sure how they will look. Numbers aren't great and the lower levels didn't win many games last year.

On paper, it looks like NV will be heavily outmatched by Oswego.

 

[Cross Bones]

That's going to be a fun matchup. How is Neuqua looking this year? I know they've given us (Naperville North) a tough time over the last few years. The atmosphere at these games is always so fun.

Coach D must know something to schedule ESL for week 9. How are our Huskies looking?

 

[HuskieFan2020]

Honestly, I'm not sure how they will look. Numbers aren't great and the lower levels didn't win many games last year.

On paper, it looks like NV will be heavily outmatched by Oswego.

I'm pretty sure Oswego graduated a ton but they have a very good Soph//Junior class from 2025 coming back.

Why aren't Neuqua's numbers great on varsity? That's a top notch football school in that district.

 

[HuskieFan2020]

Coach D must know something to schedule ESL for week 9. How are our Huskies looking?

Wouldn't be surprised if Naperville North wins the conference again. Central is their only real competition.

 

[Still Missing34]

I'm pretty sure Oswego graduated a ton but they have a very good Soph//Junior class from 2025 coming back.

Why aren't Neuqua's numbers great on varsity? That's a top notch football school in that district.

Oswego was JR dominated and their RB was a Sophomore. Lower levels may have both gone undeated or had 1 loss. NV's demographics have changed mightily. The new kids don't play football.

 

[HuskieFan2020]

Oswego was JR dominated and their RB was a Sophomore. Lower levels may have both gone undeated or had 1 loss. NV's demographics have changed mightily. The new kids don't play football.

Interesting. They still seemed to have a solid year last year. I wonder how the demographics changing impacts the entire district.

 

[SiuCubFan8]

Interesting. They still seemed to have a solid year last year. I wonder how the demographics changing impacts the entire district.

NV was 3-6 last year. Beat WV, MV and H-F (good win). Got smacked by LWE and Lockport, the rest were competitive games.
Compared to the year before it was a major improvement, they were not really competitive in any losses, minus one, in 24-25.

 

[PowerI66]

Oswego was JR dominated and their RB was a Sophomore. Lower levels may have both gone undeated or had 1 loss. NV's demographics have changed mightily. The new kids don't play football.

You can't have that big of a swing competitively and just blame demographics.

 

[SiuCubFan8]

You can't have that big of a swing competitively and just blame demographics.

I find it hard to believe it was all a conference switch but these are the last 5 years.
'25 3-6 SWB
'24 2-7 SWB
'23 7-3 DVC
'22 8-3 DVC
'21 10-2 DVC

 

[Still Missing34]

You can't have that big of a swing competitively and just blame demographics.

I'm not in the building, nor would I consider myself a NV fan. However, I do have a lot of connections within the building and the community itself. That seems to be the most common theme.

 

[PowerI66]

I'm not in the building, nor would I consider myself a NV fan. However, I do have a lot of connections within the building and the community itself. That seems to be the most common theme.

I'm sure it didn't help, but some people need a better look in the mirror.

 

[Still Missing34]

I'm sure it didn't help, but some people need a better look in the mirror.

I'm sure there are myriad factors, but fact is, the numbers are down and the lower levels won very few games last year. I know exactly two coaches on the staff and both are under 23 and came from other programs.

 

[HuskieFan2020]

NV was 3-6 last year. Beat WV, MV and H-F (good win). Got smacked by LWE and Lockport, the rest were competitive games.
Compared to the year before it was a major improvement, they were not really competitive in any losses, minus one, in 24-25.

I guess my question is, would you really classify beating MV and WV as top tier wins? The HF win, I give them credit for but the other two Valley schools have rarely been competitive in football.

 

[HuskieFan2020]

I find it hard to believe it was all a conference switch but these are the last 5 years.
'25 3-6 SWB
'24 2-7 SWB
'23 7-3 DVC
'22 8-3 DVC
'21 10-2 DVC

Didn't District 204 re-do the boundaries in 2022 or something? Maybe that has an impact.

 

[HuskieFan2020]

I'm not in the building, nor would I consider myself a NV fan. However, I do have a lot of connections within the building and the community itself. That seems to be the most common theme.

So what in your opinion do you think NV needs to do to get back on top? It does seem like the other two valley schools are getting significantly better at every sport.

 

[SiuCubFan8]

I guess my question is, would you really classify beating MV and WV as top tier wins? The HF win, I give them credit for but the other two Valley schools have rarely been competitive in football.

No and I certainly didn’t say they were top tier wins.

 

[Still Missing34]

I guess my question is, would you really classify beating MV and WV as top tier wins? The HF win, I give them credit for but the other two Valley schools have rarely been competitive in football.

Wasn't WV in the playoffs a couple years ago?

 

[Still Missing34]

So what in your opinion do you think NV needs to do to get back on top? It does seem like the other two valley schools are getting significantly better at every sport.

From the brief amount of time I've paid attention to them:

A feeder program
Find a way to get kids to show up to the summer program