ICE Round 1

[Wilmatucky1]

4 games coming at ya in ICE action. RC dropped a tough one and Lisle result was as expected I would say. Lets see how this by week thing works out going forward and best of luck as always.

2A

#9 Illini West (8-2) @ #8 Peotone (7-2) - IW boasts a nice record, but as I examined their schedule, the only team they beat with a winning record was a 6-4 (5-4 in regular season). They lost to an 8-1 Macomb and 6-4 Astoria. Peotone took it to Manteno pretty good, and blew out all the other ICE competition except when they got blown out by Wilmo and CC. What leads me to believe that Peotone should be favored here is even when IW was winning against the bad teams of their conference, they never won by more than 10 points. In fact the only time they had a blow out win was this last round of the playoffs. I've said it multiple times over the year, the good teams are good and the bad are bad in IHSA. So which conference is stronger top to bottom and how will that transition to this game. I like Peotone here just in the fact they were scoring even against the ICE bad teams and I do think that the ICE is somewhat tougher of a conference. Tone 42 IW 14

#12 Farmington (6-4) @ #5 Wilmington (8-1) - These two have met once before in the late 2010's and Wilmington won convincingly. A lot of what I can say about this game was said about the Peotone game this week. I can't see a mid level team in that conference beating the top of the ICE. I don't think Farmington will be a pushover, but I do think Wilmo does Wilmo things and controls the ball for a win. Farmington was scoring in their wins, but I like the Wilmo D to stop that this week. Wilmo 42 Farmington 7


3A

#9 Manteno (7-3) @ #8 St. Bede (7-2) - I think this game has the potential to be the best of the week for ICE teams. Two teams who didn't really beat any stud teams and didn't really lose to anyone they shouldn't have. I am getting a hard read on this one and will say that this one goes to a coin flip. The fact that Manteno looked tough against Wilmo and then got blown out by Peotone make it even harder to get a good read. They also didn't blow out a really bad Plano team. I will go with some ICE homecoming though and say Manteno in a close one. Manteno 21 St.Bede 18

4A

#15 Leo (6-4) @ #2 Coal CIty (8-1) - Leo didn't beat anyone with a winning record and didn't hardly blow out anybody either. They also lost to a team that was 2-7. I don't see the ICE champions having any type of challenge here. CC 49 Leo 7

 

[SiuCubFan8]

3 of Leo's losses are to teams that would do the same thing to every team in the ICE. The Benet loss is questionable for sure.
I expect CC to win but am interested to see how Leo competes in this game.

 

[BobbyBoucher9]

Peotone should win comfortably give me 35-7

Wilmington will get to 40 and call of the dogs

Manteno should win by 2 or 3 scores

Coal City in a blowout

 

[Doctor_D]

Coalers by 2 or 3 scores. I’d be surprised if they truly blow out a CCL team, even one that’s a bottom feeder.

Mantucky gets the “upset” wins by a score.

Tone by 21.

Wilmington clock but not until midway through the 3rd Q.

 

[Carmine Evergreen]

#9 Illini West (8-2) @ #8 Peotone (7-2) - This is not Jim Unruh's Blue Boys and 200+ miles on a bus is a lonngggg ride. Peotone is solid on defense and their D-Wing gets better n better as the season progresses. I think they take advantage of being at home and punch their ticket to Round 2. Peotone 40 IW 14

#12 Farmington (6-4) @ #5 Wilmington (8-1) - CLOCK

#9 Manteno (7-3) @ #8 St. Bede (7-2) - St. Bede doesn't stack up physically to Tier 2 in the ICE, but they've won 7 out of their last 8 and they're playing in Peru. This is a big test for the Panthers football program. Can they go on the road and beat a hot team who's been putting up a lot of points? I think they do! Manteno 34 St.Bede 28

#15 Leo (6-4) @ #2 Coal CIty (8-1) - At first glance I think CLOCK, but I think Leo scores a couple times mid-late 4Q. CC 52 Leo 18.

Next years ICE team in action Sandwich travels to Du-Pec. The Indians had a "decent" season and absolutely smoked Lisle last week. I'm curious to hear what they'll be bringing back in 2027.

 

[SouthofI80Fan]

Illini West at Peotone - like the Lisle/Sandwich game last week, this one will go very fast with both teams focusing on the run game. Although IW does not have a "quality" win, they have the ability to grind out a win against superior opponents. Peotone's win over Manteno holds a little water but not overly impressed with the Panthers. Blue Devils 32 Chargers 8

Farmington vs. Wilmington - I would venture to guess that Wilmington is still reeling from the loss in week 9. That's bad news for the Farmers who are having a rare down year. QB is a 2 year state and only a sophomore but they had a very lackluster performance against against Pleasant Plains, who isn't great. Wildcats 42 Farmington 13

Manteno vs. St. Bede - this could be an exciting game and points could happen early and often. However, St. Bedes best win is vs. Ottawa Marquette who is just ok. But Manteno only lost to Wilmington by 17. Panthers 34 Bruins 22

**I am curious why being within 17 points of a team is considered "playing them tough?" So they didn't get 40 pointed, is that the new measurement of "quality, don't forget they got throttled by Peotone who lost to Wilmington by 40+.

Leo vs. Coal City - doesn't seem to be an overly exciting matchup but Leo is a solid team, not your typical CPL team and CC shouldn't have much of an issue. Plus they are just having fun until are their quarterfinal matchup. Coalers 54 Lions 18

 

[4Afan]

Leo vs. Coal City - doesn't seem to be an overly exciting matchup but Leo is a solid team, not your typical CPS team. CC is rolling after beating Wilmington and are probably looking ahead towards the quarterfinal matchup. Coalers 54 Lions 18

Leo isn't your typical CPS team because they play in the CCL.

 

[SouthofI80Fan]

Leo isn't your typical CPS team because they play in the CCL.

Yep, your right, typo, fixed.

 

[4Afan]

Yep, your right, typo, fixed.

Close enough, lol

 

[Coalertown91]

2A
#9 Illini West (8-2) @ #8 Peotone (7-2) I think the Tone is hitting on all cylinders now. They win in a fairly comfortable fashion at home Tone 27-7
#12 Farmington (6-4) @ #5 Wilmington (8-1) Wilmo coming off their first ICE loss since the conference started I believe? Have a feeling they will hit the ground running. Cats 49-6
3A
#9 Manteno (7-3) @ #8 St. Bede (7-2) Don't know what to think about this team. Manteno is good against the bad teams but bad against the good teams. I'll take the Bruins here because I don't trusty Manteno and the fact that they copied Wilmington's checkerboard endzones for their game last week St Bede 30-28
4A
#15 Leo (6-4) @ #2 Coal City (8-1) Leo isn't half bad. They have a really tough running back and some team speed. They attack on defense. The good thing is the Coalers stop the run better than most and they have their own team speed. Coalers pull away with a flurry of big plays. CC 49-12

 

[Wilmatucky1]

Manteno vs. St. Bede - this could be an exciting game and points could happen early and often. However, St. Bedes best win is vs. Ottawa Marquette who is just ok. But Manteno only lost to Wilmington by 17. Panthers 34 Bruins 22

**I am curious why being within 17 points of a team is considered "playing them tough?" So they didn't get 40 pointed, is that the new measurement of "quality, don't forget they got throttled by Peotone who lost to Wilmington by 40+.

I wasn't at the Wilmo/Manteno game, but I had heard that Manteno played them very tough. Maybe to the tune of only a 7 point game at half IIRC.

And yes, IMO, the overall landscape of high school football these days is way too volatile (especially in the smaller classes). The good teams are really good and the bad teams are really bad. So when you have a game that is within 20 it makes me raise my eyebrow a little.

 

[Wilmatucky1]

3 of Leo's losses are to teams that would do the same thing to every team in the ICE. The Benet loss is questionable for sure.
I expect CC to win but am interested to see how Leo competes in this game.

I don't doubt that the result of those 3 losses (BR, IC, Iggy) would be very similar if any ICE team played them.

Also, they lost to benet.

They also beat no one with a winning record. In fact the combined wins of all their defeated opponents is only 9. For a 6 win team that aint good.

If similar data points is all I have to go on for a comparison, they beat Eisenhower with a similar result as Peotone. Therefore they would be on the same level and CC smashed Peotone.

I know it doesn't really always work that way but it's good enough justification for me to make a pick on a free message board.

 

[SiuCubFan8]

I don't doubt that the result of those 3 losses (BR, IC, Iggy) would be very similar if any ICE team played them.

Also, they lost to benet.

They also beat no one with a winning record. In fact the combined wins of all their defeated opponents is only 9. For a 6 win team that aint good.

If similar data points is all I have to go on for a comparison, they beat Eisenhower with a similar result as Peotone. Therefore they would be on the same level and CC smashed Peotone.

I know it doesn't really always work that way but it's good enough justification for me to make a pick on a free message board.

I added some context on those losses and said the Benet loss is questionable, which should probably be "not good".

I think they are better than the W/L and am interested to see how they compete. I in no way have implied that CC doesn't win, I want to see if Leo hangs tough for a half or 3 quarters. I suspect best case is they do hang in for a bit and then the games gets away from them.

It is perfect justification for you to make a pick on a free message board. I never said or implied that I had any issue with your pick or how you went about coming to it.

 

[Wilmatucky1]

I added some context on those losses and said the Benet loss is questionable, which should probably be "not good".

I think they are better than the W/L and am interested to see how they compete. I in no way have implied that CC doesn't win, I want to see if Leo hangs tough for a half or 3 quarters. I suspect best case is they do hang in for a bit and then the games gets away from them.

It is perfect justification for you to make a pick on a free message board. I never said or implied that I had any issue with your pick or how you went about coming to it.

Didn't mean it to come off rude. Just saying that I am no algorithm and my formula for who will win a game (albeit not the most accurate) is just looking at the overall strength of W/L. If there are some common opponents in there then that just helps me out a little I suppose lol.

At the end of the day, it is high school and although the media coverage has increased 100x in the last ten years or so, there still is no way to know what a team in the Little Egypt (or wherever) area really is, and that makes it very difficult to make a prediction or a top ten poll.

 

[Coalertown91]

I don't doubt that the result of those 3 losses (BR, IC, Iggy) would be very similar if any ICE team played them.

Also, they lost to benet.

They also beat no one with a winning record. In fact the combined wins of all their defeated opponents is only 9. For a 6 win team that aint good.

If similar data points is all I have to go on for a comparison, they beat Eisenhower with a similar result as Peotone. Therefore they would be on the same level and CC smashed Peotone.

I know it doesn't really always work that way but it's good enough justification for me to make a pick on a free message board.

Don't get me wrong I think CC is going to win big Friday night. I am just saying this Leo team has some players. Not enough to make it a game but enough to not overlook them

 

[SiuCubFan8]

Don't get me wrong I think CC is going to win big Friday night. I am just saying this Leo team has some players. Not enough to make it a game but enough to not overlook them

They have more "dudes" than a typical R1 games for a #2 seed, IMO.

Leo has done a great job of building up their program numbers wise, have gotten kicked around in the CCL recently and I think those that follow the CCL are eager to see how expanded playoffs would go for them. But facing CC will be a tough ask in R1....

 

[SouthofI80Fan]

I wasn't at the Wilmo/Manteno game, but I had heard that Manteno played them very tough. Maybe to the tune of only a 7 point game at half IIRC.

And yes, IMO, the overall landscape of high school football these days is way too volatile (especially in the smaller classes). The good teams are really good and the bad teams are really bad. So when you have a game that is within 20 it makes me raise my eyebrow a little.

Oh boy, we are only down 7 at half! Reminds me of the scene in Little Giants where they gain a yard and everyone celebrates.

 

[Carmine Evergreen]

LFG Peotone! The Devils can make it a clean sweep for the ICE in Rd 1.

 

[Doctor_D]

Manteno won pretty convincingly. I didn’t expect that, but I expected them to win.

Coalers took care of business. Leo had some dudes but CC does too and are a much better team.

Wilmo game wasn’t very interesting other than watching D. Moran on defense.

I think Peotone takes care of business tomorrow

 

[Carmine Evergreen]

Peotone 30 Illini W 8 half

 

[SouthofI80Fan]

TV dominates BHRA as usual and gets to play Wilmington in round 2, as usual

 

[SouthofI80Fan]

Manteno won pretty convincingly. I didn’t expect that, but I expected them to win.

Coalers took care of business. Leo had some dudes but CC does too and are a much better team.

Wilmo game wasn’t very interesting other than watching D. Moran on defense.

I think Peotone takes care of business tomorrow

Devils win as does future ICE-T team Sandwich who took down DuPec.

 

[Doctor_D]

Sandwich handing out beat down sammiches to Du Pec

 

[Carmine Evergreen]

Haven't seen a roster so no idea how many senior starters they have, but the team I saw today could go toe-toe with Peotone and Manteno no prob.

 

[bryce45]

Maybe the ICE was not as bad as I thought.