Top Ten Conferences

[Alexander33]

With a little more than a month to go before the season begins, it may be fun to start a discussion about which conferences are the best. The following top-ten list is offered with that goal in mind. It was developed using a specific and objective methodology, but no claim is made that it is the best or most authoritative list possible. What are the best conferences in your mind?

It should be added that I was thinking of the "best" in an absolute sense, not in the relative sense of which are the best in relation to a class level.

1.) CCL/ESCC Blue
2.) CCL/ESCC Green
3.) Southwest Suburban Blue
4.) Central State Eight
5.) Fox Valley
6.) DuKane
7.) Southwestern
8.) North Suburban
9.) Central Suburban South
10.) CCL/ESCC Orange

 

[Wittymoniker1]

I think the DuKane should be ahead of the CCL-ESCC Green, imo.

 

[dapiech]

Love the list. What about the DVC? I know they're struggled of late, but one could make a good argument to be included if history is a factor...

 

[guerinfbfan]

Top 10 for Large Schools IMO

1. CCL/ESCC Blue
2. Southwest Suburban Blue
3. DuPage Valley
4. West Suburban Silver
5. Fox Valley
6. North Suburban
7. DuKane
8. Central State Eight
9. CCL/ESCC Green
10. CCL/ESCC Orange

 

[guerinfbfan]

Top 5 Small School Conferences

1. Northwest Upstate Illini
2. Illini Prairie
3. Sangamo
4. Kiswaukee River/Interstate 8 White
5. Illinois Central Eight

 

[Alexander33]

Love the list. What about the DVC? I know they're struggled of late, but one could make a good argument to be included if history is a factor...

Although very objective, the method I used produced some strange results and I readily admit it undervalued the DuPage Vally Conference. I won't bore you with details but this may be a good opportunity to very briefly describe the methodology.

The conferences were evaluated based on their current composition of teams. Points were assigned to each conference based on the semifinal appearances in the last five playoffs, how the teams performed in those appearances, and how recent the appearances were made. Finally, the results were weighted based on class level so that, for example, 8A results were weighted 8 times more heavily than 1A results and 2 times more heavily than 4A results.

The only semifinal appearance for the DuPage Valley Conference in the last five playoffs was an appearance by DeKalb six years ago in the 6A playoffs. They lost that semifinal game. This performance produced very few points for the DVC and it was therefore well down my overall list. Again, though, I readily admit such a rudimentary system doesn't always capture the true strength of a conference and the DVC is a good example. It could easily be one of the ten best conferences in reality. Last year Neuqua Valley would have been a heavy favorite against Sacred Heart Griffin (Central State Eight) for example. Simplicity and objectivity, as reflected in the method used, don't always produce accurate results.

Your point is a good one.

 

[crusader_of_90]

Southwestern ... nah. Only EastSide is always good. Edwardsville is never a real contender. The rest of the field sucks - maybe O'Fallon catches lightning in a bottle once in a while.

 

[rocketnation]

1- CCL/ESCC Blue
2- CCL/ESCC Green
3- Fox Valley
4- DuKane
5- CS8
6- North Suburban
7- Southwest Suburban Blue
8- CCL/ESCC Orange
9- Central Suburban South
10- DuPage Valley

 

[MustangFB]

1. CCL/ESCC Blue
2. Southwest Suburban Blue
3. DuKane
4.Fox Valley
5. DVC
6. North Suburban
7. west Suburban Silver
8. Central State Eight
9. CCL/ESCC Green
10. CCL/ESCC Orange

 

[Cross Bones]

Last year I think the DuKane was the best. They really showed well in the playoffs.

 

[USD24]

Last year I think the DuKane was the best. They really showed well in the playoffs.

I'm gonna disagree. I would put the CCL/ESCC Blue ahead of the Dukane last year. In the playoffs the Dukane was 8-3 and had the 7A champion. No other school advanced beyond the quarters. The Blue was 11-4 with 3 semi-finalists in the two largest classes. The other playoff team from the Blue (MC) lost to a team from its own conference. In addition, in head to head games the Blue was 2-1 vs the Dukane.

 

[johnndoe]

I will do the written version of "biting my lip" as it relates to exceptionally high ranking of the SWSC Blue. A few guys on this forum will know what this is about.

 

[Cross Bones]

I'm gonna disagree. I would put the CCL/ESCC Blue ahead of the Dukane last year. In the playoffs the Dukane was 8-3 and had the 7A champion. No other school advanced beyond the quarters. The Blue was 11-4 with 3 semi-finalists in the two largest classes. The other playoff team from the Blue (MC) lost to a team from its own conference. In addition, in head to head games the Blue was 2-1 vs the Dukane.

It's close, but Rice was supposed to manhandle WWS, they did not. I think we all expected a barn burner between MC and Batavia, but I remember the chatter about a lot of help from the stripes to eek it out. WN put a football clinic on against Rice and then Rita for good measure. Plus you forgot about GBN winning as the underdog against Brook and Warren, before giving Lockport their closest game of the playoffs.

 

[PowerI66_]

I'm gonna disagree. I would put the CCL/ESCC Blue ahead of the Dukane last year. In the playoffs the Dukane was 8-3 and had the 7A champion. No other school advanced beyond the quarters. The Blue was 11-4 with 3 semi-finalists in the two largest classes. The other playoff team from the Blue (MC) lost to a team from its own conference. In addition, in head to head games the Blue was 2-1 vs the Dukane.

You clearly did not watch the Batavia vs MC game

 

[USD24]

You clearly did not watch the Batavia vs MC game

Actually, I did watch it. Your point?

 

[PowerI66_]

Actually, I did watch it. Your point?

There's more to it than the playoff record. Especially with that specific game. That record last year could easily be flipped in the other direction. I guess my point would be that it's not as black and white as you make it seem. The counterpoint of course being that Lausch being hurt changed things in the WN game.

 

[USD24]

There's more to it than the playoff record. Especially with that specific game. That record last year could easily be flipped in the other direction. I guess my point would be that it's not as black and white as you make it seem. The counterpoint of course being that Lausch being hurt changed things in the WN game.

Of course there are a lot of games that could go either way. If WWS would have beaten Rice and Batavia beaten MC, I would say the Dukane was better last year. That is not what happened. My point is, based on the results, the Blue was better last year, albeit by a narrow margin.

 

[Alexander33]

I will do the written version of "biting my lip" as it relates to exceptionally high ranking of the SWSC Blue. A few guys on this forum will know what this is about.

I'm not sure which direction you are going with the comment, but the Southwest Suburban Blue Conference did win three of the last four 8A championships. That seems exceptionally good to me.

 

[greatgig13]

The Fox Valley has come a long way since my days of roaming the halls at CG in the mid 80’s. Woodstock was the only state winner back then and CL South and Central were tough too. PR and CG have certainly put the FVC on the map with Huntley, I hate to admit, and Jacobs playing solid. Others have game too. It’s really turned into a nice conference.

 

[Alexander33]

Southwestern ... nah. Only EastSide is always good. Edwardsville is never a real contender. The rest of the field sucks - maybe O'Fallon catches lightning in a bottle once in a while.

Edwardsville seems to consistently make the playoffs and win one or two games in the highest class level. They made the 8A semifinals in 2017. They also made it to the 7A semifinals in 2013. And, although it has been awhile, Belleville East made the 7A semifinals in 2010.

The biggest thing, though, is that East St. Louis is in the conference and they have been very good. That alone makes it a conference to be reckoned with.

 

[King MJ_rivals]

1. CCL/ESCC Blue
2. Southwest Suburban Blue
3. DuKane
4.Fox Valley
5. DVC
6. North Suburban
7. west Suburban Silver
8. Central State Eight
9. CCL/ESCC Green
10. CCL/ESCC Orange

Agree with this. Though I think 1-3 and 8-10 are pretty much interchangeable amongst themselves.

 

[IlliniEight4ever]

There's more to it than the playoff record. Especially with that specific game. That record last year could easily be flipped in the other direction. I guess my point would be that it's not as black and white as you make it seem. The counterpoint of course being that Lausch being hurt changed things in the WN game.

It was annoying watching WN vs the private schools on NFHS.At least 20 times during both games a guy at least 1 kept saying you can’t buy a championship.really?

 

[robust24]

Mchenry 142-28 16 years under Noll. What has Huntley done? 8a school in 6A FVC. Cary-PR rule the FVC!!

 

[greatgig13]

Mchenry 142-28 16 years under Noll. What has Huntley done? 8a school in 6A FVC. Cary-PR rule the FVC!!

McHenry was good… It’s all cyclical. And McHenry is 7A in a 6A conference.

 

[Tmart22]

Edwardsville seems to consistently make the playoffs and win one or two games in the highest class level. They made the 8A semifinals in 2017. They also made it to the 7A semifinals in 2013. And, although it has been awhile, Belleville East made the 7A semifinals in 2010.

The biggest thing, though, is that East St. Louis is in the conference and they have been very good. That alone makes it a conference to be reckoned with.

Don’t forget 2011 ofallon. I know they lost a tight one in the quarters but I would definitely had considered them a contender that year.

Also would definitely have considered edwardsville a legit contender a few times in the past 10 years.

 

[illinifan82]

1. CCL/ESCC Blue
2. Southwest Suburban Blue
3. DuKane
4.Fox Valley
5. DVC
6. North Suburban
7. west Suburban Silver
8. Central State Eight
9. CCL/ESCC Green
10. CCL/ESCC Orange

IMO this is pretty spot on

 

[LakeCtyNewt]

IMO this is pretty spot on

I may shock a few people here but I think the NSC is too high. Warren has owned this conference for the last 4 years and while Lake Forest has shown they can compete at 6A, the rest of the league isn’t near what it used to be. I think the league will be better this year merely because it can’t get much worse.

I would rank it 9 or 10.

 

[Wittymoniker1]

Top 10 for Large Schools IMO

1. CCL/ESCC Blue
2. Southwest Suburban Blue
3. DuPage Valley
4. West Suburban Silver
5. Fox Valley
6. North Suburban
7. DuKane
8. Central State Eight
9. CCL/ESCC Green
10. CCL/ESCC Orange

I think guerin's list is very good here.

 

[Alexander33]

Top 5 Small School Conferences

1. Northwest Upstate Illini
2. Illini Prairie
3. Sangamo
4. Kiswaukee River/Interstate 8 White
5. Illinois Central Eight

Here are my top five small-school conferences.

1.) Sangamo
2.) Heart of Illinois *
3.) Central Illinois
4.) Northwest Upstate Illini
5.) Illini Prairie


And then my top five midsize-school conferences.

1.) Metro Suburban *
2.) Kishwaukee River / Interstate 8 - Blue
3.) Big Northern
3.) Mid-Illini
4.) Kishwaukee River / Interstate 8 - White


* I combined the two divisions for both the Heart of Illinois Conference and the Metro Suburban Conference because the top teams in the two divisions all play each other. The IHSA treats the divisions as separate conferences.

The Illinois Central Eight Conference is sort of hard to classify. It has both small schools (Wilmington) and midsize schools (Coal City). If considered a small-school conference then your fifth place ranking seems about right to me.

I'm not sure the Kishwaukee River / Interstate 8 - White Conference should be considered a small-school conference. Both Sycamore and Morris generally play in the 5A playoffs, which puts them in the larger half of schools.

 

[IlliniEight4ever]

CCL/ECSS Red which has 2 teams only lol.Walther Lutheran,Chicago Hope Academy,Christ The King & Woodstock Marian Central Catholic should all join in

 

[Maj2023]

I'm gonna disagree. I would put the CCL/ESCC Blue ahead of the Dukane last year. In the playoffs the Dukane was 8-3 and had the 7A champion. No other school advanced beyond the quarters. The Blue was 11-4 with 3 semi-finalists in the two largest classes. The other playoff team from the Blue (MC) lost to a team from its own conference. In addition, in head to head games the Blue was 2-1 vs the Dukane.

Can’t really count the MC win vs Batavia. Refs gave that to MC and I don’t even like Batavia

 

[USD24]

Can’t really count the MC win vs Batavia. Refs gave that to MC and I don’t even like Batavia

Of course you can count it. They won and advanced.

 

[FCHS2019]

Top 5 Small School Conferences

1. Northwest Upstate Illini
2. Illini Prairie
3. Sangamo
4. Kiswaukee River/Interstate 8 White
5. Illinois Central Eight

Your #4 and #5 are the best two of the bunch.. Upstate Illini is a 1A and 2A conference, though very dominant at the top.. Illini Prairie and Sangamo thrive in the south, but a whole of of *** beatings in Champaign and Dekalb

 

[Doctor_D]

NUIC is an outstanding conference, and pound for pound is one of the best, but I’d take the ICE vs them head to head.

 

[LakeCtyNewt]

NUIC is an outstanding conference, and pound for pound is one of the best, but I’d take the ICE vs them head to head.

Kinda hard to argue with what the NUIC has done. 9 titles in the last 11 years. I’m not sure any other conference can top that - maybe the CCL had a run like that but between Lena, Forreston, Dakota, and Galena that’s a helluva run. Fulton joining this league makes it amazingly strong. I’m sure the ICE has had some good runs in it but nothing like the NUIC.

 

[Doctor_D]

Kinda hard to argue with what the NUIC has done. 9 titles in the last 11 years. I’m not sure any other conference can top that - maybe the CCL had a run like that but between Lena, Forreston, Dakota, and Galena that’s a helluva run. Fulton joining this league makes it amazingly strong. I’m sure the ICE has had some good runs in it but nothing like the NUIC.

No doubt, the dominance of the 1A class for the NUIC. Something like 8 of the last 10 1A champs have been from that league. Like I said, pound for pound…
But strictly H2H I like the ICE mostly due to class differences. I’d give Wilmington a good chance vs L-W. (Would LOVE to see this game)
Coal City vs Forreston… Reed-Custer v Dakota, and so on. Not really apples to apples comparison though because the ICE schools are all larger. I’d also say the ICE is top to bottom better than both the Sangamo and Illini Prarie, but I guess I’m a also coming from a homer perspective

 

[LakeCtyNewt]

No doubt, the dominance of the 1A class for the NUIC. Something like 8 of the last 10 1A champs have been from that league. Like I said, pound for pound…
But strictly H2H I like the ICE mostly due to class differences. I’d give Wilmington a good chance vs L-W. (Would LOVE to see this game)
Coal City vs Forreston… Reed-Custer v Dakota, and so on. Not really apples to apples comparison though because the ICE schools are all larger. I’d also say the ICE is top to bottom better than both the Sangamo and Illini Prarie, but I guess I’m a also coming from a homer perspective

Point taken. Mine was not really a slight against the ICE - by the way I think a great logo is in order for this league.

 

[kpjasion]

Not sure why the Mid Suburban League never gets more respect. They don't have a state champion recently, but have had state semifinalists in 2015(Palatine), 2016(Palatine), 2017(Hoffman Estates), 2019(Rolling Meadows) and 2021(Prospect) - and I can almost guarantee you either (or maybe both) Prospect and Palatine will be at that level again in the next 1-3 years.

 

[PowerI66_]

Not sure why the Mid Suburban League never gets more respect. They don't have a state champion recently, but have had state semifinalists in 2015(Palatine), 2016(Palatine), 2017(Hoffman Estates), 2020(Rolling Meadows) and 2021(Prospect) - and I can almost guarantee you either (or maybe both) Prospect and Palatine will be at that level again in the next 1-3 years.

I feel like it's a top to bottom thing. I personally feel like they are a "good" conference, but not "great". To be in the top 10 I think they need to start having more success consistently, which I think is coming. The MSL has generally been more of a paper tiger when it comes to the playoffs despite the few semi-finals you have stated. Prospect back on the rise will help considerably.