August 29, 2002 12:44 AM
Big 6 questions
for Big 6 footballBy Steve Tappa, Dispatch/Argus Staff
sports writer
Rock Island High School football coach Vic Boblett could have cried. Instead, he chose
to laugh off the lamentable situation facing his ninth-rated Rocks this season.
``At least we're not in bad company,'' Boblett said Monday about being ranked in the
Associated Press' Class 6A preseason poll behind a top three of proven state powers -- No.
1 Joliet Catholic, No. 2 Chicago Mount Carmel and No. 3 New Lenox Providence.
Also ranked from the Quad-Cities area are Geneseo (No. 4 in 5A), Riverdale (No. 5 in
3A), Fulton (No. 6 in 3A), Cambridge (No. 6 in 1A) and ROWVA (No. 8 in 1A).
Monday's poll is the first preview of the IHSA's new postseason picture. The IHSA voted
last year to expand to eight playoff classes, from the six that had existed since 1980.
Boblett and other local coaches contacted for reaction to the rankings noted the final
classes will not be determined until the last day of the season, when the 256-team playoff
field is set.
However, if the classes hold, the change makes Rocky's path to a state championship
that much tougher, while making it potentially easier for Geneseo, which used to butt
heads with Joliet Catholic, among others.
Riverdale coach Bill McCarty said the road remains about the same for the smaller
schools in the area. Riverdale and Fulton are among the six smallest schools in 3A,
according to last year's enrollment figures.
``It might help us, but that remains to be seen,'' Geneseo coach Denny Diericx said.
``A lot can happen when they draw the brackets up, and teams shift up or down. So, we're
not counting on anything. It's too far down the road to worry about it now, anyway.
Nobody's played a game yet.''
Yet, with openers looming this Friday or Saturday, 6A is easily considered the power
class of the state.
Joliet Catholic, Mount Carmel and Providence have combined for 24 state titles since
the inception of the state playoffs 27 years ago. Joliet Catholic is the two-time
defending Class 4A state champ, and a winner of 28 straight games. Mount Carmel has won
the last three state titles in Class 5A, beating Providence in last season's championship
game.
Battling to become the first school to 10 state titles this fall, Joliet Catholic and
Mount Carmel meet Sept. 1 at Chicago's Gately Stadium.
In all, 6A boasts 24 playoff qualifiers from last season, including three of four
semifinalists in 5A, and two more quarterfinalists from that bracket.
Unranked United Township is one of last season's 26 playoff qualifiers slated for Class
7A competition this season. Western Big 6 Conference favorite Moline remains in the
largest class, and is unranked in 8A among 23 returning qualifiers -- including Class 6A's
top four teams.
Alleman slates in 5A with Geneseo, where there are 23 qualifiers including seven of
Class 4A's top eight last season.
Sherrard and Rockridge are unranked, but join Riverdale and Fulton among 3A's 21 teams
to make the playoffs last season, including defending 2A champ Stillman Valley.
Aledo is unranked and among 25 returning playoff qualifiers in 2A, where the top two
teams in 1A last year (champion Carthage and Sciota Northwestern) mix with three 2A
quarterfinalists from a year ago.
Monmouth Warren and Monmouth Yorkwood are unranked and join Cambridge and ROWVA among
the 24 returning qualifiers in 1A.
Ranked first in 5A is Geneseo's season-opening foe, Metamora, which knocked the Leafs
out of the playoff quarterfinals last season.
In the other classes, the No. 1's are Naperville Central (8A), Bolingbrook (7A),
Lombard Montini (4A), Stillman Valley (3A), Moweaqua Central A&M (2A) and Oakland
(1A).
In order, behind the top three parochial schools in 6A are Rockford Boylan, Oak Lawn
Richards, Chicago St. Rita, Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge and Bloomington. Chatham Glenwood,
formerly a 4A powerhouse, is 10th.
Copyright 2001, Moline Dispatch
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