Previewing and predicting the IHSA Class 8A state football playoffs
The brackets are out and it is prediction time. These are my quickfire, need it fast for the print newspaper deadline initial impressions. I reserve the right to change my mind later in the week.
Class 8A pairings
#32 Loyola at #1 Mount Carmel
#17 Belleville East at #16 West Aurora
#25 Palatine at #8 Young
#24 Stevenson at #9 Lincoln-Way East
#29 Huntley at #4 Fremd
#20 York at #13 Lyons
#28 New Trier at #5 Warren
#21 Oswego East at #12 Bolingbrook
#31 Elgin at #2 Barrington
#18 Minooka at #15 Glenbrook South
#26 Homewood-Flossmoor at #7 Curie
#23 Lockport at #10 Sandburg
#30 Downers Grove South at #3 Maine South
#19 Hinsdale Central at #14 South Elgin
#27 Perspectives at #6 Lane
#22 Naperville North at #11 Oswego
Class 8A Preview
Favorite: Mount Carmel
Top Contender: Maine South
Darkhorse/Bracket Buster: Fremd
Best first round game: York at Lyons
Toughest path to title game: Mount Carmel
Class 8A predictions
Second Round
Mount Carmel beats West Aurora
Lincoln-Way East beats Palatine
Fremd beats Lyons
Warren beats Bolingbrook
Barrington beats Glenbrook South
Lockport beats H-F
Maine South beats Hinsdale Central
Naperville North beats Lane
Quarterfinals
Mount Carmel beats Lincoln-Way East
Fremd beats Warren
Barrington beats Lockport
Maine South beats Naperville North
Semifinals
Mount Carmel beats Fremd
Maine South beats Barrington
Title game
Mount Carmel beats Maine South