I would give my vote to Plainfield South. The Cougars have been on the rise since they became a varsity program 5 years ago. After there first two years at 0-9 they have improved with 2-7 and 3-6 records. There program has a good coach in Mike Briscoe and solid numbers. They have a schedule that could allow them to win about 5-6 games and have them taste the playoffs for the first time.
My vote would have to go to the greenville comets. They have made the playoffs 5 seasons strait and have a very athletic and fast young team this year. I expect them to make some noise in the playoffs this year.
I know they're not sleeper teams when youalready have them in the rankings, but I think Cahokia and Neuqua Valley are both my picks as the surprise teams of this season. And I think they're going to be a surprise because they are both teams that you look at early in the season and kind of pass over when you see them in the rankings. Then it's playoff time and you're like... Where the hell did these guys come from. Lemont is going to be another one of those teams as well. Look people are already asking on message boards how they got ranked so high. Some people think it's just that Aaron Nagel is going to Notre Dame, so that gives them a few points in the standings, but I'm telling you right now. Those are the 3 teams I think are going to go past any point that most people think they can.
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Vincent Johnson/Editor-in-Chief
www.IHSFW.com
Somebody has to cover the entire state.
I really like Cahokia going into this year. The are fast, really fast. The return a sophmore at QB, to a team that was a 5A semifinalist last year. The will be a force to be reckoned with.
Mount Carmel (Wabash County) will be in the playoffs if they remain as sharp as they are now. With a 2 and 0 start (Harrisburg 22-14 and Mt Vernon, In. 35-21, both away games), they could even contend for The Big Eight Conference title.
Down South, while your last couple of posts might push you closer to being in "Homer" territory, I will give you the fact that the Golden Aces may in fact be a sleeper team for 2006.
Not that any of their regular season Illinois teams like Harrisburg, or Robinson will take them lightly, but many teams that could be in the 4A Playoffs could take a pass on scouting the Aces in the regular season, thinking that the Indiana teams would again send them into October with less than enough wins to make the playoffs.
__________________
Vincent Johnson/Editor-in-Chief
www.IHSFW.com
Somebody has to cover the entire state.
In 1A, I think Alden-Hebron is worth noticing. They're returning a ton of starters, are 2-0 so far, and they lost in the playoffs last year to eventual state champions, Freeport (Aquin). In their first two games they've outscored opponents by 53-18.
