First off, IHSFW I think you do an excellent job covering the state and covering all schools.
I really really really don't understand how you cannot have Kaneland anywhere in your Playoff Central not even as a darkhorse. How many teams in 5A can beat Batavia, Burlington Central, Rochelle, and lose to Geneva by 3?? I'm not saying Kaneland makes it to the title game, but considering they beat Rochelle and Rochelle just beat Geneseo how can you not give any credit to Kaneland? Not to mention, Boone Thorgeson is one of, if not the best QB in 5A (Bobby B from SHG is tremendous also).
IMO Kaneland is the 2nd best team in 5A right now (I'm not sure anyone can touch SHG). Ya they lost to Geneva, but then you gotta look at it that Batavia beat Geneva and Kaneland beat Batavia. The Western Sun is a very tough 5A/6A conference. Rochelle at 5-4 just beat 9-0 Geneseo 14-0.
Western Sun is also 4-0 so far in the playoffs.
So please post back onto why Kaneland is not even a darkhorse. Kaneland has made the playoffs the last 12 years in a row with 2 state championships. It can't be because no one has heard of them (although the PJstar board sure hasn't). I find it very disappointing that I have to say Kaneland will "surprise" people in the playoffs when this entire year they have been one of the BEST teams in 5A all along.
Good luck to all teams in the playoffs and stay injury free. A great week of first round games.
Truefully, I was pressed for time and couldn't write one more pre-playoff review. Not really true but it sounds good.
I wrestled with Kaneland and was going to stick them in as a Title threat, but I think what did it for me was that I seen them in their only loss of the season. And Geneva didn't really blow me away.
I wanted them there and if you look at my playoff bracket I did on Sports Man's predict it. I've got them in the semi's, but I thought if I put them there I'd have to put three other teams there as well.
Looking at the scores from today, I should have just slapped them up there and let everybody hate-bag my inbox.
I just knew there was no way they were a Dark horse. I really try to leave the Dark horse to the 6-3/7-2 teams.
__________________
Vincent Johnson/Editor-in-Chief
www.IHSFW.com
Somebody has to cover the entire state.
