It's been a couple of weeks since I've written anything. I haven't been able to write because of my work and sleep schedule. It's been another crazy holiday season, and I apologize for not writing the games I covered over the last two weeks. I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying their holiday season.
What better first topic to write about than the Holiday tournaments.
As of now, here is my schedule for next week:
12/26: Jack Tosh Holiday Classic (York)
12/27: Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic
12/28: Hinkle Holiday Classic (Jacobs)
12/29: Either State Farm Classic (Bloomington/Normal), Pekin, Big Dipper (Rich Township), or Plano
12/30: Pontiac Holiday Tournament
I will highlight top first round games, potential matchups in the future rounds, and predict the outcomes.
Side note: Potential ingtriguing matchups do not equate to any projected matchups.
Here's an outlook of those tournaments along with a few others:
Jack Tosh Holiday Classic (York):
Top first round game(s): Naperville North vs. Glenbard West, St. Laurence vs. York, Leo vs. Lake Forest
Sleeper(s): St. Patrick, Glenbrook South, Glenbard West
Potential intriguing matchups:
2nd Round: Rolling Meadows vs. St. Patrick, Lemont vs. Andrew, Palatine vs. Yorkville, Glenbard West vs. St. Ignatius
Quarterfinals: Bolingbrook vs. Lemont, Rolling Meadows vs. Glenbrook South, St. Ignatius vs. Riverside-Brookfield
Semifinals: St. Ignatius vs. Lyons, Rolling Meadows vs. Bolingbrook
Predictions:
Consolation Title: St. Laurence over Leo
3rd Place: Bolingbrook over Lyons
Championship: Rolling Meadows over St. Ignatius
Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic:
Top first round game(s): Homewood-Flossmoor vs. St. Charles East, Morgan Park vs. Richards (Oak Lawn)
Sleeper(s): Stevenson, Rockford Auburn, Hinsdale Central
Potential intriguing matchups:
Quarterfinals: Stevenson vs. Oswego East, Marian Catholic vs. Rockford Auburn
Semifinals: Oswego East vs. DePaul Prep, Marian Catholic vs. Homewood-Flossmoor, Stevenson vs. DePaul Prep
Predictions:
Consolation Title: St. Charles East over Lincoln-Way Central
5th Place: Stevenson over Rockford Auburn
3rd Place: DePaul Prep over Hinsdale Central
Championship: Marian Catholic over Oswego East
Hinkle Holiday Classic (Jacobs):
Top first round game(s): Johnsburg vs. Cary-Grove, Prairie Ridge vs. South Elgin
Sleeper(s): Bartlett
Potential ingtriguing matchups:
Quarterfinals: Grayslake Central vs. Bartlett, Hoffman Estates vs. Prairie Ridge
Semifinals: Hoffman Estates vs. Crystal Lake South, Barrington vs. Bartlett, Prairie Ridge vs. Crystal Lake South
Predictions:
Consolation Title: South Elgin over Jacobs
5th Place: Graayslake Central over Prairie Ridge
3rd Place: Bartlett over Hoffman Estates
Championship: Barrington over Crystal Lake South
Pontiac:
Top first round game(s): Manual vs. Lockport, New Trier vs. Warren, West Aurora vs. Pontiac
Sleeper(s): New Trier, Bloom, Benet
Potential intriguing matchups:
Quarterfinals: Bloom vs. Benet, New Trier vs. Curie, Manual vs. Joliet West
Semifinals: Simeon vs. Curie, Simeon vs. New Trier, Bloom vs. Joliet West, Benet vs. Joliet West
Predictions:
Consolation Title: Lockport over Warren
5th Place: Bloom over Curie
3rd Place: Benet over New Trier
Championship: Simeon over Joliet West
State Farm Classic (Small Schools) (Bloomington/Normal):
Top first round game(s): East Dubuque vs. El Paso-Gridley, Rock Falls vs. University (Normal), Bishop McNamara vs. Tri-Valley
Sleeper(s): Bishop McNamara, University (Normal), Lutheran (Rockford)
Potential intriguing matchups:
Quarterfinals: Bloomington Central Catholic vs. Bishop McNamara, Aurora Christian vs. University (Normal)
Semifinals: Aurora Christian vs. Bishop McNamara, Bloomington Central Catholic vs. University (Normal)
Predictions:
Consolation Title: East Dubuque over Rock Falls
5th Place: Bishop McNamara over Notre Dame (Quincy)
3rd Place: Rockford Lutheran over Aurora Christian
Championship: St. Joseph-Ogden over Bloomington Central Catholic
State Farm Classic (Large Schools) (Bloomington/Normal):
Top 1st round game(s): Normal vs. Bradley-Bourbonnais, Mesa (AZ) vs. Springfield
Sleeper(s): Wheaton Warrenville South
Potential intriguing matchups:
Quarterfinals: Romeoville vs. Rock Island, Brother Rice vs. Mesa (AZ), Wheaton Warrenville South vs. Peoria
Semifinals: Romeoville vs. Brother Rice, Wheaton Warrenville South vs. Sacred Heart-Griffin
Predictions:
Consolation Title: Normal over Springfield
5th Place: Romeoville over Bradley-Bourbonnais
3rd Place: Wheaton Warrenville South over Rock Island
Championship: Sacred Heart-Griffin over Brother Rice
Pekin:
Top 1st round game(s): Lake Zurich vs. Lanphier, Lake Park vs. Washington
Sleeper(s): Morton (IL), Washington
Potential intriguing matchups:
Quarterfinals: Morton (IL) vs. Normal West, Richwoods vs. Pekin
Semifinals: Mount Carmel (Chicago) vs. Richwoods
Predictions:
Consolation Title: Washington over Lake Zurich
5th Place: Lake Park over Lanphier
3rd Place: Morton over Richwoods
Championship: Moline over Mount Carmel (Chicago)
Proviso West:
Top first round game(s): Proviso West vs. Lincoln Park, T.F. North vs. Clark, Farragut vs. Fenwick
Sleeper(s): Proviso East, T.F. North
Potential intriguing matchups:
Quarterfinals: T.F. North vs. Proviso East, Clark vs. Proviso East, Farragut vs. Kenwood
Semifinals: Whitney Young vs. St. Rita
Predictions:
Consolation Title: Clark over Lincoln Park
5th Place: T.F. North over Proviso West
3rd Place: Whitney Young over Proviso East
Championship: Kenwood over St. Rita
Wheeling Hardwood Classic:
Top first round game(s): Hampshire vs. St. Viator, Wheeling vs. Notre Dame
Sleeper(s): Fremd, Prospect
Potential intriguing matchups:
Quarterfinals: Niles North vs. Fremd, Prospect vs. Fremd, Deerfield vs. Neuqua Valley
Semifinals: Glenbrook North vs. Niles North, Neuqua Valley vs. Libertyville, Deerfield vs. Libertyville
Predictions:
Consolation Title: Prospect over St. Viator
5th Place: Fremd over Deerfield
3rd Place: Niles North over Libertyville
Championship: Glenbrook North over Neuqua Valley
Big Dipper (Rich Township):
Top first round game(s): Tinley Park vs. Thornwood, Longwood vs. Agricultural Science, Perspectives-Leadership vs. T.F. South
Sleeper(s): DeLaSalle
Potential intriguing matchups:
Quarterfinals: Perspectives-Leadership vs. Thornton, DeLaSalle vs. Rich
Semifinals: DeLaSalle vs. Hillcrest, Perspectives-Leadership vs. Hyde Park, Thornton vs. Hyde Park
Predictions:
Consolation Title: Tinley Park over Agricultural Science
5th Place: Rich over Thornton
3rd Place: DeLaSalle over Perspectives-Leadership
Championship: Hillcrest over Hyde Park
Plano:
Top first round game(s): Ottawa vs. Lisle, Streator vs. Hinckley-Big Rock, Yorkville Christian vs. Sandwich
Tuesday: Fenton @ Lakes Thursday: Hersey @ Prospect Friday: Maine East @ Highland Park Saturday: Game 1: Neuqua Valley @ Lake Forest Game 2: Evanston @ Waukegan
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