Fearless Forecasts: Our Class 3A Playoff Predictions
May 21, 2012
By Sean Duncan
The Class 3A tournament has a different feel, which is to say the field will be significantly beefier than past years. Previously, Class 3A always featured a handful of top-level teams, but had a precipitous drop-off after that. This year, the Class 3A tournament could be just as exciting as Class 4A.
I was on a three-year hot streak calling the 3A champion before Kaneland made its shocking run through the playoffs to win it all last year. I don’t think anyone – not even Kaneland’s coach – could’ve seen that coming, so my confidence isn’t too bruised as we head into the playoffs, which begin today with regional play-in games.
Like all years, there’s some serious inequality in the sectionals. The Lincoln-Way West Sectional is a complete joke. Joliet Catholic, Oak Forest, Marian Catholic, Lemont, Illiana Christian and Lincoln-Way West are all crammed into this sectional. Although we may not get the best cross-section of teams in the state semifinals, you will certainly see some incredible pitching matchups in this sectional. Some of the top pitchers in the state will square off: JCA’s Kevin Duchene, Oak Forest’s Kyle Funkhouser, Marian Catholic’s Brett Lilek and Lemont’s Tyler Jay.
In the end, both the Guru and I are picking Joliet Catholic Academy to advance out of the sectional. The Hilltoppers have played arguably the toughest schedule in the state and have been among the top 10 teams for most of the season (and are currently No. 1). If Kyle Funkhouser could throw every inning, I’d probably go with Oak Forest.
The winner of Lincoln-Way West sectional will likely face Simeon in the Crestwood Supersectional. Simeon, which dropped down from 4A, can be as scary as any team. The Wolverines’ athleticism and position players are second-to-none. Pitching will be the big question for them.
In the Sauget Supersectional, Normal West, Morton, Triad, Mount Vernon, and Glenwood are the favorites. In the past, we’d pencil in perennial power Glenwood and move on. Not this year. The Guru is feeling Morton’s starting pitching, headed by Illinois State-bound Will Headean. Normal West was my preseason pick to win 3A, but with junior standout Matthew James likely out for the playoffs with mono, I have to switch it up. I like hard-hitting Triad to rake its way to Joliet.
The Augustana Supersectional is somewhat weak. Expect Ottawa or LaSalle-Peru to come out of the LaSalle-Peru Sectional. In the Sycamore Sectional, both the Guru and I are picking Prairie Ridge to advance – all the way to Joliet. Prairie Ridge, which finished runner-up in the summer state tournament, dropped down from 4A this year.
The North Central College Supersectional features Nazareth, Glenbard South, Grayslake Central, Vernon Hills, St. Viator and St. Joseph. Overall, it’s very soft, and any one of several teams have the chance to make it out. The obvious pick here is Nazareth, which finished fourth at state last year and was ranked in the top 25 for most of the year. The Guru likes the obvious. I think St. Viator could be the sleeper in this super. The Lions have the pitching and have played all the top teams in the East Suburban Catholic tough.
In the end, while the Guru and I took completely different paths, we arrived at the same Class 3A championship game: Joliet Catholic vs. Prairie Ridge. And we both are picking Joliet Catholic to win another state championship on Saturday, June 9 at Silver Cross Field.
A look at our Class 3A predictions:
Drake "The Guru" Skleba |
Sean Duncan |
Sauget Supersectional |
Sauget Supersectional |
Mahomet-Seymour Sectional | Mahomet-Seymour Sectional |
Normal West d. Danville | Normal West d. Danville |
Morton d. Sacred Heart-Griffin | Morton d. Sacred Heart-Griffin |
Morton d. Normal West | Normal West d. Morton |
Mattoon Sectional | Mattoon Sectional |
Glenwood d. Triad | Triad d. Glenwood |
Mount Vernon d. Effingham | Mount Vernon d. Effingham |
Mount Vernon d. Glenwood | Triad d. Mount Vernon |
Supersectional: | Supersectional: |
Morton d. Mount Vernon | Triad d. Normal West |
Morton advances to Joliet | Triad advances to Joliet |
Augustana Supersectional |
Augustana Supersectional |
LaSalle-Peru Sectional | LaSalle-Peru Sectional |
LaSalle-Peru d. Geneseo | LaSalle-Peru d. Geneseo |
Ottawa d. Galesburg | Galesburg d. Ottawa |
Ottawa d. LaSalle-Peru | LaSalle-Peru d. Galesburg |
Sycamore Sectional | Sycamore Sectional |
Kaneland d. Belvidere North | Kaneland d. Belvidere North |
Prairie Ridge d. Burlington Central | Prairie Ridge d. Burlington Central |
Prairie Ridge d. Kaneland | Prairie Ridge d. Kaneland |
Supersectional: | Supersectional: |
Prairie Ridge d. Ottawa | Prairie Ridge d. LaSalle-Peru |
Prairie Ridge advances to Joliet | Prairie Ridge advances to Joliet |
Naperville Supersectional |
Naperville Supersectional |
Glenbard South Sectional | Glenbard South Sectional |
Nazareth d. Glenbard South | Glenbard South d. Nazareth |
St. Joseph d. Riverside-Brookfield | St. Joseph d. Riverside-Brookfield |
Nazareth d. St. Joseph | Glenbard South d. St. Joseph |
Grayslake Central Sectional | Grayslake Central Sectional |
Grayslake Central d. Antioch | Grayslake Central d. Antioch |
Vernon Hills d. St. Viator | St. Viator d. Vernon Hills |
Vernon Hills d. Grayslake Central | St. Viator d. Grayslake Central |
Supersectional: | Supersectional: |
Nazareth d. Vernon Hills | St. Viator d. Glenbard South |
Nazareth advances to Joliet | St. Viator advances to Joliet |
Crestwood Supersectional |
Crestwood Supersectional |
Chicago Washington Sectional | Chicago Washington Sectional |
Simeon d. Jones | Simeon d. Jones |
Harlan d. Kenwood | Harlan d. Kenwood |
Simeon d. Harlan | Simeon d. Harlan |
Lincoln-Way West Sectional | Lincoln-Way West Sectional |
Oak Forest d. Marian Catholic | Marian Catholic d. Oak Forest |
Joliet Catholic d. Lemont | Joliet Catholic d. Lemont |
Joliet Catholic d. Oak Forest | Joliet Catholic d. Marian Catholic |
Supersectional: | Supersectional: |
Joliet Catholic d. Simeon | Joliet Catholic d. Simeon |
Joliet Catholic advances to Joliet | Joliet Catholic advances to Joliet |
Class 3A State Semifinals |
Class 3A State Semifinals |
Prairie Ridge d. Morton | Prairie Ridge d. Triad |
Joliet Catholic d. Nazareth | Joliet Catholic d. St. Viator |
Third-Place Game | Third-Place Game |
Morton d. Nazareth | Triad d. St. Viator |
Class 3A Championship Game |
Class 3A Championship Game |
Joliet Catholic d. Prairie Ridge | Joliet Catholic d. Prairie Ridge |
JCA wins another title | JCA wins another title |