Nothing much to shout about in the last week. Just a tune-up game here and there to end the regular season before entering win-or-go-home mode. Some teams have already started. Some are anxiously awaiting their first postseason matchup. Preps coordinator Zach Piatt takes a look at everything as it all begins:
1. St. Joseph-Ogden
➜ Record: 20-2-1
➜ Previous ranking: No. 1
The Spartans ended the regular season with a bang, beating Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond 14-0. Tyler Hess was all over the stat sheet with three goals and six assists. Logan Mills led the net-finding with four goals, followed by Zach Harper with three and Quinn Stahl and Alex Acosta with two apiece.SJ-O will play its Class 1A St. Anne Regional semifinal game against Iroquois West.
2. Fisher/GCMS
➜ Record: 17-3-1
➜ Previous ranking: No. 2
Heading into their 1A Fisher Regional semifinal match against Unity, the Bunnies are on a six-game winning streak and have shut out four straight opponents. Their 2-0 win against Teutopolis gave them and goalkeeper Parker Baillie 16 shutouts on the year, extending their single-season program record. With Zack Zbinden back in the mix, watch out for Fisher/GCMS.
3. Oakwood/Salt Fork
➜ Record: 20-3
➜ Previous ranking: No. 3
Given a chance to bounce back before the postseason after a loss to Fisher/GCMS, O/SF did just that with a 6-1 win over BHRA thanks to four goals from Mason Swartz. O/SF is hoping it can carry that momentum into its 1A Hoopeston Area Regional semifinal game against the host Cornjerkers.
4. Watseka/Milford
➜ Record: 16-4-1
➜ Previous ranking: No. 4
A pair of close games had the Warriors working hard to end the regular season. They won 4-3 over Georgetown-Ridge Farm/Westville, with David Bell scoring the winning penalty kick. They then tied Reed-Custer 1-1, with Bell scoring the team’s lone goal and Jason Moore recording a season-high 10 saves. Still a dangerous team heading into a 1A St. Anne Regional semifinal with Clifton Central.
5. Uni High
➜ Record: 16-6
➜ Previous ranking: No. 6
The Illineks wrapped up their regular season a couple days before anyone else with a 10-1 victory over Cornerstone Christian to earn them an East Central Illinois Conference title. Uni High is now on a five-game winning streak after losing four of its previous five. This team is on a roll going into its 1A Fisher Regional semifinal match with St. Thomas More.
6. Centennial
➜ Record: 11-7-2
➜ Previous ranking: No. 7
Things weren’t looking good for the Chargers after losing their third game in a row last week, but they were able to bounce back with wins over Rantoul/Paxton-Buckley-Loda and Bloomington to head into the postseason with a little momentum. Centennial will play 2A regional host Charleston for a spot in the final. Coach Thair Al-Saqri said his team is the area’s best. Time to prove it.
7. Mahomet-Seymour
➜ Record: 13-7-2
➜ Previous ranking: No. 5
The Bulldogs are the only team in these rankings still with a regular-season game to play, being a road matchup with Taylorville on Thursday. After that, they’ll await the winner of Mt. Zion and Rantoul/Paxton-Buckley-Loda for a 2A Meridian Regional semifinal showdown. M-S is currently on an 0-2 skid, but Taylorville is its chance to get back on track before postseason play.
8. Urbana
➜ Record: 10-8-1
➜ Previous ranking: No. 9
The Tigers had one of the roughest stretches around during the final three weeks of the regular season, losing five of their final seven games, but they ended it on a positive note with an 8-0 win over Peoria. Seven different players found the back of the net in the winning effort. Urbana is hoping that will be just enough to propel them into a 2A regional run on their home turf, starting with Danville.
9. St. Thomas More
➜ Record: 9-6-4
➜ Previous ranking: No. 10
The Sabers ended the regular season on a 4-0-2 run and carried that mojo into an 8-0 win over Judah Christian in the 1A Fisher Regional quarterfinals on Tuesday. STM now has the task of facing third-seeded Uni High in the semifinals, a team the Sabers lost 5-0 to a month ago.
10. Unity
➜ Record: 8-7-3
➜ Previous ranking: Unranked
The Rockets had the definition of an up-and-down regular season, ending it on a downswing with a pair of losses and a tie in their final three games. However, they threw all that to the side and earned a 3-1 comeback win over Monticello in Tuesday’s 1A Fisher Regional quarterfinals thanks to goals from Teaguen Williams, Ryan Robinson and Nolan Remole. The host Bunnies are up next.
