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NCHS ranked 2nd in football poll; Central 3rd in 4A
4 Corn Belt teams ranked in 4A
By Pantagraph staff
With Associated Press
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Normal Community High School’s football team is the defending Class 6A state champion. But the Ironmen had to settle for the No. 2 spot in the Associated Press preseason rankings behind the king of state champions.

Joliet Catholic, which has won a record 12 state titles, took the No. 1 spot in Class 6A according to a state panel of sportswriters. The regular season begins Friday night.

Also in Class 6A, Bloomington is ranked No. 6. Another Big 12 Conference team, Champaign Centennial, came in at No. 10.

Four Corn Belt Conference teams are ranked in Class 4A, headed by Central Catholic at No. 3. The Saints are followed by Prairie Central at No. 4, Rochester at No. 5 and Mahomet-Seymour at No. 9.

NCHS coach Hud Venerable is more concerned with Friday night’s game at Champaign Central than the preseason poll.

“We have a long way to go. I don’t know how good we are. It’s hard to tell. We need to play somebody,” said Venerable. “The game Friday can’t get here soon enough. Then we’ll get a better idea. We’re a completely different looking team than last year and have a lot of new faces in key spots.”

BHS, which is home Friday against Decatur MacArthur, is trying to cope with the loss of starting center Deonte Person, who underwent an operation Tuesday for torn ligaments in his thumb. Person is out indefinitely.

“It’s early in the season. If we’re No. 6 at the end of the season that’s great,” said BHS coach Rigo Schmelzer. “Having three teams in our conference in the top 10 is an indication that we have a good conference. Five years in a row we’ve put someone in the state championship game. Individually talking about our team, it’s a tough call.”

Central Catholic coach Bobby Moews is wondering whether the voters knew Josh Brent is now at the University of Illinois and not dominating the line of scrimmage for the Saints anymore. Central Catholic opens at Eureka Friday.

“I don’t know what they’re basing that on. I take it as a compliment, but I question the sanity of the thought process behind that,” said Moews. “We lost him (Brent) and four linemen. We have a lot of holes to fill. I guess we have to thank last year’s team.”

Prairie Central coach Brian Hassett realizes the Hawks, who advanced to the Class 4A semifinals last year, have a stern test Friday at home against Mahomet-Seymour before going to Pontiac next week.

“It’s an honor to be up there now. They’re going on the results of last year pretty much,” said Hassett. “It’s bulletin board material for all four teams in our league (which are ranked). It’s a good thing for our kids to be proud to see that and our community will be proud to see that. But we have to perform on Friday nights.”

Three defending state champions will open the season No. 1.

State champion Chicago St. Rita tops the preseason ranks in the largest class, 8A. Addison Driscoll in 4A and Tuscola in 1A also begin title defenses atop the poll.

Other teams positioned No. 1 in the remaining five classes include Lake Zurich in 7A, Joliet Catholic in 6A, Woodstock Marian in 5A, St. Joseph-Ogden in 3A and Lena-Winslow in 2A.

St. Rita is part of the 8A field for the regular season after winning the 7A title last season. Coming off a 13-1 mark and a co-championship in Chicago Catholic-Blue, St. Rita will open the season Sunday night at Soldier Field against Chicago Hubbard.

Frankfort Lincoln-Way East is No. 2 is the state’s largest class.

In 7A, Lake Zurich is No. 1 following last season’s title-game loss to St. Rita. Senior Jon Janus leads a trio of retuning running backs for the Bears.

No. 2 Rolling Meadows, a 7A quarterfinalist, returns most of its starters. No. 5 Batavia lost to Normal Community last season in the 6A title game.

The top 10 in 6A include two of the state’s most successful programs in No. 1 Joliet Catholic and No. 8 New Lenox Providence, with nine state titles. Two-time defending 5A state champion Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin is the preseason No. 3 in 6A.

Woodstock Marian is No. 1 in 5A. Marian was the state runner-up to Sacred Heart-Griffin last season.

No. 2 Morris was a 6A playoff team last season. Maple Park Kaneland, Lombard Montini and Metamora round out the top five in 5A.

In 4A, Driscoll, 13-1 last season, has won six consecutive state championships — five in Class 4A, one in 3A — and has a 78-6 record over that stretch. The Highlanders open the season Friday night at Rock Island Alleman, ranked No. 7 in 4A. Mount Carmel is ranked second.

At 13-1, St. Joseph-Ogden is No. 1 in Class 3A. The Spartans return eight individuals who started in last season’s championship game loss to undefeated Plano, ranked No. 4 in the preseason.

Class 3A No. 2 Spring Valley Hall returns 19 seniors. Illini West, the first-year school consolidation of Carthage, LaHarpe and Dallas City, is No. 7 in 3A.

The No. 1 team in 2A is Lena-Winslow. No. 2 is Morrison, which beat Lena-Winslow last season in a 2A quarterfinal. State runner-up Westville is No. 3, with undefeated defending state champion Maroa Forsyth No.10.

In 1A, Tuscola has one of the state’s most ballyhooed prospects in quarterback John Wienke, committed to the University of Michigan. The 6-foot-4 Wienke, the son of Tuscola coach Stan Wienke, threw for 3,221 yards and 33 touchdowns in an undefeated season.

Mount Olive, which lost to Tuscola in a state semifinal, is No. 2 in the state’s smallest enrollment class.



2007 AP preseason HS football poll



1A

1. Tuscola (14-0)

2. Mount Olive (11-2)

3. Jacksonville Routt (11-1)

4. Galena (10-1)

5. Stockton (9-3)

6. Carrollton (9-2)

7. Princeville (5-4)

8. Lewistown (7-3)

9. Mount Sterling Brown County (9-2)

10. Arthur-Lovington (10-2)

2A

1. Lena-Winslow (11-1)

2. Morrison (11-2)

3. Rushville-Industry (9-3)

4. Westville (13-1)

5. Casey-Westfield (10-3)

6. Dakota (7-4)

7. Georgetown-Ridge Farm (9-3)

8. Bridgeport Red Hill (10-1)

9. Orion (8-2)

10. Maroa-Forsyth (14-0)

3A

1. St. Joseph-Ogden (13-1)

2. Spring Valley Hall (8-3)

3. Tolono Unity (9-2)

4. Plano (14-0)

5. DuQuoin (7-3)

6. Newton (11-1)

7. Carthage Illini West (NR)

8. Manlius Bureau Valley (12-1)

9. Anna-Jonesboro (12-1)

10. Momence (4-5)

4A

1. Addison Driscoll (13-1)

2. Mount Carmel (10-2)

3. Bloomington Central Catholic (9-2)

4. Fairbury Prairie Central (12-1)

5. Rochester (5-5)

6. Breese Mater Dei (11-2)

7. Rock Island Alleman (8-2)

8. Mascoutah (11-2)

9. Mahomet-Seymour (6-4)

10. Herrin (8-3)

5A

1. Woodstock Marian (13-1)

2. Morris (7-4)

3. Maple Park Kaneland (11-2)

4. Lombard Montini (5-5)

5. Metamora (12-1)

6. Geneseo (9-1)

7. Cahokia (8-4)

8. Belleville Althoff (7-3)

9. Rochelle (6-5)

10. Sterling (9-3)

6A

1. Joliet Catholic (6-4)

2. Normal Community (14-0)

3. Springfield Sacred-Heart Griffin (14-0)

4. Lemont (8-3)

5. Oak Forest (10-3)

6. Bloomington (9-2)

7. Chicago Robeson (10-1)

8. New Lenox Providence (8-5)

9. Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge (8-3)

10. Champaign Centennial (8-4)

7A

1. Lake Zurich (12-2)

2. Rolling Meadows (9-3)

3. East St. Louis (11-1)

4. Crystal Lake South (8-3)

5. Batavia (12-2)

6. Chicago Morgan Park (8-4)

7. Mount Prospect (11-2)

8. Cary-Grove (11-1)

9. Libertyville (10-1)

10. Geneva (11-2) Class

8A

1. Chicago St. Rita (13-1)

2. Frankfort Lincoln-Way East (12-1)

3. Chicago Mount Carmel (12-2)

4. Naperville North (7-4)

5. Park Ridge Maine South (8-3)

6. Wheaton Warrenville South (14-0)

7. Bolingbrook (9-3)

8. Wilmette Loyola (7-4)

9. Downers Grove South (6-4)

10. Homewood-Flossmoor (6-4)

Source: AP
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NCHS players raise helmets during the 7am practice on Wednesday morning. Pantagraph/STEVE SMEDLEY
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Reader comments on this story - 10 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

ReadEnoughOfIt wrote on Aug 22, 2007 12:13 PM:

" As always, NCHS, NCWHS and BHS will move on from graduation losses and/or injured players. Coaches and reporters who "fall in love" with certain players do so at their own peril. Remember ALL the kids that have put it on line past and present. To do less is showing disrespect to kids (intended or not) that may not have the natural talent or God-given ability but show they deserve to be part of a team and be out on the field and participate by their attitude and effort. Usually, these are the kids that are the glue to championship teams or are the true difference makers throughout the season. Kirkland Grant comes to mind for me. They play the game because they truly love it. Hope this comment is tame enough for the censors. "

To Re: Polls wrote on Aug 22, 2007 11:08 AM:

" Actually THEY DON'T... "

Hello? wrote on Aug 22, 2007 10:25 AM:

" I love NCHS....however facts are facts.....the Iron lost a solid senior class.......their starting QB, thier best WR, 3 of their best defensive players....I think at least 5 of their starters last yr are now playing college football.....so they will be lucky to stay in the polls.....good luck fellas.... "

re:polls wrote on Aug 22, 2007 9:37 AM:

" Actually they do matter as you dont fall so fast if you start ranked high...don't believe it? Look at the past.... "

"POLLS" wrote on Aug 22, 2007 8:56 AM:

" mean absolutely nothing at this stage of the game...it's where you are at the end that shows what you are made of... "

TO THE NCHS CLASS OF 08... wrote on Aug 22, 2007 8:37 AM:

" You're undefeated at the high school level... get out there and do what you do, baby!! GO IRON!!!! "

NEW year wrote on Aug 22, 2007 3:42 AM:

" That is right pre eason polls are just that, PRESEASON! I have no doubt that Iron will be hungry again for some hard hitting football! Best of luck this season! "

What?!? wrote on Aug 22, 2007 1:50 AM:

" Where's Pontiac ranked at? Anyone seen their senior class? Coates at tailback...Smith at Fullback...that's a tough one-two punch... "

NCHS#1 wrote on Aug 22, 2007 12:08 AM:

" normal community #2? that s a joke they should be #1 ahead of JCA if anything SHG should be #1 "

Runyon wrote on Aug 21, 2007 11:43 PM:

" Polls don't matter. Let's get out there and play Iron Football!!!!! "

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