It will be crowded at the top of the Class 7A field
As the news keeps circulating, the jaws keep dropping.
East St. Louis, whose enrollment places it in Class 6A for the football playoffs, petitioned the IHSA to move up and compete in Class 7A for the postseason. To the chagrin of 7A teams throughout the state, the IHSA allowed the move a few weeks ago.
At first glance you've got to hand it to the Flyers.
Had they remained in 6A, they might clean up in a class in which they were top-ranked in the state despite two losses to state powers in Ohio.
Instead of staying in 6A, however, the Flyers made a bold decision. They want the chance to defend the 7A state championship they claimed last November with a 33-14 victory over Geneva.
Its wish granted, East St. Louis entered this week ranked first in 7A in a tie with unbeaten St. Rita. That pushed everyone else a notch lower in the Associated Press poll, a symbolic but telling status for the talented teams now trying to figure out how to successful maneuver in a class that already was stacked.
The 7A field has become the class of all classes.
"That makes 7A the best class in the entire tournament," said Wheaton Warrenville South coach Ron Muhitch. "It was already tough. Now 7A looks like a beast."
WW South (5-1), entering its third season of 7A postseason competition, is one of the many teams caught up in the class struggle. Unbeaten Glenbard West, knocked out last season by East St. Louis in the 7A semifinals, also needs to navigate the minefield.
The Hilltoppers actually may be better than last year. Given the competition to come, they'll have to be to survive.
"After the last couple of years, we know how tough 7A is," said Glenbard West coach Chad Hetlet. "This year looks tougher than ever."
Other factors are conspiring to make this year's 7A field perhaps the toughest since class expansion in 2001.
Lincoln-Way East (6-0), ranked second in this week's 8A poll, looks like it'll drop to 7A because of the enrollment hits the school took following the recent openings of Lincoln-Way North and West.
Geneva (6-0), last year's 7A runner-up, is a postseason wild card. The Vikings are a bubble team straddling 6A and 7A.
Between East St. Louis moving up, Lincoln-Way East shifting down and Geneva possibly adding to the mix, it's the perfect storm of powerhouses.
Then there's St. Rita (6-0). Top-ranked and emerging as the cream of the crop in the ultracompetitive Chicago Catholic Blue, the Mustangs may be the best team in the state after last week's 54-18 victory over Mt. Carmel.
That leads to another subject in 7A's corner. St. Rita's win over Mt. Carmel was just one example of a top-tier Class 7A team beating an 8A contender.
WW South topped Hinsdale Central, last year's 8A runner-up, in the season opener. The Tigers also beat Naperville Central and Naperville North.
Glenbard West defeated Downers Grove South, Hinsdale Central and Proviso West, all teams looking to contend in Class 8A. Lincoln-Way East boasts wins over Lockport and Sandburg.
While the evidence is compelling, it's not quite an across-the-board endorsement of 7A over 8A.
One glaring example of 8A's superiority came in Week 2 when Maine South beat WW South. All 8A roads go through the Hawks, it appears, and they have the talent to beat any team in the state.
The difference comes in the depth for each class. Class 8A teams such as Loyola, Glenbard North, Marist and Bolingbrook look able to go toe-to-toe with most teams, but the upper level of 7A looks stronger.
In fact the top 7A contenders - East St. Louis, WW South, Glenbard West, Lincoln-Way East and Geneva - would pair nicely with Maine South in a potential 8A final.
If nothing else, it provides motivation for another bold move. Maybe one of the 7A standouts should follow the lead of East St. Louis and petition to move up to 8A.
"It's just something we'll have to deal with," Muhitch said of the 7A field. "It's just tough to deal with it every round of the playoffs."
kschmit@dailyherald.com