By Steve Spiewak
MaxPreps.com
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It may not be March yet, but for Illinois fans looking at the playoff brackets, there is already pure madness. Rivalries, showdowns, mismatches, and upsets are all only hours away, as Friday night marks the kick off of the first round of playoff games in Illinois.
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At the top in Class 8A, undefeated Lincoln-Way East grabbed a No. 1 seed on one side of the bracket, opposite the other No. 1 seed, Wheaton-Warrenville South. While Lincoln-Way East opens up with LaGrange, and Wheaton-Warrenville South takes on Bartlett, a potential matchup between these two powerhouses would have repercussions that stretch far beyond the Illinois borders. Lincoln-Way East sports a No. 7 ranking nationally, while Wheaton-Warrenville South slides in at No. 47.
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It won't be easy for either team, however. Lincoln-Way East will have to get past perennial power Mount Carmel, as well as Dale Martin-led Bolingbrook, who nearly upset the Griffins only a few weeks ago. Also in the bracket is Lincoln-Way Central. A matchup between those two teams would almost guarantee a hard-fought thriller.
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On the Wheaton-Warrenville South side of things, it doesn't get much easier. If they can get past Bartlett in the first round, a second round matchup against either Loyola Academy or New Trier awaits. Either one of those teams is capable of putting some points on the board. However, with all-state running back Dan Dierking taking handoffs, don't expect the Tigers to go down without some serious fight.
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Class 7A offers no less excitement in the first round.
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Libertyville and East St. Louis, each 9-0, secured No. 1 seeds. However, it is a No. 3 seed that is garnering a great deal of attention. St. Rita has strung together six-consecutive wins, including a huge win over Mount Carmel. Head coach Tony Kuska is not taking anything for granted, however.
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"We've got a lot of respect for their (Fallon) program. We've had a lot of success, and we're just looking to keep it going," Kuska said.
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Providence Catholic, with a 5-4 record, is a very dangerous No. 12 seed in the Southern bracket. Carmel, a No. 6 seed in the Northern bracket, is coming off a big win over Joliet Catholic, and is primed to make some noise in the playoffs.
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In Class 6A, Cary-Grove is the No. 1 seed in the north bracket, while Normal takes the prize in the south bracket. Both teams are undefeated, and ranked in the Illinois top 20.ÿ
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Normal will take on the winner of an intriguing game between the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds, Joliet Catholic and Morris. Both teams finished 6-3 after up and down seasons, and each team has the potential to upset Normal in the second round, assuming Normal can get by 5-4 Danville.
In the South bracket, the winner of the Fenwick vs. Hubbard game is a legitimate contender to run the table. Geneva (8-1) is also a very formidable threat, as well as Simeon, led by two-way star Martez Wilson.
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To add to all of the excitement, the MaxPreps Road Tour will be stopping in Illinois to check out playoff games on November 10-11. Be sure to look for Chris and Mike, and the big RV.