Stateline Preps: Football Power Rankings (Final Edition)
Welcome to the final edition of the “Football Power Rankings!”
It seems like it has been a quick nine weeks and now the playoffs are here.
We definitely figured there would be three teams standing (Big Foot, Brodhead-Juda and Hononegah).
Now is the time to see how far they can go.
There’s no doubt Big Foot is the favorite in the WIAA Division 4 Playoffs, but that really doesn’t mean anything.
Here’s the final rankings without a Star System.
(Disclaimer: This is my opinion only, so if you don’t agree with it, feel free to send me a comment on the bottom of the page. Otherwise, it’s not a life-and-death situation.)
1. BIG FOOT (9-0): The Chiefs finished off their third straight 9-0 season with a 34-9 romp over Palmyra-Eagle last week. It was pretty much the usual suspects doing most of the damage for Big Foot, led by Mike Walker’s 124 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Walker also had a 31-yard reception for a TD, proving his all-around talents. Big Foot looks prepared for another long postseason run. A big part of the Chiefs’ success hinges on their stout defense that has surrendered only 49 points this season. NEXT: WIAA Division 4 Playoffs. Last week’s ranking: No. 1.
2. (tie) Hononegah (7-2): After Hononegah’s 23-7 loss to Rockford Boylan last Friday, one thing was clear — the Indians are definitely the third best team in the NIC-10 behind the Titans and Huskies. Hononegah’s slow starts continue to plague the Indians, who for some reason, can’t get motivated early on. Also, falling behind is not a good recipe for Hononegah, who’s offense is more predicated on maintaining a lead and ball control. NEXT: IHSA Class 7A Playoffs. Last week’s ranking: No. 2.
2. (tie) Brodhead-Juda (7-2): The Cardinals looked shaky after dropping a pair of games to Big Foot and McFarland. But Brodhead-Juda looked plenty good last Thursday in keeping Parkview out of the playoffs. Ethan Douglas rumbled for 117 yards and Brodhead limited the Vikings to just 39 yards of total offense. The Cardinals were knocked out in Level 1 of the WIAA Playoffs this year. They should go farther this year. NEXT: WIAA Division 4 Playoffs. Last week’s ranking: No. 3.
4. PARKVIEW (5-4): Although Parkview missed the playoffs for the seventh straight year, the Vikings still had a season to build on for next year. Nick Melton was outstanding this year, passing for 703 yards and 5 TDs and running for 275 more with an additional 9 TDs. The key for the Vikings’ improvement starts on the defensive side, where they haven’t been consistent. NEXT: Season’s over. Last week’s ranking: No. 4.
5. NORTH BOONE (4-5): North Boone looked so promising at the beginning of the year, but fell off a bit when Big Northern East play began. The Vikings’ missed opportunity to beat Hampshire ultimately cost them a postseason berth. Alex Albrecht was as good as advertised and he’ll be back for another year in Poplar Grove.
Hononegah's Chase Robinson tries to avoid tacklers in last week's loss to Boylan.
