One man's playoff projections

CHAMPAIGN — The 2009 regular season isn't quite over yet, but it's close enough to its conclusion to allow me to make some playoff predictions. I've done some research and tried to decide who will make the IHSA Class 3A tournament when the field is announced in two days, and I come to you now with my results.

The playoff points listed below are through eight weeks and thus not official, nor are the win-loss records, as I have tried to predict the results of Friday's games. As you can see, 35 points is the breaking point for teams in 3A, and that same break is evident in 1A and 2A. Assuming most teams are going to see their points improve after week nine, I expect 37 or 38 points to be the IHSA's acceptance number for 5-4 teams on Saturday. Thus, Macomb, Genoa-Kingston and Columbia still have a shot with winning records, though they'll be at the mercy of the IHSA.

And even though these predictions are anything but official, there's a pretty exciting match up looming in quarterfinals ... What a game that would be.

Class 3A Playoff Teams (441.00 to 615.45)

 RANKS    TEAM                            PTS   W-L   ENROLL

  1   C   Stillman Valley                 34    9-0   601.00

  2   C   Carthage (Illini West)          32    9-0   482.00

  3   C   Greenville                      32    9-0   587.00

  4   C   Sesser-Valier                   32    9-0   547.00

  5   C   Unity                           31    9-0   476.00

  6   C   Wilmington                      30    9-0   485.00

  7   C   St. Thomas More                 29    9-0   615.45

  8   C   Sherrard                        27    9-0   534.00

  9   C   Carterville                     33    8-1   532.00

 10   C   Rockford Christian              33    8-1   575.85

 11   C   Pittsfield                      31    8-1   536.00

 12   C   DuQuoin                         30    8-1   460.00

 13   C   Mt. Carmel                      44    7-2   613.00

 14   C   St. Joseph-Ogden                38    7-2   450.00

 15   C   Monticello                      36    7-2   541.00

 16   C   Auburn                          35    7-2   441.00

 17   C   Breese Central                  34    7-2   593.00

 18   C   Pana                            34    7-2   489.00

 19   C   Fairfield                       34    7-2   507.00

 20   C   Decatur St. Teresa              32    7-2   496.65

 21   C   Winnebago                       30    7-2   575.00

 22   C   Camp Point Central              30    7-2   497.00

 23   C   Aurora Christian                39    6-3   612.15

 24   C   Oakwood                         38    6-3   551.00

 25   C   Braidwood Reed-Custer           37    6-3   604.00

 26   C   Riverton                        37    6-3   476.00

 27   C   Sterling Newman                 35    6-3   468.60

 28   C   Anna-Jonesboro                  32    6-3   562.00

 29       Oregon                          40    5-4   568.00

 30       Robinson                        38    5-4   504.00

 31       Nashville                       36    5-4   549.00

 32       Hillsboro                       35    5-4   605.00

 33       Macomb                          34    5-4   587.00

 34       Genoa-Kingston                  32    5-4   608.00

 35       Columbia                        30    5-4   599.00

North Bracket

No. 8 Oregon (5-4) at No. 1 Stillman Valley (9-0)

No. 5 Winnebago (7-2) at No. 4 Rockford Christian (8-1)

No. 7 Sterling Newman (6-3) at No. 2 Wilmington (9-0)

No. 6 Aurora Christian (6-3) at No. 3 Sherrard (9-0)

East Bracket

No. 8 Robinson (5-4) at No. 1 Unity (9-0)

No. 5 St. Teresa (7-2) at No. 4 Monticello (7-2)

No. 7 Braidwood Reed-Custer (6-3) at No. 2 St. Thomas More (9-0)

No. 6 Oakwood (6-3) at No. 3 St. Joseph-Ogden (7-2)

South Bracket

No. 8 Nashville (5-4) at No. 1 Sesser-Valier (9-0)

No. 5 Fairfield (7-2) at No. 4 Mount Carmel (7-2)

No. 7 Anna-Jonesboro (6-3) at No. 2 Carterville (8-1)

No. 6 Breese Central (7-2) at No. 3 DuQuoin (8-1)

West Bracket

No. 8 Hillsboro (5-4) at No. 1 Illini West (9-0)

No. 5 Pana (7-2) at No. 4 Auburn (7-2)

No. 7 Riverton (6-3) at No. 2 Greenville (9-0)

No. 6 Camp Point Central (7-2) at No. 3 Pittsfield (8-1)