All.... Bulldogs now 7-0. Otto has to be smiling. Week nine is going to be the big one when RB takes on Glendard East. Ratsy
Upstate Eight (East)
- Thread starter cornerrat#1
- Start date
Bulldogs are getting their welcome to the Great Mirage also known as Upstate 8. They did play well on the road vs a avg Glenbard South team and I agree East will be their 1st big test but don't sleep on West Chicago run attack. (Here are their opponents in game order state ranking to date 363, 281, 373, 316, 351, 201, 469) West Chicago is 293 and East is 135 going into this week. RB is ranked 157.
The issue with Upstate 8 is most games are played vs really really bad competition, starters play only a half in most of these games. So these teams are very unprepared when they enter the playoffs or when they play a solid football team. The usual for U8 teams is exit in round 1 unless they draw a CPS in 1st round (sometimes a benefit of winning conf) then they exit in 2nd round. Its been this way for a very long time with very little change from the conference. Since recent split in conf, teams do get 3 out of conference games so these schools need to start booking some better competition to get this kids ready to play if the alignment stays the way it is. Otherwise it will be rinse and repeat.
U8 players want to compete and they get really frustrated with playing half games vs bad competition that makes up 75% of their schedules currently . Most say they would rather lose every game by 1 but play a entire game than win every game by 35/40 points and sit by 3rd quarte. All while never running plays they work on since they go straight to curtesy running the ball. Source: current and former players in U8.
The issue with Upstate 8 is most games are played vs really really bad competition, starters play only a half in most of these games. So these teams are very unprepared when they enter the playoffs or when they play a solid football team. The usual for U8 teams is exit in round 1 unless they draw a CPS in 1st round (sometimes a benefit of winning conf) then they exit in 2nd round. Its been this way for a very long time with very little change from the conference. Since recent split in conf, teams do get 3 out of conference games so these schools need to start booking some better competition to get this kids ready to play if the alignment stays the way it is. Otherwise it will be rinse and repeat.
U8 players want to compete and they get really frustrated with playing half games vs bad competition that makes up 75% of their schedules currently . Most say they would rather lose every game by 1 but play a entire game than win every game by 35/40 points and sit by 3rd quarte. All while never running plays they work on since they go straight to curtesy running the ball. Source: current and former players in U8.
A few U8 teams have played good out of conference opponents....didn't go well at all. With that said credit to them for doing it.
South Elgin
48-20 L to Barrington
35-3 L to Batavia
West Aurora
56-7 L to Hinsdale Central
Glenbard South
57-0 L to Wheaton South
South Elgin
48-20 L to Barrington
35-3 L to Batavia
West Aurora
56-7 L to Hinsdale Central
Glenbard South
57-0 L to Wheaton South
I agree give them credit, its like they either over match or way under match the out of conference games. Here are the top 5 teams in U8 out of conference schedule/results, IMHO Glenbard East did a pretty good job of finding the right games. Number in parenthesis is current state rank out of 518 teams. Personally I would have all 5 play each other every year would make for some really good games most years,
South Elgin (106)
Barrington (13) L 48-20
Batavia (12) L 35-3
West Chicago (293) W 46-14
West Aurora (128)
Hinsdale Central (40) L 56-7
Glenbard East (135) W 35-32
Ridgewood (373) W 490-0
Glenbard East (135)
Willowbrook (153) W 28-21
West Aurora (128) L 35-32
Barlett (297) W 30-15
Riverside-Brookfield (157)
Niles West (363) W 35-27
Hinsdale South (281) W 41-20
Elgin (316) W 51-0
Glenbard South (201)
WWS (32) L 57-0
Aurora East (460) W 47-0
Larkin (408) TBD - Larkin can’t field a team right now.
South Elgin (106)
Barrington (13) L 48-20
Batavia (12) L 35-3
West Chicago (293) W 46-14
West Aurora (128)
Hinsdale Central (40) L 56-7
Glenbard East (135) W 35-32
Ridgewood (373) W 490-0
Glenbard East (135)
Willowbrook (153) W 28-21
West Aurora (128) L 35-32
Barlett (297) W 30-15
Riverside-Brookfield (157)
Niles West (363) W 35-27
Hinsdale South (281) W 41-20
Elgin (316) W 51-0
Glenbard South (201)
WWS (32) L 57-0
Aurora East (460) W 47-0
Larkin (408) TBD - Larkin can’t field a team right now.
One year SEHS played a CPS school. One Year. Their playoff losses have been to BR, MS, Warren, Marist and Barrington...which of those schools have less talent than SEHS?
GBE made the quarters in 7A, lost to a good team in 2023. Beat a CPS school in 2024 and lost to a good team after.
GBS lost to Naz twice.
Talent wins.
Not sure, been handful of years since they put up a solid team. I was curious if there was redistrict that happened or if they they are loosing players to privates.
They decided to fold the program once no one could live up to the legendary freshman team of years ago.
Bartlett has been losing athletes to St Francis and Wheaton Academy. They also did some re-districting but the lines are being re-drawn, I could see some change to Bartlett for the positive in the next few years.
Bartlett and South Elgin will have boundary changes starting in 26/27. Both lost players to privates but some of the South Elgin kids have come back.
I think we agree. But by playing 60% of their schedule in running clock games , U8 playoff teams will never learn to beat or compete with more talent teams. CPS was probably the wrong statement I was looking at GBS and they play 5A/6A(lol) where it seems more CPS reside.
23-24 GBE (105) Beat: Harlem (201) and AT (234) Lost to Normal (35) but by winning the conference they earned a easier path to quarters rightfully so.
GBS also have scored zero points in the last 2 playoff games (lost by combined 83-0, that's not competing). One vs NAZ and GBS had a 4/5 Star WR on the team. All 4 playoff wins in last 12 years for GBS have been vs CPS schools with avg rank of 369.
SEHS has been the top dog of the conference IMO (West Aurora may have something say now). Do you know what happened in the 22/23 Playoffs for SE (just curious shows forfeits on IHSA)? Their recent playoff wins Lane Tech (284) Edwardsville (98) Oswego (140).
I'm from the school of thought that soft schedules creates soft teams. Talent always helps but never guarantees wins. Competing and learning to battle through the season you are always much more prepared for better teams come playoffs. Coaching, development, and feeder all play a roles in the success of a public program.
How many running clock games are played every year in U8, nobody learns from these games. When starters sit by half time and cant work on playbook because of curtesy running, they get robbed of opportunity to get better in so many ways by playing clocked games. A few cupcakes is good for any schedule but 60% hurts IMO. The history of U8 pretty much proves this. So much in todays HS Football is about the clicks not the development.
All true but it was a closed conference and no one could do anything about the schedule.
Will the DVC link up with the U38 
Makes sense from a geographical and enrollment standpoint. Plus the DVC apparently was having trouble competing (according to the posters here, not the actual results) with the SWSC.
This could solve the problems
Makes sense from a geographical and enrollment standpoint. Plus the DVC apparently was having trouble competing (according to the posters here, not the actual results) with the SWSC.
This could solve the problems
This will never happen. The Valley schools were in the Upstate 8 a decade ago before some folks in the administration at Neuqua pounded the table for a move to the DVC. Waubonsie and Metea administrators disagreed with it but since Neuqua is the golden child of the district, district officials went ahead with the move.Will the DVC link up with the U38
Makes sense from a geographical and enrollment standpoint. Plus the DVC apparently was having trouble competing (according to the posters here, not the actual results) with the SWSC.
This could solve the problems
The issue now is that if Valley schools (Metea and Waubonsie) tried to go to another conference, they'd be accepted in a heartbeat. But the district would want Neuqua to come along and none of the Upstate 8 schools would agree to it.
To be fair that's what we (me and many other u8 guys) thought about the expansion last time and we were dead wrong...
Well opening the conference and adding 4 teams couple years back seemed like it wouldnt happen then it did
I meant when the upstate added RB West Aurora back elmwood park and the rest of the newer teams
Hmm interesting concept for sure.Will the DVC link up with the U38
Makes sense from a geographical and enrollment standpoint. Plus the DVC apparently was having trouble competing (according to the posters here, not the actual results) with the SWSC.
This could solve the problems
Another thought (not sure if even possible) is to realign conference every 2 years to reflect the pulse of the teams. History tells us this conference is pretty lopsided at times. For example: West Aurora, South Elgin, Glenbard East, Glenbard South, RB, West Chicago, Fenton on side A. And on side B would be: Bartlett, Ridgewood, Streamwood, Elgin, Larkin, East Aurora, Elmwood Park. Maybe every 2 years top 2 teams on side B moves to A and bottom 2 in A move to B. If you do this every 2 years no one team will own the B side and no one team would be the door mat for the A side.
An alignment like this would reduce clocked games, up the competition level for both brackets and give struggling programs like Larkin, East Aurora, Elmwood Park a chance to compete more and may even help attract more kids to come out for the team by seeing better games being played Only issue I see is it makes a lot sense and the adults in the room would have to do some work every few years.
This is a good idea and some conferences could benefit from a similar model but the issue is that some of these ADs and coaches would never go for it. Why create more competition when you can just have an easy schedule, get your 5-6 wins and get to the playoffs? That's the model a lot of schools still use.
Then just get used to continuing to get blasted by any team with a real pulse.
The thing is, when a team is successful, coaches don't want to change up the conference status quo because it likely won't benefit them.
Unless the weaker teams in the Upstate 8 make a collective push to change the format of the conference, things likely aren't changing.
Completely agree and its unfortunate because these teams if actually having to compete during the regular season would only help them be able to be more competitive vs (as one person said) "real teams with a pulse". But once again the adults in room would never do it. So lets go 9-0, 8-1, 7-2 vs teams ranked 300 plus in state (give kids false confidence) and get stomped come playoffs, coaches blame players and players blame coaches, rinse and repeat.
Who should U8 teams be scheduling in non-conference? I saw for example R-B scheduled Hinsdale South. Seems like a solid pick up for the Bulldogs. Should they be playing Mt. Carmel or something?
Glenbard E got Willowbrook and West Aurora. Honestly that looks like scheduling two L's.
Glenbard S scheduled Wheaton South.
What do people want?
I know I want Fenton back on the schedule. Tell them to give us a call.
Glenbard E got Willowbrook and West Aurora. Honestly that looks like scheduling two L's.
Glenbard S scheduled Wheaton South.
What do people want?
I know I want Fenton back on the schedule. Tell them to give us a call.
Hinsdale South is 1-6
WWS beat Glenbard South 57-0
RB's two out of conference teams are 2-12
Yeah but traditionally HS is a RB level opponent. Clearly GBS wasnt looking for easy wins, if they were that was a huge miscalculation.
The smart thing to do for the teams that are bottom of the barrel in the Upstate 8 is leave and form their own conference. Teams like West Aurora and Glenbard South wouldn't be left out because they'd have the opportunity to play teams like the Valley schools and even the Plainfield.
Maybe there does need to be a conference that includes the some of the Glenbard Schools, the Valley Schools, and the Plainfields. That'd be a pretty equitable and fair conference.
How does that line up for all other sports? As I mentioned in another post, conference fit isn't just for football, ADs need to take into account how equitable it is for all sports.
They'd be able to figure it out. If we took Glenbard East, North, and South, combined them into a conference with the three Valley schools, and West Aurora, there would be plenty of games for other sports.
Actually I disagree with the GBS thought, their other out of conference games: Aurora East 2-6 (ranked 468) GBS won 47-0 starters sat by halftime, and Larkin 0-8 (ranked 450) is this weekend who only has 22 total players available so they are playing no special teams and running clock. That's as easy as it gets for wins, you can play the freshman b team backwards and get victories against AE and Larkin.
GBE did a great job on scheduling, and I think you are kind of making my point. The WB is a rivalry game going way back, and GBE won both very close well played games. The WA game was also a well played and hard fought game by both teams this year.
When you ask what do people want, just ask the players. GBE played GBS this past weekend in another tough well fought battle with both teams having chances to win late in 4th quarter. I seen about 12 or so GBS players at a friends neighbor's house after that game and almost to the player they all pretty much said they would rather play games they lose 21-14 and it be a fight the whole game versus play games they win 47-0 and sit by half time and run nothing they work on in practice because they a curtesy running.
Agreed, scheduling WWS or MC is and would be over correcting IMO, but there are plenty of schools that fall into the range like Willowbrook, Downers South etc.. in the area. However I think the solution can be found right in the conference itself, as I mentioned in a previous post.
This week GBE vs RB will be tale of the tape in IMO. One school played one game they had to fight hard to win, and the other as mentioned above played several hard fought games.
This all comes down to players and their want to compete. They cant control who is on the schedule but AD's and Coaches can now with out of conference games.
Love the convo, thanks, and part of why I love HS football.
It looks like RB and GE both played a similar number competitive games. RB opened with a tight one vs Niles West and had a close game vs Glenbard South. Hinsdale South is usually is decent team. They seem to be down this year. GE played Willowbrook, WA and GS.
Ultimately the conference is bad at football and that is unfortunate for the few competitive teams. If there could be a football only conference with some swapping with the WSC-G then group of GE, GS, RB, Addison Trail, Willowbrook, Downers Grove South might be well matched.
They have been 4-5 for several seasons in a row. Last year they lost to DGS, Addison Trail, Hinsdale Central, Wauconda and Willowbrook. They blew out the rest of their schedule including RB 34-9. Most years they are probably a playoff team if they are in the Upstate East
But they're not in the Upstate 8 and most teams would be playoff teams if they played in the Upstate 8.