Click on the links below to go to the respective conferences.
Big Northern East | Big Northern West | Central Suburban North | Central Suburban South | Catholic League Blue | Catholic League Green | Catholic League White | DuPage Valley | East Suburban Catholic | Fox Valley (Fox div.) | Fox Valley (Valley div.) | Interstate 8 (Large) | Interstate 8 (Small) | Metro Suburban | Mid-Suburban East | Mid-Suburban West | North Suburban Lake | North Suburban Prairie | Private School League | Public League-Illini Heartland | Public League-Illini Land of Lincoln | Public League-Illini Prairie State | Public League-Illini Red Bird | SICA East | SICA South | South Suburban Blue | South Suburban Red | Southwest Suburban Blue | Southwest Suburban Red | Suburban Catholic | Southwest Prairie | Upstate 8 | West Suburban Gold | West Suburban Silver | Western Sun
OUTLOOK
First for the changes, starting with defending conference champion Crete-Monee. Jerry Verde is the new coach, and the Warriors have an excellent chance to not only qualify for postseason play but also capture the South again. They’ll rely heavily on RB Richard Cobbins and wide receiver K.J. Franklin to lead the offense. T.F. North makes the move from the SICA East to the South and, with Division I recruit Marcus Deloney, the Meteors should challenge under their new coach, Rodney Lacy. Darius Wilson will lead the offense for Rich South, where the Stars are trying to reach the playoffs for the second year in a row and third time in five years. Rich Central also has a new coach: Steve Tadlock comes to Olympia Fields from Austin in Chicago.
2006 state qualifiers:
Crete-Monee, 6A round 1
Rich South, 5A round 1
T.F. North, 6A round 1
Top players in conference:
CRETE-MONEE
Richard Cobbins RB/LB 5-10 200
T.F. NORTH
Marcus Deloney TE/DE 6-5 200
Others to watch
CRETE-MONEE
K.J. Franklin FS/WR 5-9 155
Tony Powell QB 5-10 155
KANKAKEE
Mario Bailey LB 6-3 215
Darnell Sanders DB 5-11 180
RICH CENTRAL
Isaac Provitt FS 6-1 180
Joey Driver WR 6-1 165
Georgio Bowers RB 5-9 195
RICH EAST
Brian Lawson DE/OL 6-3 265
Robert Alvarado OT/DE 6-2 270
Drew Yarborough FB 6-0 200
RICH SOUTH
Darius Wilson FB/LB 6-0 200
Jeremy Lewis TB/FS 5-8 170
Nick Perkins QB 6-2 180
T.F. NORTH
Chris Murry CB/WR 6-0 185
David Davenport RB/LB 5-9 185
Key games:
Sept. 21: Rich South at T.F. North
Oct. 13: Rich South at Crete-Monee
Oct. 19: T.F. North at Crete-Monee
Predicted finish:
T.F. North
Crete-Monee
Rich South
Kankakee
Rich East
Rich Central
Conference capsule previews were compiled by Craig Brueske, Phil English, Ross Forman, Tim Hilton, Bob Hurst, Jack McCarthy, Steve Reaven, Steve Repsys, Jonathan Schoenberg, Bob Skolnik and Tim Tierney.
