Oak Forest didn’t pass either of its late season tests, losing to Curie and then Hillcrest on Friday. The Bengals had been flying high all season, losing just once. The step up in schedule quality was rough, but both games will benefit the team on its Class 3A playoff run.
“This is going to hurt,” Oak Forest coach Matt Manzke said after the Hillcrest loss. “But the experience of losing in the first round of the playoffs on a buzzer beater last year, our guys know what is at stake next week. We will be ok. That being said, we are going to have to play better.”
The Bengals will likely face Brooks in the regional semifinals on Tuesday. The White Division has asserted itself lately (Taft narrowly losing to Fenwick and Jones beating St. Ignatius), so don’t underestimate the challenge of that game.
New additions to the Super 25
Hinsdale South (28-3): The Hornets have been in and out of the rankings all season. They knocked off York on Wednesday.
Dropping out
York (27-4): Nate Shockey has missed the last several games for the Dukes. They are hoping to have him back from injury in time for the playoffs this week.
With record and last week’s ranking
1. Curie (26-2) 1
Mature win at Notre Dame
2. Bloom (26-5) 2
Goal is 4A state title
3. Thornton (29-1) 3
Took down St. Laurence
4. Simeon (22-8) 4
Long layoff for city champs
5. Notre Dame (26-5) 5
Fell short vs. Curie
6. Morgan Park (20-9) 6
Serious contenders in Class 3A
7. Bogan (25-3) 8
Begin playoffs on Wednesday
8. Young (18-9) 9
Face Proviso West on Tuesday
9. Evanston (26-4) 10
Can Wildkits return to Peoria?
10. Joliet West (26-4) 12
Undefeated in conference
11. Stevenson (25-4) 13
Peaking at the right time
12. Bolingbrook (26-5) 15
Enough talent for a long playoff run
13. Homewood-Flossmoor (23-4) 7
Lost at Bolingbrook
14. Loyola (27-4) 16
Top seed at Evanston
15. Glenbrook South (27-4) 17
Opens playoffs vs. Conant
16. Hillcrest (21-8) 23
Won at Oak Forest
17. Marian Catholic (22-8) 11
Lost to Richards
18. Kankakee (24-4) 18
Dark horse in Class 3A
19. Mundelein (27-4) 20
Beat Warren
20. Oak Forest (26-3) 14
Lost to Hillcrest
21. DePaul Prep (24-5) 21
Beat Peoria Manual
22. Orr (19-7) 22
Won Class 2A regional
23. Cary-Grove (28-3) 24
Top seed at McHenry
24. Hinsdale South (28-3) NR
Beat York
25. Indian Creek (33-0) 25
Still unbeaten, dreaming of Peoria
