Loyola’s loss to Mount Carmel on Saturday dropped the Ramblers to a No. 6 seed. Lincoln-Way East, York, Plainfield North and South Elgin are unbeaten, so slotted in before Loyola. But the Ramblers are still the heavy favorites to win the Class 8A state championship in Champaign.
Class 8A pairings
#32 Conant (5-4) at #1 Lincoln-Way East (9-0)
#17 Neuqua Valley (7-2) at #16 Lane (7-2)
#25 Stevenson (6-3) at #8 Warren (8-1)
#24 Andrew (6-3) at #9 Huntley (8-1)
#29 Belleville East (5-4) at #4 South Elgin (9-0)
#20 Bolingbrook (6-3) at #13 Maine South (7-2)
#28 Lockport (5-4) at #5 Glenbard West (8-1)
#21 Homewood-Flossmoor (6-3) at #12 Glenbrook South (8-1)
#31 Oswego East (5-4) at #2 York (9-0)
#18 Marist (6-3) at #15 Naperville North (7-2)
#26 Downers Grove South (6-3) at #7 Palatine (8-1)
#23 Minooka (6-3) at #10 Glenbard East (8-1)
#30 Rich (5-4) at #3 Plainfield North (9-0)
#19 Naperville Central (6-3) at #14 Lyons (7-2)
#27 Plainfield South (6-3) at #6 Loyola (8-1)
#22 Edwardsville (6-3) at #11 O’Fallon (8-1)
Class 8A Preview
Favorite: Loyola
Top Contender: Lincoln-Way East
Darkhorse/Bracket Buster: Bolingbrook
Best first round game: Bolingbrook at Maine South
Toughest path to title game: Glenbard West
Class 8A Predictions
First round
Lincoln-Way East defeats Conant
Neuqua Valley d. Lane
Warren d. Stevenson
Andrew d. Huntley
South Elgin d. Belleville East
Maine South d. Bolingbrook
Glenbard West d. Lockport
H-F d. Glenbrook South
York d. Oswego East
Marist d. Naperville North
Palatine d. Downers Grove South
Glenbard East d. Minooka
Plainfield North d. Rich
Naperville Central d. Lyons
Loyola d. Plainfield South
O’Fallon d. Edwardsville
Second round
Lincoln-Way East d. Neuqua Valley
Warren d. Andrew
Maine South d. South Elgin
Glenbard West d. Homewood-Flossmoor
York d. Marist
Palatine d. Glenbard East
Naperivlle Central d. Plainfield North
Loyola d. O’Fallon
Quarterfinals
Warren d. Lincoln-Way East
Glenbard West d. Maine South
York d. Palatine
Loyola d. Naperville Central
Semifinals
Glenbard West d. Warren
Loyola d. York
Championship
Loyola d. Glenbard West
