With the Chicago teachers strike now suspended, Public League football teams will be able to participate in the state playoffs.
All of the Public League football teams that qualified for the state playoffs endured a stressful, confusing two weeks. They couldn’t practice and were never sure if they would actually be able to play their first-round state playoff games.
Simeon had a particularly wild roller coaster ride. The Wolverines needed the Illinois High School Association to waive its eight-game minimum for playoff qualification. That happened on Oct. 25. Then they needed the CPS to allow them to practice during the strike on Wednesday. That happened just hours before the IHSA was about to impose a Wednesday afternoon deadline that could have forced all the teams to forfeit.
It was a difficult situation, but somehow nearly everything fell Simeon’s way. The CTU suspended the strike on Thursday afternoon, so all the CPS football teams can play in the state playoffs on Saturday.
“It amazing that in the end it all worked out pretty good for us actually,” Simeon quarterback Jacquez Woodland said. “Everything came together.”
Simeon coach Dante Culbreath says his principal, Trista Harper, was instrumental in spearheading the appeal that convinced the IHSA’s board of directors to waive the eight-game rule.
The Wolverines’ players also took action, organizing a trip to City Hall to meet with Mayor Lori Lightfoot. The meeting didn’t happen, but it led to increased media attention on the athletes plight and led to Lightfoot reaching out to Culbreath and name-checking Simeon in press conferences.
“It’s time for us to move on and focus on our kids,” Lightfoot said after the strike was suspended. “And I look forward to watching Simeon on Saturday play and be victorious.”
Khalyl Warren, Ronald Haggins, George Robinson, Jacquez Woodland and Brandon Taylor spearheaded the movement. Warren’s Twitter bio now says he’s an activist.
“I learned that your voice has power, no matter who you are,” Warren said. “Always speak your mind if there is a problem. Your voice always has power.”
It was a wild two weeks.
“I’m excited,” Warren said. “I’m ready to show people what we have. I know the team is excited at this point. We are thankful to everybody that helped get us here.”
Now 19 CPS football teams will have to change gears quickly to prepare for the state playoffs. They will have just two practices with their full coaching staffs, meanwhile their opponents will have been practicing and game planning for them all week.
“We won’t be behind,” Woodland said. “We practiced a lot, we know what we have to do. Getting the connection back with the receivers could take awhile. We need to run some plays and getting our timing back.”
The strike suspension came too late for most of the other fall sports.
CPS golf, soccer, tennis and cross-country teams were forced to forfeit their playoffs last week. Fifty-six schools forfeited girls volleyball state playoff games on Monday. Nearly 3,000 CPS students have had their state playoffs forfeited because of the strike.
CPS teams in state playoff games
Class 8A
Taft at Huntley, Sat. 1
Curie at Homewood-Flossmoor, Sat. 6
Class 7A
Lincoln-Way West vs. Phillips at Gately, Sat. 3:30
Lincoln Park at Rolling Meadows, Sat. 1
Class 6A
Lakes vs. Simeon at Gately, Sat. noon
Mather at Antioch, Sat. 1
Riverside-Brookfield vs. Kenwood at Gately, Sat. 7
Morgan Park at East St. Louis, Sat. 2
Class 5A
Fenwick vs. Payton at Lane, Sat. 6
Hyde Park at Rockford Boylan, Sat. 1
Marmion vs. Amundsen at Winnemac, Sat. 1
Class 4A
Phoenix at Coal City, Sat. 2
Ag. Science at Kewanee, Sat. 1
Clark vs. St. Francis at Wheaton College, Sat. 11 a.m.
Sullivan at IC Catholic, Sat. 6
Class 3A
Carver at Paxton-Buckley-Loda, Sat. 2
Harlan at Durand-Pecatonica, Sat. 1
Dunbar at Eureka, Sat. 2
Class 2A
Orr at St. Edward, Sat. 1
