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Class 4A
• The toughest 4A sectional? The “TBA Sectional,” where the majority of the Public League schools will be playing, is the deepest. It’s still looking for a host.
Kenwood, currently the No. 1-ranked team, is at the top, followed by several teams that are or have been ranked this season: Simeon, Lincoln Park, St. Ignatius, Hinsdale Central and Curie.
The bad news is, even after getting through this gauntlet, the sectional winner will have to face one of the state’s best (Homewood-Flossmoor? Rich?) in the supersectional.
• The Benet Sectional is exceptionally strong — at the top. Bolingbrook, Waubonsie Valley and Benet are the top three seeds now and undoubtedly will be in two months. But there’s a quick drop after them, although Downers Grove North appears to be making things more interesting than anyone thought.
• The same can be said about the sectional in the south suburbs that’s still looking for a sectional host. Homewood-Flossmoor and Rich are the headliners, but there’s a little more depth with Marist, Bloom and Joliet West.
• The weakest 4A sectional right now is pretty clear: St. Charles East. That’s good news for its only team currently ranked in the Super 25 — Glenbard West. The current top two seeds are, without question, Glenbard West and Geneva.
• Potential Class 4A supersectional matchups:
Hoffman Estates: Niles North vs. Glenbard West
UIC: Homewood-Flossmoor vs. Kenwood
Illinois State: Quincy vs. Bolingbrook
DeKalb: Rolling Meadows vs. Warren
Class 3A
• The toughest sectional in Class 3A, at least in the Chicago area, is the Brother Rice Sectional, where the host school is the team to beat. Marian Catholic, Perspectives-Leadership and Hillcrest stand in the way of Brother Rice winning its first sectional since 2005.
• Mount Carmel is in great position to win a second straight sectional championship. To do so, the Caravan will need to take care of Catholic League foes St. Laurence and De La Salle in the Glenbard South Sectional.
It’s always interesting to watch private schools from the South Side head to Glen Ellyn for a sectional.
• Coach Mike Bailey has won four sectional championships at St. Patrick since taking over the program in 1994. The Shamrocks will be favored to repeat in a very winnable sectional and claim Bailey’s fifth overall.
Underrated Fenwick appears to be the best team standing in the way of St. Patrick in the Little Village Sectional. And just like last year, Mount Carmel could be the blockade for Bailey reaching the state finals for the first time. St. Patrick lost to Mount Carmel a year ago in the super.
• Talented Kankakee is in a good position in its own subsectional. But it gets dicey when paired up with the other subsectional, which includes Peoria and Metamora.
• The Rochelle Sectional will be interesting. Crystal Lake South is the defending champ and still has AJ Demirov back. Kaneland is 7-1.
But unbeaten Wheaton Academy is playing like the top team in that sectional right now. The Warriors have never won a sectional championship.
• Potential Class 3A supersectional matchups:
UIC: Mount Carmel vs. St. Patrick
Springfield: Mt. Vernon vs. Mt. Zion
Hoffman Estates: DePaul Prep vs. Wheaton Academy
Pontiac: Brother Rice vs. Peoria
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