02/04/2025
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - The rankings are pretty much status quo for the week as not much changed in the Top 10 in both 1A and 2A.

Effingham St. Anthony continues to look the part but they had their hands full with a Dieterich in the National Trail Conference Tournament championship game.

But the good teams manage to find a way and the Bulldogs did just that.

Waltonville took a beating by Marion on Friday night but responded the following afternoon by nearly upsetting 3A Centralia at the Pinckneyville Showcase.

They should get the top overall seed in their sub-sectional for the 1A state tournament.

Mounds Meridian didn't fare as well at Pinckneyville, losing to 3A Waterloo but the Bobcats have the roster to challenge for a return trip to Champaign.

Goreville has a real shot at adding more postseason hardware this season as the Blackcats have just a pair of losses to teams in the 1A (Waltonville) and 2A (Benton) rankings.

Casey-Westfield lost to Lawrenceville at the LIC tournament but responded with a dominant win over Paris in the third place game.

The Warriors should have already secured a high seed in their sub-sectional.

Dieterich, after being dismantled by St. Anthony back in December, gave the Bulldogs all they wanted in a 43-39 NTC title game defeat.

The Movin' Maroons have the weapons to be a factor in 1A.

Tuscola picked up a Monday night win in the CIC Tournament and these Warriors will also have a say once the postseason commences.

The Lions at Edwards County appear to be one of those teams no one will want to face at the end of February.

Altamont, after a tough start to the season, have gotten back over .500 and they nine games left including a game with St. Anthony on February 18.

Webber Township has one of the top scorers in the state and host a regional.

The Trojans are hoping for back-to-back regional titles for the first time in program history.

In 2A Belleville Althoff holds the keys to the postseason in arguably the toughest 2A sub-sectional in the state.

The Crusaders will have no excuses if the fall in the state tournament as they have played the toughest schedule of the bunch.

Pinckneyville have just two defeats so far, in title games of tournaments, and they still have much work to do.

The Panthers host Nashville this week and another game against Benton to close the regular season which will decide the SIRR Mississippi Division championship.

Breese Central is another of the teams that knows their way around the state tournament.

The Cougars have been to three-consecutive sectional title games, all narrow losses with the most recent two coming on the home floor of their conquerors (Pinckneyville, Benton).

Columbia had some issues early in the season and they should probably stay out of shootouts.

The Eagles lost both of their shootout games against Missouri teams by a combined 55-points.

They are also in the brutal sub-sectional that features the top four here.

Actually seven of the 10 teams listed in the ABV 2A list are in that same sub-sectional.

Murphysboro is in a better place for the postseason as they will likely get a top two seeding at least in their sub-sectional.

Wesclin moves up the ladder a bit with the Warriors now in control of the Cahokia Conference Illinois Division.

All of their defeats have come against quality teams.

Carlyle has a loss to Wesclin but have an early season win over Pinckneyville.

The rematch with Wesclin comes on the road Friday night.

Benton has a couple of tough double-digit losses but they also have one of the best players in the state and they get another shot at Pinckneyville in the regular season finale.

Nashville is a club that it tough to figure out as they have some good wins and disappointing losses.

But the Hornets get a shot at Pinckneyville on Tuesday and they will be a tough first round postseason matchup for anyone.

Breese Mater Dei continues to play a brutal independent schedule and it will likely make them stronger when the regionals start on February 24.

Some top-ten love goes out to Lawrenceville and head coach Tad Shick who got his Indians rolling at the right time to win the Little Illini Conference tournament championship over 3A Olney Richland County.

The Tribe have won eight-straight games and their sub-sectional isn't nearly as difficult as some of the others.