Crushed hopes give way to new season and new hopes

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Sports transitions are ongoing and always continue in one form or another.

No doubt the Chicago Major League Baseball fans wave good-bye the season this week and seek to turn attention elsewhere. The White Sox with higher expectations than the Cubs truly were disappointing. The Cubs with lower expectations showed signs in the second-half of the season to offer encouragement for next year. Wait until next year.

Some of the football teams, college and the Chicago Bears, offer glimpses of hopes. Hope springs eternal. We will wait and see.

With beginning of the professional basketball and hockey Winter seasons, optimism is an easy start. The Bulls may deserve hopes for a better future than the Blackhawks, however, we all crave undeserving pleasant surprises. Predictions always fall into a form of possible inaccuracies and hopes. There is reason we wait for the games to be played. Always good advice. Certainly White Sox fans must admit that this year.

• Illinois high school football has moved along through six games in a nine-game schedule. After nine games the playoffs will begin. All of the teams with six victories will qualify for the playoffs and nearly all of the teams with five victories will have a postseason to savor. The 16 teams which advance to the State championship games in eight classes will gain the experience of playing 14 games. That will help build experience. Often successful teams build on their experience to perpetuate success. Breaking the cycle and moving up to success takes dedication, talent, coaching, and commitment. Perhaps there should be salutes and respect for teams which continue working hard and seeking to play well even if they fall below the .500 break-even level. Hope springs….

• We have a list of six high school football schools off to 6-0 starts and 16 schools which have won five of their first six games. Barring the complete unforeseen, they will be in the playoffs in one of the eight classes. The postseason football cycle will begin Friday, Oct.29.

High school football teams with 6-0 season records and their conferences: Lemont, South Suburban Blue; Lincoln-Way East, Southwest Suburban Blue; Plainfield North, Southwest Prairie West; South Elgin, Upstate Eight; Wheaton St. Francis, Metro Suburban Red; York, West Suburban Silver. The undefeated status should not be taken for granted and offers fan excitement, memories and disappointment with early conclusions to their seasons. Hopes have been built up.

The 16 high school football teams with 5-1 season records and their conferences: Joliet Catholic Academy, Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic; St. Charles North, DuKane; Neuqua Valley, DuPage; Jacobs, Fox Valley; Prairie Ridge, Fox Valley; Huntley, Fox Valley; IC Catholic Prep, Metro Suburban Blue; Wheaton Academy, Metro Suburban Blue; Riverside-Brookfield, Metro Suburban Red; Minooka, Southwest Prairie West; Yorkville, Southwest Prairie West; Glenbard South, Upstate Eight; Glenbard East, Upstate Eight; Lyons, West Suburban Silver; Downers Grove North, West Suburban Silver; Glenbard West, West Suburban Silver.

The West Suburban Silver, a seven-team conference, has four teams with at least five victories and might be one of the top conferences in the State. In the rest of season those top teams will be required to play the other top teams in the Conference which would require records to diminish. Such competition engenders excitement and admiration for quality of the top teams.

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) playoff pairings will be announced ion the early evening Saturday, Oct. 22 with 16 teams in eight classes, or 128 teams with high hopes, seeking glory, and making memories.

• High school Fall State tournaments: Both boys and girls golf will be Friday and Saturday this week. Saturday, Nov. 5 will be especially busy with boys and girls cross country and Class 2A and Class 3A boys soccer. High school football State championship games will be the weekend after Thanksgiving Day.

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