Neilski's CPS football rankings week 5

QB Terry Baggett (sr) of Whitney Young is impressing me more and more every week. Ran for 273 yards against a good Dunbar team. After Robert Gregory of Simeon, he could be the top running QB in the CPS. Oh, by the way he also played on the state runner-up Whitney Young basketball team last year. Whitney Young makes the top 10 for the first time this year.

1. Simeon (5-0)- (beat Curie 42-0, article) - The result was expected. What was not and expected and a huge concern is the hand injury afflicted to Simeon Quarterback Robert Gregory. The injury affected his throwing and grip as he was only 1 of 8 passing. The fate of Simeon's state playoff chances lie on how quickly Gregory's hand heals. Meanwhile Horatio Banks rushes for 277 yards: "I want to lead the state in rushing," said Banks.

2. Morgan Park (4-1) - (beat CVS 46-0, article) - Morgan Park rolls.

3. Hubbard (5-0) - (beat Bogan 43-6,article) - Hubbard capitalizes on 5 Bogan turnovers. A shut out was prevented when Bogan scored with only seconds remaining in the game.

4. Robeson (5-0) - (beat Marshall 57-0) - Another blowout win for Robeson.

5. Senn (5-0)  - (beat Prosser 38-0, article) Look out for sophomore QB Quinnell Johnson (3 passing TD's, 1 rushing TD). Senn works hard in practice and the off season. The effort is showing on the field in another dominating performance.

6. Harlan (4-1)(beat Fenger 54-24) Harlan looks destined to play Robeson in 2 weeks for the conference title. Both teams should go into that titanic game undefeated if Harlan can get by Clark next week.

7. Orr (4-1) (beat Brooks 26-21) Orr is the favorite to win the Illini-Heartland.

8. Taft (5-0) (beat Schurz) - looking forward to showdown with Senn next week for the conference title. The Senn/Taft game will be the biggest game of the season for both teams and will have major playoff implications as the winner will likely finish undefeated and have a #1 seed in the state playoffs.

9. Whitney Young (3-2) (beat Dunbar 35-34) big win over conference foe Dunbar on the strength of Terry Baggett's 3 TD runs, 1 PAT run, and 2 TD passes to Malcolm Tucker. Freshman Adam Durudogan's PAT kick, his fourth of the game, with 1:27 left gave WY the lead for good. Terry Baggett is clearly showing he is one of the best running QB's in the city after Robert Gregory of Simeon.

10. Dunbar (2-3) (Lost to Whitney Young 35-34) -tough one point loss to Whitney Young. Has daunting task vs #1 Simeon next week.

Others: Kelvyn Park (4-1), Lane Tech (3-2), Clark (3-2), Curie (2-3), North Lawndale (3-2), King (3-2)

Comments

[NO GRADE CHECKS FOR HARLAN FOOTBALL]

Once again, no eligibility grade checks at Harlan for football players...

[IB Harlan]

Go away MT

[scout]

Davion Belk (#56 NT 6-1 270 Jr.)is a great defensive player for Whitney Young. He is a great run stuffer and puts pressure on QBs. He made a terrific stop on the goal line stand to beat Dunbar in the final seconds of the game. Look out for him. He has been looking good against a lot of good teams.

[Mckshire]

LT should be #8, they are not playing well, but they play harder competition then Taft

[simeon]

Morgan Park isn't 5-0, didn't they lose to Simeon?

[Me]

LT and curie should replace dunbar and WY

[WY 35 Lane 13 prediction]

WY will beat Lane by at least 10. Anyone that has seen Lane's offense this year that they cannot move the ball. If you stop their run, Lane cannot go anywhere. I feel if WY limits their turnovers they should easily handle Lane.

I see a 35-13 type game.

[differentview]

i see it a little bit differently. you have WY's stud QB but Lane could possibly shut him down for a few series. Lane has alot of backs to rotate in and should be able to move the ball. WY has a greater defense which is why i give them the edge. but 35-13 game, i dont see it. i say they go back and fourth on the board 28-21 to WY

[NO GRADE CHECKS FOR HARLAN FOOTBALL]

Once again, no eligibility grade checks at Harlan for football players...

[NO GRADE CHECKS AT PROSSER EITHER]

Hell, there's hasn't been grade checks at Prosser since Principal Kenneth Hunter took over 6-7 years ago or so. Hunter feels grades aren't that important, only getting the athletes off the street is.

So, players at other schools getting good grades and staying off the streets are basically penalized for doing the right thing. While, D and F students are alowed to play sports at Prosser and have multiple absences, including on game days

[as]

Did Curie beat Lane and Curie is ranked lower than Lane????

[rankings]

The "Others" category has no rankings or order.

[Nonsense]

To think that Taft and Senn is better than Whitney Young, Dunbar, Curie and Lane is absolutely laughable...there is a reason why they are in the Blue Division. Taft and Senn are whooping on lower level Illini teams and teams in the Blue, which is where they belong. If Taft played Curie's and Dunbar's sched, they'd be absolutely embarrassed. You'll see next year when they make their one yr trip to the Red Division and be sent right back.

[rankings 2]

You have not seen Lane and Senn play. Lane is horrible. They look the part - lot's of players, cheerleaders, band, big matching coaching staff. But their play on the field is really embarrasing. Curie is better, but to not score against Simeon and with a 2-3 record hard to defend. Whitney Young and Dunbar are better than Lane and maybe Curie.

Senn is hard to judge. Have not played anyone but they are undefeated. They played Lakes well last year in the state playoffs. They will be judged on how much they beat Taft and if they beat a suburban team in the playoffs this year being a #1 seed.

Senn and Taft get the treatment Boise State has had in the past. Nobody gives them credit for winning in a bad conference.

I'm not a believer yet in Taft, but they are undefeated and it's hard to put Curie, Lane, Dunbar, and Whitney absolutely ahead of them. A big loss to Senn will definitely KO them from the top 10.

[Mckshire]

Senn deserves their ranking, they beat LP by more than Lane did.

[Taft Garbage 5-0]

Taft sucks thy don't play anybody and they barely beat Steinmetz.....and Steinmetz barely beat Mather who really suck....a lot of the teams that are ranked on here will lose bad to some teams that have bad records...for example Bogan 1-4 will beat Taft easily.....Bogan barely lost to Lane Tech and I know Lane Tech will beat Taft....Curie 2-3 blew Lane Tech out...so I kknow Curie will beat taft by at least 40....but for some reason Taft is ranked 8...why???......When taft loses by 30 to Senn I better not see them anywhere close to the rankings again

[jaguars are back]

Grade check for everyone including Bogan!!

[The Truth Teller]

Curie is 2-3 with losses to Proviso West (3-2 loss to unbeaten York and Glenbard West), Sterling (4-1), and Simeon (5-0). Simeon beat Morgan Park worse than Cuire considering the halftime score (20-0 vs Curie and 48-0 vs Morgan Park). Senn hasn't played one team from outside the city and the only 2 Red-Bird teams they have played are arguabily the 2 worst Red-Bird teams. The combined record for Senn's opponents is 7-18. hardly a top notch schedule. Putting Senn in the top 5 is like putting the #1 team in D1-AA in the top 10 in the D1 poll.

[Comment after you have seen Senn play]

To all the Senn naysayers, you have not seen Senn play. Watch a Senn game then make a comment.

[Mckshire]

Senn and Curie would be a good match, I hope it happens this year!

[doofers]

I'd love to see Senn Curie, Taft Whitney Young, Julian Harlan and other chicago conference vs Illini conference matchup.

Unfortunately the doofers who make city playoffs don't make chicago conference schools eligible in city playoffs. 1st and 2nd place chicago conference teams are eligible for state playoffs but not city playoffs. It should be the opposite.

This playoff structure makes no sense for me.

[cps football fan]

First, IF taft loses, then you are correct int hat they should be out of the rankings. BUT to say they suck along with Senn sucking when they have blown out every team is idiotic. I am glad that you have passion for your team/division, but as of now they are both undefeated and deserve to be ranked. Friday will be a different day. Second, please if you are going to post something use correct grammar. If you can't form a proper/complete sentence you will stay at your respective high school for many years to come. Lastly, if you are proud that your school does not check grades remember to thank that principal for hurting you when you are 40, struggling to hold a job making minimum wage. GET the education AND play the sports.