Indiana annexes Illinois

[Alduflux]

https://www.agriculture.com/indiana-considers-boundary-shift-and-agricultural-impact-as-illinois-counties-push-for-secession-8789473

For simplicity sake let's refrain from the political aspect of this situation and keep the conversation related to football.

There is a fanciful idea that a bulk of southern Illinois may secede from Chicago/Illinois.  In the event that were to happen they potentially would be annexed by Indiana.

How would that impact the Indiana high school state tournament?  What programs in the southern part of the state would be tournament powers in Indiana?  What classes would they fall under?  How would an expanded pool of schools change the class structure in Indiana?  What schools would you be excited to see in the Indiana tournament?

[Muda69]

10 hours ago, Alduflux said:

https://www.agriculture.com/indiana-considers-boundary-shift-and-agricultural-impact-as-illinois-counties-push-for-secession-8789473

For simplicity sake let's refrain from the political aspect of this situation and keep the conversation related to football.

There is a fanciful idea that a bulk of southern Illinois may secede from Chicago/Illinois.  In the event that were to happen they potentially would be annexed by Indiana.

How would that impact the Indiana high school state tournament?  What programs in the southern part of the state would be tournament powers in Indiana?  What classes would they fall under?  How would an expanded pool of schools change the class structure in Indiana?  What schools would you be excited to see in the Indiana tournament?

First on the agenda would be does the IHSAA finally adapt a co-op system for athletic teams?  It it my understanding co-op programs are somewhat popular in Illinois, so there may be numerous co-op teams among these southern Illinois counties.

 

[oldtimeqb]

I think the vast majority of those schools would fall in the lower three classes in Indiana.

Mt. Carmel - the town not the Chicago version - was very competitive in the Big 8 and would play in the 3A/4A (out of 8 ) class. 

Depending on which counties would be annexed, I’m sure Breese Mater Dei and Springfield Sacred Heart Griffin would be schools to deal with, because they’re cheating Catholics too. 

[oldtimeqb]

10 hours ago, Alduflux said:

What schools would you be excited to see in the Indiana tournament?

Two matchups I would love to see: 

Vincennes Lincoln vs Centralia in girls basketball would put the Alices vs the Orphan Annies. 

Pekin (IL) vs Eastern (Pekin) - a small school tilt that could be billed WWE style as a ‘loser gives up their town name’ flair. 

[btownqbcoach1]

How absolutely terrible would it be to live in Southern ILL and be controlled by Chicago politics? Yuck

[scarab527]

Other than a few teams in lower classes, probably wouldn’t change much. Other than East St. Louis (who in this hypothetical probably just goes to Missouri), all the good teams in Illinois are clustered around Chicago. 

[Sparty]

1 hour ago, scarab527 said:

Other than a few teams in lower classes, probably wouldn’t change much. Other than East St. Louis (who in this hypothetical probably just goes to Missouri), all the good teams in Illinois are clustered around Chicago. 

No they are not.  

[Frozen Tundra]

1 hour ago, scarab527 said:

Other than a few teams in lower classes, probably wouldn’t change much. Other than East St. Louis (who in this hypothetical probably just goes to Missouri), all the good teams in Illinois are clustered around Chicago. 

If we get southern Illinois then I definitely don’t want the county that contains East St. Louis (St. Clair County). Don’t want the county north of it either (Madison County). Basically, no St. Louis metro counties.

[CoachMack219]

2 hours ago, Sparty said:

No they are not.  

Yes they are (at least in classes 4A and up). The Springfield area has 3 teams, and there's East St. Louis as scarab mentioned (along with Murphysboro from near STL in 2019), that are the only 4A and higher State Champs or Runner Ups in IL in the last 6 seasons. So yes, the BEST football in Illinois is played within 75 miles of Chicago in any direction. South of Springfield is little boy football in Illinois. Hell, south of Kankakee might qualify as little boy football compared to the Chicagoland area. 

Edited February 14, 2025 by CoachMack219

[CoachMack219]

4 hours ago, scarab527 said:

Other than a few teams in lower classes, probably wouldn’t change much. Other than East St. Louis (who in this hypothetical probably just goes to Missouri), all the good teams in Illinois are clustered around Chicago. 

Totally agree with you here @scarab527. 1A-3A (and some 4A/5A) Illinois schools are very good and reside in the Southern half of the state. BUT they are NOT up to the caliber of football across the Southern IL landscape that is played in, near, around, or within an hour drive of Chicago. The North suburbs? LOADED with really good teams. West suburbs? LOADED with really good teams. South Suburbs? Not as loaded but still some LOADED teams. If you look East of Chicago though, you'll find a Region that struggles to provide winners in their state. 👀 Sorry, HAD to come at the Region/ Home. Lol

[Sparty]

10 minutes ago, CoachMack219 said:

Yes they are (at least in classes 4A and up). The Springfield area has 3 teams, and there's East St. Louis as scarab mentioned (along with Murphysboro from near STL in 2019), that are the only 4A and higher State Champs or Runner Ups in IL in the last 6 seasons. So yes, the BEST football in Illinois is played within 75 miles of Chicago in any direction. South of Springfield is little boy football in Illinois. Hell, south of Kankakee might qualify as little boy football compared to the Chicagoland area. 

Buddy, he said all. No need to pontificate your opinion.  

7 minutes ago, CoachMack219 said:

Totally agree with you here @scarab527. 1A-3A (and some 4A/5A) Illinois schools are very good and reside in the Southern half of the state. BUT they are NOT up to the caliber of football across the Southern IL landscape that is played in, near, around, or within an hour drive of Chicago. The North suburbs? LOADED with really good teams. West suburbs? LOADED with really good teams. South Suburbs? Not as loaded but still some LOADED teams. If you look East of Chicago though, you'll find a Region that struggles to provide winners in their state. 👀 Sorry, HAD to come at the Region/ Home. Lol

Then move west if the region isn’t your cup of tea.

[CoachMack219]

16 minutes ago, Sparty said:

Buddy, he said all. No need to pontificate your opinion.  

Yeah, I guess adding "nearly" in front of all would've made his point a little more clear for ya, huh? Lol those whopping 5 out of 400+ schools really make the difference.  

18 minutes ago, Sparty said:

Then move west if the region isn’t your cup of tea.

I am counting the days until I can venture West, at least as far as work is concerned. Teach/ Coach in Illinois (Chicagoland area) where the money AND the football are better OR continue to teach/ coach in the Region where 5/32 schools in Region 1 care about football, teachers, etc.... I'll take Illinois, the cash, and the better football. 

[Muda69]

What is "little boy" football?

 

[Sparty]

1 hour ago, CoachMack219 said:

Yeah, I guess adding "nearly" in front of all would've made his point a little more clear for ya, huh? Lol those whopping 5 out of 400+ schools really make the difference.  

I am counting the days until I can venture West, at least as far as work is concerned. Teach/ Coach in Illinois (Chicagoland area) where the money AND the football are better OR continue to teach/ coach in the Region where 5/32 schools in Region 1 care about football, teachers, etc.... I'll take Illinois, the cash, and the better football. 

Good for you.  Move there too.  Enjoy their taxes.  

1 hour ago, CoachMack219 said:

Yeah, I guess adding "nearly" in front of all would've made his point a little more clear for ya, huh? Lol those whopping 5 out of 400+ schools really make the difference.  

I am counting the days until I can venture West, at least as far as work is concerned. Teach/ Coach in Illinois (Chicagoland area) where the money AND the football are better OR continue to teach/ coach in the Region where 5/32 schools in Region 1 care about football, teachers, etc.... I'll take Illinois, the cash, and the better football. 

Ole buddy looking to double dip

[Goose Liver]

43 minutes ago, Sparty said:

Good for you.  Move there too.  Enjoy their taxes.  

Ole buddy looking to double dip

Nothing wrong with two pensions.

[Sparty]

1 hour ago, Goose Liver said:

Nothing wrong with two pensions.

Who said there was?

[gonzoron]

1 hour ago, Sparty said:

Who said there was?

Boosters

https://gridirondigest.net/clients/donations/

[Gipper]

Although the Chicago metropolitan area with its adjacent coutines of Dupage, Lake, Will, Kane, Kendall, and McHenry (among others) would appear to have a stranglehold on sports, there are plenty of other good areas.  Moline, Peoria, East St. Louis are just a few good examples.

Edited February 15, 2025 by Gipper

[Bash Riprock]

On 2/14/2025 at 2:24 PM, CoachMack219 said:

Totally agree with you here @scarab527. 1A-3A (and some 4A/5A) Illinois schools are very good and reside in the Southern half of the state. BUT they are NOT up to the caliber of football across the Southern IL landscape that is played in, near, around, or within an hour drive of Chicago. The North suburbs? LOADED with really good teams. West suburbs? LOADED with really good teams. South Suburbs? Not as loaded but still some LOADED teams. If you look East of Chicago though, you'll find a Region that struggles to provide winners in their state. 👀 Sorry, HAD to come at the Region/ Home. Lol

All I ask is that you don't forget a central Illinois program with big time tradition......

[wabashalwaysfights]

To stick with the original topic: I would think something like this would all but guarantee the end of the all in tournament no?

Slightly off topic: I have been saying for years that we (Indiana) should just take over Illinois minus Chicago. It's essentially Indiana West anyway...

[Muda69]

12 hours ago, wabashalwaysfights said:

To stick with the original topic: I would think something like this would all but guarantee the end of the all in tournament no?

Slightly off topic: I have been saying for years that we (Indiana) should just take over Illinois minus Chicago. It's essentially Indiana West anyway...

You may get part of your wish:  https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/02/18/illinois-secession-bill-passes-out-of-indiana-committee-with-mixed-support/

Quote

A bill that could help Indiana absorb nearly three-dozen Illinois counties breezed through committee Monday — although a border shakeup appears unlikely.

Republican House Speaker Todd Huston’s proposal would create an Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission tasked with exploring the secession and transfer of counties that have already voted to leave the state of Illinois.

Huston said House Bill 1008, part of the majority caucus’ priority agenda, seeks to show disgruntled Illinois residents that Indiana “welcomes” those counties “to consider joining our state.”

“We don’t want to see our neighbors to the west languish. Ultimately, their success or failure affects our own success or failure. But it’s up to them to change their course,” Huston said before the House government committee on Monday. “In the meantime, to Illinois counties and residents feeling unheard and underrepresented, we hear you. We’d like to invite you to come back home again to Indiana.”

A push for Illinois counties to separate has been ongoing for at least a decade but is gaining traction. Since 2020, 33 Illinois counties have passed “advisory referenda” to secede from the Prairie State — with seven of those votes occurring in the November general election. 

Local officials — many from rural counties in southern and central parts of Illinois — cited frustrations over high taxes, as well as the wide cultural divide between rural Illinois and urban Chicago.

The referenda language involved the counties splitting off to create a new, 51st state — not joining Indiana. Some who testified at Indiana’s Statehouse still preferred a new state, but several were open to Huston’s idea. 

“Our biggest grievance is that we are not represented,” said Gina Merritt, chair of the nonprofit New Illinois, a group that aims to form an entirely new state. “We don’t have government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Our governor accuses us of wanting to kick Chicago out of Illinois. Not so. We want to kick ourselves out of Illinois.”

Huston offering a bill is novel because the House Speaker usually doesn’t author legislation.

...

 

[CoachMack219]

On 2/14/2025 at 2:07 PM, Muda69 said:

What is "little boy" football?

 

The definition as I used it: "Football played at the lowest of class levels (1A-3A) that could not compete with the level of higher class (4A-8A) football played in the greater Chicagoland (IL) area." 

Example: 2024 IHSA 4A State Playoffs - Chicago (DePaul) beats St. Laurence (Burbank) in the Quarters 26-14 and Coal City (NW of Bourbonnais) 21-14. They play Mt. Zion from down near Springfield in the Finals... 40-6. I know, PRIVATE vs PUBLIC, right? Whelp, Coal City isn't private... I can find more than just this ONE example as well but didn't feel the need at the moment. 

So for me:

Big Boy Football in Illinois = Played in or near Chicago 

Big Boy Football in Indiana = Played in or near Indianapolis (and in some cases a little South of there)

[CoachMack219]

On 2/14/2025 at 3:46 PM, Sparty said:

Ole buddy looking to double dip

Why not? For sure better than living there. That's why I don't make a comment about living there even though you'd like to see me ousted. Lol 

[CoachMack219]

On 2/14/2025 at 11:59 PM, Gipper said:

Although the Chicago metropolitan area with its adjacent coutines of Dupage, Lake, Will, Kane, Kendall, and McHenry (among others) would appear to have a stranglehold on sports, there are plenty of other good areas.  Moline, Peoria, East St. Louis are just a few good examples.

For sure there are other areas that could be considered "good" as far as sports are concerned. In terms of football, based on IHSA tournament history, that stranglehold is for sure just a little bit tighter. Private, public, parochial, it truly doesn't matter. The classes 4A-8A in Illinois continue to find a way to get to and/ or win the State Championship. The Quarterfinals of most brackets in those classes are filled with teams from the counties you've mentioned near Chicago metro. There are teams that can compete with anyone who are not part of those counties but NEARLY all of the best when it comes to football come from the aforementioned counties. 

[Sparty]

1 hour ago, CoachMack219 said:

Why not? For sure better than living there. That's why I don't make a comment about living there even though you'd like to see me ousted. Lol 

I am never for anyone being “ousted” if they are qualified and doing a good job.