IESA Headlines

IESA To Crown 49 Team Champions During 2006-07 School Term

Team champions will be crowned in a record 49 Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) state final events during the 2006-07 school term.

IESA will conduct state final competition at a total of 32 sites beginning with two-class girls softball Sept. 22-23 and ending with Class AA Track and Field May 18-19. In between, state finals will be held in boys baseball (Class 1A-3A), cross-country (Class A and AA for both boys and girls), seventh grade girls basketball (Class 1A-4A), eighth grade girls basketball (Class 1A-4A), cheerleading (five categories), seventh grade boys basketball (Class 1A-4A), eighth grade boys basketball (Class 1A-4A), single-class boys wrestling, seventh grade girls volleyball (Class 1A-4A), eighth grade girls volleyball (Class 1A-4A), scholastic bowl (Class A and AA) and Class A track and field.

"Interscholastic opportunities in our member schools provide a tremendous learning experience and provide a great vehicle for recognition," said IESA Executive Director Steve Endsley. "Through participation in their school's interscholastic activities, our students achieve recognition for themselves, their school and their community. We are the training ground for the next level, the proving ground, IHSA interscholastic activities."

Three of the 2006-07 IESA state finals will be conducted at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria. State champions will be crowned in each of three classes in boys baseball the weekend of Sept. 29-30. Team and individual champions will be crowned the weekend of May 11-12 in seventh grade Class A boys and girls, and eighth grade Class A boys and girls track and field. Then May 18-19, track and field team and individual champions will be crowned in seventh grade Class AA boys and girls, and eighth grade Class AA boys and girls.

The Peoria Civic Center will host the expanded Cheerleading Championships Dec. 16. Champions will be crowned in large and small team cheer, and in small, medium and large team routine.

Individual champions in 19 weight classes and a team champion will be determined in boys wrestling the weekend of March 9-10 at the Northern Illinois University Convocation Center in DeKalb.

Heartland Community College in Normal will host the two-class Scholastic Bowl state meet for the second straight year on Friday, May 4.

The Bloomington-Normal area will host seven different state finals. Champion Fields in Normal will be the site of the Class A and AA softball state final Sept. 22-23. Parkside Junior High will host the Cross-Country Meet Oct. 14, with Class A and Class AA champions being crowned in boys races and girls races, respectively, in each class. Normal Chiddix Junior High with host the Class 4A seventh grade girls state basketball tournament Dec. 2 and 7. Normal Epiphany Grade School will host the 2A eighth grade girls state basketball tournament Dec. 9 and 14 at Bloomington Central Catholic's gym. Normal Kingsley Junior High will host the Class 4A eighth grade boys state basketball tournament Feb. 10 and 15. Bloomington Junior High will host the Class 4A seventh grade girls state volleyball tournament March 10 and 13. Bloomington Holy Trinity Grade School will host the Class 2A eighth grade girls state volleyball tournament at Bloomington Central Catholic's gym March 17 and 20.

Hosting two state finals each will be Assumption Central A & M (1A seventh grade girls basketball and 3A seventh grade girls volleyball), Monticello (2A seventh grade girls basketball and 2A eighth grade boys basketball), Riverton (3A seventh grade girls basketball and 1A seventh grade boys basketball), Divernon (1A eighth grade girls basketball and 1A eighth grade boys basketball), Clinton (3A eighth grade girls basketball and 3A seventh grade boys basketball), and Stanford Olympia (4A eighth grade girls basketball and 4A seventh grade boys basketball).