IESA Headlines

Class A and Class AA Scholastic Bowl State Tournaments Friday

Champions in the ninth annual Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) Class A and Class AA State Final Scholastic Bowl Tournaments will be crowned at two sites in Bloomington-Normal Friday.

The Class A State Tournament will be conducted at Normal Metcalf Laboratory School and the Class AA State Tournament will be conducted at Bloomington Junior High School. Competition for the eight teams advancing to each State Tournament begins at each site at 3:30 p.m. with the first of three rounds of pool play. Each pool involves four schools. Round two will be at 4:30 p.m. and Round three is at 5:30 p.m. The runners-up in each pool will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the third place match. The two pool winners will battle in the state championship match at 7:30 p.m.

Only one team from last year's Class A field returns this year. Paris Crestwood, which went 1-2 in pool play last year, is in Pool B and meets Washington St. Patrick in its first pool match at 3:30 p.m. Paris Crestwood is making its second appearance in the State Tournament as is Washington St. Patrick.

Three teams - Decatur Lutheran, Effingham St. Anthony and Flanagan - are competing in the Class A State Tournament for the third time. Three others - Avon, Columbia ICS and Rockford Holy Family - are making their first trip to the Class A State Tournament. Flanagan and Washington St. Patrick both have won the Class A crown. Flanagan took the title in 2003 and Washington St. Patrick was champion in 1997.

While this is the ninth year of the two-class series in Scholastic Bowl, the IESA is conducting a state series in Scholastic Bowl for the 17th year.

Defending Class AA champion Rockford West meets Springfield Franklin, last year's runner-up, in pool play at 5:30 p.m. Friday. Rockford West took the 2004 championship match with a 269-254 win over Springfield Franklin.

Springfield Franklin is making its third appearance in the Class AA State Tournament, having won the title in 1999 and taking second in 2004. Also advancing for a third time is Bourbonnais UGC, which finished third in 1998. Jacksonville Turner, state champion in 2003, is joined by four other schools as second time qualifiers.

Blue Mound Meridian is the only Class AA school making its debut appearance in the State Tournament and brings a 22-0 record. Lincolnshire Daniel Wright is led by sixth grader Zachary Blumenfeld and scored the final five toss-ups in its crucial 289-214 win over Barrington Middle School Station to clinch the sectional title.

In Class A, Pool A includes Avon, Decatur Lutheran, Effingham St. Anthony and Columbia ICS. Pool B includes Rockford Holy Family, Flanagan, Washington St. Patrick and Paris Crestwood. Following are Friday's Class A Pairings:

• 3:30 pm (Round 1)
  Avon vs. Decatur Lutheran
  Effingham St. Anthony vs. Columbia ICS
  Rockford Holy Family vs. Flanagan
  Washington St. Patrick vs. Paris Crestwood
  
  
• 4:30 pm (Round 2)
  Avon vs. Effingham St. Anthony
  Decatur Lutheran vs. Columbia ICS
  Rockford Holy Family vs. Washington St. Patrick
  Flanagan vs. Paris Crestwood
  
  
• 5:30 pm (Round 3)
  Avon vs. Columbia ICS
  Decatur Lutheran vs. Effingham St. Anthony
  Rockford Holy Family vs. Paris Crestwood
  Flanagan vs. Washington St. Patrick
  
  
• 7:30 pm (Round 4)
  Pool A runner-up vs. Pool B runner-up (Third Place Match)
  Pool A winner vs. Pool B winner (State Championship Match)
  

In Class AA, Pool A includes Rockford West, Blue Mound Meridian, Bourbonnais UGC and Springfield Franklin. Pool B includes Lincolnshire Daniel Wright, Washington Central, Jacksonville Turner and Charleston. Following are Friday's Class AA Pairings:

• 3:30 pm (Round 1)
  Rockford West vs. Blue Mound Meridian
  Bourbonnais UGC vs. Springfield Franklin
  Lincolnshire Daniel Wright vs. Washington Central
  Jacksonville Turner vs. Charleston
  
  
• 4:30 pm (Round 2)
  Rockford West vs. Bourbonnais UGC
  Blue Mound Meridian vs. Springfield Franklin
  Lincolnshire Daniel Wright vs. Jacksonville Turner
  Washington Central vs. Charleston
  
  
• 5:30 pm (Round 3)
  Rockford West vs. Springfield Franklin
  Blue Mound Meridian vs. Bourbonnais UGC
  Lincolnshire Daniel Wright vs. Charleston
  Washington Central vs. Jacksonville Turner
  
  
• 7:30 pm (Round 4)
  Pool A runner-up vs. Pool B runner-up (Third Place Match)
  Pool A winner vs. Pool B winner (State Championship Match)

More information on IESA Scholastic Bowl can be found at http://www.iesa.org/activities/scb/.