IESA Headlines

IESA Will Crown 49 Team Champions During 2007-08 School Term

Team champions will be crowned in 49 Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) state final events during the 2007-08 school term.

IESA will conduct state final competition at a total of 27 different sites beginning with two-class girls softball Sept. 21-22 and ending with Class AA Track and Field May 16-17. In between, state finals will be held in boys baseball (Class 1A-3A), cross-country (Class A and AA for both boys and girls), 7th grade girls basketball (Class 1A-4A), 8th grade girls basketball (Class 1A-4A), cheerleading (five divisions), 7th grade boys basketball (Class 1A-4A), 8th grade boys basketball (Class 1A-4A), single-class boys wrestling, 7th grade girls volleyball (Class 1A-4A), 8th 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 2007-08 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. 28-29. Team and individual champions will be crowned the weekend of May 9-10 in 7th grade Class A boys and girls, and 8th grade Class A boys and girls track and field. Then May 16-17, track and field team and individual champions will be crowned in 7th grade Class AA boys and girls, and 8th grade Class AA boys and girls.

The Peoria Civic Center will host the Cheerleading Championships Dec. 15. 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 the weekend of March 7-8 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 third straight year on Friday, May 2.

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. 21-22. Parkside Junior High will host the Cross-Country Meet Oct. 13, 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 7th grade girls Class 4A state basketball tournament Dec. 1 and 6. Normal Kingsley Junior High will host the 8th grade boys Class 4A state basketball tournament Feb. 9 and 14. Bloomington Junior High will host the 7th grade girls Class 4A state volleyball tournament March 8 and 10. Bloomington Holy Trinity Grade School will host the 8th grade girls Class 2A state volleyball tournament at Bloomington Central Catholic's gym March 15 and 18. Normal Kingsley Junior High will host the 8th grade girls Class 4A state volleyball tournament March 15 and 18.

Hosting two state finals each will be Assumption Central A & M (7th grade girls Class 3A basketball and 7th grade girls Class 3A volleyball), Monticello (8th grade girls Class 3A basketball and 8th grade boys Class 2A basketball), Riverton (7th grade girls Class 1A basketball and 7th grade boys Class 4A basketball), Auburn JHS in Divernon (8th grade girls Class 1A basketball and 8th grade boys Class 1A basketball), and Clinton (8th grade girls Class 4A basketball and 7th grade boys Class 3A basketball).