IESA Headlines

2016 Eighth Grade IESA Girls Basketball State Finals Begin Saturday

For the second straight week, the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA) will crown four girls basketball champions, this time in the 8th grade state series. Competition in the Class 1A, Class 2A, Class 3A and Class 4A State Final Tournaments begins Saturday (December 10) and concludes the following Thursday (December 15) at four sites. This is the 11th year of IESA four-class girls basketball.

Class 1A will be played at Clinton Junior High School, while Class 2A is being played at Lewistown High School. The 3A tournament will be held at Metamora High School and rounding out the group is Macon Meridian High School which is the site of Class 4A.

The time schedule for all four tournaments will be the same. Quarterfinals will be played Saturday with the first of four games beginning at 10:00 a.m. The four quarterfinal winners will meet in semifinal games late Saturday afternoon with the first of two games set to begin at 5:00 p.m. Third place and championship games will be played Thursday, December 15 with the third place game set for 6:00 p.m. and the championship game scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Any changes in the playing status of each of the four tournaments will be posted on the IESA Web Site at www.iesa.org as each tournament progresses. Results will be posted on the web site after each game. Should weather become a factor, any change in the status of the tournaments will be posted on the IESA website.

The price of admission Saturday is $7.00 for adults and $3.00 for seniors (62 and over) and students (K-8) and is good for all games Saturday. Children younger than kindergarten are admitted free. Fans attending the games Saturday will receive a wristband that is to be worn all day and will be used for entry into that respective state final site only throughout the day. It will not be honored at any other 8th grade state final site. The price of admission for the third place and championship game session Thursday will be $5.00 for adults and $2.00 for seniors and students (K-8). Children younger than kindergarten are admitted free.

This year marks the 38th year that the IESA has been conducting a girls basketball state series, as the ever-growing activity made its debut within the Association back in 1979. One-class of competition existed from 1979-1985. Beginning in 1986, classification became part of the girls basketball state series. A 7th grade and an 8th grade state tournament was conducted for the teams entering the state series. It was not based on school enrollment. All 7th grade teams that entered the state tournament participated in the 7th grade tournament (regardless of school size) and all 8th grade teams (regardless of school size) participated in the 8th grade tournament. This format was in place through 1989. Starting in 1990 and continuing through 2005, school enrollment became a factor in the classification as a Class A and Class AA state series for both seventh grade and eighth grade began (based on a school's 7-8 enrollment). There were four champions crowned--a 7A champion, a 7AA champion, an 8A champion, and an 8AA champion. As the number of schools entering the state series increased, classification was again changed beginning in 2006. Instead of two classes, the state series was expanded to four classes so there are a total of eight girls basketball champions---Four 7th grade champions (1A, 2A, 3A, 4A) and four 8th grade champions, (1A, 2A, 3A, 4A). The four class system remains today.

Complete pairings for each state final, plus the FanZone, can be found at www.iesa.org. Click on the Girls Basketball line in the orange box at the top of the IESA Web Site Home Page.

For additional information, please contact the IESA basketball administrator, Nicole Schaefbauer, 309-829-0114.

Here is a look at each of the four 2016 Eighth Grade State Final Tournaments:

NOTES: Three of the four 2015 7th grade champions are returning this year to the 8th grade finals. Carthage won the 7th grade Class 1A title last year; Lewistown Central captured the 7th Grade Class 2A title last year; and Springfield St. Agnes went undefeated as 7th graders when they won the Class 3A 7th grade championship last year.

In Class 1A, four of the eight schools that advanced to the finals as 7th graders in 2015 are returning to the finals as 8th graders--Sigel St. Michael's, Carthage, Normal Epiphany, and London Mills Valley. The first game of the 1A tournament this year will be a re-match of a quarterfinal game last year in the 7th grade tournament when Sigel St. Michael's takes on Carthage. Last year, Carthage knocked off St. Michael's, 29-20 en route to their championship.

In Class 2A, five of the eight finalists this year advanced to the finals last year as 7th graders--Lewistown Central, Arcola, Altamont, Decatur Hope, and Bloomington Corpus Christi.

In Class 3A, six of the eight finalists this year advanced last year as 7th graders--Springfield St. Agnes, Gillespie, Havana, Morris Saratoga, Lockport Kelvin Grove, and Paris Mayo. A potential re-match of last year's 7th grade class 3A championship game is a possibility as Springfield St. Agnes and Gillespie are in opposite brackets. St. Agnes defeated Gillespie last year, 51-24.

In Class 4A, only three of this year's 8th grade finalists participated in the finals last year as 7th graders--Charleston, Homer Glen Homer, and Markham Prairie-Hills.