Manual, Central, Richwoods, Notre Dame conference re-alignment

[tornado]

All the large Peoria schools are abandoning the MidState and changing conferences - becoming part of the "Big TWELVE"

They will align with "Bloomington-Normal public schools as well as the Champaign
public schools.
That leaves Champaign Central, Centennial, Urbana, Danville, Bloomington,
Normal Community and Normal West as the seven schools in the Big 12."
(plus the four Peoria schools)

http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/story/peoria-schools-to-join-big-12-conference/d/story/yvYJREtvN0mGctar4vinjQ

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/high-school/schools/peoria-schools-joining-big-conference/article_32ba5ce2-66a1-11e3-91c9-0019bb2963f4.html

http://www.pjstar.com/article/20131216/SPORTS/131219316/-1/News

[tornado]

separate from this topic - I noticed that the PJS ran a column declaring the absence of D-I talent in the Peoria area...
This is interesting - as we on BradleyFans have been noting this for a couple years -- not since the Shaun Livingston and Jamar Smith era have we had much HIGH D-I talent but we do have one or two kids every year going D-I (Alec Peters, Jeff White, Brett Bisping..)
The PJS notes that nobody in the area appears to be headed D-I from this year's grads (Shea Feehan has an outside chance..)

http://www.pjstar.com/article/20131212/SPORTS/131219674/10931/SPORTS

[midstateknowitall]

The class of 2016 & after also have higher standards to get into D1 schools than the classes before them. That will be an interesting thing when it comes to the Peoria Public Schools. This years class is just one of those dry years, doesn't mean their isn't talent.

Possible D1 Players:

Shea Feehan (PND): could play himself into scholarship or Preferred Walk On.

Terrence Shelby (Limestone): grades holding him back

Alex Sorenson (Dunlap): signed early w/ D2 Northern Michigan. Could have maybe played himself into D1 if he waited till spring.

[tornado]

thanks - I have heard & seen a couple younger kids at Washington, Manual, one 6-9 kid at PCS, and a few others who may be D-I candidates, but even if a kid like Alex Sorenson goes D-II - he has a lot to be proud of and he can have a great career.
His folks & grandparents have every reason to be proud..
plus -as far as shooters, doesn't Lincoln have a 6-1 kid that has some shooting skills?

[Chico]

thanks - I have heard & seen a couple younger kids at Washington, Manual, one 6-9 kid at PCS, and a few others who may be D-I candidates, but even if a kid like Alex Sorenson goes D-II - he has a lot to be proud of and he can have a great career.
His folks & grandparents have every reason to be proud..
plus -as far as shooters, doesn't Lincoln have a 6-1 kid that has some shooting skills?

Yeah but is the kid from Lincoln atheletic? That's more important evidently. To h---- with shooting skills. That skill only puts points on the board. Enough points to beat the Indiana alphabet schools.

[wily coyote]

Yeah but is the kid from Lincoln atheletic? That's more important evidently. To h---- with shooting skills. That skill only puts points on the board. Enough points to beat the Indiana alphabet schools.

Yeah Chico we don't want any shooters we want kids who can run and jump. Kinda like the Mid-Illini not wanting the 4 Peoria schools. Go figure

[Chico]

Yeah Chico we don't want any shooters we want kids who can run and jump. Kinda like the Mid-Illini not wanting the 4 Peoria schools. Go figure

I don't really blame them.

[BUBalum05]

Wow, this will be a scheduling nightmare for sports other than football and horrible for academics. How are they going to schedule Danville home or away games on a weeknight? That's about 2 hours on a bus one way from Peoria so thats probably a 7-8 hour night assuming they schedule two levels back to back (Soph-Varsity). And there is no natural East-West division unless they split the B-N schools which would certainly detract from the rivalries.

I grew up in the NIC-9 (now its back to the NIC-10) and anytime we had to travel out to Freeport about an hour away it was awful, can't imagine going twice the distance.

And most importantly, doing homework on a dark cold school bus isn't a great learning environment.

[Big Lance]

I don't really blame them.

I'd love to see you expand on that comment.

[tornado]

anyone care to give an opinion as to why the MidState & Mid-Illini will schedule & play each other in every sport, but do not appear at all inclined to affiliate with each other despite similarities in many ways, especially the convenience of location?

[Chico]

I'd love to see you expand on that comment.

Why wouldn't I. Been to a game at a local school lately. Why join a conference when only 200 fans, if lucky, show up. Again, don't blame them.

[tornado]

what games are you talking about...

high school games in Peoria are well attended...
I have been to games at Washington, Manual, Richwoods, Central, even Peoria Heights, PCS, and Tremont where the stands were packed...
And I am sure you know that routinely some of our local games get moved to the Fieldhouse or Ren-Col because of the size of the crowds.

http://blogs.pjstar.com/thesnap/category/washington-2/page/11/

http://i1.wp.com/blogs.pjstar.com/thesnap/files/2013/03/030813_LimestoneVSCentral_017_lr.jpg?resize=950%2C631

http://i1.wp.com/blogs.pjstar.com/thesnap/files/2011/03/030811_ndcentral_snap02.jpg?resize=900%2C576

Can't imagine bringing in an opponent like Urbana or Danville will fill the stands..
Those old Central-Manual matchups at the Fieldhouse used to bring the roof down!

http://d2om8tvz4lgco4.cloudfront.net/archive/x1647206579/1225robertson1/g12c0000000000000003ddbfa61a145b759f72375e793cd9c5ba18597dd.jpg

[Chico]

You know what games I'm talking T. Sure not Washington, Metamora. Or maybe the attendance quoted in the PJS are wrong. I've talked to several old time high school game attendees, even a couple ex-coaches, who wouldn't go to local games. Again, say what you want, but I don't blame them.

[Big Lance]

Why wouldn't I. Been to a game at a local school lately. Why join a conference when only 200 fans, if lucky, show up. Again, don't blame them.

Yes in fact I have. I in fact live in Peoria and stay here all through the winter... And go to high school games, both District 150 and Mid-Illini in more sports than just basketball. Nice try.

[Chico]

Yes in fact I have. I in fact live in Peoria and stay here all through the winter... And go to high school games, both District 150 and Mid-Illini in more sports than just basketball. Nice try.

Big deal. I lived here all through the Winter for 70 years until I was lucky enough to leave for a few months. Hope you can do the same. I went to probably as many high school games, just the Peoria schools, as you. Nice try at what?