The IHSA's inaugural Student Section Showdown drew 40 entries from member high schools around the state. The entries were split into two categories,
Class 1A/2A and
Class 3A/4A, based on the class that the submitting school competes in during IHSA postseason basketball. The contest (
click here for rules) was approved by the IHSA Board of Directors in
December and seeks to recognize the top student sections in the state. The entries are currently being judged by members of the IHSA
Student Advisory Committee (SAC) on categories that include sportsmanship, spirit, student body participation, and the originality of cheers.
“We are excited about the response,” said IHSA Assistant Executive Director Beth Sauser. “Given the timeline (announced in December), we were hoping for 20 entries, so to double that goal was very encouraging. I think it will grow as more schools view the entries and get a sense of what the contest is all about. There are a lot of positive and innovative things happening with student sections around the state. The bar has been set very high for the future.”
The four Class 1A/2A and four Class 3A/4A finalists will be revealed (alphabetically by school name) on the
IHSA website on February 23.
Representatives of the Class 1A/2A finalist schools will attend the IHSA Class 1A Boys Basketball State Championship game on Saturday, March 14 at the Peoria Civic Center, where the winner will be revealed. The Class 3A/4A winner will be announced on week later during the IHSA Class 3A Boys Basketball State Championship game on Saturday, March 21 in Peoria.
See all 40 entries below:
IHSA Class 1A/2A School Entries
Breese Central High School:
Carlinville Blue Crew:
Central A&M:
Dwight Township High School:
Freeburg:
Fulton High School:
Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley Red Army:
Hinckley-Big Rock:
New Berlin Orange & Blue Crew:
Olympia Blue Crew:
Paxton-Buckley-Loda Township Blue Crew:
Ridgewood Spartans (AlWood/Cambridge Co-op):
Class 3A/4A School Entries
Andrew T-Bolt Storm:
Barrington Big Red:
Bradley-Bourbonnais Red Surge:
Champaign Central Bleacher Bums:
Chicago University High School:
East Moline United Township Panther Posse:
Hersey Orange Crush:
Hinsdale Central Red Devil Nation:
Lakes Royal Rush:
LaSalle-Peru Super Fans:
Limestone Rocket Rowdies:
Lyons Township Weirdos:
Manteno Purple Krush:
Morris:
Morton High School (Berwyn/Cicero):
Niles West:
Normal Community:
Ottawa Pirate Nation:
Peoria Notre Dame:
Plainfield East Orange Crush:
Prospect The Underground:
Sacred Heart-Griffin:
Sandburg Superfanz:
Streator Township Red Surge:
Taylorville Purple Reign:
Washington:
Willowbrook Blue Crew:
Yorkville: