The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) will crown eight football state champions in late
November, and representatives from those eight squads will be honored by the Chicago Bears just one week later.
The Bears have invited the head coach and one player from each state champion team to attend the Bears vs. Seahawks game on Sunday, December 2 at Soldier Field. During halftime, all eight teams will be honored during a moment of on-field recognition. The ceremony will include state championship game highlights on the video boards, courtesy of Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
“The Chicago Bears are dedicated to supporting high school football throughout the state of Illinois, and we will be proud to recognize our 2012 football state champion teams during halftime of our game on December 2,” said Bears Chairman George H. McCaskey. “Winning a state title is a monumental accomplishment, and we look forward to congratulating each championship team. ”
The Bears have also been honoring an outstanding high school football player and head coach during each week of the 2012 regular season through the Coach of the Week and High School All-Stars recognition programs. The nine head coaches and nine football players will be recognized at the December 2 contest as well.
“This will be a dream come true for many involved and certainly an experience that they will never forget,” said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. “We appreciate the Chicago Bears recognizing these deserving football players and coaches for all of their hard work throughout the year. This is an incredibly unique and special opportunity for everyone involved.”
The IHSA football state title games will be played at Memorial Stadium on the campus of the University of Illinois in Champaign on Friday and Saturday, November 23-24. The Class 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A games will be contested on Friday, with the Class 5A, 6A, 7A and 8A games unfolding on Saturday.