The blind drawing that determines the state final pairings in
bracketed team sports was held at the IHSA Office on Friday,
April 13. This drawing covered the
spring sports of boys water polo, girls water polo, boys volleyball,
girls soccer, girls softball, and boys baseball.
Kyle Perry, coach at Fenwick High School, made the drawings. Traditionally, the pairings are made by
ordering the sites that feed into the state finals in
alphabetical order and numbering them from 1 to 4 (or 1 to 8). Then numbered
peas are drawn from a bottle. The number on the first pea drawn
represents the site whose winner will occupy the first position on
the bracket, and so on.
Girls Water Polo
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Aurora (Metea Valley) Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Chicago (St. Ignatius) Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Elmhurst (York) Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Glenview (Glenbrook South) Sectional
Pea #5 represents winner of New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central) Sectional
Pea #6 represents winner of Palatine (H.S.) Sectional
Pea #7 represents winner of Palos Hills (Stagg) Sectional
Pea #8 represents winner of Schaumburg (H.S.) Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Quarterfinal bracket position #1: pea #6, Palatine (H.S.) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #2: pea #2, Chicago (St. Ignatius) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #3: pea #7, Palos Hills (Stagg) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #4: pea #1, Aurora (Metea Valley) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #5: pea #3, Elmhurst (York) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #6: pea #8, Schaumburg (H.S.) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #7: pea #4, Glenview (Glenbrook South) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #8: pea #5, New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central) Sectional
Boys Water Polo
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Aurora (Metea Valley) Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Chicago (St. Ignatius) Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Elmhurst (York) Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Glenview (Glenbrook South) Sectional
Pea #5 represents winner of New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central) Sectional
Pea #6 represents winner of Palatine (H.S.) Sectional
Pea #7 represents winner of Palos Hills (Stagg) Sectional
Pea #8 represents winner of Schaumburg (H.S.) Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Quarterfinal bracket position #1: pea #7, Palos Hills (Stagg) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #2: pea #8, Schaumburg (H.S.) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #3: pea #1, Aurora (Metea Valley) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #4: pea #3, Elmhurst (York) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #5: pea #2, Chicago (St. Ignatius) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #6: pea #4, Glenview (Glenbrook South) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #7: pea #6, Palatine (H.S.) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #8: pea #5, New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central) Sectional
Boys Volleyball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Barrington Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Chicago (De La Salle) Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Chicago (Whitney Young) Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Elgin (H.S.) Sectional
Pea #5 represents winner of Frankfort (Lincoln-Way East) Sectional
Pea #6 represents winner of Northbrook (Glenbrook North) Sectional
Pea #7 represents winner of Romeoville (H.S.) Sectional
Pea #8 represents winner of Wheaton (W. Warrenville South) Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Quarterfinal bracket position #1: pea #5, Frankfort (Lincoln-Way East) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #2: pea #6, Northbrook (Glenbrook North) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #3: pea #7, Romeoville (H.S.) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #4: pea #2, Chicago (De La Salle) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #5: pea #3, Chicago (Whitney Young) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #6: pea #8, Wheaton (W. Warrenville South) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #7: pea #4, Elgin (H.S.) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #8: pea #1, Barrington Sectional
Girls Class 1A Soccer
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Edwardsville (Metro-East Lutheran) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Hinckley (H.-Big Rock) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Norridge (Ridgewood) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Urbana (University) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #2, Hinckley (H.-Big Rock) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #4, Urbana (University) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #1, Edwardsville (Metro-East Lutheran) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #3, Norridge (Ridgewood) Super-Sectional
Girls Class 2A Soccer
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Barrington Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Lisle (Benedictine U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Normal (Community West) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Springfield (UIS) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #2, Lisle (Benedictine U.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #1, Barrington Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #3, Normal (Community West) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #4, Springfield (UIS) Super-Sectional
Girls Class 3A Soccer
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Barrington Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Lisle (Benedictine U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Normal (Community) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Palatine (Fremd) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #3, Normal (Community) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #4, Palatine (Fremd) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #1, Barrington Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #2, Lisle (Benedictine U.) Super-Sectional
Girls Class 1A Softball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Carbondale (SIU) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Champaign (U. of Illinois) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Payson (Seymour) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #2, Champaign (U. of Illinois) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #4, Payson (Seymour) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #3, DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #1, Carbondale (SIU) Super-Sectional
Girls Class 2A Softball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Athens Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Nashville Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Seneca Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #4, Seneca Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #3, Nashville Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #2, DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #1, Athens Super-Sectional
Girls Class 3A Softball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Elgin (Judson U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Mattoon Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Seneca Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #1, DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #4, Seneca Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #3, Mattoon Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #2, Elgin (Judson U.) Super-Sectional
Girls Class 4A Softball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Elgin (Judson U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Normal (ISU) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Rosemont (Rosemont Stadium) 1 Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Rosemont (Rosemont Stadium) 2 Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #4, Rosemont (Rosemont Stadium) 2 Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #1, Elgin (Judson U.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #3, Rosemont (Rosemont Stadium) 1 Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #2, Normal (ISU) Super-Sectional
Boys Class 1A Baseball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Champaign (U. of Illinois) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Lisle (Benedictine U.)
Pea #3 represents winner of Marion (Southern Illinois Miners)
Pea #4 represents winner of Springfield (Lincoln Land C.C.)
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #3, Marion (Southern Illinois Miners)
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #4, Springfield (Lincoln Land C.C.)
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #2, Lisle (Benedictine U.)
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #1, Champaign (U. of Illinois) Super-Sectional
Boys Class 2A Baseball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Lisle (Benedictine U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Rock Island (Augustana Coll.)
Pea #3 represents winner of Sauget (GCS Park)
Pea #4 represents winner of Springfield (Lincoln Land C.C.)
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #2, Rock Island (Augustana Coll.)
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #1, Lisle (Benedictine U.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #3, Sauget (GCS Park)
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #4, Springfield (Lincoln Land C.C.)
Boys Class 3A Baseball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Crestwood (Standard Bank Stadium) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Naperville (North Central Coll.)
Pea #3 represents winner of Rock Island (Augustana Coll.)
Pea #4 represents winner of Sauget (GCS Park)
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #4, Sauget (GCS Park)
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #3, Rock Island (Augustana Coll.)
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #2, Naperville (North Central Coll.)
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #1, Crestwood (Standard Bank Stadium) Super-Sectional
Boys Class 4A Baseball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Champaign (U. of Illinois) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Crestwood (Standard Bank Stadium) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Rockford (RiverHawks Stadium) 1 Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Rockford (RiverHawks Stadium) 2 Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #4, Rockford (RiverHawks Stadium) 2 Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #3, Rockford (RiverHawks Stadium) 1 Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #2, Crestwood (Standard Bank Stadium) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #1, Champaign (U. of Illinois) Super-Sectional
For spring tournaments where teams are assigned directly to regionals, the regional winners will be paired at the sectional level as follows:
- The names of the four regional sites will be alphabetized according to standard IHSA naming protocol and numbered from 1 to 4.
- The first sectional semifinal will pair the winner of Regional #3 and the winner of Regional #1.
- The second sectional semifinal will pair the winner of Regional #4 and the winner of Regional #2.
An exception to these pairings is made for the southernmost sectional in the following tournaments: boys volleyball, Class 3A girls soccer, Class 4A girls softball, and Class 4A boys baseball. In these sectionals, the two regional winners from the Metro-East area will be paired in one semifinal and play at a local site. The winners of the other two regionals will play their semifinal at another site. The winners of these two games will play at the sectional site.
Thanks to Fenwick Head Coach Kyle Perry and the Friar Boys Water Polo team for drawing the assignments. See a brief video here.
