The blind drawing that determines the state final pairings in bracketed team sports was held at the IHSA Office on Friday, December 2, starting at approximately 9:15 am. This drawing covered girls basketball, boys basketball, dual team wrestling, and Scholastic Bowl.
Paul Morello, announcer at radio station WJBC in Bloomington, made the drawings. Traditionally, the pairings are made by ordering the sites that feed into the state finals in alphabetical order and numbering them. 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.
Boys Class 1A Dual Team Wrestling
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Match 1 of Coal City Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Match 2 of Coal City Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Match 1 of Oregon Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Match 2 of Oregon Sectional
Pea #5 represents winner of Match 1 of Petersburg (PORTA) Sectional
Pea #6 represents winner of Match 2 of Petersburg (PORTA) Sectional
Pea #7 represents winner of Match 1 of Vandalia Sectional
Pea #8 represents winner of Match 2 of Vandalia Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Quarterfinal bracket position #1: pea #1, Match 1 of Coal City Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #2: pea #5, Match 1 of Petersburg (PORTA) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #3: pea #4, Match 2 of Oregon Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #4: pea #7, Match 1 of Vandalia Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #5: pea #2, Match 2 of Coal City Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #6: pea #6, Match 2 of Petersburg (PORTA) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #7: pea #3, Match 1 of Oregon Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #8: pea #8, Match 2 of Vandalia Sectional
Boys Class 2A Dual Team Wrestling
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Match 1 of Bensenville (Fenton) Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Match 2 of Bensenville (Fenton) Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Match 1 of Springfield (H.S.) Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Match 2 of Springfield (H.S.) Sectional
Pea #5 represents winner of Match 1 of Sycamore (H.S.) Sectional
Pea #6 represents winner of Match 2 of Sycamore (H.S.) Sectional
Pea #7 represents winner of Match 1 of Woodstock (H.S.) Sectional
Pea #8 represents winner of Match 2 of Woodstock (H.S.) Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Quarterfinal bracket position #1: pea #5, Match 1 of Sycamore (H.S.) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #2: pea #6, Match 2 of Sycamore (H.S.) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #3: pea #8, Match 2 of Woodstock (H.S.) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #4: pea #2, Match 2 of Bensenville (Fenton) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #5: pea #4, Match 2 of Springfield (H.S.) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #6: pea #3, Match 1 of Springfield (H.S.) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #7: pea #7, Match 1 of Woodstock (H.S.) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #8: pea #1, Match 1 of Bensenville (Fenton) Sectional
Boys Class 3A Dual Team Wrestling
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Match 1 of Aurora (West) Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Match 2 of Aurora (West) Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Match 1 of Joliet (Central) Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Match 2 of Joliet (Central) Sectional
Pea #5 represents winner of Match 1 of TBA Sectional (north & northwest suburbs)
Pea #6 represents winner of Match 2 of TBA Sectional (north & northwest suburbs)
Pea #7 represents winner of Match 1 of TBA Sectional (Chicago & west suburbs)
Pea #8 represents winner of Match 2 of TBA Sectional (Chicago & west suburbs)
Bracket drawing:
Quarterfinal bracket position #1: pea #7, Match 1 of TBA Sectional (Chicago & west suburbs)
Quarterfinal bracket position #2: pea #6, Match 2 of TBA Sectional (north & northwest suburbs)
Quarterfinal bracket position #3: pea #2, Match 2 of Aurora (West) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #4: pea #5, Match 1 of TBA Sectional (north & northwest suburbs)
Quarterfinal bracket position #5: pea #8, Match 2 of TBA Sectional (Chicago & west suburbs)
Quarterfinal bracket position #6: pea #3, Match 1 of Joliet (Central) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #7: pea #1, Match 1 of Aurora (West) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #8: pea #4, Match 2 of Joliet (Central) Sectional
Class A Scholastic Bowl
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Carlinville Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Dwight Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Kewanee (Wethersfield) Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Newton Sectional
Pea #5 represents winner of Petersburg (PORTA) Sectional
Pea #6 represents winner of Rockford (Keith Country Day School) Sectional
Pea #7 represents winner of Warrensburg (W.-Latham) Sectional
Pea #8 represents winner of TBA Sectional (southern Illinois)
Pool drawing:
Pool 1, team A: pea #2, Dwight Sectional
Pool 1, team B: pea #8, TBA Sectional (southern Illinois)
Pool 1, team C: pea #1, Carlinville Sectional
Pool 1, team D: pea #7, Warrensburg (W.-Latham) Sectional
Pool 2, team E: pea #4, Newton Sectional
Pool 2, team F: pea #3, Kewanee (Wethersfield) Sectional
Pool 2, team G: pea #6, Rockford (Keith Country Day School) Sectional
Pool 2, team H: pea #5, Petersburg (PORTA) Sectional
Class AA Scholastic Bowl
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Bradley (B.-Bourbonnais) Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Chicago (Marist) Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Greenville Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Macomb Sectional
Pea #5 represents winner of North Chicago Sectional
Pea #6 represents winner of Park Ridge (Maine South) Sectional
Pea #7 represents winner of Rockford (Auburn) Sectional
Pea #8 represents winner of TBA Sectional (west suburbs)
Pool drawing:
Pool 1, team A: pea #1, Bradley (B.-Bourbonnais) Sectional
Pool 1, team B: pea #4, Macomb Sectional
Pool 1, team C: pea #5, North Chicago Sectional
Pool 1, team D: pea #3, Greenville Sectional
Pool 2, team E: pea #7, Rockford (Auburn) Sectional
Pool 2, team F: pea #2, Chicago (Marist) Sectional
Pool 2, team G: pea #8, TBA Sectional (west suburbs)
Pool 2, team H: pea #6, Park Ridge (Maine South) Sectional
Girls Class 1A Basketball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Bloomington (Illinois Wesleyan U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of DeKalb Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Jacksonville (Illinois College) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Salem (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #1, Bloomington (Illinois Wesleyan U.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #2, DeKalb Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #3, Jacksonville (Illinois College) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #4, Salem (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Girls Class 2A Basketball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Decatur (Millikin U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Monmouth (M. College) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Salem (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of TBA Super-Sectional (Chicago area)
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #1, Decatur (Millikin U.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #4, TBA Super-Sectional (Chicago area)
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #3, Salem (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #2, Monmouth (M. College) Super-Sectional
Girls Class 3A Basketball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Elgin (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Hinsdale (Central) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Pontiac Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of TBA Super-Sectional (central & southern Illinois)
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #4, TBA Super-Sectional (central & southern Illinois)
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #1, Elgin (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #2, Hinsdale (Central) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #3, Pontiac Super-Sectional
Girls Class 4A Basketball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Bloomington (Illinois Wesleyan U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Elgin (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Hinsdale (Central) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Lincolnshire (Stevenson) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #2, Elgin (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #3, Hinsdale (Central) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #1, Bloomington (Illinois Wesleyan U.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #4, Lincolnshire (Stevenson) Super-Sectional
Boys Class 1A Basketball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Carbondale (SIU) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Jacksonville (Jacksonville Bowl) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Normal (ISU) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #3, Jacksonville (Jacksonville Bowl) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #4, Normal (ISU) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #1, Carbondale (SIU) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #2, DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Boys Class 2A Basketball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Carbondale (SIU) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Joliet (Central) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Springfield (UIS) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #2, DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #4, Springfield (UIS) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #3, Joliet (Central) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #1, Carbondale (SIU) Super-Sectional
Boys Class 3A Basketball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Hoffman Estates (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Joliet (Central) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Springfield (Prairie Capitol Convention Center) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #4, Springfield (Prairie Capitol Convention Center) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #2, Hoffman Estates (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #3, Joliet (Central) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #1, DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Boys Class 4A Basketball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Hinsdale (Central) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Normal (ISU) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of TBA Super-Sectional (Chicago & north suburbs)
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #2, Hinsdale (Central) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #1, DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #3, Normal (ISU) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #4, TBA Super-Sectional (Chicago & north suburbs)
Sectional Pairings
In boys wrestling, 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 match (Match 1) will pair the winner of Regional #4 and the winner of Regional #3.
- The second sectional match (Match 2) will pair the winner of Regional #1 and the winner of Regional #2.
- The winners of Match 1 and Match 2 will both advance to the state final tournament. The pairings for the state final tournament are outlined above.
In boys and girls basketball 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 #2.
- The second sectional semifinal will pair the winner of Regional #1 and the winner of Regional #4.
An exception to these pairings is made for the southernmost sectional in the following tournaments: Class 4A girls basketball and Class 4A boys basketball. 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.