Winter Bracket Drawing
The blind drawing that determines the state final pairings in bracketed team sports was held at the IHSA Office on Friday, January 17, starting at approximately 11:00 am. This drawing covered the winter sports of girls basketball, boys basketball, and dual team wrestling, as well as Scholastic Bowl.
Adam Duvall, sportswriter for the Peoria Journal Star, 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.
Class A Scholastic Bowl
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Carlinville Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Carterville Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Dwight Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Kewanee (Wethersfield) Sectional
Pea #5 represents winner of Petersburg (PORTA) Sectional
Pea #6 represents winner of Rockford (Keith Country Day) Sectional
Pea #7 represents winner of Toledo (Cumberland) Sectional
Pea #8 represents winner of Warrensburg (W.-Latham) Sectional
Pool drawing:
Pool 1, Team A: pea #5, Petersburg (PORTA) Sectional
Pool 1, Team B: pea #8, Warrensburg (W.-Latham) Sectional
Pool 1, Team C: pea #2, Carterville Sectional
Pool 1, Team D: pea #3, Dwight Sectional
Pool 2, Team E: pea #6, Rockford (Keith Country Day) Sectional
Pool 2, Team F: pea #7, Toledo (Cumberland) Sectional
Pool 2, Team G: pea #1, Carlinville Sectional
Pool 2, Team H: pea #4, Kewanee (Wethersfield) Sectional
Class AA Scholastic Bowl
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Aurora (IMSA) Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Champaign (Centennial) Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Flossmoor (Homewood-F.) Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Macomb Sectional
Pea #5 represents winner of Mt. Vernon (H.S.) Sectional
Pea #6 represents winner of Palatine (Fremd) Sectional
Pea #7 represents winner of TBA 1 Sectional (north suburbs)
Pea #8 represents winner of TBA 2 Sectional (northern Illinois)
Pool drawing:
Pool 1, Team A: pea #2, Champaign (Centennial) Sectional
Pool 1, Team B: pea #4, Macomb Sectional
Pool 1, Team C: pea #5, Mt. Vernon (H.S.) Sectional
Pool 1, Team D: pea #1, Aurora (IMSA) Sectional
Pool 2, Team E: pea #8, TBA 2 Sectional (northern Illinois)
Pool 2, Team F: pea #3, Flossmoor (Homewood-F.) Sectional
Pool 2, Team G: pea #6, Palatine (Fremd) Sectional
Pool 2, Team H: pea #7, TBA 1 Sectional (north suburbs)
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 Gibson City (G.C.-Melvin-Sibley) Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Match 2 of Gibson City (G.C.-Melvin-Sibley) Sectional
Pea #5 represents winner of Match 1 of Litchfield Sectional
Pea #6 represents winner of Match 2 of Litchfield Sectional
Pea #7 represents winner of Match 1 of Rock Falls Sectional
Pea #8 represents winner of Match 2 of Rock Falls Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Quarterfinal bracket position #1: pea #5, Match 1 of Litchfield Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #2: pea #1, Match 1 of Coal City Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #3: pea #6, Match 2 of Litchfield Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #4: pea #8, Match 2 of Rock Falls Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #5: pea #3, Match 1 of Gibson City (G.C.-Melvin-Sibley) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #6: pea #7, Match 1 of Rock Falls Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #7: pea #2, Match 2 of Coal City Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #8: pea #4, Match 2 of Gibson City (G.C.-Melvin-Sibley) Sectional
Boys Class 2A Dual Team Wrestling
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Match 1 of Antioch Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Match 2 of Antioch Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Match 1 of LaSalle (L.-Peru) Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Match 2 of LaSalle (L.-Peru) Sectional
Pea #5 represents winner of Match 1 of Mahomet (M.-Seymour) Sectional
Pea #6 represents winner of Match 2 of Mahomet (M.-Seymour) Sectional
Pea #7 represents winner of Match 1 of Midlothian (Bremen) Sectional
Pea #8 represents winner of Match 2 of Midlothian (Bremen) Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Quarterfinal bracket position #1: pea #6, Match 2 of Mahomet (M.-Seymour) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #2: pea #5, Match 1 of Mahomet (M.-Seymour) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #3: pea #1, Match 1 of Antioch Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #4: pea #3, Match 1 of LaSalle (L.-Peru) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #5: pea #4, Match 2 of LaSalle (L.-Peru) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #6: pea #7, Match 1 of Midlothian (Bremen) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #7: pea #8, Match 2 of Midlothian (Bremen) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #8: pea #2, Match 2 of Antioch Sectional
Boys Class 3A Dual Team Wrestling
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Match 1 of Chicago (Marist) Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Match 2 of Chicago (Marist) Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Match 1 of Hoffman Estates (Conant) Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Match 2 of Hoffman Estates (Conant) Sectional
Pea #5 represents winner of Match 1 of TBA 1 Sectional (north suburbs & northern Illinois)
Pea #6 represents winner of Match 2 of TBA 1 Sectional (north suburbs & northern Illinois)
Pea #7 represents winner of Match 1 of TBA 2 Sectional (south suburbs, central & southern Illinois)
Pea #8 represents winner of Match 2 of TBA 2 Sectional (south suburbs, central & southern Illinois)
Bracket drawing:
Quarterfinal bracket position #1: pea #7, Match 1 of TBA 2 Sectional (south suburbs, central & southern Illinois)
Quarterfinal bracket position #2: pea #1, Match 1 of Chicago (Marist) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #3: pea #2, Match 2 of Chicago (Marist) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #4: pea #8, Match 2 of TBA 2 Sectional (south suburbs, central & southern Illinois)
Quarterfinal bracket position #5: pea #3, Match 1 of Hoffman Estates (Conant) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #6: pea #4, Match 2 of Hoffman Estates (Conant) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #7: pea #6, Match 2 of TBA 1 Sectional (north suburbs & northern Illinois)
Quarterfinal bracket position #8: pea #5, Match 1 of TBA 1 Sectional (north suburbs & northern Illinois)
Boys Individual Wrestling
Starting weight of the championship bouts: 195 lbs.
Boys Dual Team Wrestling Sectional Pairings
In boys dual team 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 #1 and the winner of Regional #2.
- The second sectional match (Match 2) will pair the winner of Regional #3 and the winner of Regional #4.
- 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.
Girls Class 1A Basketball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Bloomington (IWU) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of DeKalb (H.S.) 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 #3, Jacksonville (Illinois College) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #4, Salem (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #2, DeKalb (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #1, Bloomington (IWU) 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 River Forest (Concordia U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Salem (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #1, Decatur (Millikin U.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #4, Salem (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #2, Monmouth (M. College) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #3, River Forest (Concordia U.) Super-Sectional
Girls Class 3A Basketball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Decatur (Millikin U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Hinsdale (Central) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Hoffman Estates (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Romeoville (Lewis U.) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #3, Hoffman Estates (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #2, Hinsdale (Central) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #4, Romeoville (Lewis U.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #1, Decatur (Millikin U.) Super-Sectional
Girls Class 4A Basketball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Bloomington (IWU) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Elgin (Judson U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Hinsdale (Central) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Hoffman Estates (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #2, Elgin (Judson U.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #4, Hoffman Estates (H.S.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #3, Hinsdale (Central) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #1, Bloomington (IWU) 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 (J. Bowl) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Normal (ISU) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #4, Normal (ISU) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #1, Carbondale (SIU) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #3, Jacksonville (J. Bowl) 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 #4, Springfield (UIS) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #1, Carbondale (SIU) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #2, DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #3, Joliet (Central) 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 (PCCC) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #1, DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #4, Springfield (PCCC) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #3, Joliet (Central) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #2, Hoffman Estates (H.S.) 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 & south suburbs)
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #4, TBA Super-Sectional (Chicago & south suburbs)
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 #2, Hinsdale (Central) Super-Sectional
Basketball Sectional Pairings
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 #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 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.