2022 IHSA playoffs: Steve Soucie’s Class 5A quarterfinal analysis

Sterling’s Antonio Tablante hits the hole in the first half of the Warriors’ first round playoff game Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022 against St. Viator.

In years past, the Class 5A bracket has typically been one where multiple lower seed make a run in the bracket.

But the 2022 version of 5A has already bucked that persistent trend. Only Nazareth remains from the bottom seeds as the No. 11 seeded Roadrunners have picked off back-to-back higher seeds.

First-round record: 14-2.

Second-round record: 6-2

Quarterfinal matchups

Sycamore vs. Sterling: Sycamore netted its fifth shutout of the season in its second-round win over Carmel and that coupled with an offense that is operating at a very high level probably makes Sycamore the odds-on favorite in 5A. Sterling also breezed into the quarterfinals, picking up a lopsided victory over Goode, but the Golden Warriors will need to clamp down much harder on defense that it has over the second half of the season.

Pick: Sycamore

Morgan Park vs. Nazareth: Nazareth is the only double-digit seed left in the 5A field, but it isn’t all that surprising to see the Roadrunners still alive at this stage. Nazareth has been playing in a must-win situation since a Week 6 loss to St. Rita and has played consistently better since putting its backs to the wall. Morgan Park is a rare Chicago Public League entrant at this stage of the postseason, but the Mustangs have proven up to the task thus far and could extend this run.

Pick: Nazareth

Mahomet-Seymour vs. Morris: Mahomet-Seymour might be the undefeated team that remains that has garnered the least amount of state-wide acclaim for its efforts thus far. And the Bulldogs haven’t let that bother them and have churned along despite being without their leading rusher Luke Jackson for the last two weeks. If opponents of Morris can survive what has become a regular early-game firestorm of scoring they are usually OK, but most foes haven’t been able to do that.

Pick: Morris

Mascoutah vs. Peoria: Peoria has scored 48 points or more in eight of its games this season including both rounds of the playoffs. The Lions have shown no signs of relenting on that front either. Mascoutah is a somewhat surprising entrant in this contest after stunning Highland last week after Mascoutah had suffered through a 56-0 loss to Highland during the regular season.

Pick: Peoria