November 14, 2024
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2024 IHSA playoffs: Steve Soucie’s Class 2A quarterfinal-round analysis

By Steve Soucie
Caiden Nelson of Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington runs ball on Saturday, November 9, 2024 at Dwight High School in Dwight.

Caiden Nelson of Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington runs ball on Saturday, November 9, 2024 at Dwight High School in Dwight. Dwight will be playing in the quarterfinals for the first time in school history when it challenges Farmington. (MaKade Rios For Shaw Local)

There hasn’t been a lot of room for upstarts in the Class 2A playoff field.

The top four seeds all advanced into the quarterfinals in the south bracket, while the top two seeds in the north bracket have also continued to advance.

First round predictions: 12-4

Second-round predictions: 5-3

Quarterfinal-round matchups

Farmington vs. Dwight: Farmington had to squeak out a win in Round 2 as the high powered Farmers have suddenly evolved into a defensively based team now that we’ve moved into the postseason fray. Dwight has emerged as the Cinderella of the Class 2A field and is playing in the third round for the first time in school history.

Pick: Farmington

Bismarck-Henning vs. Chicago Christian: Bismarck-Henning finally ended a long drought of not being able to advance past the second round by toppling Seneca in the second round and the Blue Devils have their eyes on moving further now that that hurdle has been cleared. Chicago Christian has now equaled its deepest playoff run ever as it reached the third round in 2007.

Pick: Chicago Christian

Johnston City vs. Pana: Johnston City’s lone loss came to 4A Dixon in a nonconference game and other than that the Indians haven’t been even pushed this season which includes two comfortable playoff wins. Pana has a long track record of finding ways to win games in the postseason and they’ve already squeezed out two narrow wins in the 2024 playoffs.

Pick: Pana

Maroa-Forsyth vs. Quincy Notre Dame: This should be a fierce battle between two programs that have found themselves at or near the top of the 2A polls for the entire season. Maroa-Forsyth is just four points short of having the state’s most points right now and Quincy Notre Dame continues to impress after working its way through a schedule filled with opponents that were significantly larger than they were with just two losses.

Pick: Quincy Notre Dame