December 21, 2024
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2024 IHSA playoffs: Steve Soucie’s Class 4A semifinal-round analysis

By Steve Soucie
Coal City's Gabriel Mchugh (32) runs with the ball during Class 4A quarterfinal football game between Dixon at Coal City on Saturday, Nov 16, 2024 in Coal City.

Class 4A quarterfinal between Dixon at Coal City Coal City's Gabriel McHugh (32) runs with the ball during Class 4A quarterfinal football game between Dixon at Coal City on Saturday, Nov 16, 2024 in Coal City. The Coalers will challenge DePaul Prep in the semifinals. (Gary E Duncan Sr. for Shaw Local)

Class 4A proved to be the class to be if you were an upstart wanting to make some damage.

Coal City, as a No. 7 seed, was actually the highest seed to survive the postseason road to the semifinals.

DePaul Prep hadn’t even been in a playoff game since 2015 before this semifinal run and hadn’t won a playoff game since the school was known by a different name, Gordon Tech, back in 2005.

Whoever wins the other semifinal game will assure a first ever state championship appearance for either Mount Zion or Normal University. If Normal U-High wins the game they’ll also have the shortest ever commute to a state football final as the school resides less than a half mile from Hancock Stadium.

First round predictions: 15-1

Second round predictions: 8-0

Quarterfinal round predictions: 1-3

Semifinal-round matchups

DePaul Prep: vs. Coal City: At first, it seemed DePaul Prep was setting the bar simply to make the playoffs after having not done that since 2015. Then they simply just kept winning. And like many of their other CCL/ESCC brethren they are finding that their regular season schedule more than prepared them to make a deep postseason run in a classification that doesn’t feature nearly as many powerhouses as their regular season schedule did. Coal City’s run to the semifinals has been focused around an extremely stingy defense and a power running game – all things that have been staples of this program for many, many seasons.

Pick: Coal City

Mount Zion vs. Normal University: At one point this season it looked like Mount Zion might not even make the playoffs as the Braves found themselves just 3-3 through six games. But they found another gear over the back half of the season and with elite Division I caliber threats on the outside in WR Brayden Trimble and TE JC Anderson, Mount Zion is a threat to score on any play. Normal University has posted a ton of points this season and hasn’t showed any signs of slowing down just because the postseason has provided so-called better competition. The Pioneers have won all of their playoff games comfortably with a 19-point decision against Cahokia serving as its closest game thus far.

Pick: Normal University