Crossroads Classic This Weekend

(Written by George Wenthe)

The BSN Sports Nike Crossroads Classic Volleyball Tournament is coming to Effingham
again this weekend and once again the field is loaded with super strong teams.

For openers there’s a couple of defending state champions, Jonesboro (Ark.) Valley View and St Louis (Mo.) Villa Duchesne as well as a 2011 state runnerup, Indianapolis Chatard. Then there’s two new teams that are in the preseason top ten (all classes combined) rankings in Illinois, those being Naperville Central and Champaign Centennial.

Down in Kentucky, Paducah Lone Oak is #16 in the state (still a single class) rankings while
Classic newcomer Oldham County checks in at #23. The Missouri rankings are not out yet,
but expect another new Classic entry, St Louis Ursuline Academy, as well as longtime Classic
participant, Hermann, to make their appearances as well.

That would be the makings of a pretty strong field, but the "big " kids haven’t even been talked about yet. Wheaton St Francis, on paper at least, appears to be the tournament favorite. The Spartans start the season ranked #3 in the state and #26 in the nation. But, there are plenty of stumbling blocks out there for them.

Centennial also appeared in the preseason national top 50, however the Chargers must have read one too many press clippings as they fell to another Classic participant Normal University High last week. It was a rematch of the 2011 3A supersectional in which U-High also prevailed.

Then there’s the defending Classic champion, Edwardsville along with Lexington (Ky.) Henry Clay, the #5 team in Kentucky, who are both shown just outside the nation’s top 100.
Throw in a Bloomington team that shares the #25 state ranking with Edwardsville, and
traditional powers Belleville Althoff and Breese Central, and you’ve got the makings of a major
shootout.

The local area is strongly represented as well. Effingham and Stewardson-Strasburg continue to co-host the event. Also appearing are solid representatives from Cumberland, Kansas/Oakland Tri-County, and Windsor.

Play begins at 6 p.m. Friday evening on four courts at Effingham High School and two more
at the adjacent buildings of Effingham Junior High and Sacred Heart School. Over the next 24
hours, 60 matches will be contested in pool play Friday night and bracket play Saturday.

Note: The Illinois state rankings and the national rankings are taken from PrepVolleyball.com

TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS

Friday September 7

POOL A -- Wheaton St. Francis, Illiana Christian, Paducah Lone Oak

POOL B -- Indianapolis Chatard, Breese Central, Kansas Tri-County

POOL C -- Naperville Central, Hermann, East Peoria

POOL D -- Lexington Henry Clay, Chicago Payton, Effingham

POOL E -- Champaign Centennial, St. Louis Ursline, Cumberland

POOL F -- Normal University, Belleville Althoff, Oldham County

POOL G -- Jonesboro Valley View, Bloomington, Stewardson-Strasburg

POOL H -- Edwardsville, St. L. Villa Duchesne, Windsor

SCHEDULE

At EHS #1

6 p.m. -- Chicago Payton vs. Effingham

7 p.m. -- Normal U. vs. Belleville Althoff

8:10 p.m. -- Belleville Althoff vs. Oldham Co.

9:15 p.m. -- Normal University vs. Oldham Co.

At EHS #2

6 p.m. -- Hermann vs. East Peoria

7 p.m. -- Naperville Central vs. Hermann

8:10 p.m. -- Naperville Central vs. East Peoria

9:15 p.m. -- Indianapolis Chatard vs. Tri-County

At EHS #3

6 p.m. -- Centennial vs. Cumberland

7 p.m. -- St Louis Ursuline vs. Cumberland

8:10 p.m. -- Valley View vs. Stewardson-Strasburg

9:15 p.m. -- Valley View vs. Bloomington

At EHS #4

6 p.m. -- Bloomington vs. Stewardson-Strasburg

7 p.m. -- Illiana Christian vs. Lone Oak

8:10 p.m. -- St. Francis vs. Lone Oak

9:15 p.m. -- St. Francis vs. Illiana Christian

At SHS #1

6 p.m. -- Edwardsville vs. Windsor

7 pm. -- Villa Duchesne vs. Windsor

8:10 p.m. -- Edwardsville vs. Villa Duchesne

9:15 p.m. -- Centennial vs. St. Louis Ursuline

At EJHS #1

6 p.m. -- Breese Central vs. Tri-County

7 p.m. -- Indianapolis Chatard vs. Breese

8:10 p.m. -- Henry Clay vs. Chicago Payton

9:15 p.m. -- Henry Clay vs. Effingham

Bracket play Saturday will be determined by order of finish in Friday evening pool play. Saturday matches begin at 9 a.m. All teams will play three matches Saturday and will have their first match at either 9 a.m. or 10:15 a.m.