The annual reveal of the Illinois High School Association state playoff brackets is always a huge deal for the teams and die-hard fans, but overall the first-round matchups are generally a bit ho-hum and most of the fun comes from looking ahead at possible quarterfinal and semifinal matchups.
That’s not the case this season. The first round provides some major punch, especially in Class 7A which features two sensational first-round games, St. Rita at Mount Carmel and Brother Rice at Batavia.
