Four of the top 11 are gone. Some, a product of the imbalance in the IHSA sectionals. Others, an early and unscheduled demise. Further down the top 25, a scattering of upsets.
However, 13 of the final 16 teams in the 2019 IHSA tournament were ranked in the final regular-season poll. Unranked (Chicago) Jones, Hinsdale Central and St. Patrick also advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.
Hinsdale Central pulled off the biggest upset of the tournament so far with its regional championship win over sectional top-seed St. Francis. Barrington’s takedown of No. 1 seed (Rockford) Boylan in a sectional semifinal is a close second
The field will be whittled down further following Tuesday’s sectional championship matches (all scheduled for 6:00 p.m.).
Here are the top 25 teams at the end of the regular season and how they fared in their most recent outings:
(final regular-season ranking in parentheses)
1. Marist 36-2 (1)
Last: Defeated Lincoln-Way Central, 25-18, 26-24, in a sectional semifinal. Next: Tuesday vs. Lincoln-Way East at Marist.
2. Glenbard West 35-3 (2)
Last: Defeated Lake Park, 25-14, 25-20, in a sectional semifinal. Next: Tuesday vs. Palatine at Fremd.
3. Boylan Catholic 35-3 (3)
Last: Lost to Barrington, 29-27, 25-16, in a sectional semifinal. Next: Season over.
4. Lincoln-Way West 33-5 (4)
Last: Lost to Minooka, 14-25, 26-24, 25-21, in a sectional semifinal. Next: Season over.
5. Lincoln-Way East 28-9 (5)
Last: Defeated Sandburg, 17-25, 25-16, 25-15, in a sectional semifinal. Next: Tuesday vs. Marist at Marist.
6. New Trier 28-8 (6)
Last: Defeated Wheeling, 25-18, 21-25, 25-19, in a sectional semifinal. Next: Tuesday vs. Loyola at Glenbrook North.
7. Oak Park-River Forest 33-4 (7)
Last: Defeated Whitney Young, 25-12, 25-14, in a sectional semifinal. Next: Tuesday vs. St. Patrick at Guerin.
8. Minooka 31-7 (8)
Last: Defeated Lincoln-Way West, 14-25, 26-24, 25-21, in a sectional semifinal. Next: Tuesday vs. O’Fallon at Belleville East.
9. Sandburg 28-10 (9)
Last: Lost to Lincoln-Way East, 17-25, 25-16, 25-15, in a sectional semifinal. Next: Season over.
10. Deerfield 27-5 (10)
Last: Defeated Lakes, 25-16, 25-17, in a sectional semifinal. Next: Tuesday vs. Barrington at Harlem.
11. St. Francis 31-6 (11)
Last: Lost to Hinsdale Central, 25-18, 25-16, in a regional final. Next: Season over.
12. St. Rita 27-11 (12)
Last: Defeated Mt. Carmel, 25-13, 25-17, in a sectional semifinal. Next: Tuesday vs. Jones at De La Salle.
13. Barrington 28-10 (13)
Last: Defeated Rockford Boylan, 29-27, 25-16, in a sectional semifinal. Next: Tuesday vs. Deerfield at Harlem.
14. Palatine 33-4 (14)
Last: Defeated St. Charles East, 27-29, 25-20, 28-26, in sectional semifinal. Next: Tuesday vs. Glenbard West at Fremd.
15. Loyola 29-9 (15)
Last: Defeated Glenbrook North, 25-23, 22-25, 25-15, in a sectional semifinal. Next: Tuesday vs. New Trier at Glenbrook North.
16. Lake Forest 23-12 (16)
Last: Lost to Barrington, 22-25, 25-15, 25-21, in a regional final. Next: Season over.
17. Riverside-Brookfield 29-9 (17)
Last: Lost to Lyons Township, 25-19 25-22, in a regional final. Next: Season over.
18. Neuqua Valley 21-12 (18)
Last: Defeated Downers Grove South, 25-20, 25-22, in a sectional semifinal. Next: Tuesday vs. Hinsdale Central at Hinsdale South.
19. Hersey 28-8 (19)
Last: Lost to Glenbrook North, 25-21, 24-26, 25-19, in a regional final. Next: Season over.
20. Stevenson 27-9 (20)
Last: Lost to Lake Zurich, 25-18, 25-23, in a regional semifinal. Next: Season over.
21. Niles West 25-13 (21)
Last: Lost to New Trier, 25-22, 25-18, in a regional final. Next: Season over.
22. O’Fallon 25-11 (22)
Last: Defeated Edwardsville, 25-14, 25-21, in a sectional semifinal. Next: Tuesday vs. Minooka at Belleville East.
23. Bartlett 26-5 (23)
Last: Lost to St. Charles East, 17-25, 25-21, 25-21, in a regional final. Next: Season over.
24. Edwardsville 19-9 (24)
Last: Lost to O’Fallon, 25-14, 25-21, in a sectional semifinal. Next: Season over.
25. Providence 27-9 (25)
Last: Lost to Minooka, 25-10, 25-22, in a regional final. Next: Season over.