IHSA

Girls Softball Quick Facts — 2007-08

Schools Entered
2008 Series: 628 Total (161 Class 1A, 163 Class 2A, 150 Class 3A and 154 Class 4A)
2007 Series: 633 Total (334 Class A and 299 Class AA)
2006 Series: 620 Total (328 Class A and 292 Class AA)
2005 Series: 616 Total (352 Class A and 264 Class AA)
2004 Series: 621 Total (356 Class A and 265 Class AA)
2003 Series: 628 Total (356 Class A and 272 Class AA)
2002 Series: 634 Total (349 Class A and 228 Class AA plus 57 Chicago Public League)
2001 Series: 647 Total (352 Class A and 233 Class AA plus 62 Chicago Public League)
2000 Series: 642 Total (352 Class A and 227 Class AA plus 63 Chicago Public League)
1999 Series: 634 Total (350 Class A and 227 Class AA plus 57 Chicago Public League)
1998 Series: 629 Total (348 Class A and 226 Class AA plus 55 Chicago Public League)
1997 Series: 622 Total (342 Class A and 224 Class AA plus 56 Chicago Public League)
1996 Series: 619 Total (332 Class A and 228 Class AA plus 59 Chicago Public League)
1995 Series: 599 Total (314 Class A and 228 Class AA plus 57 Chicago Public League)
1994 Series: 596 Total (308 Class A and 229 Class AA plus 59 Chicago Public League)
1993 Series: 593 Total (303 Class A and 231 Class AA plus 59 Chicago Public League)
1992 Series: 575 Total (291 Class A and 229 Class AA plus 55 Chicago Public League)
1991 Series: 561 Total (301 Class A and 228 Class AA plus 32 Chicago Public League)
1990 Series: 558 Total (296 Class A and 230 Class AA plus 32 Chicago Public League)
1989 Series: 534 Total (267 Class A and 235 Class AA plus 32 Chicago Public League)

First Year of State Series: 1975-76 (256 schools)

Levels of Competition:

Class 1A/2A
Regional Quarterfinals: Monday, May 12
Regional Semifinals: Tuesday, May 13 and Wednesday, May 14
Regional Finals: Saturday, May 17
Sectional Semifinals: Wednesday, May 21 or Thursday, May 22
Sectional Finals: Saturday, May 24
Super-Sectionals: Monday, May 26
State Final: May 30-31 at EastSide Centre, East Peoria, IL

Class 3A/4A
Regional Quarterfinals: Monday, May 19
Regional Semifinals: Tuesday, May 20 and Wednesday, May 21
Regional Finals: Saturday, May 24
Sectional Semifinals: Wednesday, May 28 or Thursday, May 29
Sectional Finals: Saturday, May 31
Super-Sectionals: Monday, June 2
State Finals: June 6-7 at EastSide Centre, East Peoria, IL

Advancement
(single elimination)

Schools are assigned to Sectional groupings based upon geography within their class. Four Regional groups are assigned to one of the correlated Sectionals. The winning team from each Regional advances to the correlated Sectional, the winning team from each Sectional advances to the correlated Super-Sectional and the winning team from each Super-Sectional advances to the correlated State Final.

How Pairings are Determined (Class 1A & 2A)

Sectional Complex Divided into 2 Sub-Sectionals (Class 1A and 2A):
By IHSA policy, sub-sectionals must be used if any sectional contains more than 24 teams.
Sub-sectionals may also be used in sectional complexes where excess travel may be a factor.

Seeding Meeting (1 for each Sub-Sectional)
Each head coach will fill out a ballot indicating seeds for all the teams in the sub-sectional. The ballots will be tallied and the composite seed for each team will be submitted to the IHSA Office. Ties must be broken at the seeding meeting. Class 1A & 2A Team Seed Meetings will be conducted Wednesday, April 23, 2008.

Distributing the Sub-Sectional Teams to the Regional Tournaments
The 2 regional hosts in the sub-sectional will be assigned to their own tournaments, regardless of their seed. The 1-2 seeds will each be assigned to separate regionals. The 3-4 seeds will be assigned to separate regionals. The remaining teams will be assigned to regionals based on geography. The total number of schools assigned to the 2 regionals will differ by no more than one.

Creating the Regional Pairings
The teams assigned to the regional tournament will be ordered according to their overall sub-sectional seed and then paired accordingly. For example, take a 6-team tournament involving sub-sectional seeds 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, and 12. The winner of 8 vs. 9 would play 2, and the winner of 5 vs. 12 would advance to play 3.

Creating the Sectional Pairings
The semifinals of the sectional tournament will cross-bracket the sub-sectionals. The first semifinal will pair the regional with the #1 seed in sub-sectional A against the regional with the #2 seed in sub-sectional B. The second semifinal will pair the regional with the #1 seed in sub-sectional B against the regional with the #2 seed in sub-sectional A.
Super-Sectionals: Correlated sectionals are assigned to send winner to pre-selected super-sectional site on basis of geography.

State Final: By blind draw in IHSA Office.

How Pairings are Determined (Class 3A & 4A)

Standard Sectional Complex (Class 3A and 4A)

By IHSA policy, sectional complexes in the Chicago land area will be structured as listed below. For the purposes of this policy, the Chicago land area has been defined as Cook, Lake, DuPage Counties, as well as parts of Kane, Kendall, McHenry, and Will Counties.

Sectional Complex Divided into 4 Geographic Regionals

In Class 3A and 4A, schools will initially be assigned to one of eight sectional complexes. Once assigned to a sectional complex, schools in sectionals that lie substantially outside of the Chicago land area will be assigned to geographic regionals. The number of schools assigned to each of the four regionals within a sectional complex will differ by not more than one.

Creating the Regional Pairings

The teams assigned to the regional tournament will be ordered according to their over all seed and then paired accordingly. For example, in a six-team tournament, the winner of the game between the number 4 and 5 seeds would play the number one seed, and the winner of the game between the number 3 and 6 seeds would play the number two seed.

Creating the Sectional Pairings

Prior to the start of the state tournament series, a blind draw will be held at the IHSA Office to determine the sectional pairings. The regionals feeding into each sectional will be arranged alphabetically by the standard IHSA name and assigned one of the letters A, B, C, or D. The blind draw will then determine which regional winners will meet in the sectional semifinals.

Super-Sectionals: Correlated sectionals are assigned to send winner to pre-selected super-sectional site on basis of geography.

State Final: By blind draw in IHSA Office.

State Final Schedule
Class 1A/2A State Final Tournament
EastSide Centre, East Peoria

Friday, May 30, 2008
Session No. 1 – Class 1A Semifinals
Game 1 - 9:30 a.m.
Game 2 - 12:00 p.m. (Approx.)
Session No. 2 – Class 2A Semifinals
Game 3 - 4:30 p.m. (Approx.)
Game 4 - 7:00 p.m. (Approx.)

Saturday, May 31, 2008
Session No. 3 – Class 1A Finals
Game 5 – 9:30 a.m. - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 (Class 1A Third Place)
Game 6 - 12:00 p.m. (Approx.) - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 (Class 1A Championship)
Session No. 4 – Class 2A Finals
Game 7 - 4:30 p.m. - Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 (Class 2A Third Place)
Game 8 - 7:00 p.m. (Approx.) - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 (Class 2A Championship)

Class 3A/4A State Final Tournament
EastSide Centre, East Peoria

Friday, June 6, 2008
Session No. 1 – Class 3A Semifinals
Game 1 - 9:30 a.m.
Game 2 - 12:00 p.m. (Approx.)
Session No. 2 – Class 4A Semifinals
Game 3 - 4:30 p.m. (Approx.)
Game 4 - 7:00 p.m. (Approx.)

Saturday, June 7, 2008
Session No. 3 – Class 3A Finals
Game 5 – 9:30 a.m. - Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 (Class 3A Third Place)
Game 6 - 12:00 p.m. (Approx.) - Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 (Class 3A Championship)
Session No. 4 – Class 4A Finals
Game 7 - 4:30 p.m. - Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 (Class 4A Third Place)
Game 8 - 7:00 p.m. (Approx.) - Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4 (Class 4A Championship)

State Final Ticket Prices
Regional - $4.00 Per Session (If admission is charged)
Sectional - $5.00 Per Session
Super-Sectional - $5.00 Per Session
State Final - $6.00 Per Session