The blind drawing that determine the state final pairings in bracketed team sports was held at the IHSA Office on Wednesday, April 21. This drawing covered the spring sports of boys water polo, girls water polo, boys volleyball, girls soccer, girls softball, and boys baseball.
Traditionally, the pairings are made by ordering the sites that feed into the state finals in alphabetical order and numbering them from 1 to 4 or 1 to 8. Then numbered peas are drawn from a bottle. The number on the first pea drawn represents the site whose winner will occupy the first position on the bracket, and so on.
Girls Water Polo
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Barrington Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Chicago (St. Ignatius College Prep) Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Elmhurst (York) Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Glenview (Glenbrook South) Sectional
Pea #5 represents winner of LaGrange (Lyons) Sectional
Pea #6 represents winner of Naperville (Neuqua Valley) Sectional
Pea #7 represents winner of New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central) Sectional
Pea #8 represents winner of Vernon Hills Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Quarterfinal bracket position #1: pea #3, Elmhurst (York) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #2: pea #7, New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #3: pea #2, Chicago (St. Ignatius College Prep) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #4: pea #1, Barrington Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #5: pea #4, Glenview (Glenbrook South) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #6: pea #5, LaGrange (Lyons) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #7: pea #8, Vernon Hills Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #8: pea #6, Naperville (Neuqua Valley) Sectional
Boys Water Polo
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Barrington Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Chicago (St. Ignatius College Prep) Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Elmhurst (York) Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Glenview (Glenbrook South) Sectional
Pea #5 represents winner of LaGrange (Lyons) Sectional
Pea #6 represents winner of Naperville (Neuqua Valley) Sectional
Pea #7 represents winner of New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central) Sectional
Pea #8 represents winner of Vernon Hills Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Quarterfinal bracket position #1: pea #2, Chicago (St. Ignatius College Prep) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #2: pea #1, Barrington Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #3: pea #5, LaGrange (Lyons) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #4: pea #3, Elmhurst (York) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #5: pea #4, Glenview (Glenbrook South) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #6: pea #8, Vernon Hills Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #7: pea #7, New Lenox (Lincoln-Way Central) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #8: pea #6, Naperville (Neuqua Valley) Sectional
Boys Volleyball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Berwyn-Cicero (Morton) Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Chicago (Marist) Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Chicago (Whitney Young) Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Evanston (Twp.) Sectional
Pea #5 represents winner of Lombard (Glenbard East) Sectional
Pea #6 represents winner of Naperville (Neuqua Valley) Sectional
Pea #7 represents winner of Palatine (H.S.) Sectional Pea #8 represents winner of St. Charles (East) Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Quarterfinal bracket position #1: pea #6, Naperville (Neuqua Valley) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #2: pea #3, Chicago (Whitney Young) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #3: pea #5, Lombard (Glenbard East) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #4: pea #1, Berwyn-Cicero (Morton) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #5: pea #4, Evanston (Twp.) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #6: pea #7, Palatine (H.S.) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #7: pea #2, Chicago (Marist) Sectional
Quarterfinal bracket position #8: pea #8, St. Charles (East) Sectional
Girls Class 1A Soccer
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Harvard Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Palos Heights (Chicago Christian) Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Quincy (Notre Dame) Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Urbana (University)
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #2, Palos Heights (Chicago Christian)
Sectional Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #4, Urbana (University)
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #1, Harvard Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #3, Quincy (Notre Dame) Sectional
Girls Class 2A Soccer
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Barrington Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Lisle (Benedictine U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Springfield (UIS) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of TBA Super-Sectional (southern suburbs, Peoria and Quad Cities area)
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #2, Lisle (Benedictine U.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #1, Barrington Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #4, TBA Super-Sectional (southern suburbs, Peoria and Quad Cities area)
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #3, Springfield (UIS) Super-Sectional
Girls Class 3A Soccer
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Barrington Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Lisle (Benedictine U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Normal (Community West) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Skokie (Niles North) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #3, Normal (Community West) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #1, Barrington Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #4, Skokie (Niles North) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #2, Lisle (Benedictine U.) Super-Sectional
Girls Class 1A Softball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Fairfield Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Gibson City (G.C.-Melvin-Sibley) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Orion Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Raymond (Lincolnwood) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #3, Orion Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #1, Fairfield Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #2, Gibson City (G.C.-Melvin-Sibley) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #4, Raymond (Lincolnwood) Super-Sectional
Girls Class 2A Softball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Athens Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Fairfield Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of St. Joseph (S.J.-Ogden) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #4, St. Joseph (S.J.-Ogden) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #1, Athens Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #3, Fairfield Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #2, DeKalb (NIU) Super-Sectional
Girls Class 3A Softball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Chatham (Glenwood) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Elgin (Judson U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of LaSalle (L.-Peru) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Marengo Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #2, Elgin (Judson U.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #1, Chatham (Glenwood) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #4, Marengo Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #3, LaSalle (L.-Peru) Super-Sectional
Girls Class 4A Softball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Elgin (Judson U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Normal (ISU) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Orland Park (Sandburg) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Rolling Meadows Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #4, Rolling Meadows Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #1, Elgin (Judson U.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #2, Normal (ISU) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #3, Orland Park (Sandburg) Super-Sectional
Boys Class 1A Baseball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Champaign (U. of Illinois) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Lisle (Benedictine U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Marion (Southern Illinois Miners) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Springfield (Lincoln Land C.C.) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #1, Champaign (U. of Illinois) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #3, Marion (Southern Illinois Miners) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #4, Springfield (Lincoln Land C.C.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #2, Lisle (Benedictine U.) Super-Sectional
Boys Class 2A Baseball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Lisle (Benedictine U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Rock Island (Augustana Coll.) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Sauget (GCS Park) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Springfield (Lincoln Land C.C.) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #1, Lisle (Benedictine U.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #4, Springfield (Lincoln Land C.C.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #3, Sauget (GCS Park) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #2, Rock Island (Augustana Coll.) Super-Sectional
Boys Class 3A Baseball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Crestwood (Standard Bank Stadium) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Naperville (North Central Coll.) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Rock Island (Augustana Coll.) Super-Sectional
Pea #4 represents winner of Sauget (GCS Park) Super-Sectional
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #1, Crestwood (Standard Bank Stadium) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #4, Sauget (GCS Park) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #2, Naperville (North Central Coll.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #3, Rock Island (Augustana Coll.) Super-Sectional
Boys Class 4A Baseball
Starting lineup:
Pea #1 represents winner of Bloomington (Illinois Wesleyan U.) Super-Sectional
Pea #2 represents winner of Crestwood (Standard Bank Stadium) Super-Sectional
Pea #3 represents winner of Rockford (RiverHawks Stadium) 1 Super-Sectional (north suburbs)
Pea #4 represents winner of Rockford (RiverHawks Stadium) 2 Super-Sectional (west suburbs)
Bracket drawing:
Semifinal bracket position #1: pea #1, Bloomington (Illinois Wesleyan U.) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #2: pea #3, Rockford (RiverHawks Stadium) 1 Super-Sectional (north suburbs)
Semifinal bracket position #3: pea #2, Crestwood (Standard Bank Stadium) Super-Sectional
Semifinal bracket position #4: pea #4, Rockford (RiverHawks Stadium) 2 Super-Sectional (west suburbs)
For spring tournaments where teams are assigned directly to regionals, the regional winners will be paired at the sectional level as follows:
- The regional hosts will be placed in alphabetical order according to the IHSA naming system and numbered from 1 to 4.
- The first sectional semifinal will match the winner of Regional 4 and the winner of Regional 1.
- The second sectional semifinal will match the winner of Regional 2 and the winner of Regional 3.
An exception to these pairings is made for the southernmost sectional in the following tournaments: boys volleyball, Class 3A girls soccer, Class 4A girls softball, and Class 4A boys baseball. In these sectionals, the two regional winners from the Metro-East area will be paired in one semifinal and play at a local site. The winners of the other two regionals will be play their semifinal at the sectional site.