FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[diehardfan]

I did a "double take" looking at the recent scores from CCIW action.  For a second I thought Elmhurst and Wheaton played a spring football game on Saturday (other than it was surprising who won...  ).

Carol Stream, Ill. (4/21) – Wheaton (7-18-1/2-12) and Elmhurst (12-13/8-6) competed in a lengthy, offensive slugfest on Saturday in a doubleheader at Wheaton's Legion Field. In the opener, Elmhurst was a 14-10 (Boxscore) victor in eight innings of a scheduled seven-inning game. Elmhurst was a 26-19 victor (Boxscore) in the record-setting nightcap. Today's twinbill saw the two teams combine for 69 runs, with 84 hits in 6 hours and 50 minutes of baseball under clear skies at Legion Field.

69 runs... What?  They play slow, underhand pitch?

Friday looked like football, too: Elmhurst 17, Wheaton 7.

Apparently certain CCIW schools need some help recruiting better pitchers. 

Mugsy, Ypsi.... come on! Those don't look like Wheaton - Elmhurst football scores "only backwards!" This is obviously chiefly because we usually beat them by much, much more than that in football. 

2006 = 34-0
2005 = 24-7
2004 = 56-6
2003 = 23-19
2002 = 62-7
2001 = 48-14

There were some Elmhurst baseball kids trying to sell me raffle tickets when I was at Elmhurst in December for the Men's Basketball Bluejay Classic. I replied to their request with,"What, you want to beat my guys by more than you already do?"  But lets be serious here... Elmhurst doesn't pound us as badly in baseball as we pound them in football... there's just no comparison.

[Mr. Ypsi]

April,

I didn't mean to imply a Wheaton-Elmhurst football result, but 17-7 and 14-10 are certainly very common football finals (and 26-19 is almost 2003 in reverse).  I first saw the series result (57-36) and thought they must have sent the basketball teams!

As you know, I'm #1 a basketball fan, and have secondarily followed football and soccer, so I'm certainly not used to seeing the Crusaders/Thunder as perennial doormats (their only CCIW title in baseball came 56 years ago, and even that may have been a fluke as the whole conference season was 8 games long!) - what is with Wheaton and baseball??

[diehardfan]

April,

I didn't mean to imply a Wheaton-Elmhurst football result, but 17-7 and 14-10 are certainly very common football finals (and 26-19 is almost 2003 in reverse).  I first saw the series result (57-36) and thought they must have sent the basketball teams!

As you know, I'm #1 a basketball fan, and have secondarily followed football and soccer, so I'm certainly not used to seeing the Crusaders/Thunder as perennial doormats (their only CCIW title in baseball came 56 years ago, and even that may have been a fluke as the whole conference season was 8 games long!) - what is with Wheaton and baseball??

The main problem is probably that we don't have our own field on campus. The field Wheaton uses isn't miles and miles away or anything, but it's definitely not on campus... and it's not all that amazing either. The only other location I've ever been to a Wheaton baseball game besides Wheaton's Legion Field is IWU's Jack Horenberger Field... there is no comparison, and if there was one, the comparison could be summed up in the word "shameful." Other CCIW fields may not be quite as nice, but I can't imagine that they're as bad as ours. The worst part about this is that Legion Field is actually a marked improvement over what we used to have. 

There's really very little difference between the little league fields I run by in the park near my house and the field I watched Wheaton baseball games at besides size and the amount of water needed to keep the grass green.

The odd thing about baseball is that I believe the college was thinking about nixing the team years ago... maybe even while i was a student there (?)... but the alums protested... you'd think they'd protest the fact that our facilities are lame and it makes it really difficult to recruit, but oh well. 

[Son of Tailgater]

I have heard some rumors that are only rumors but interesting conversation that Mount Union could possibly be playing Notre Dame, in 2009, 2010. Like I said, they are rumors but an interesting topic of discussion. I personally think it is a honor for Mount Union if that does happen even though they won't fair too well. It also creates some more recognition for D3 football, which is always good.

[Pat Coleman]

This was an April Fool's Day post on a Notre Dame blog. Please don't spread that here.

[raiderguy]

Just a comment about school enrollments. As I understand it, even though the WIAC schools may have enrollments in the  3,4,5 +thousand,  their league restricts them to 100 players on their squads.

The potential student athlete would have to hope the coach is frank with him on his chances on making their team and how soon he might play. If he is not happy with those answers he could have any of the other WIAC schools to choose from and have the opportunity to play sooner. That alone would spread the talent around the league if they are planning to play at one of the Wisconsin schools.

I think it will be interesting to track the progress of the new O coordinator at River Falls since he came from WW this year. He was a good recruiter for WW and will certainly be looking to get the best kids he can for his new team. He certainly has one date circled on his calendar already!

River Falls plays St John's in the second game of the season so it will be interesting to see the early results.

St John's also plays Marietta from the OAC in their home opener in Sept.

[raiderguy]

Pat,
I wonder if you could look into another rumor I heard......

Augustana is planning to throw more than 50 passes next year

[Pat Coleman]

Does that count practice?

[Son of Tailgater]

This was an April Fool's Day post on a Notre Dame blog. Please don't spread that here.

Thanks Pat Coleman.

[NCC_alum62]

Does that count practice?

ba dum psssh

[footballfan413]

Just a comment about school enrollments. As I understand it, even though the WIAC schools may have enrollments in the  3,4,5 +thousand,  their league restricts them to 100 players on their squads.

The potential student athlete would have to hope the coach is frank with him on his chances on making their team and how soon he might play. If he is not happy with those answers he could have any of the other WIAC schools to choose from and have the opportunity to play sooner. That alone would spread the talent around the league if they are planning to play at one of the Wisconsin schools.

I thing it will be interesting to track the progress of the new O coordinator at River Falls since he came from WW this year. He was a good recruiter for WW and will certainly be looking to get the best kids he can for his new team. He certainly has one date circled on his calendar already!

River Falls plays St John's in the second game of the season so it will be interesting to see the early results.

St John's also plays Marietta from the OAC in their home opener in Sept.

Hi Raiderguy,

Thanks for making the point about the disadvantage of the WIAC's 100 man roster limit.  I was thinking about making it but it can sound like an excuse coming from a WIAC poster.  I have no doubt that Coach Z will have a tremedous impact on the future success of UWRF but give him a little time.  He just officially took the job a few weeks ago, LOL!    Although, I don't doubt that a few potential UWW recruits that he was working during the 06 season may be reconsidering their choice!  

[NCC_alum62]

Just a comment about school enrollments. As I understand it, even though the WIAC schools may have enrollments in the  3,4,5 +thousand,  their league restricts them to 100 players on their squads.

The potential student athlete would have to hope the coach is frank with him on his chances on making their team and how soon he might play. If he is not happy with those answers he could have any of the other WIAC schools to choose from and have the opportunity to play sooner. That alone would spread the talent around the league if they are planning to play at one of the Wisconsin schools.

I thing it will be interesting to track the progress of the new O coordinator at River Falls since he came from WW this year. He was a good recruiter for WW and will certainly be looking to get the best kids he can for his new team. He certainly has one date circled on his calendar already!

River Falls plays St John's in the second game of the season so it will be interesting to see the early results.

St John's also plays Marietta from the OAC in their home opener in Sept.

I didn't even think about the 100 player roster...do they have a try-out and cut system in fall camp? Or do they simply only invite 100 people to camp every fall?

[footballfan413]

Just a comment about school enrollments. As I understand it, even though the WIAC schools may have enrollments in the  3,4,5 +thousand,  their league restricts them to 100 players on their squads.

The potential student athlete would have to hope the coach is frank with him on his chances on making their team and how soon he might play. If he is not happy with those answers he could have any of the other WIAC schools to choose from and have the opportunity to play sooner. That alone would spread the talent around the league if they are planning to play at one of the Wisconsin schools.

I thing it will be interesting to track the progress of the new O coordinator at River Falls since he came from WW this year. He was a good recruiter for WW and will certainly be looking to get the best kids he can for his new team. He certainly has one date circled on his calendar already!

River Falls plays St John's in the second game of the season so it will be interesting to see the early results.

St John's also plays Marietta from the OAC in their home opener in Sept.

I didn't even think about the 100 player roster...do they have a try-out and cut system in fall camp? Or do they simply only invite 100 people to camp every fall?

They accommodate whatever number shows up the first day of camp in August, work them all out and then cut to 100 at the end of the camp about a week before the first game.  UWW usually sees between 120 and 150 players show up every year.  It varies, of course, from school to school.  So, yes, it is a try-out and cut system.

[footballfan413]

One more thing.  It is hard for a potential WIAC recruit to really know what his chances for playing time are. He must rely on the coaching staffs honesty but it is a roll of the dice no matter what.  These coaches don't know who will come and who will stick so they recruit alot of numbers at each position.  They may get 18 WR's show up at camp or they may get 4.  Those final numbers determine a players chances more than anything and that is not known until the player is committed to a school and team.  When you get to college, everyone was the star of their high school team, so many players have a rude awakening about their ability to compete and in the WIAC , there is the added risk that you may not even make the roster.

Sorry, CCIW posters. Didn't mean to put so much focus on another conference on here.  Carry on!  8)

[79jaybird]

You didn't post the 1999 score
Elmhurst 22 
Wheaton 16   

While Wheaton has had the better play of late, there was a time 70-80's where Elmhurst had Wheaton's number.   In fact, Coach Peltz's squads never beat Elmhurst in their 4 years. 
I was surprised at those baseball scores that DO look more like a football tally than a baseball score.  Poor guys ERA's must be soaring.