Panthers face rough road in 4A

Updated: May 2, 2011 9:40PM

Oswego coaches entered the 2010-11 school year knowing they were going to get bumped up into a larger class, whether it was the basketball teams in the winter or baseball and softball in the spring.

Those coaches, including baseball coach Chris Neitzel, could guess they’d have to deal with perennially strong programs come regional and sectional play.

Despite that knowledge, or assumption, the Panthers’ inclusion in the 23-team Neuqua Valley Sectional still gave Neitzel pause.

“There wasn’t a feeling of shock or anything,” he said. “It’s just a cold, hard, reality.”

The up-and-down Panthers have Tuesday’s game against Plainfield South to make their last impression on sectional coaches, as each team’s season summary is due Wednesday morning. Sectional seeding is determined early Thursday.

Neitzel knows — perhaps better than most — that seeds can be irrelevant at times. He took a sub-.500 team to the brink of a state final appearance in 2009. But this sectional is far different than that one.

“The difference in 3A or 4A is you might get a game or two where you’ll get an opponent that is maybe smaller enrollment-wise, and you get the right draw,” Neitzel said. “In 4A you’re never going to get what you would deem a ‘good draw.’ You’re going to have to earn a regional title.”

Nearly every coach will say their sectional is the “toughest,” but only one can boast the defending state champion and that’s this one. And the Naperville Central Redhawks wouldn’t even be a favorite — that honor would go to undefeated Plainfield North, a Sweet 16 program from a year ago.

Or would it?

Maybe it’s Providence Catholic, a team that boasts six Division I scholarship athletes — including three starting pitchers (two of which are left-handed) and three infielders.

Naperville North and Lincoln-Way Central won regional championships last year, while Waubonsie Valley, Downers Grove South and Lockport all played for regional crowns.

Welcome to 4A.

“You could conceivably see us having five of the best teams in the state all in one sectional,” Neitzel said. “I realize, especially with Southern schools, that travel is an issue. Whoever advances out of the sectional gets to the Elite Eight — are you telling me that Providence and Plainfield North aren’t both Elite Eight teams?”

Oswego’s move up to 4A had a ripple effect down in its old class, as its usual regional opponents were shuffled around quite a bit.

Yorkville and Sandwich were shipped out to the south suburbs at the Lincoln-Way West Sectional, which includes traditional baseball powers like Joliet Catholic Academy and Oak Forest. On the other side of the Crestwood Super-Sectional are 22 Chicago Public League schools, so the Foxes and Indians will see new faces all through the postseason.

Marmion Academy, which won the Oswego Regional last year, was sent West to the Rochelle Sectional for a regional that includes Burlington Central, Crystal Lake Central and Hampshire.

Aurora Central Catholic, IMSA and Kaneland are also in that sectional, and all could potentially face each other in the Sycamore Regional.

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