As the madness of March in Illinois dies down, the December outlook for Bloomington-Normal is heating up. The 36th annual State Farm Holiday Classic boasts three state champions and nine Elite Eight qualifiers, while 26 of the 64 teams won at least a Regional championship this past season. Seven new teams bolster one of the largest, coed high school holiday tournaments in the nation. The 2014 event tips off Dec. 26, 27, 29 & 30, and marks the 16th year with State Farm Insurance® as title sponsor.
Widely considered as the most competitive girls’ tournament in the state, the two brackets on this side of the event will again feature some of the best teams throughout Illinois. Class 1A state champion Annawan and Class 2A state champion Champaign St. Thomas More highlight a small school bracket that welcomes two new teams. A young LeRoy Panthers squad and Sectional finalist Rockford Lutheran join a field featuring Sectional champ El Paso-Gridley and five additional Regional champs in Bloomington Central Catholic, Brimfield, Kankakee Bishop McNamara, Peoria Christian and Rochester.
The large school girls’ tournament will welcome talented Regional champs Chicago North Lawndale and North Chicago, who both join their boys’ teams in the tournament for the first time. Other headliners include Regional champions Geneseo, Normal U-High, Peoria Notre Dame and Wheaton Warrenville South, along with perennial powerhouses Champaign Centennial, Morton, Peoria Richwoods, Rock Island and Springfield.
Returning to the small school boys’ bracket include Bloomington Central Catholic, who recently won the Class 2A state championship in a dramatic triple-overtime finish. The Saints will be up against a field including two-time defending tournament champ Rockford Lutheran who recently took home the fourth place state trophy in Class 3A. Super-sectional finalist Champaign St. Thomas More with their talented freshmen duo of Doug Wallen and Clavin Davis, and Regional winner St. Joseph-Ogden will participate as well. New to this bracket will be a young Annawan Braves squad who has enjoyed recent success at the IESA level, along with the Kewanee Boilermakers and all-state sophomore Donovan Oliver.
The tournament’s large school boys’ field welcomes Southern Illinois powerhouse Edwardsville to the tournament for the first time. The Tigers finished in fourth place in Class 4A this past season and have won 18 Regional titles in the past 21 years. Normal Community returns off a Sweet Sixteen appearance with a talented group of juniors, while Super-Sectional finalists Peoria Notre Dame and North Chicago highlight another strong large school field. Other Regional champs returning to this bracket include Chatham Glenwood, Rock Island and South Holland Thornwood.
“To have one state champion in your field would be huge for most events, but to say we have three state champs and nine Elite Eight teams overall is something we are very, very proud of,” said Manager of Tournament Operations Dave Oloffson. “Teams have a lot of options when it comes to participating in a holiday tournament. For us to attract a field of this high standard is a testament to the hard work of our committee, the quality of our venues, and the unbelievable hospitality Bloomington-Normal is known for.”
The State Farm Holiday Classic will again host the Ron Knisley Memorial Shootout in conjunction with the 64-team varsity tournament. The Shootout will feature various Special Olympics teams from across Illinois, and has been expanded to a two-day event. This will be the 13th year for the Shootout.
For a complete list of the 64 participating teams, go to https://theclassic.org/team-list/, and “Like” the tournament facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/sfclassic.
