Consecutive state final appearances will likely bump Althoff to Class 4A

The Althoff Crusaders have won 61 games against just six losses over the last two seasons. They have a second-place finish and now a Class 3A state championship to show for it.

But according to Illinois High School Assocation rules governing basketball, the Crusaders’ recent run of success means the road back to Peoria will get a little tougher.

“Success factor” rules approved by the IHSA Board of Directors in February, 2015 state that when a school appears in a state final twice over a four year span, it has to move up in competitive class. That means Althoff will be advanced to Class 4A for the 2016-17 season.

The same goes for Westchester St. Joseph, last season’s champion and fourth-place finisher this year.

Althoff will return four players from a seven-man core responsible that has freshly stocked the Crusaders’ trophy case. Jordan Goodwin, C.J. Coldon, Edwyn Brown, and Marvin Bateman all will be back for another run. Goodwin isn’t concerned about the stiffer post-season competition.

“That’s fine,” said Althoff junior Jordan Goodwin. “I didn’t know that, but it’s fine. We can play with anybody.”

Goodwin later added that this year’s Althoff edition “would have won the 4A championship easy,” a bold contention that brought laughs from coach Greg Leib.

But Leib pointed out that the Crusaders’ non-conference schedule already is stacked with 4A competition. Althoff (32-2) includes Belleville East, Belleville West, Edwardsville, Granite City and O’Fallon on its annual schedule. It sees others in various tournaments and shootouts through the year. Althoff was undefeated against 4A teams the last two seasons.

“We play a lot of those schools already in a 4A situation,” he said. “Hey, if that’s what it is, if that’s what’s in front of is, we’ll work to overcome it.”

The difference is, however, that Althoff would have to get past those teams in local regionals and sectional tournaments to advance to the Normal Super-Sectional. There, the Crusaders would have to face off with the likes of Chicago Simeon, Benet Academy or Harvey Thornton.

“If we win that, we may have to apply for the NCAA,” Leib said.

This story was originally published March 19, 2016 at 9:05 PM with the headline "Consecutive state final appearances will likely bump Althoff to Class 4A."