Coach Sly: Best of the best area football teams

Coach Sly perused this week's web poll over at KCChronicle.com/preps asking people which area football power of recent vintage was most dominant - interesting debate to be had.

The five poll options are the 2006 Batavia team (6A runner-up), 2008 Geneva (7A runner-up), 2008 St. Francis (5A champion), 2010 Kaneland (5A semifinalist) and 2011 Aurora Christian (3A state champ).

Those are some awesome teams but too bad there must be some kind of one team-per-school stipulation here because Sly thinks this year's Batavia and Kaneland teams that fell in the semifinals belong in that mix, too.

Both the 2010 and 2011 Kaneland teams were 12-0 before losing to Montini in the state semis. This year's Knights gave Montini a better tussle but last year's Knights were a little steadier in the playoffs leading up the semis, so that's a tough call to make. And don't forget about that 2006 Kaneland team with Thorgesen, Crosby, etc. Man, the Knights have had a run of skill position studs.

The 2006 vs. 2011 Batavia teams has been debated a fair amount in B-Town this year. This year's Bulldogs were more dynamic in the passing game but you can't argue with a trip to Champaign that the 2006 team made. Two dandy defenses, no doubt about it.

The 2008 Vikings were just a load. Ratay+big O-line = nasty, nasty football team. They had some players on D, too.

Sly will hereby open the floor up for debate: Head on over and vote in that web poll, but if you want to air out your rationale a little, here's the spot to do it.

Remember, as long as we're still talking football, football season is not over!