Girls Basketball: The Topsy-Turvy FVC Valley

Talk to older generations and they often wax nostalgic about the good ol' days when everything in life was more simple. Televisions had a single-digit number of channels and computers were reserved only for elite universities and high-tech companies. Social media was passing on front-porch gossip to the neighbors walking by. 

2011 was a simple year for the Fox Valley Conference Valley Division. Everything was clear-cut and defined. 

Undefeated Cary-Grove (27-3 overall, 10-0 FVC Valley) was the class of the division. Huntley (20-9, 8-2) was second-best, with its only two losses coming to C-G, and McHenry (21-10, 6-4) was No. 3, only losing to Huntley and C-G in conference. 

Jacobs (4-23, 2-8), Dundee-Crown (9-18, 3-7) and Crystal Lake South (3-24, 1-9) all battled it out for the best of the bottom tier. 

One year later and the conference is a jumbled mess resembling a Rubik's cube. Looking at the standings (through Jan. 26), every team has at least eight losses overall and one loss in conference. 

Want to know just how unpredictable this division is? Common sense says the teams at the top of the standings beat up on the teams below them. But I'll start at the bottom and go up the ladder, showing how no FVC Valley matchup can be considered a gimme. 

Jacobs defeated Prairie Ridge, 60-54 

Prairie Ridge defeated Crystal Lake South, 54-38

Crystal Lake South defeated McHenry, 34-33

McHenry defeated Huntley 43-26

Huntley defeated Cary-Grove, 46-35

Cary-Grove defeated Dundee-Crown, 51-31

Dundee-Crown defeated Jacobs, 42-40

We still have two weeks of conference play left before the postseason starts in February, and maybe everything will sort itself out. But with the way this season has gone, I wouldn't bet on it. 

Think you can sort out the FVC Valley? Post your rankings in the comments.

-- ROSS JACOBSON

rjacobson@shawmedia.com

Twitter: @NWH_RJacobson