Scouting Kaneland at Vernon Hills

CLASS 5A

No. 1 Kaneland Knights (11-0) at No. 4 Vernon Hills Cougars (10-1)

When: 1 p.m., Saturday

Last week: In second round action, Kaneland def. Crystal Lake Central, 34-7; Vernon Hills def. Tinley Park, 37-22.

Playoff history: Kaneland is making its 14th playoff appearance in the last 15 years. Its lone miss was 2007. The Knights won back-to-back Class 3A state championships in 1997 and 1998. Prior to this season, they had been knocked out in the first round of the playoffs two straight years…Vernon Hills is making its sixth straight playoff appearance and its ninth in school history. Last year, the Cougars lost in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs to Glenbard South, 33-27. They have never advanced beyond the quarterfinals.

Coaches: Tom Fedderly, Kaneland; Tony Monken, Vernon Hills

Just the facts: Kaneland won the Northern Illinois Big 12 East Conference and has outscored its opponents by an average of 31.8 points per game. The Knights are averaging 41.1 points and allowing just 9.3 points per game. They have held their opponents to fewer than eight points seven times, including one shutout. Kaneland's closest game was a 15-point, 37-22 victory over Burlington Central in Week 1…Vernon Hills won its second straight outright North Suburban Conference Prairie Division championship and has scored a division-best 41.2 points per game while also boasting the stingiest defense in the state. The Cougars gave up their first points of the season in a Week 8, 21-0 loss to Lake Forest. Prior to that, they boasted seven shutouts in seven games. Overall, Vernon Hills is giving up just 4.5 points per game

Kaneland leaders: Last week against Crystal Lake Central, quarterback Joe Camiliere completed 18-of-27 passes for 261 yards and 4 touchdowns. His biggest targets were Quinn Buschbacher (7 catches, 104 yards) and freshman Danny Helm (3 catches, 63 yards). The Knights also got 2 touchdowns and 41 rushing yards out of wide receiver Blake Serpa, who is also a threat running the ball out of the backfield.

Vernon Hills leaders: Rushing: Brian Palmer (117 carries, 588 yards, 11 touchdowns), DaVaris Daniels (49 carries, 549 yards, 10 touchdowns); Passing: Chris Argianas (28-of-53, 568 yards, 8 touchdowns, 1 interception); Receiving: DaVaris Daniels (20 receptions, 445 yards, 4 touchdowns), Evan Spencer (16 receptions, 289 yards, 6 touchdowns); Tackles: Brian Palmer, Austin Miller. Daniels carried Vernon Hills last week against Tinley Park by rolling up the rushing yardage. He finished with 153 yards and 3 touchdowns on 8 carries.

Line on Kaneland: Vernon Hills coach Tony Monken says Kaneland is a lot like his team. Well, sort of. The Knights don't run the triple option like Vernon Hills does. In fact, Kaneland passes the ball quite a bit out of the shot-gun spread. That's a different look completely. But the similarity is in prolificness and stinginess. Kaneland scores more than 40 points per game and gives up about 9 points per game. Vernon Hills scores about 41 points per game and gives up less than 5 points per game. “They've rolled everyone all year,” Monken said of Kaneland. “We'll run the ball about as much as they'll throw it, but in many other ways, we are very similar teams. We can both score and our defenses have been very tough all season.”

Line on Vernon Hills: As the Cougars chase history and their first-ever semifinal berth, they'll be doing so with all the pistons firing. This game will mark the first all season that Vernon Hills will start the game with every player that was projected to be a starter prior to the season. The Cougars welcome back a fully healthy Jarrett Wood. The junior running back missed nearly the entire season with an injury. He'll start and share reps with not only fellow backs Brian Palmer and Marcus Bradford but with DaVaris Daniels, who is best known as a star receiver but is just as dangerous receiving the ball on a handoff. He rushed for 153 yards and 3 touchdowns last week. “The biggest thing about our team all season is that we take what you give us,” Vernon Hills coach Tony Monken said. “You try to take away one guy, and we'll find what you leave open. Last week, it happened to be DaVaris running the ball. You don't have the kind of year we've had if you have only one guy. We've got guys who play off each other really well.