Week 2 playoffs, Upstate Eight: Tough assignment for South Elgin
Class 8A
No. 12 South Elgin (9-1) at No. 5 Brother Rice (9-1)
Game time: Noon Saturday.
Last week: South Elgin 62, Evanston 10; Brother Rice 49, Bartlett 21.
Outlook: Brother Rice should be well rested. The starters played only a half last week against Bartlett after taking a 49-0 halftime lead. Quarterback Cam Miller, the most outstanding offensive player in the Chicago Catholic Blue, leads an attack that averages 39 points per game. Last week he completed 13 of 14 passes for 319 yards and 6 touchdown passes in a two-quarter performance. College prospect Ricky Smalling made 5 catches for 152 yards, including scoring plays of 55, 67 and 23 yards. Senior Julian Blain's 2 receptions went for touchdowns of 6 and 64 yards. South Elgin will try to slow the talented Crusader receiving corps with senior safeties Derek Kumerow (6-foot-3) and Andrew Kamienski (5-11). "You definitely have to find him every single play," South Elgin coach Pat Pistorio said of Smalling. "Derek and Andrew, they're going to help out a little bit more defensively. All week what we've been watching is how (Smalling) gets open and how we can make his life a little more hectic, get people in his face and bracket him over the top." The Storm defense holds opponents to 18 points per game. A South Elgin offense that scores 42.4 points per game tests a Brother Rice defense that allows 24.1 points. Upstate Eight Valley offensive player of the year Shawn Griffin has rushed for 1,544 yards and 21 touchdowns, including 5 last week. Brother Rice's only loss? A 28-0 setback in Week 3 at top-ranked Loyola Academy, the No. 1 seed in Class 8A. South Elgin's only loss was a 35-28 defeat at Batavia in Week 2.
Advancement: The winner advances to a Class 8A quarterfinal game against the winner between No. 13 Palatine (8-2) and No. 4 Oak Park-River Forest (9-1).
Class 7A
No. 4 Batavia (9-1) at No. 20 Simeon (8-2)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday at Gately Stadium
Last week: Batavia 56, Pekin 7; Simeon 51, Lincoln Park 6.
Outlook: Simeon is no stranger to suburban opponents. Last year the Wolverines knocked off Downers Grove South, Hinsdale Central and Naperville Central before losing to eventual runner-up Homewood-Flossmoor in a Class 7A semifinal, thus becoming the first Chicago Public League school to reach the semis in Class 8A. Simeon's 2 losses this season came against East St. Louis in Week 1 (28-21) and undefeated Phillips in Week 3 (29-18). "Their whole program is exceptional," Batavia coach Dennis Piron said. "Last season they really made a mark when they made it to the 8A semifinals. They run a variety of offensive formations and, defensively, they challenge you by playing different defenses in the secondary, so you never know what they'll give you depending on down and distance. Their pass rush is awesome, their linebackers fly to the ball and their defensive backs are ball hawks. It's a heck of a football program." Piron said the Wolverines are at their best along the defensive front. In 9 games this season (Simeon received a forfeit win in Week 8) the Wolverines limited opponents to 108 total points. Quarterback Dakota Turner (6-3, 220) is the son of former Nebraska and NFL running back Nate Turner. A big offensive line anchored by Keevin Agee (6-4, 275) and Demar Holmes (6-6, 255) allows Turner time to find top target Malik Holcombe. The Simeon offense will be tested by a Batavia defense that has sacked the quarterback 47.5 times, led by Derek Nutley (14.5) and Miles Williams (7.5). Colin Thurston leads the Bulldogs with 66 solo tackles and 17 assists, followed by Zach Majka (61 solo, 12 assists).
Advancement: The winner advances to a Class 7A quarterfinal game against the winner between No. 12 Benet Academy (8-2) and No. 5 Cary-Grove (9-1).
No. 7 Geneva (9-1) at No. 23 Bradley-Bourbonnais (7-3)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Last week: Geneva 36, Oswego East 19; Bradley-Bourbonnais 60, Glenbrook North 59, 2OT.
Outlook: An intriguing matchup pits Geneva, which finished second to Batavia in the Upstate Eight River, against Bradley-Bourbonnais, the fourth-place team in the Southwest Suburban Red behind playoff qualifiers Lincoln-Way North, Thornton and Lincoln-Way West. This is the first meeting between these schools since Geneva's 35-6, first-round playoff victory on muddy Burgess Field in 2007. This game will be played on artificial turf. The Boilermakers average 33.4 points per game while allowing 20.4. Last week they upset No. 10 Glenbrook North in double overtime. Running back Camron Harrell's 3-yard touchdown run brought B-B within a point and the Boilermakers won the game on Davin Senesac's 2-point conversion catch. Bradley-Bourbonnais trailed Glenbrook North 30-14 in the third quarter. "I'm so impressed with the way they just hung in there and hung in there," Geneva coach Rob Wicinski said. "They're a scrappy bunch, they're well-coached and they aren't just happy to be (in the playoffs)." Geneva has advanced to the second round for the second straight season and is a win away from matching last year's quarterfinal team. The Vikings get a lift from the return of wide receiver Jack Wassel, who has missed 4 games. His return gives quarterback Sean Chambers another quality target in addition to senior Ryan Skibinski, who has a pair of game-winning, fourth-quarter touchdown catches to his credit. The Boilermakers can expect a heavy dose of Geneva running back Justin Taormina. The senior has rushed for 1,455 yards and 18 touchdowns, including 4 last week. "I run the ball. It's what I do," Wicinski said. "I'd like us to move the chains with the quick passing game and our running game and limit the number of touches they have on offense because they are extremely explosive and we tend to give up big plays here and there."
Advancement: The winner advances to a Class 7A quarterfinal game against the winner between No. 15 Eisenhower (8-2) and No. 31 Niles North (6-4).