Time for a sneak peek at playoffs

Have we ever gone into Week 8 of a high school football season with neither Libertyville nor Stevenson having clinched a playoff berth?

The slow starts by both perennial powers -- through three weeks, the Wildcats and Patriots were a combined 1-5 -- along with the continuing rise of Wauconda and Grant's run at perfection already have helped make the 2007 season one to remember.

The regular season ends a week from tonight. Who's in? Who's on the bubble? Who's out?

Let's take a look at the 14 schools in the Daily Herald's Lake County coverage area.

They're in:

• Grant (7-0): Coach Kurt Rous' Bulldogs are the only undefeated team in Lake County. They've already clinched a playoff berth for the third year in a row and will cap a 6-0 run through the North Suburban Prairie Division with a win at home tonight against North Chicago.

Grant, which finishes against one-win Zion-Benton, hasn't had a 9-0 regular season since 1986. While Grant's defense has been strong with Izzy Montemayor, Bob Madlener and Bud Staton, the Bulldogs are averaging 31.4 points per game. Quarterback Pavel Zurkowski can definitely throw the football, but the 6-foot-3 200-pounder is more dangerous when he's scrambling or keeping the ball on the option.

• Carmel (6-1): So much for the Opening Night loss to Morgan Park being an omen. Coach Andy Bitto's Corsairs haven't lost since that August night. They're playoff-bound for the eighth straight year.

Quarterback David Venegoni, the Corsairs' lone returning skill-position on offense, hasn't disappointed. He's closing in on 600 rushing and 400 passing yards, and has scored a team-best 12 touchdowns.

The Corsairs' biggest strength is their defense. There might not be a better defensive player in Lake County than senior safety Ryan Williams, whose 70 tackles include 44 solos.

• Lake Zurich (6-1): This is another team that lost its season opener but has won six straight since then.

Since their 27-20 defeat to Fremd, the Bears, who are playoff-bound for the sixth consecutive year, have allowed only 28 points.

Veteran running back/linebacker Jon Janus suffered a deep knee bruise against Wauconda last Friday night. Fortunately for the Bears, they have depth at running back with Adam Simpson and Dan Kalcsics, both of whom are more than capable of being a featured back.

No team in the entire North Suburban Conference has scored more than the Bears' 253 points.

They're on the bubble:

• Wauconda (5-2): The bubble doesn't figure to burst for the Bulldogs, who will clinch their first playoff berth since 1998 with a home win tonight against Round Lake.

Wauconda has a tough Week 9 game at Vernon Hills. Even if the Bulldogs lose their remaining two games, they might have enough playoff points to get in. Nonconference wins against Huntley (2-5) and Marengo (0-7) won't help them, but their NSC crossover against Lake Zurich (6-1) will.

How far has Wauconda come? Consider that from 2000-2004 (five years), the Bulldogs went 4-41.

Brad Wisniewski has surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the second year in a row and has rushed for more than 3,000 yards since being called up to the varsity as a sophomore.

Davis Mills, Jason Holst and Bret Collier are among Coach Glen Kozlowski's players who've had a breakout season.

• Libertyville (4-3): The Wildcats finish up against a pair of winning teams in Stevenson (4-3) and Lake Forest (5-2), and need one win to be playoff-eligible. Nonconference games against Barrington (3-4) and Carmel (6-1), and its NSC crossover against Vernon Hills (4-3), should help Libertyville secure ample playoff points to qualify at-large and earn an 11th straight postseason berth.

Libertyville erupted for 55 points -- its most since 1923! -- in a win over Zion-Benton last Friday.

Quarterback Tom Piazzi has thrown for nearly 450 yards the last two weeks. Free safety Austin Powell is the best player on a defense that has held four opponents to single-digit points. Alvaro Castro kicks it long and straight, and proved against Mundelein that he's fearless.

• Stevenson (4-3): On the road, no timeouts left, 90 yards from the end zone and 1:11 on the clock.

Enter Zach Wujcik and Dan Morales.

Given one last chance after Lake Forest surprisingly threw on third and fourth downs, stopping the clock, the Patriots turned to their quarterback and wide receiver. The duo hooked up four times on a memorable drive, as the Patriots stunned Lake Forest 14-10 last Saturday. Morales' sliding TD catch from 4 yards out with 5.7 seconds left was the winner.

Heck, maybe it's the Patriots' year (again), after all. They've overcome an 0-3 start to win four in a row, but they have work to do if they're going to qualify for the playoffs for a 19th year in a row. Libertyville is always a challenge and Warren (a week from tonight) figures to win its fourth straight tonight against Lakes.

• Vernon Hills (4-3): The Cougars haven't won two in a row all year and yet still find themselves in the playoff hunt. That's because they haven't lost two in a row, either.

A win tonight at Antioch will make Vernon Hills playoff-eligible but will not guarantee the Cougars of earning a playoff spot. To secure more playoff points, they're rooting for Niles West (1-6), Highland Park (4-3) and Libertyville (4-3).

For a team that returned few experienced varsity players, coach Tony Monken and his staff have once again figured out how to win games.

The Cougars, who've scored 96 points in their last three games, have gotten a boost from freshman DaVaris Daniels, who was called up after Week 4. Wingback Tyler Mooney has quietly put together a productive season.

• Warren (4-3): If the Blue Devils win tonight -- and they should against a 2-5 Lakes team -- they're in. They'll make the playoffs, at worst, as an at-large team considering they'll get tons of playoff points from New Trier (6-1) and Maine South (6-1).

Pretty good for a team that started 1-3.

Sophomore Greg Kennedy (833 rushing yards) might be the most exciting running back in the county, and QB Zach Shaw is coming off his best game in a win over Mundelein. Kicker Steve Fox has a D-I leg, and sure-handed receiver Ryan Maguire reminds me of Matt Mose.

Warren finishes up with Stevenson.

They're out:

• Antioch, Lakes, Mundelein, Round Lake, Grayslake Central, Grayslake North

I'm out.