Class 7A preview, Rolling Meadows at Lake Zurich
CLASS 7A
No. 5 Rolling Meadows (9-1) at No. 4 Lake Zurich (9-1)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday at Mel Eide Field
Last week: Meadows d. No. 12 Notre Dame 37-0; Lake Zurich d. No. 13 Wheeling 30-15
Playoff history: Meadows is looking to make the quarterfinals for the second straight year and third time (2004) during its five-year run of postseason trips. Lake Zurich is making its sixth straight trip and last year's 7A runnerup is looking for its second straight quarterfinal trip and third overall (2001).
Outlook: They were pegged as two of the top 7A teams in the preseason and have lived up to their billing. And they've done it with defense as Meadows hasn't allowed a point in its last nine-plus quarters and Lake Zurich has given up only 43 points since a 27-20 season-opening loss to Fremd. "We're a lot alike," said Meadows coach Doug Millsaps. "We're both pretty fast and pretty physical defensively. Scheme-wise we're obviously a lot different but result-wise there are a lot of similarities." The Mustangs play a 3-4 that allowed only 65 yards last week and the Bears thrive on their 3-5-3 as LBs Jon Janus, Tyler LaFontaine, Brent Marks and DBs Mike Dietrich and Kevin Johnson helped allow only 150 yards last week. "They put pressure on you from different areas," Millsaps said. Meadows will need to get Mikal Johnson (526 yards, 8 TDs) established on the ground and give QB Ben Sabal (1,120 yards, 8 TDs) time to find Division I recruit Ty Kirk (33 catches, 498 yards, 5 TDs), Mick Viken, Stan Pheteau and crew. Sabal also rushed for 90 yards last week. Lake Zurich will try to grind it out with its backfield trio of Janus (762 yards), Dan Kalcsics (589) and Adam Simpson (520) against the LB crew of Johnson, Joe Okon, Kelly Jauch and Jimmy Garoppolo. "Rolling Meadows is definitely one of the better teams in the area defensively," said Lake Zurich coach Bryan Stortz. "They get outstanding linebacker play and good coverage. They just fly to the football and they're really good at the fundamentals." The secondary that had 3 INTs last week - with Trevor Fritz and Kirk getting returns for TDs and Pheteau his sixth of the year -- will have to be ready for the efficient passing of QB Bobby DeLeo, who hit Pat Gallagher 4 times for 104 yards and a 60-yard TD last week. "We've got to tackle as well as we have in our good games to slow them down," Millsaps said. "They've hit big plays on every film we've got." Special teams could also be big as Meadows' versatile Kevin Serna hit 3 of his 7 field goals last week, is 36-for-37 on extra points and averages 34.2 yards a punt. Lake Zurich gets standout Kevin Johnson back full-time to kick after limited use following a leg injury in the season opener.
Advancement: If Meadows wins, it would visit No. 1 Rockford Boylan or host No. 9 Rockford Guilford from today's 7:15 p.m. game. Lake Zurich would visit the winner.