A big win for 'Loci', Driscoll
At Friday's wake for Mike Loconsole, Driscoll's prized football assistant who died Wednesday, one mourner said, "I wouldn't want to be Chicago Christian."
The Knights didn't appear to have much stomach for it either. Driscoll romped to its third straight running-clock victory in the playoffs, 48-7 in the Class 4A quarterfinals Saturday in Addison.
That sets up a fourth straight home playoff game for No. 1 seed Driscoll (12-0) in next Saturday's semifinal again No. 2 Coal City (12-0).
"L-O-C-I" was painted in both end zones and a sign on the Robert A. Barth Field press box read, "The House that Loci Built."
At halftime with the Highlanders capitalizing on 5 turnovers to compile 315 yards to Chicago Christian's 27, the score was 41-0 - 41 being Loconsole's uniform number in his days as a semi-pro player.
"I kind of smiled after that," said quarterback David Schwabe, who ran for 69 yards and a 14-yard score. At safety on defense, Schwabe also intercepted the 25th pass of his career, tied for third all-time in Illinois and three from the state record of 28.
Schwabe was 14-of-20 passing for 146 yards. His 13-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Palermo, a linebacker moonlighting as a tight end, was a tweak that had to have offensive guru Loconsole cheering from above.
"We just played with our hearts for Coach Loc," said left guard Vinny Miceli, part of a physical offensive line that battered away for 243 yards rushing, 3 touchdowns by tailback Tim Franken and a 38-yarder by P.J. Fajardo.
"He just would do anything for us, so we did everything for him."
No. 4 seed Chicago Christian (10-2) won the coin toss but elected to kick, prompting Driscoll's 12-play, 69-yard touchdown drive capped by Franken's 1-yard run.
Franken carried 16 times for 123 yards and added second-quarter touchdown runs of 8 and 15 yards.
After the first score Mike Balaskovits recovered a pooch kick that led to the first of 2 Brett Warren field goals.
Despite early heat by Chicago Christian linebacker Mark Hooker, Driscoll scored on 8 of its first 9 possessions.
"There was nothing stopping us today," Balaskovits said.
With 5:05 left Knights quarterback Alex Haan threw his 41st touchdown pass of the year, tying him for eighth all-time in Illinois.
It came far too late.
"They had us game-planned very well," Haan said. "Before we lined up they pretty much knew what plays we were going to run."
That's coaching. After losing one of theirs, the game lent therapy to some boys whom head coach Mike Burzawa said became men this week.
Franken said, "We wanted to be able to come out today and forget everything that had happened for about 2 1/2 hours, because we've had some sad times this week."