Scouting Cook County second-round playoff games

CLASS 8A

No. 8 Fremd (8-2) at No. 1 Bartlett (10-0)

When: 7 p.m. today at Millennium Field, Streamwood

First round: Fremd d. No. 9 Palatine 24-7; Bartlett d. No. 16 Notre Dame 10-7

Playoff history: Fremd is making its fourth straight second-round trip and eighth overall and is trying for its third straight and fourth overall quarterfinal berth. Bartlett is making its ninth straight playoff trip and third trip to the second round but has never reached the quarterfinals.

Outlook: Twice as many regular-season losses this year than in the last three years combined may have a payoff for Fremd. "There's no doubt we've benefitted from our opponents and making mistakes early," said Fremd coach Mike Donatucci. "Instead of hiding and not getting things out in the open, when we stunk, we stunk. We know if a team wants to spread us out, we know who is going to play (defensively) and if they bunch us up we know who's going to play." Bartlett is in the position Fremd has been two of the last three years - unbeaten and with a target after surviving last week by offsetting 4 turnovers with 3 takeaways. Senior QB and two-year starter Josh Hasenberg (1,734 yards, 18 TDs, 4 INTs) is getting Ivy League and Mid-American Conference interest and has two talented receivers in Cory Brown (44 catches, 792 yards, 9 TDs) and Alex Van Ness (6 TDs) to challenge a Fremd defense led by LB Jon Diegel (131/2 tackles for loss), DE Ben Perna (141/2 TFL) and Mike Tauchman, who had 3 of the 5 interceptions last week. But the Hawks can also run with Fabian Libreri (739 yards, 8 TDs) and Corleon Richardson (544 yards). "They want to pound you, pound you, pound you and then throw it down the field," Donatucci said. Fremd pounded away last week with Mike Gyetvay (886 yards, 9 TDs) and Tauchman (1,436 yards passing, 9 TDs; 644 rushing, 6 TDs) behind its big line and faces a hard-hitting Bartlett defense anchored by Division I recruit LB Kyle Zelinsky and S Steve Seeman. "Their front seven is very solid," Donatucci said of a unit that shut down Thornton Division I QB recruit Darren Jones.

Advancement: Fremd would host No. 13 Schaumburg or visit No. 5 Warren and Bartlett would be on the road in the quarterfinals.

No. 5 Warren (9-1) at No. 13 Schaumburg (6-4)

When: 5 p.m. Saturday at Gary Scholz Stadium

First round: Warren d. No. 12 York 21-9; Schaumburg d. No. 4 Glenbrook South 20-16

Playoff history: Warren is making its second straight trip and ninth in 10 years under Dave Mohapp. This is its ninth trip to the second round and it is trying to reach the third round for the third time. Schaumburg is in the second round for the fourth time and looking for its third trip to the third round. This is its first home playoff game since 2000 and last week was its first win since the 1999 Class 6A semifinals.

Outlook: Warren is definitely hot with an eight-game winning streak after falling 35-21 to Maine South in Week 2. But an upset win over Glenbrook South also added some fuel to Schaumburg. "Schaumburg is a very hot team right now," Mohapp said. "They're where you want to be at this point of the season. They have all the pieces. They should feel very confident right now." The Saxons do, especially after their best defensive effort of the season led by LBs Alex Coglianese and Jordan Hailey. They'll try to slow sophomore RB Tom Lindal (15 carries, 120 yards last week) in a run-oriented attack. but Aaron Montgomery ran and threw an option pass for a TD last week and QB Zach Shaw threw a TD pass as Warren had all of its points by halftime. "I felt like we had some really good halves (defensively) but for whatever reason we hadn't put it together for 48 minutes," said Schaumburg coach Mark Stilling. "The things they do, they execute them pretty well. Offensively and defensively they do a nice job of mixing things up." Montgomery is part of a 3-5 defense that will try to pressure QB Anthony Iannotti from finding his crew of receivers anchored by Josh Spandiary. Shepard Little is closing in on 1,300 yards rushing as the Saxons hope to break out after scoring a combined 30 points the last two games.

Advancement: Schaumburg would host No. 1 Bartlett or visit No. 8 Fremd and Warren would be at home for the quarterfinals.

No. 6 Barrington (8-2) at No. 14 New Trier (6-4)

When: 6 p.m. Saturday at Naughton Field, West Campus, Northfield

First round: Barrington d. No. 11 St. Patrick 21-14; New Trier d. No. 3 Lane Tech 31-10

Playoff history: Barrington, which lost 13-7 to New Trier in the 6A first round in 1982, is in the second round for the ninth time and is trying for its seventh trip to the third round. New Trier is in the second round for the 12th time and trying for its sixth trip to the third round.

Outlook: It's back to normal for the Barrington defense as it faces New Trier's spread offense installed by new head coach Matt Irvin, who was 33-3 at St. Louis Country Day with two trips to the Class 3A Missouri title game in three years. "No disrespect to them whatsoever, but our conference has prepared us for that," said Barrington coach Joe Sanchez. "This is a good offense but it's not anything like we haven't seen. It definitely helps us - but in the same respect we've got our work cut out for us." Especially since New Trier lost 24-17 to Warren and 14-13 to St. Patrick the first two games and 55-24 to unbeaten Maine South (but led 24-23 midway through third quarter) and 28-13 to Glenbrook South. "A lot of game inexperience and system inexperience affected us early on," said Irvin, only the school's third head coach since 1971 after Dan Mortier and Chick Cichowski. "I felt the kids and the coaching staff really focused on chipping away and working to polish it and making it closer and closer to what it should be." Junior QB Stuart Brown threw for 254 yards and 2 TDs last week and has nearly 1,900 yards and 14 TDs for the season to a crew of receivers led by Chris Harris and Brendan Green. The Trevians' 3-4 defense is led by active OLB Zach McGinnis, junior NG Alex Porter and a solid secondary to face QB Cody Seeger (70 percent comp., 1,570 yards, 12 TDs) and RB Sam Ojuri (1,158 yards, 18 TDs). "Offensively there aren't any holes," Irvin said. "There are a lot of problems for you on defense." Barrington hopes to considerably cut last week's 15 penalties for 125 yards. "It took away a lot of things we had going," Sanchez said. "It continued to hinder us but in the same respect we didn't allow it to stop us."

Advancement: New Trier would host No. 2 Maine South or visit No. 7 Loyola and Barrington would host the winner in the quarterfinals.