Geneva ready for challenges
Geneva's road through the state playoffs the past two years has gone through East St. Louis both times, first a loss in the 2007 quarterfinals and then the 2008 state championship game.
The two have something in common again this year: They are the two smallest schools in the Class 7A bracket.
Geneva, nearly a Class 6A playoff team, instead has a tough path in the 7A playoffs. The Vikings (8-1) start with a home game against Shepard before a potential matchup with Wheaton Warrenville South in round two.
The Tigers went 8-1 and just beat West Aurora 61-0.
"To be the best you've got to play the best, so let's go," said Geneva coach Rob Wicinski, who was with his wife and daughter Lauren at Northern Illinois Saturday night on Lauren's official visit for volleyball.
"We're right in the neighborhood all the time, and we were kind of lined up to play last year and they got clipped."
Geneva has no history with Shephard, a matchup that came as a surprise to Geneva assistants who study potential playoff opponents.
"All my coaches were saying we were going to play Wheaton North, which would have been cool," Wicinski said. "But we're going to play Shephard, they're coming to our place, and it looks like more rain."
Wicinski was surprised to see fellow Western Sun teams Kaneland, Sycamore, Glenbard South and Rochelle all matched up against each other.
"My first thought went out to Rochelle, Kaneland and all the other schools (in the Western Sun) - Sycamore, Glenbard South - they've all got to play each other. Wow, what a bummer. The playoffs are about traveling, about playing somebody different... We're really happy to be playing Shephard."
Elsewhere in 7A, St. Charles North has a rematch against South Elgin, who beat the North Stars 10-7 in Week 8. St. Charles East opens the playoffs at home against No. 9 seed Rockton Hononegah, who has the same 7-2 record as the Saints.
Saints coach Mike Fields, celebrating with his team at a school pizza party, played Rockton Hononegah in the playoffs last year when he was an assistant with Geneva.
"They're solid. We'll have our hands full," Fields said. "We're just celebrating our Upstate Eight Conference championship we got today and we're trying to explain to them where the heck Rockton-Hononegah is.
"I couldn't have written a better script for this whole season, just from the opportunity to get this job. I'm proud of being a Saint. All we've needed is one more point than the next team, than our opponent. They've bought into it, and I'm happy as I can be for them. They've earned it. It's not about us (coaches), it's about the players."
"I'm sure I'll be giving him some tape (on Rockton)," Wicinski said. "And then that's it, no more help for him. He doesn't need it."
In Class 6A, No. 2 seed Marmion (8-1) puts its eight-game winning streak on the line against No. 15 Huntley (5-4), who beat Kaneland this year and set all kinds of records in a 70-63 playoff game against Batavia last year.
In Class 5A, Kaneland has a rematch at home against Sycamore after beating the Spartans 21-14 in Week 4. Both teams are 6-3, and the winner gets either No. 16 Wheaton Academy (5-4) or No. 1 Hillcrest (8-1).
"I would rather play St. Francis or Montini again, to be honest with you," Wheaton Academy coach Ben Wilson said. "Hillcrest, all I know about them is they're very athletic. They've beat Thornton, they've beat Homewood-Flossmoor, they've beat Lemont. We definitely have our hands full, but we're excited about our kids getting a chance to play in the playoffs."
Aurora Christian earned a No. 5 seed in Class 3A and a trip to No. 4 Winnebago (7-2). The Eagles drop down a class after finishing second in the state in Class 4A a year ago.
Geneva also is coming off a runner-up finish in Class 7A, which Wicinski said can only help.
"I think it helps a lot," Wicinski said. "It's just that we have players that have kind of made a long run in the playoffs, that's always the goal. ... There's no panic, and with the new juniors, that brings excitement."