Scouting Wheaton North @ Prospect
Wheaton North (6-4) at Prospect (8-2)
When: 7 p.m. Saturday at George Gattas Stadium
Last week: Wheaton North d. No. 1 Rockford Boylan 17-13; Prospect d. No. 7 Carmel 33-13
Playoff history: Wheaton North has won three state titles and made seven quarterfinal trips but last week was its first postseason win since 2002. Prospect has won three 7A titles and made the last of its five semifinal trips in 2006.
Outlook: Prospect coach Brent Pearlman sees a test which goes beyond the overall record similar to what Fremd faced last week with Naperville North. Wheaton North overcame a season-ending knee injury in Week 6 to Ohio State-bound QB Taylor Graham, the son of former NFL QB Kent Graham, and then beat Naperville North for the first time since 2002 (10-7) and Glenbard East 20-19 in 2 OTs the last two weeks of the regular season before stunning unbeaten Boylan last week. "They're kind of in a place where they're getting better every week right now," Pearlman said. "Somehow this team has gotten through a lot of adversity." Backup QB Reece Butler (634 yards passing, 6 TDs; 352 rushing) threw for 140 yards and ran for 87 last week and Richard Finley (51 catches, 576 yards, 4 TDs) is the top target. "We saw both kids on film and (Butler) has gotten a lot of people involved in the offense," Pearlman said. "(Graham) stood back there and threw it but this guy (Butler) can run it. They're definitely a good team and they belong where they're at." Prospect is where it's at because it's defense led by LB-DE P.J. Kennedy, DE Victor Rhee, LB Peter Bonahoom and DB John Coen (5 INTs) stepped up at the perfect time last week to allow just 234 total yards. "We felt we could play good defense all year," Pearlman said. "I think it did (carry over) after we were able to go back and see on film us doing some of the things we haven't done all year. It reinforced some of the things we've been saying all year - we can play good defense." Wheaton North's defense led by DL Sam Weatherred, LB Kevin Farley and LB Ryan Coleman will have its hands full with QB Miles Osei (1,921 yards passing, 16 TDs; 1,114 rushing, 18 TDs), Bonahoom (1,059 rushing, 14 TDs; 27 catches, 690 yards, 9 TDs) and Coen (31 for 570, 4 TDs). "He's pretty darn good," Wheaton North coach Joe Wardynski said of Osei. "He's a complete package with everything he does for them."
Advancement: Prospect would host No. 11 Lake Zurich (7-3) or visit No. 3 Crystal Lake South (9-1) and Wheaton North would host the winner in the quarterfinals.