Glenbard West hopes to rise like the sun

Glenbard West football coach Chad Hetlet expected some good news Sunday morning, and he got it.

“The sun came up,” he said.

A day after the Hilltoppers (8-1) suffered a disappointing 31-13 loss to Lyons Twp. (8-1) that forged a three-way tie for the West Suburban Silver title with York (8-1), Hetlet lost the bad taste in his mouth and moved on to the second season.

It's time to prepare for Plainfield North (7-2) and the first round of the Class 7A playoffs at 1 p.m. Saturday at Duchon Field.

“We haven't lost much the last three years, and I think we got complacent,” Hetlet said. “We learned a lesson and we'll see where that lesson takes us.”

Hetlet said the Hilltoppers, accustomed to being the favorite, are now feeding off the impression they've felt from some people who suddenly feel Glenbard West can't make a return trip to 7A final.

“I kind of like being the underdog,” Hetlet said. “Maybe we kind of lost our edge a little bit, but I think we're getting it back.”

Swapping scouts: The radar was crystal clear. Wheaton Warrenville South (9-0) was on Benet's, and vice versa.

Last week WW South's coaching staff took advantage of a rare Thursday game to scout Benet (5-4) a team the Tigers expected to be matched up with in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs against Joliet Catholic.

“I think it helps to see a team in person,” said Tigers coach Ron Muhitch. “It's a different viewpoint than you get on tape.”

Benet coach Pat New and his assistants, meanwhile, took advantage of Friday's open date by scattering to the sites of three potential opponents. New went to see St. Rita, while assistants scouted Plainfield South and WW South.

“We thought we had it pinned down pretty well,” New said. “Knowing we were probably going to play an unbeaten team, we wanted to see those teams.”

Both sides were right. Benet and WW South meet for the first time in the playoffs at 7 p.m. Friday at Red Grange Field.

Back in the bracket: Last season Wheaton North (7-2) needed a double-overtime Week 9 victory over Glenbard East to make the playoffs. The Falcons then responded with a surprising run to the Class 7A quarterfinals, upsetting Rockford Boylan and Prospect along the way.

This season, with key players such as quarterback Reece Butler back in the fold, Wheaton North is eyeing another run. The fourth-seeded Falcons play host to No. 5 Marian Catholic (7-2) at 7 p.m. Friday.

“It's been a great season so far,” said Wheaton North coach Joe Wardynski. “Before the season we talked about getting six wins and we got seven. We had some big wins along the way, and now we're hoping for some more.”

The Falcons notched seven regular-season wins for the first time since reaching the 8A semifinals in 2002. They also beat Naperville Central and Naperville North for the first time in eight years when they went unbeaten in the DuPage Valley Conference.

“This is a good group,” Wardynski said. “It's a talented group and a fun group to be around. We'd like to keep this thing going for a while.”

Gately parade: Gately Stadium on Chicago's south side will be a busy place this weekend, and Fenton will be part of the parade of teams.

The Bison (6-3), seeded 12th in Class 6A, play No. 5 Morgan Park (8-1) at 3:15 p.m. Saturday as the sandwich game between two other Saturday games at Gately.

“It's not your typical starting time, but I'm sure it had to do with the busy schedule they have at the stadium,” said Fenton coach Mark Kos. “We wanted to play on Saturday because of the traffic going into Chicago. A Friday night would have been tough getting there.”

The weekend at Gately begins at 4 p.m. Friday with an 8A game between Bolingbrook and Mt. Carmel followed by a 7:30 p.m. Class 7A game between St. Ignatius and Simeon. CICS Longwood and Carver play at 11:30 a.m. Saturday and then, after the Fenton game, Cary-Grove and Hubbard meet at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The 3:15 p.m. start time may be unusual, but Fenton is actually a veteran of that type of timing. The Bison played Hope at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4 at Chicago's Eckersall Stadium, a game Fenton won 46-6.

“The starting time won't bother us,” Kos said. “We'll be ready to go.”

Back in action: Neuqua Valley (6-3) returns to the playoffs after going 4-5 and 3-6 the last two seasons.

“It feels awesome to be back,” said coach Bryan Wells, whose 11th-seeded Wildcats have a chore ahead in No. 6 Downers Grove South (7-3).

“It's something every team in the state of Illinois sets out to do,” he said. “We shared with our team that this is the equal of other (sports) having a regional title, to get in the round of 32 that makes the playoffs. It's a big, big deal.”

Surviving the struggles that befall most new schools, in its first four seasons Neuqua won a total of eight games before reaching the playoffs six straight years between 2002-07.

In their playoff debut the Wildcats surprised eventual 8A state champion Lockport, which required a touchdown with 1:53 left to win 13-10. They were then humbled by losses to lower seeds the next four years. In 2006 the No. 2 Wildcats lost 11-7 to No. 15 Hinsdale Central.

A schedule that now includes Naperville North and Naperville Central has furthered the maturation of the Neuqua program.

“I don't hear as many comments about our schedule being a weak one,” Wells said. “When you pick up both Napervilles, that adds a lot of legitimacy.”

Overcoming adversity both in and out of the playoffs has served to keep Neuqua grounded.

“We're excited to be back,” Wells said. “We have nothing to lose, we're going to go play.”

The best of times: St. Francis coach Greg Purnell speaks for the rest of us in his love of the postseason.#8220;I've been fortunate enough to be in this great profession for a lot of years,#8221; said the 26-year head coach, who led the Spartans to the 2008 Class 5A title. #8220;There's something about playoff football. There's something about working your tail off, qualifying for the playoffs and getting the opportunity to make a run for a championship. #8220;In other sports it seems like everybody qualifies. In football it's not that way, and that's what makes it special. You get that great opportunity but you have to earn the opportunity.#8221;