Glenbard West gets back on track
Motivation was not hard to find for Glenbard West.
It began with a disappointing Week 9 loss to Lyons and continued with an anticipated first-round Class 7A playoff matchup against Plainfield North and Colorado State-bound running back Kapri Bibbs, who entered the game with 2,600 rushing yards.
“He's the best back I've seen, ever,” said Hilltoppers coach Chad Hetlet. “I've never seen a better running back in 16 years.”
The Hilltoppers (9-1) sharpened their edge even more when Bibbs scored on an 80-yard run on the game's first play from scrimmage. After that, Bibbs managed only 49 yards on 22 carries as multiple Glenbard West defensive players swarmed him on every play.
Glenbard West cruised into the second round with Saturday's 51-22 victory and will face Lincoln-Way East (9-1) Saturday in Glen Ellyn.
“We lost our edge somehow in the regular season, and that happens,” Hetlet said. “I think we're back, though.”
Palatine pride: Getting into the playoffs for the fourth straight year was no guarantee of satisfaction for Palatine.
Pulling a not-as-close as it looked 28-14 upset of third-seed Glenbard North in a Class 8A first-round opener didn't leave the 14th-seeded Pirates fully satisfied, either.
Now they're looking for more after what arguably could be their biggest playoff win since the 1994 state runnerup beat St. Rita in overtime in the semifinals. They'll hit the road again at No. 11 Glenbrook South (6-4) in the second round.
“This was great a satisfying victory,” said Palatine coach Tyler Donnelly, whose other playoff win was over Lane Tech in 2007. “But we have to come down off this high and come back (today) and go to work.”
Palatine also had four possessions two on lost third-quarter fumbles end up empty in Glenbard North territory. And senior quarterback Cody Bobbit had no problem recalling those plays even if he didn't remember that much about his exciting 66-yard cutback touchdown run in the first quarter.
“The turnovers in the second half were unacceptable on my part,” Bobbit said.
But 99 yards on Bobbit's first three carries helped give Palatine the early boost it needed against the DuPage Valley Conference runnerup.
“After we scored the second touchdown in the first half we came out and thought we could beat this team,” said Palatine senior defensive end Trevor Walzak.
The Saxons' 500: Schaumburg's 509 total yards in its 7A first-round win was the third straight time and fourth in five games it has surpassed the 500-yard mark.
“We're playing real well,” said Schaumburg senior running back Shepard Little, who has 1,805 yards and 21 touchdowns. “We have some small penalties but that's easy to correct.
“It's all clicking and once we got clicking on all cylinders we're fine. That's all we needed.”
And seniors Kyle Pollock, Jon Moore, Nick Nykaza and Sean Duminie, junior Mike Baumhart and freshman Matt Zolper have been paving the way for Little and quarterback Mark Iannotti in an offense that has become much more diversified.
“We're all clicking together,” said Pollock, who missed two games with an injured ankle. “All five of us and Duminie at tight end know what's going on.”
Back in business: Neuqua Valley senior running back Trent Snyder finished the regular season with more than 1,000 rushing yards despite struggling through a high ankle sprain for several games.
Finally healthy again, Snyder added 216 yards and 4 touchdowns on 36 carries as the Wildcats (7-3) beat Downers Grove South (7-3) 36-22 in Friday's first-round Class 8A game. Neuqua Valley plays host to Mt. Carmel in the second round.
“Coming off of the high ankle sprain that I was dealing with for about three weeks, I just had to get back on track and start playing with the confidence I knew I could play with,” Snyder said. “I did that with the help of my trainers, my team, my coaches. I just started to feel the way that I was supposed to feel.”
Eliminating instant replays?: There aren't many coaches around who enjoy the prospect of a rematch with a conference opponent in the first round of the playoffs.
Elk Grove coach Brian Doll echoed those sentiments after a 38-21 first-round Class 7A loss to Schaumburg.
“It's one of those games where you look back and hope the IHSA looks at two teams playing each other again in the first round,” said Doll, whose team beat the Saxons 36-34 in the regular season. “Hopefully the IHSA finds a way to not have first-round opponents who have already played
“But my hat's off to (Schaumburg) and Mark (Stilling) runs a class program.”
Daily Herald sports writers Kevin Schmit and Marty Maciaszek compiled this report.