No doubt about it for WW South
Fifty weeks ago it took two overtimes for Wheaton Warrenville South and Glenbard West to decide an epic showdown for the Class 7A championship.
While the Tigers won on the scoreboard, many of the Glenbard West faithful still don't believe the better team won that football game.
In Saturday's rematch in Wheaton, both sides sought decisiveness.
“I definitely felt like this could have been the title game with two state championship-caliber teams playing,” said Tigers safety Caleb Bednarz. “It's good to get a rematch. There's been some controversy as to who really is the better team and I think we proved that today.”
There was nothing controversial about Saturday's result. WW South (12-0) continued its season of dominance with a 40-20 win over Glenbard West (10-2), although it's difficult to connect this year's quarterfinal game with last season's final.
First of all, too many of the faces are different. Even the ones we expected to see this year, like injured Glenbard West quarterback Mike Matthew and fullback Trace Sorey. Or banged up WW South linebacker Jack Eshleman and defensive lineman Brian Welker.
It never can be an apples-to-apples comparison from one season to the next. Still, this is how rivalries and bragging rights work.
And make no mistake about it: WW South and Glenbard West are engaged in what is rapidly becoming one of the state's premier rivalries.
They represent the two clear football powers in DuPage County and, even though they've taken a few years off from their regular-season series, last year's title game will be a lifelong memory for both sides.
Count Saturday's game as another chapter of the reborn rivalry, one that WW South fully cherished in the final game at Red Grange Field for the Tigers seniors.
“There's so much emotion for us in a game like this, especially to beat them,” said Tigers defensive lineman Sparty Chino. “There was a lot of talk from them coming in that they got robbed last year, but we rose to the occasion for this one and it kind of felt like a state championship atmosphere.”
The biggest challenge now for the Tigers is to not allow a letdown in next week's road trip to Belleville East. Judging by the focus of this team, however, a letdown doesn't seem likely.
Eventually after what WW South hopes will be a second straight Class 7A championship run the Hilltoppers will be on everyone's mind once again.
The teams are renewing their regular-season series starting in next year's opener, and a rivalry already glowing will start burning even brighter.
“It's going to be a battle to try to get the next generation of kids ready,” said Tigers coach Ron Muhitch. “But you know what? This is a good statement by our program.”