Next three weeks of football will be wicked fun
Not a week goes by without at least a couple of pretty great football games in DuPage County.
The last three weeks of this regular season, however, will be especially special.
As we've recently seen in Major League Baseball, sometimes the race to get to the playoffs is more exciting than the actual playoffs. Similarly, the buildup to the IHSA football playoffs shouldn't be missed.
“I think it's perfect timing,” said Addison Trail coach Paul Parpet, whose unbeaten Blazers face their two toughest games in the final three weeks. “It gets you ready for that playoff mentality. These are the games you live for, and we've got to rise to the occasion.”
Are you interested in cross-town rivalries? You've got them.
This weekend features the District 204 battle between Neuqua Valley (5-1) and Waubonsie Valley (5-1) at North Central College. Next week the Naperville campus plays host to the District 203 game between Naperville North (4-2) and Naperville Central (4-2).
Week 9 caps the cross-town showdowns when Wheaton North (5-1) plays Wheaton Warrenville South (3-3). It's part of a string of wicked games for the Falcons, who face Naperville Central on Friday and Glenbard North (5-1) next week.
“I guess it's not ideal, but you've got to play them sometime,” said Wheaton North coach Joe Wardynski, whose team is the last of the unbeaten teams in the DVC. “If you're good enough to be in the playoffs, you should be good enough to play these types of games.”
You want conference title matchups? You've got that as well, and just about everywhere you look.
Fenton (5-1), the two-time defending Metro Suburban Conference champion, and Glenbard South (3-3) meet Friday in Glen Ellyn in a crucial MSC game. Neuqua Valley, unbeaten in the Upstate Eight Valley Division, faces fellow unbeaten Bartlett in Week 8. That makes this week's game with Waubonsie Valley even more important.
In the Suburban Christian Conference Gold, Immaculate Conception (5-1, 3-0) hosts Aurora Christian (5-1, 3-0) on Friday in search of its first conference title since 2002.
Glenbard West (6-0) — which kicks off its ho-hum late-season schedule Friday at Addison Trail — plays York (5-1) next Saturday at Duchon Field with the West Suburban Silver crown on the line.
And the Blazers? If things go according to plan Addison Trail will play Downers Grove South (6-0) in a winner-take-all matchup for the West Suburban Gold title in Week 9.
Then there's the DVC. Wheaton North is in first place at 4-0, but Naperville North, Naperville Central, Glenbard North and WW South are right behind at 3-1. Over the next three weeks all five teams will take turns beating up on each other.
It's a situation similar to 1997 when three teams shared the DVC title with 6-1 records. That's also the last time the DVC champion wasn't unbeaten.
“Whether you win or lose, you can't think about it too much,” said Naperville Central coach Mike Stine. “There's always another big game. No matter what, you have to have a short memory.”
All the games mentioned above don't take into account the must-win games that inevitably arrive in Week 9. You just know some teams will enter the regular season's final week on the playoff bubble at 4-4.
Every team has its own story heading into these final weeks.
For the powerhouses that have rolled through the season thus far — like Downers South — strong competition is much-needed heading into the postseason.
For some teams, though, the physical pounding already is taking a toll. Take, for example, the injury situation at quarterback for Glenbard North and Glenbard West.
It's an anxious time of year for everyone, and the magnitude of the matchups doesn't make it any easier.
Buckle up for what's sure to be a bumpy ride toward the playoffs.
“I guess I'd prefer to have the games spread out, but I also like having them at the end of the season,” said Glenbard West coach Chad Hetlet. “You want to be playing at that level at the end of the year. It definitely makes you battle tested.”
kschmit@dailyherald.com