Prospect’s facing tough 1st-round test

The waiting was just one of the hardest parts of Prospect’s seventh straight appearance in the state football playoffs.

Prospect coach Mike Sebestyen wasn’t convinced his 5-4 team was in the playoffs until about 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The Knights’ 40 playoff points were just enough to make the highest cutoff for 5-4 teams in IHSA history.

So, as team No. 252 in the 256-team field, the 16th-seeded Knights hit the road next Saturday for their Class 7A opener against top-seed Glenbard West (9-0), which some observers consider its best team since its 1983 state champion.

But the trip there included a recovery from a slow 1-3 start, a late drive to edge Rolling Meadows and avoid elimination two weeks ago and a win at Buffalo Grove on Friday.

“I said to the kids (Saturday), ‘We haven’t done anything easy all year so why should it start now,” first-year Prospect coach Mike Sebestyen said with a laugh. “Let’s go at it and do our job. As long as we play our style of football I feel good about our opportunity.

“They’re a big, physical football team and there’s a reason they are 9-0. It will be a fun experience for the kids and a challenging experience.”

The Knights’ seven-year playoff streak is tied for third-longest in MSL history with Rolling Meadows (2003-09). Fremd is first at 16 (1995-2010) and Palatine is second at 12 (1987-96).

Better than last year: Elk Grove is opening the playoffs for the second straight year with a Mid-Suburban League opponent.

The difference this time is the Grenadiers (8-1) won’t have faced Mayor’s Trophy rival Conant (6-3) the last two seasons when they meet in a 7A opener.

Last year the Grenadiers lost their opener to a Schaumburg team they had beaten in an MSL crossover.

“Last year was a weird situation playing Schaumburg,” said Elk Grove coach Brian Doll. “This is OK because we haven’t played them early this year and I get along with Bill (Conant coach Modelski) really well. It will be a lot of fun.”