Scouting DuPage County second round playoff football games
Stillman Valley (9-1) at IC Catholic Prep (9-1)
When: Saturday, 3 p.m. (Plunkett Athletic Complex, Elmhurst)
Seeds: Stillman Valley is the No. 5 seed in the top-half of the Class 3A bracket; IC Catholic Prep is the No. 4 seed.
About the Cardinals: This perennial small-school power finished tied for first in the Big Northern Conference with fellow powerhouse Byron (which beat ICCP in the state semifinals last year). “IC is an excellent team, one of the premier programs in the state,” longtime Stillman coach Mike Lalor said. “They are loaded with talent and well-coached. We have had a real collective team effort. One player has not really stood out, but as a group they have done things well.” The Cardinals are powered by two-way lineman Andrew Forcier, “very consistent for being undersized,” Lalor noted. Senior tailbacks Porter Needs and Owen Zitkus have run for 800 yards each. These two teams are no strangers to each other in the playoffs. IC Catholic Prep defeated Stillman 31-0 in the 2018 Class 4A second round and 35-14 in the 2019 Class 4A second round. Stillman defeated ICCP 43-21 in the 2010 Class 3A second round and the Knights won 35-14 over the Cardinals in the 2002 second round on the way to the Elmhurst-based program's first of five state titles.
About the Knights: IC Catholic Prep started its playoff journey last week with a 63-0 win over Chicago King. “It was a program win,” assistant coach Thomas Gibbons said. “We had a lot of guys play, especially some who have never appeared in a state playoff game. We executed from the first snap to the last. We are proud of putting up a shutout in Round 1, knowing we played a lot of guys. They executed just like we preached all week on the practice field.” Now, ICCP faces a playoff frequenter in Stillman Valley. “Stillman Valley has been a mainstay in the 3A playoffs,” Gibbons said. “Their offense has a lot of speed and skill. We need to play our best game of the season to stop their rushing attack. Our players are up to the challenge. Saturday afternoon at Plunkett will be a battle.” Gibbons said the focus remains on things the Knights can control. “Just continue to play IC football,” he said. “If we do our job every play, we have a chance to move on. Our offensive and defensive lines have been great, and this game will be very important for them. It will be won or lost at the line of scrimmage.” Gibbons had high praise for offensive lineman and captain Isiah Gonzalez. “He makes it all go,” Gibbons said. Quarterback Dennis Mandala continues to put up winning numbers. “His poise under pressure is what makes him such a great player,” Gibbons said. “When we need a big play, Dennis delivers.” Eric Karner also has been key to the Knights' offense as a run-game blocker. “Eric has been a big boost for us,” Gibbons said. “At wide receiver or tight end, he wants to make the big block and spring a guy loose.” Jesse Smith has been playing well since returning from injury. “Since being back from injury, Jesse has been a dominate force on offense and defense,” Gibbons said. “He had a touchdown catch in Round 1 and multiple big plays on defense at linebacker.” Trey Harris and Nathan Schmidt also have had big roles in the Knights' success. “You can count on Trey to do his job every play,” Gibbons pointed out. “Nate continues to be a solid defensive end. His continued work in practice allows him to better perform on game days. I'm excited to watch him play Saturday.”
Evergreen Park (8-2) at St. Francis (9-1)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
Seeds: Evergreen Park is the No. 6 seed in the top half of the Class 4A bracket; St. Francis is the No. 3 seed.
About the Mustangs: Evergreen Park competes in the South Suburban Conference Red Division where five of the seven teams made the playoffs, including conference-champion Oak Lawn Richards, which was dispatched 71-0 in the first round by East St. Louis. Junior quarterback Deijon Feliciano is a two-year starter, while senior linebacker Asael Rubalcava leads the team in tackles and interceptions. Junior defensive end-tackle Eduardo Antunez, has been consistent on both offense and defense and also is a two-year starter, Mustangs coach Jerry Verde said. “St. Francis is an excellent team,” Verde said. “They are well-coached, have good size and good speed. In order to be successful, we must be able to execute on offense and defense. That includes identifying and aligning correctly to what they are giving us. We have a talented group with a highly committed core. Regardless of the successes or difficulties, we have approached each week of practice with focus and effort.”
About the Spartans: The Spartans soundly defeated Marengo last week 63-0. “I thought we executed in all three phases,” St. Francis coach Bob McMillen said. “We had very little mental mistakes in the game. Our kids were playing at a very high level flying to the ball.” Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic passed for 267 yards and 5 touchdowns, needing only 8 completions to do so. Zach Washington, in his first start as a freshman, had 2 catches for 47 yards with both grabs going for scores. Dash Dorsey had an 80-yard touchdown run, plus caught 2 passes for 114 yards and a score. Offensive lineman Jack Anderson “is playing as well as anyone on our line,” McMillen said. “He's physical and smart.” Running back Brady Piper “is running the ball with power and vision,” McMillen said. “He's breaking a ton of tackles.” McMillen added wide receiver Liam Kolinski is making big plays when needed, plus has been a huge asset to the St. Francis running game. Antonio Guiterrez, a 6-3, 325-pound offensive and defensive linebacker “is a road-grader moving people all over, plus is starting to do a good job on defense clogging up the middle,” McMillen said. “People need to start taking notice.” Safety and kicker Cam Engesser kicked 8 extra points in the first half last week against Marengo. “Cam has done a good job at safety making big plays at crucial times, plus he filled in nicely at kicker last week, kicking 8 extra points in the first half. That might be an IHSA record,” McMillen said. Wide receiver Deshaun Williams has been hurt most of the season, “but came on strong last week and is looking more healthy every week,” McMillen said. “Evergreen Park is a very athletic and physical team,” McMillen said. “We have to be able to match the physicality and play disciplined football. Their quarterback and running back are very quick and can make people miss in space.”
Lake Zurich (9-1) at Wheaton North (9-1)
When: Saturday, 4 p.m.
Seeds: Lake Zurich is the No. 11 seed in the 32-team Class 7A bracket; Wheaton North is the No. 6 seed.
About the Bears: Lake Zurich handled business last week against Larkin (48-6) and now faces defending Class 7A state-champion Wheaton North, a team that plays in a notoriously tough DuKane Conference. “We are excited about the opportunity to play the defending state champions,” Lake Zurich coach Ron Planz said. “They are a very disciplined, well-coached team that knows how to win. The know what it is like to make a run in the playoffs. It is going to be a fun challenge for us. We have to play our game and be mistake-free to be successful.” Planz liked how the Bears played hard, fast and physical last week against Larkin. “We need that type of play every week if we are going to make a fun. We were pretty efficient on offense. We scored on four of our first five drives, and the one punt we had flipped field position by downing it at the 1-yard line.” Planz said the word focus is being, for lack of an alternate term, focused on this week. “The playoffs are a new season and a unique experience with different schedules and game times,” he said. “We need to make sure our focus is there in all aspects, including meetings, practice and gameday.” Tyler Erkman had 2 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown, returned 2 punts for 110 yards and a touchdown and made 2 tackles and had a pick on defense. He did not play in the second half. “Tyler had a great first-round playoff game,” Planz said. The Lake Zurich defense held Larkin to 102 yards of total offense and caused 3 turnovers. The Bears' offense gained 327 yards and had no turnovers. Kicker-punter Danny Vuckovic hit field goals of 30 and 31 yards against Larkin and was 6-for-6 in extra-point attempts. All 8 of his kickoffs went for touchbacks and his 37-yard punt was downed at the 1-yard line. “Danny was great,” Planz said. Chris Pirrone ran for 93 yards on 18 carriers last week. “Chris has been great at running the ball lately,” Planz noted. Planz explained the Lake Zurich offensive line has helped its backfield average 216 yards rushing per game over the last 3 games, which includes the Larkin postseason win. That unit includes Richie Marmol, Trevor Scheutz, Bryce Sanders, Collin Byrne, Jim Stronly and Nick Panico. “Our offensive line has been good,” he said. Cal Grabowski has stepped it up throughout the season. He leads the team in tackles despite missing 2 games due to injury. “Cal has been a great two-way player all year,” Planz said. Grabowski has rushed for 254 yards on 40 carries with 4 touchdowns (6.35 yards per carry) and has 56 tackles (31 solos) with 8 tackles for loss and 2 sacks.
About the Falcons: Wheaton North coach Joe Wardynski said the Falcons' success this season “has been the result of our seniors providing strong leadership for our younger players.” “Up to this point, we have played a lot of close games and have been able to come out on top in most of them,” he said. “Our kids like to compete and enjoy playing in big games. Lake Zurich will likely be as tough of a challenge as we have faced all year.” Senior wide receiver-defensive back Karsten Libby has 3 interceptions and is North's second-leading tackler. He also has 20 catches for 300 yards and 2 touchdowns. Senior Tyler O'Connor has 8 interceptions and is the third-leading tacklers and has also run for 500 yards and 13 touchdowns. Senior running back-linebacker Luke Beedle has run for 600 yards and 4 touchdowns, and also has 30 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, a sack and 2 pass breakups. “Lake Zurich is an extremely well-coached team that went undefeated in the always tough North Suburban Conference,” Wardynski said. “Offensively, they have a lot of weapons and can make plays on the ground and through the air. The line appears to work very well together and is an athletic group. The quarterback is as talented as any we have seen this year. On defense, they are aggressive and tackle very well. They appear to limit big plays with their discipline and ability to run to the football.”
Lincoln-Way East (10-0) at Neuqua Valley (8-2)
When: Friday, 6 p.m.
Seeds: Lincoln-Way East is the No. 1 seed in the 32-team Class 8A bracket; Neuqua Valley is the No. 17 seed.
About the Griffins: The Class 8A No. 1 seed heads to Naperville for this second-round matchup. During the regular season Lincoln-Way East played seven teams that made the playoffs, including Batavia (31-16 win in Week 2 at home). The Griffins won the South Suburban Conference Blue Division and have outscored opponents 408-117.
About the Wildcats: Neuqua Valley handled Lane Tech 37-0 in its playoff opener last week and will now face the team that ended the regular season ranked second in the Class 8A Associated Press state poll behind Loyola Academy. Lincoln-Way East received 2 first-place votes (Loyola had eight). These two teams played in the 2007 Class 8A second round with Lincoln-Way East winning 43-14. Neuqua is shooting for its third season in a row with at least two playoff wins. The Wildcats made the quarters last year and finished 10-2.
No. 12 Glenbrook South (9-1) at No. 5 Glenbard West (9-1)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About the Titans: Glenbrook South is coming off an impressive 40-7 first-round win over Homewood-Flossmoor. The Titans' only loss was to Maine South, 23-16 in Week 6. Glenbrook South's lone regular-season win over a team with a winning record was a good one, 43-42 over Palatine in Week 4. The Titans this season had 11 returning starters back from a 2021 team that went 9-3 and made the quarterfinals in the program's deepest playoff run since 2009. Like Glenbard West, Glenbrook South's strength appears to start up front with an offensive line led by three-sport star Drew Duffy at guard. Fellow lineman Jacque Gariepy holds an offer from Drake.
About the Hilltoppers: Glenbard West had it all going last week in a 38-7 win over Lockport. Senior QB Korey Tai threw for 3 touchdowns, 2 to Filip Maciorowski, and ran for a score. Julius Ellens also ran for a TD. Defensively, the Hilltoppers forced 3 turnovers. Tai's 7-for-8 passing for 164 yards and the three scores adds another dimension to a Glenbard West offense that is hard to contain on the merits of its ground game alone. That run game, with Ellens and Joey Pope running behind a big line anchored by Wisconsin recruit Chris Terek, is hard to stop once it gets revved up. The Hilltoppers also played a much cleaner game from a penalty perspective last week, a trend they'll want to maintain as the games continue to get tougher. Glenbard West seeks its first quarterfinal appearance since 2016, recent history not lost on the Hilltoppers.
No. 2 York (10-0) at No. 18 Marist (7-3)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About the Dukes: York's historic season didn't miss a beat with the playoffs starting. The Dukes last week beat Oswego East 31-10 for the program's first playoff win since 2010. Jake Melion rushed for 128 yards and 3 TDs, QB Matt Vezza threw for 165 yards and rushed for 54 and York's defense held Oswego East to three first downs until its final drive. Now the Dukes get another opportunity to build their pedigree at a CCL/ESCC power with recent playoff success. York head coach Mike Fitzgerald knows the opposing program well. He was offensive coordinator at Marist from 2008-2013 and helped the RedHawks take second in Class 8A in 2009. York has two components that seem to translate to success on the road: a stingy defense and a talented, veteran QB in two-year starter Vezza. York seeks its first quarterfinal appearance since 2006.
About the RedHawks: Is Marist the best three-loss team in the state? Based on the quality of the RedHawks' losses, perhaps. Marist lost to Glenbard West 33-31 in Week 1, and its other two losses are to Mt. Carmel and Loyola, arguably the state's two best teams. Marist comes in off a solid 42-28 first-round win at Naperville North. Quarterback Dermot Smyth threw for 171 yards and a touchdown, and ran for 113 yards and 2 scores. Chris Lofgren rushed for 208 yards and 3 TDs. Jamel Howard, a 6-foot-3, 320-pound defensive lineman, is committed to Wisconsin and picked up a recent offer from Michigan. Marist defensive back John Nestor is committed to Iowa. Marist has a recent history of deep playoff runs as a low seed. In 2021, the RedHawks made the 8A semifinals as a No. 18 seed and in 2019 they made the semifinals as a No. 23 seed
No. 1 Mount Carmel (10-0) at No. 17 Downers Grove North (7-3)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About the Caravan: Mount Carmel staked its claim as the state's No. 1-ranked team with a 42-37 Week 9 win over Loyola, and is the overwhelming favorite in the Class 7A bracket. A high-powered Caravan offense averaged nearly 42 points per game during the regular season and kept it rolling with a 49-3 first-round win over Buffalo Grove. Senior QB Blainey Dowling completed a staggering 77% of his passes during the regular season for 1,900 yards and 28 TDs, and ran for five scores. Junior running back Darrion Dupree holds 18 scholarship offers including Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. Defensively, senior lineman Asher Tomaszewski is committed to Kansas State and edge rusher Danny Novickas to Ohio.
About the Trojans: Downers Grove North gave the West Suburban Silver a perfect 4-0 mark in the first round by virtue of its 46-0 win at Lincoln Park. Now the Trojans brace for an enormous challenge with No. 1 Mount Carmel. A defense led by senior defensive end Ben Bielawski has been the backbone of the Trojans' team all season, and get its biggest test with arguably the most potent offense in the state. It wouldn't hurt Downers Grove North to hit on a few big plays to score points it will need to hang with the Caravan, and that usually means senior wide receiver Ethan Thulis is getting touches. The Trojans would also be served well to control the ball with the running of Noah Battle. As good as Mount Carmel is, Downers Grove North can take confidence in the fact that it took unbeaten York to overtime, and was within a touchdown in the fourth quarter against Glenbard West.