Scouting Lake County second round playoff football games
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 ae 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 on 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 said 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: “Lake Zurich is an extremely well-coached team that went undefeated in the always tough North Suburban Conference,” Wheaton North coach Joe 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.” Wardynski said the Falcons' success this season “has been the result of our seniors providing strong leadership for our younger players,” he said. “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. 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.
Warren (9-1) at Tinley Park Andrew (7-3)
When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
Seeds: Warren is the No. 8 seed in the 32-team Class 8A bracket; Andrew is the No. 24 seed.
About the Blue Devils: “Andrew is a tough team from the south suburbs,” Warren coach Bryan McNulty said. “They run a very unique offense and play tough defense. They play in a very tough conference, so we know they will be battle-tested. We will need to attempt to keep their offense in check and play fundamentally sound across the board.” McNulty liked his team's approach in last week's playoff game against North Suburban foe Stevenson. “Our team carried the right intensity into this game,” he said. “Stevenson is a conference opponent so we knew them well. We knew they would be physical and very well-coached. I thought our kids came out and delivered on the expectations they had set for themselves.” McNulty said a point of emphasis this week will be coming out of the gates strong in the second half. “We sputtered out in the second half offensively, which is never acceptable,” he said. McNulty likes how the trio of Taylen Curry at wide receiver, Max Lingensfelter (offensive tackle) and Jaivin Young (guard) has been performing. “Taylen has really stepped up his game both as a blocker and a receiver,” he said. “He is a very vocal leader for us offensively as well. Max has really come on strong these last few games. Jaivin is really developing into a nice guard in our conference.”
About the Thunderbolts: Victor J. Andrew High School competes in the Southwest Suburban Conference Red Division where it finished second to Bradley Bourbonnais. The Thunderbolts were outscored 222-237 in the regular season. “Warren is a solid program with lots of history,” Andrew coach Adam Lewandowski said. “They take pride in their defense and run game.” Lewandowski labeled his team “fighters,” a trait he said has contributed to the Thunderbolts' success this season. “We fight for each other no matter what lies ahead,” he said. “We have an outstanding work ethic and a strong will to do our job. Our place is going to be rocking Saturday night.” Andrew is led by the likes of senior defensive lineman Aiden Zeman, senior safety Dominic Spano and senior outside linebacker Noah Cozzolino.
St. Ignatius (8-2) at Grayslake Central (7-3)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Seeds: St. Ignatius is the No. 4 seed in the top-half of the Class 6A bracket; Grayslake Central the No. 12 seed.
About the Wolfpack: St. Ignatius won the Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference White Division and brings a 5-game winning streak to Grayslake. Ignatius' only losses came to Chicago St. Patrick 19-14 in Week 1 at Triton College and to 10-0 Chicago Mt. Carmel (41-17). The Wolfpack have played only two teams during the regular season that won more than 5 games and then beat Central Suburban North-champion Deerfield last week.
About the Rams: Central is back in the second round after beating Belvidere North for the second year in a row to open the playoffs. “Resilience,” Rams coach Mike Maloney said. “We did not play winning playoff football in the first half (last week). We dug ourselves a hole and the boys allied around each other to find a way. In four years, we have gone from football irrelevance to a tough out in the postseason. The next step is competing for titles year in and year out. In the second half against Belvidere North, the team proved they believed in each other. The boys were faced with tremendous adversity and needed an urgent response. Several guys stepped up to be a catalyst for success. Our next postseason challenge requires us to come out of the gates with the same belief, confidence and sense of urgency.” Maloney noted St. Ignatius is an athletic, disciplined and extremely well-coached team. “They do an outstanding job of manipulating defensive fronts with multiple formations, shifts, motions and personnel adjustments. They are an option-based system, but have the ability to score points with predetermined ball carriers, as well as by the way of their potent quarterback's arm. On the defensive side, all 11 players read keys well and react appropriately. St. Ignatius employs some aggressive pass rushers while matching up their athletes out back in a good mix of zone and main principals.” Maloney said St. Ignatius standout Jordan Scott must be accounted for at all times. “Jordan deserves all the accolades and college attention he has earned,” he said. “On film, he's one of the best linemen I have seen in my coaching career. We will have to account for his strength, mass and location throughout the game.” Maloney said advancement to the quarterfinals will revolve around playing sound team defense. “We must tackle better than we did in the first half last week,” he said. “Our edge defenders must seek collisions and dictate to the offensive backfield the tone and tempo of the game. To score points, we will need to take advantage of the natural space St. Ignatius creates in its base alignments. Cole Gillette will need to stay true to his progressions and deliver the ball with confidence and on time. The offensive line will need to pack a lunch and go to work. I miss playing line in the Catholic League and I am anxious to see how our young men fare in the trenches. This game, as most, will come down to tackling and take-aways. The turnover ratio will determine the victor.” Central's Kaiden Miller needs 4 yards to break the single-season rushing record at the school currently held by Joey Valdivia (1,356 yards). Miller already owns school records for career receiving yards, total touchdowns scored in a season and career, and total points scored in a season and a career. Also helping in the backfield have been Matty Jens and Alex Carter. “Matty and Alex are great complements to Kaiden's constant explosive play threat,” Maloney explained. “Matty is the consistent ground-and-pound power runner who will grind out extra yards. Alex has the right mix of speed and make you miss that allows the misdirection piece to our offense to keep defenses off-balance.” Maloney also had high praise for Andy Galan up front. “Andy anchors the offensive line for us at the center position,” he said. Mickey Drevline made a “spectacular,” as Maloney noted, 33-yard catch in a “very big moment,” he added, against Belvidere North. Rarri Bernabe led all tacklers in the playoff win. “Rarri played his best game in Round 1,” Maloney said. And Jacob DeLeon continues to contribute in all three phases,” the coach pointed out. “He's reliable in covering kicks and picked off a pass to seal the game in Belvidere,” Maloney said.
Grayslake North (9-1) at Machesney Park Harlem (7-3)
When: Saturday, 6 p.m.
Seeds: Grayslake North is the No. 3 seed in the top-half of the Class 6A bracket; Harlem is the No. 11 seed.
About the Knights: “Harlem is a quality opponent,” North coach Brian Johnson said. “You do not get to this point in the season without being one. Harlem is a big school, big team, big line and has big-time playmakers. We need to emphasize to our players that we need to focus on playing the game and not focus on all the other things we cannot control. Harlem runs some unorthodox formations and look for the either/or play at the line. We need to be able to recognize their formation and swam to the football. We can't let their backs run free. We need to bottle them up. We need to stick to the formula. Limit their big plays, keep it close into the fourth quarter and hang on to the ball.” Johnson liked the fact many players were able to experience playoff football in last week's 55-0 win over Chicago Senn. “The good thing about extending your season is getting back some of your players who were injured early in the season,” Johnson said. “We are looking forward to having some of our guys back.” Pass coverage has been emphasized this week. “We need to work on our coverage skills,” Johnson said. “Harlem has an experienced quarterback who has thrown and run for at least 2,000 yards.” Speaking of quarterbacks, North star Jake Donohue has thrown for 1,892 yards and 25 touchdowns, while Michael Jefferson has 51 carries for 503 yards and 6 touchdowns. DJ Neely has 36 catches for 745 yards and 9 touchdowns. Offensive linemen Nik Green, Casey Staver and Evan McMahon have stepped things up of late, Johnson noted. “We are extremely happy with how our offensive line has grown the past few weeks,” he said. “Nik, Casey and Even have led our team.” Linebacker Max Bouma leads the team with 13 tackles for loss. “Max has come on of late,” Johnson said. Kicker Gavin Gongalton is 3-for-4 in field-goal tries this season with a long of 40 yards and has hit on 45 of 49 extra-point tries. Johnson also likes what Junior Munoz has brought to the table for the Knights this season. “Junior has become a great utility player for us,” he said. “He has expanded his role defensively, playing multiple positions on offense and is on all our special teams.”
About the Huskies: Harlem plays in the Northern Illinois Conference 10 (NIC-10) and was one of five teams from that loop to make the playoffs. “Grayslake North are the champions of their conference,” Harlem coach Robert Moynihan said. “They are a very well-coached and disciplined team. The quarterback is a four-year starter who has developed very well. It looks like he has protected the ball much better this year than in previous years. The running back is a nice-sized player with speed. Their offensive and defensive lines are very good. They have dangerous receivers who know how to get open and speed off to the end zone. To be successful, we will have to stop the running game and make sure our zone defense keeps its head on a swivel. Their run game and passing game are top-notch. We also must contain the quarterback. He looks like a young Patrick Mahomes. He runs around, does some crazy spin and finds a receiver down field open. Our team is resilient. We have faced adversity with three of our top receivers going down with season-ending injuries early, two before the season and one player four weeks into our season.” Moynihan noted the team's commitment to the weight room has paid off with its nose guard in the 2,000-pound club and several other players in the 1,700-pound club (4 lifts).
Niles Notre Dame (7-3) at Wauconda (9-1)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Seeds: Notre Dame is the No. 8 seed in the top-half of the Class 6A bracket; Wauconda is the No. 1 seed.
About the Dons: Notre Dame downed fellow Northern Lake County Conference foe Antioch 28-7 last week. Wauconda beat Antioch 16-14 in the regular-season matchup. The Dons play in the Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference Green Division that also includes St. Rita (7-2 regular season), Nazareth Academy (5-4) and Benet (4-5). The Dons' losses have come to Chicago Mt. Carmel (42-0), Benet (21-14) and St. Rita (30-6).
About the Bulldogs: “Notre Dame is a well-coached team that is disciplined and physical,” Wauconda coach Chris Prostka said. “They play in a tough conference and have competed with some top teams. We are looking forward to the challenge. The next step for our program is to advance deeper into the playoffs, so these are the games we have been preparing for. We will need to be balanced offensively an work to keep Notre Dame guessing on what we are going to do. Defensively, our guys need to stay true to their reads. Notre Dame does a good job of being balanced and throwing off of play-action/RPOs. Their quarterback reads well in the run game and will take advantage if we are out of alignment. Winning the turnover battle should be a huge factor in this game.” Prostka was a huge fan of how his team rebounded in last week's playoff win. “Our players showed resilience bouncing back after our Week 9 loss to Grayslake North,” he said. “Our younger players got some playoff experience last week, which should benefit us in the future.” Running back Connor Vanselow went over the 1,000-yard rushing barrier last week, while quarterback Logan Olsen surpassed 1,000 passing yards. Conlan Rath is second on the team in tackles, has 7 tackles for loss and took an interception back for a score last week. Connor Coty is third in tackles “and has been solid at linebacker,” Prostka said. Clayton Glasby had an interception as well last week. “Clayton has become a factor in our defensive backfield,” the coach said.
Sycamore (10-0) at Carmel (7-3)
When: Saturday, 2 p.m.
Seeds: Sycamore is the No. 1 seed in the top half of the Class 5A bracket; Carmel is the No. 9 seed.
About the Spartans: Sycamore ended the regular season ranked No. 2 in the Class 5A Associated Press state poll (behind only Kankakee). And with good reason. Sycamore, which reached the state semifinals a year ago, has outscored opponents 390-55 in 10 games this season, eight of those coming against teams that made the playoffs. Sycamore has not allowed a point in its last three games, has five total shutouts and has held an opponent to single-digit scoring in eight of the 10 contests. In the two instances where Sycamore did allow more than 10 points, in one of the games the score was 47-7 at halftime and in the other contest it was 35-0 after two quarters. “We will need to try to keep Carmel from chunk plays,” Sycamore coach Joe Ryan said. “Easier said than done.” Senior quarterback Eli Meier, senior offensive lineman and defensive lineman Lincoln Cooley and senior linebacker Ethan Bode are all three-year starters. “We have a lot of experience back from our semifinal team from last year,” Ryan noted.
About the Corsairs: Carmel ended the regular season losing three of its last four contests, but rebounded nicely with a decisive first-round win last week against Chicago Noble-Bulls. Carmel has faced five playoff teams this season and holds a 3-2 record.