Scouting DuPage County second round playoff football games
Class 8A
No. 16 Neuqua Valley (7-3) at No. 1 Loyola Academy (10-0)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday.
About the Wildcats: Following an impressive 31-17 first-round victory over Palatine last week, the Wildcats face the state's top-ranked Class 8A team in unbeaten Loyola Academy. The Ramblers are the defending 8A state champions. "Loyola is a great team," said Neuqua Valley coach Bill Ellinghaus. "They are huge upfront on both sides of the ball." Against Palatine, the Wildcats' defense limited Tulane-bound Dominik Ball to 23 yards on 11 carries. Playing on a rain-soaked, sloppy field made things difficult for both teams. "The win took all 4 quarters on a very sloppy field," said the coach. "Our quarterback (Ryan Mohler) ran the ball very well and started us off in the first half with two nice touchdown runs." However, Mohler suffered an injury and his replacement, junior Kiet Truong, came through in a big way with a 24-yard completion on a 4th-and-17 play from the Pirates' 27-yard line and the game tied at 17-17. Two plays later, tailback Silvano Spatafora's TD run gave the Wildcats the lead for good. "I was not surprised by Kiet's poise in the pocket and ability to throw the ball," said Ellinghaus. "He has been working hard all season and was ready for the moment. He did a great job." Facing a team that averages 36 points per game and allows 8.6 points per contest, Neuqua will need to limit its mistakes to a minimum in Wilmette Saturday. "We need to win the turnover battle," said the coach. The winner advances to next weekend's quarterfinals against either No. 8 Huntley or No. 24 St. Ignatius.
About the Ramblers: Loyola Academy does a lot of things right, starting with junior quarterback Ryan Fitzgerald, who completed 15 of 22 passes for 151 yards and 2 touchdowns with 5 carries for 47 yards and a touchdown in the team's 45-9 first-round win over Plainfield North last weekend. Fitzgerald has accounted for 23 touchdowns - 14 passing and 9 rushing. Fitzgerald has plenty of support, led by running backs Drew MacPherson, Finn Miller, and Francis Corrigan, and receivers Nicholas Arogundade, Will Carlson, and Michael Baker. Defensively, Loyola is big and physical, paced by end Jimmy McGovern (4 sacks), linebackers Colin Scheid, Quinn Herbert, Jack McGrath, and Ethan Hogg, and strong safety Kenny Langston. Ellinghaus understands the task at hand. "We have played great teams in the past," said the coach. "We need to focus on ourselves and what we do well. We can't get wrapped up in who we are playing. You prepare all week for what they do and their schemes, but we will play our game."
No. 13 Glenbard West (8-2) at No. 4 Edwardsville (9-1)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About Glenbard West: The Hilltoppers' defense and special teams came alive in a 23-8 first round win over Naperville North. Mason Ellens returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown and the defense forced three turnovers and limited the Huskies to their third-lowest scoring total this season. Jack Moellering rushed for two touchdowns against Naperville North. The win also secured a Hilltoppers streak since 2007 of not losing in the first round of a playoff under coach Chad Hetlet. Glenbard West, who won a share of the West Suburban Silvers title, has now won seven straight games and have averaged 36.7 points per game during that span. The defense has allowed 10 or more points twice during the winning streak.
About Edwardsville: The Tigers scored 35 unanswered points to start their first round game against West Aurora, ultimately winning 35-14. They've averaged 40.3 points per game this season and have scored 29 or more points in all of their wins. Edwardsville scored 15 points in its lone loss of the season to East St. Louis (7-2). The Tigers have made the playoffs each year under coach Matt Martin since 2011. They've reached the state semifinals twice during that span. Edwardsville's defense is led by junior edge rusher Iose Epenesa, the top-rated junior prospect in Illinois according to both Rivals and 247Sports. He holds offers from schools like Miami, Michigan, USC, Auburn, Penn State and Iowa. The defense has allowed more than 14 points three times this season.
Up next: The winner faces either No. 5 York (9-1) or No. 21 Lyons (7-3).
No. 5 York (9-1) at No. 21 Lyons Township (7-3)
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
About York: The Dukes controlled their first-round game against Homewood-Flossmoor from the start with an early 10-0 lead and went on to win 43-22 thanks to a few timely big plays. Wide receiver Luke Mailander finished the game with 167 yards and three touchdowns as the offense has now averaged 37.3 points per game. Backup running back Jimmy Connors picked up the pace for York as starter Jake Melion missed some game time tending to a nagging ankle injury. York won three straight regular-season games since losing to Glenbard West and has won two straight first-round games after making the Class 8A semifinals last season. The Dukes will play Lyons for the second time this season after they beat their West Suburban Silver rivals 24-14.
About Lyons: The Lions won their second straight first-round game when they beat Stevenson 31-6 thanks to a big performance from Jack Cheney. He blocked a punt and intercepted a pass to lead Lyons, who reached the Class 8A quarterfinals last season, to a win. Lyons scored 17 unanswered points in the second half. The Lyons defense has now allowed an average of 9.8 points per game with three shutouts and is led by two-way lineman and Illinois commit Eddie Turek. The offense has scored an average of 29.8 and is led by quarterback Ryan Jackson, who threw for 173 yards against Stevenson. The Lions last beat York in 2017.
Up next: The winner faces either No. 13 Glenbard West (8-2) or No. 4 Edwardsville (9-1).
No. 14 Naperville Central (8-2) at No. 3 Barrington (10-0)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Last week: Naperville Central 31, Downers Grove South 22; Barrington 42, Glenbrook South 18
Last meeting: 1st meeting
Advancement: Winner plays winner of No. 11 Belleville East vs. No. 6 Maine South
Outlook: Naperville Central will bring its strong running attack up to Barrington. The Redhawks had that attack on full display last week in their playoff opener. Aidan Clark ran for 248 yards and four touchdowns to help power his team to a win. Naperville Central's offense, which is averaging 25 points per game, will be pitted against a staunch Barrington defense that has been tough to run on this season. Last week the Broncos, led by Devan Van Ness, Soren Leahy, Josh Piepert, Jack Burzinski and Ian Maderosian, stuffed Glenbrook South. They held Titans running back Nick Canning, who came into the game with 1,737 yards, to just 30 yards rushing. The Broncos offense has tremendous balance with Dillon Fitzpatrick, who has rushed for 1,306 yards and 20 touchdowns, and quarterback Nick Peipert, who has thrown for 2,180 yards and 29 touchdowns. Matt Marusich has 658 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns while Will Nahza has 632 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Class 7A
No. 13 Downers Grove North (8-2) at No. 4 Hersey (10-0)
When: Saturday, 6 p.m.
Last week: Downers Grove N. 42, Kenwood 13; Hersey 28, Wheaton Warrenville South 19
Last meeting: 1st meeting
Advancement: Winner plays winner of No. 28 Collinsville vs. No. 12 Lincoln-Way West
Outlook: Downers North opened the season with five consecutive wins before losing two in a row to York and Lyons. In those losses, RB/LB Noah Battle was out with injuries. He has returned and that has buoyed the Trojans. QB Owen Lansu is also a force for Downers North. Hersey has many forces that have helped the Huskies to a 10-0 start. They were at this same point last season but lost in this game in overtime at Batavia. It has been a memory that all the Hersey players are looking to erase. WR/DB Carson Grove has shown that his team is ready to take that next step. He has 58 receptions for 1,276 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also has 5 interceptions this season. Iowa commit Will Nolan leads an offensive line that has enabled Nasir McKenzie to rush for 1,340 yards and 19 touchdowns. Colton Gumino has thrown for 1,978 yards and 24 touchdowns while tight end Logan Farrell has 25 catches for 394 yards and 7 touchdowns.
No. 9 Glenbard East (9-1) at No. 25 Addison Trail (7-3)
When: 6 p.m. Friday.
About the Rams: The defensive-minded Rams recorded their second shutout of the season during last weekend's 24-0 first-round playoff win over Harlem. Aaron Dotson led the way with a pair of interceptions, while Darren Zollicoffer and Quami Stanton also had picks. "Our defense has been stout versus both the run and pass," said Rams coach John Walters. "We've given up 17 first-half points in 10 games - that's kind of crazy. Our starting defense has given up 31 points in 10 games. These guys prepare like no other defense. The attention to detail is amazing. Again, it's a culture - defense and pride in defending." Last weekend, the Rams fought off the elements early. "The rain was pretty hard at the start," said Walters. "We tried protecting the ball a bit while it was raining. Obviously, when it stopped, we were able to open things up a bit which helped us offensively. On defense, we loved the rain." Quarterback Blake Salvino got the Rams on the board with his 54-yard touchdown pass to junior wideout Amonte Cook before Ryan Snell's 39-yard field goal late in the half extended the lead to 10-0. "That was huge - to score before half and get the ball coming out," said the coach. "We talk about that 8 minutes - 4 before and after half as being big. Being able to get a 2-minute drive and get a field goal to give us a 2-possession lead." Now, the Rams will face a neighboring school they haven't played for a long time. "Addison Trail has had a great season," said Walters. "They play hungry. We're going to need to fend off their best shot early with them playing at home. I anticipate a good game between 2 schools who are very close in proximity but haven't played since the 1980s." With a win, Glenbard East will host either No. 1 Normal Community or No. 16 Bradley-Bourbonnais in next weekend's quarterfinals.
About the Blazers: The Blazers just continue to add to their first since ... statistics. Last weekend's 21-18 first-round victory over Lincoln Park was the Blazers' first postseason win since 2014. It also was the Blazers' first road playoff victory since 1997 when coach Paul Parpet's squad edged Naperville Central, 21-19, on their way to a runner-up Class 6A state finish. "It was a grinder," said Blazers coach Chris Bazant. "Our kids played hard and finished. We were able to take care of the football considering the conditions and capitalize on takeaway opportunities. Offensively, we were able to sustain drives to control the clock, and defensively made some big stops in key situations. Senior Damari Jones had a good day running the ball behind our offensive line, and Dom Renc made some big plays both receiving and completing a throw to Casey Carlson to capitalize on a takeaway from our defense." Quarterback Nico Dill will face a Rams' defense that generated 5 turnovers against Harlem last weekend. "They have talent and do a good job being around the ball," said Bazant. Addison Trail welcomes the opportunity to host a playoff game. "It's great," added the coach. "Our players had a goal to make it to the postseason, and now to be playing in round two at home is special. It is exciting to see the school and community come together with Blazer Pride." Bazant knows his team will be tested. "They are fast," the coach said of the Rams. "Our defense is ready to step up and play its best game thus far. We'll have to be ready to bottle up their run game and play a physical game. Offensively, we need to protect the football and sustain and finish drives." With a win, Addison Trail will advance to the quarterfinals against either No. 1 Normal Community or No. 16 Bradley-Bourbonnais next weekend.
No. 15 Willowbrook (8-2) at No. 2 Hononegah (10-0)
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
About Willowbrook: The Warriors won their sixth straight game after taking down Yorkville 21-13 in the first round. Four-year starting quarterback Arthur Palicki shined once again for Willowbrook, throwing for 350 yards, three touchdowns and adding another 91 on the ground. Willowbrook's 21 points against Yorkville was the second-least amount of points it scored this season - the Warriors scored 12 in a loss to start the season against Niles Notre Dame. The Warriors will try to make it back to the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2021. Willowbrook made five straight quarterfinal appearances from 2016 to 2021.
About Hononegah: The Indians stayed undefeated after a 56-12 win over Rockford Auburn in the first round. They needed only 21 plays to put up eight touchdowns as the Northern Illinois Conference champions bested their conference rivals. Quarterback Cole Warren threw for 146 yards and five touchdowns in the win. Hononegah finished the regular season undefeated for the fourth time since 2017. The Indians have made the playoffs each year since 2007 but have only reached the quarterfinal round once during that span, in 2021.
Up next: The winner faces either No. 7 Batavia (9-1) or No. 10 Lincoln-Way Central (9-1).
No. 3 Quincy (10-0) at No. 19 Wheaton North (7-3)
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
About Quincy: The Blue Devils continued their perfect season with a 44-14 win over West Chicago in the first round. They finished the regular season undefeated for the first time since at least 1994 and won the Western Big 6 title. Quarterback Bradyn Little has led an offense that has averaged 45.9 points per game, scoring at least 35 points in every game. Quincy's defense has allowed an average of 18.5 points per game, 33 and 14, respectively, in its last two games. The Blue Devils will try to reach the state quarterfinals for the first time since at least 1994.
About Wheaton North: The Falcons won their fourth straight game by beating Whitney Young 34-0 in the first round. Wheaton North has made the playoffs for a third straight season after winning the Class 7A title in 2021. The program lost in the second round last year. The Falcons' three lone losses are to playoff teams, Lockport, Batavia and Wheaton-Warrenville South. Illinois commit Joe Barna is a key leader defensively as an edge rusher and the Falcons have limited opponents to seven or less points four times this season. Quarterback Max Howser has been the offense's captain and led a unit that has scored at least 22 points eight times.
Up next: The winner faces either No. 6 Mount Carmel (9-1) or No. 11 Prospect (8-2).
Class 5A
No. 8 St. Francis (8-2) at No. 16 Sterling (5-5)
When: 5 p.m. Saturday.
About the Spartans: After completing 20 of 24 passes for 296 yards and 5 touchdowns in the team's 45-14 first-round victory over Rochelle, what can senior quarterback Alessio Milivojevic do for an encore against Sterling this weekend? "He's the best in the Midwest," Spartans coach Bob McMillen said of his quarterback. "The kid just continues to play at a high level. He prepares each week to make sure he does his part for our team to be successful." Milivojevic got the playoffs started on the right foot, completing a 44-yard touchdown pass to DeShaun Williams on the Spartans' first offensive play from scrimmage. Receiver Ian Willis was the chief beneficiary, catching 6 passes for 51 yards and 3 touchdowns. Milivojevic spread the wealth, connecting with 8 different receivers against Rochelle. The quarterback praised his offensive linemen - center Jack Donovan, right tackle Dan Theiss, right guard Jaylen Torres, left guard Matt Anderson, and left tackle Antonio Gutierrez - for giving him time to throw last weekend. "Also, Cooper Paukstis came in to play a huge role when Jaylen got dinged up," said McMillen. James McGrath and Corin Greenwell added interceptions. The St. Francis coach knows there are plenty to areas to improve upon this weekend. "We're making way too many mental mistakes," said McMillen. "We need to be a smarter football team at times. Our kids get caught up in the moment too much and let their emotions and adrenaline take over." The winner advances to the quarterfinals against either No. 4 Morgan Park or No. 5 Sycamore.
About the Golden Warriors: One of 6 teams with a losing record to reach the state playoffs, the Golden Warriors became the first No. 16 seed to beat a top-seeded team since 2018 when they defeated Chicago Payton, 50-0, last weekend. Senior defensive back Cale Ledergerber led the way, returning a pair of interceptions for touchdowns. Sterling has been involved in several close games, beating East Moline United by 4, losing by 2 to Quincy, losing by 7 to Rock Island, and defeating Moline by 5 points in Week 9 to help earn a postseason berth. This is a rematch of the Week 2 contest, won by St. Francis, 42-28. "They are a good football team, and I have the utmost respect for Coach (Jonathan) Schlemmer and his coaching staff. We are expecting an extremely physical team fired up to play us, so we will need to match them."
No. 7 Glenbard South (9-1) at No. 15 Nazareth (5-5)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About Glenbard South: The Raiders couldn't have asked for a better start to the playoffs with a 54-0 win over UIC College Prep. Carter London ran for 160 yards and three touchdowns while the defense picked up its third shutout of the season. Glenbard South's offense has averaged 44.4 points per game and scored at least 35 points in eight of its games. Notre Dame commit Cam Williams has been a major leader for the offense. The Raiders' defense has allowed an average of 10.9 points per game and limited opponents to 14 or less points seven times this season. Glenbard South is making its 12th straight trip to the playoffs but is trying to make the quarterfinals for the first time during that streak.
About Nazareth: The Roadrunners stated their run by taking down No. 2 seed Prairie Ridge 35-28 in the first round. Quarterback Logan Malachuk threw for three touchdowns, 264 yards and added 72 yards on the ground with two touchdowns. The defending Class 5A state champions will try to keep their playoff run going after entering at 4-5 and starting the season 0-4. All five of the Roadrunners' losses came against playoff teams - Kankakee, York, Montini, IC Catholic and St. Francis. Nazareth has made the quarterfinal round every postseason since 2017.
Up next: The winner faces either No. 3 Antioch (10-0) or No. 6 Carmel (9-1).
Class 4A
No. 4 Wheaton Academy (9-1) vs. No. 12 St. Viator (6-4)
When: Friday, 7 p.m. at Forest View
Last week: Wheaton Academy 68, Chicago Phoenix 0; St. Viator 14, Richmond-Burton 0
Last meeting: 1st meeting
Advancement: Winner plays winner of No. 1 Chicago Dyett vs. No. 8 Sandwich
Outlook: The winner of this game will advance to the second round for the first time in their school history. Wheaton Academy is in its third consecutive year in the playoffs and seventh overall. The Warriors were tri-conference champs of the Chicagoland Christian Conference. Their only loss came on a 30-29 decision to Hope Academy. The Warriors are led by conference player of the year Brett Kaspar who has thrown for over 20 touchdown passes, and he has 6 interceptions from his defensive back spot. St. Viator has appeared in the state playoffs since 1974. But despite that, the Lions have never won a second-round game in their 18 appearances. They will look to change that behind a formidable duo on the offensive side with RB/WR Dayvion Ellis and quarterback Cooper Kmet. Both were recently named as the top offensive players in the CCL/ESCC Purple Division. Running back Michale Tauscher along with Ben Konopka, who is a 6-foot-3, 280-pound offensive lineman, also help key the offense. Ethan Angst, Phu Truong, Dreise Rapp and Jaylan Sziachetka lead the Lions' defensive unit that pitched a shutout last week.
No. 7 IC Catholic Prep (8-2) at No. 2 Rockford Boylan (9-1)
When: 2 p.m. Saturday.
About the Knights: IC Catholic, which qualified for the state playoffs for the eighth straight full season, began postseason play with a 35-12 first-round victory over Geneso last weekend in Elmhurst. Senior quarterback Dennis Mandala connected with wide receiver Kaleb Ellis on a pair of touchdown passes, while offensive contributions were added by senior veteran tailback Joey Gliatta, senior wideout KJ Parker, and senior Aaron Harvey. The Knights amassed 496 yards of total offense against Geneseo, including 321 rushing yards, while building leads of 18-6 at halftime and 35-6 after 3 quarters. The Knights have played one of the toughest schedules in the state, having faced Class 8A top-ranked Loyola Academy, 7A Benet Academy, and a pair of 5A playoff qualifiers in St. Francis and Nazareth. IC, which has won 3 straight game, will be playing in its 66th postseason contest. The Knights have plenty of state championship pedigree, including 4 titles in the last 6 years. The defending 3A state champions moved up a notch to 4A this season. The winner will advance to next weekend's quarterfinals against either No. 3 Dixon or No. 11 St. Laurence.
About the Titans: Reaching the playoffs for the fifth consecutive full season, the Titans opened with a 43-12 first-round triumph over Chicago Phillips last weekend. Rockford Boylan opened the scoring with a safety before Philip Dixon returned the subsequent free kick 60 yards for a touchdown. The Titans finished with 358 yards of total offense, including 224 passing yards behind senior quarterback Connor Dennis. Rasheed Johnson is a big, powerful running back, while 6-foot, 285-pound senior Abe Alvarado anchors the defensive line. Defensive backs Santana English and Mikey Hernandez are also game breakers for the Titans, who have outscored their opponents, 380-93. Rockford Boylan has recorded 5 shutouts in 10 games. The Titans, who captured back-to-back state titles in 2010 (6A) and 2011 (7A), will be playing their 95th all-time postseason game.
Class 3A
No. 6 Montini (7-3) at No. 14 Prairie Central (6-4)
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
About Montini: The Broncos picked up their first playoff win since 2019 after taking down Eureka 48-6 in their playoff opener. Quarterback Gaetano Carbonara had led an offense that averaged 28 points per game while skill players Alex Marre, who was named the CCL/ESCC White Offensive Player of the Year, and George Asay. Montini started the season 5-0 but then lost three straight to Providence, St. Viator and Brother Rice - all playoff teams - before ending the season with a win over St. Laurence. The Broncos will try to reach the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2018. Montini made the playoffs each year from 1993 to 2019, winning six titles during that span.
About Prairie Central: The Hawks got back in the win column at the right time, winning their first-round matchup against North Lawndale 48-6. They had previously lost two straight games after starting the season 5-2. Prairie Central quarterback Avery Elder has shown that he can be a dual threat throughout the season, especially in its 32-0 win over Paxton-Buckley-Loda midway through the season. The Hawks have made the playoffs for the sixth straight season and will try to reach the quarterfinals for the third time during that span.
Up next: The winner faces either No. 2 Princeton (9-1) or No. 10 Monmouth-Roseville (6-4).