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The Playoff Edition Expanded Football Top 20

First and 10

1. Cary-Grove (9-0) Next opponent: Senn

Comment: The Trojans begin defense of their Class 6A state championship after a better regular season than the state title team had a year ago. Cary-Grove finished off a perfect 9-0 run through the FVC with only two close games — an 18-12 win over Prairie Ridge and a 44-43 thriller over Huntley when Cary-Grove scored the final 15 points in the last six minutes.

2. Downers Grove North (8-1) Next opponent: Wheaton Warrenville South

Comment: The Trojans capped a second-place finish in the West Suburban Silver with a 42-28 win over Hinsdale Central. They have one common opponent with WW South, Lyons Township, who defeated both teams, 21-20 over the Trojans and 30-22 over the Tigers.

3. Naperville Central (8-1) Next opponent: Schaumburg

Comment: The Redhawks are coming off their first and only loss of the year to the AP’s No. 1 ranked 8A team Lincoln-Way East, 28-7, earning praise from Griffins coach Rob Zvonar who called Central the best team they have seen. Now comes Schaumburg, in the playoffs for the first time since 2017. These schools met in the 2000 Class 6A state title game, the best season ever for the Saxons that ended in a 56-31 loss to Joe Bunge’s Redhawks.

4. St. Charles North (8-1) Next opponent: Rolling Meadows

Comment: The North Stars also open the playoffs with a MSL school, former Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould’s Mustangs. St. Charles North is hot, coming off a 35-21 win over previously unbeaten Geneva in a game the North Stars trailed 14-0. Senior quarterback Ethan Plumb ran for three touchdowns and threw for two more.

5. Palatine (8-1) Next opponent: Warren

Comment: Palatine used a physical brand of football to win the MSL West with a perfect 5-0 record, the latest victory coming 30-24 over Barrington. The health of QB Will Santiago is a concern heading into the playoffs after he left last week’s win with a shoulder injury.

6. Fremd (8-1) Next opponent: Andrew

Comment: A 28-21 loss to rival Palatine is all that stood between the Vikings and a perfect 9-0 regular season and the MSL West championship. Fremd bounced back from that loss with 48-6 and 52-6 wins the last two weeks, and will take that momentum into the playoffs against Andrew out of the Southwest Valley, whose losses are to Naperville Central and two Lincoln-Ways.

7. Geneva (8-1) Next opponent: Amundsen

Comment: Coming off their first conference championship since 2010, Geneva gets a Public League school to open the 6A playoffs. The Vikings should be as dangerous as anyone in the field led by QB Tony Chahino and his numerous receiving threats, which in addition to Georgia-bound Tayln Taylor includes Finnegan Weppner (4 catches, 103 yards last week).

8. Batavia (8-1) Next opponent: Collinsville

Comment: Batavia became the third team to share the DuKane title this year with St. Charles North and Geneva, though Glenbard North nearly spoiled that last week. The Bulldogs stopped a late two-point conversion to win 35-34 as Josh Kahley and Chase Osborne combined for 25 tackles and Nate Whitwell ran for 3 more TDs. This marks Batavia’s 10th conference title in 14 years and 14th straight playoff appearance.

9. St. Francis (7-2) Next opponent: Sterling

Comment: Quarterback Brady Palmer capped an outstanding regular season with 4 TD passes including the game-winner with four minutes to go to Zach Washington in a 39-36 win over defending state champion Nazareth. The Roadrunners knocked St. Francis out of the playoffs last year, and don’t be surprised if these teams meet again in the Class 5A semifinals.

10. Barrington (7-2) Next opponent: South Elgin

Comment: QB Nick Peipert tried to rally the Broncos from a 21-0 deficit last week against Palatine but they fell short, 30-24. Barrington will start the 8A playoffs against a familiar opponent. The Broncos scored on eight of their first nine possessions in a 64-21 win in the season opener vs. South Elgin. Peipert was 10 of 10 for 240 yards in that game with 4 first-half touchdowns.

Second and 10

11. York (7-2) Beat Proviso West 62-0; Edwardsville

12. Libertyville (8-1)Beat Warren 35-28; Deerfield

13. Stevenson (8-1)Beat Lake Zurich 20-17; Sandburg

14. Maine South (6-3) Beat Evanston 55-22; at Naperville North

15. Naperville North (7-2)Beat Sandburg 44-34; Maine South

16. West Aurora (9-0)Beat Streamwood 56-0; Huntley

17. Montini (7-2)Beat St. Laurence 28-3; at North Lawndale

18. Prospect (7-2)Beat Buffalo Grove 71-27; Hersey

19. Hersey (6-3)Beat Wheeling 61-0; at Prospect

20. Warren (5-4) Lost to Libertyville 35-28; at Palatine

* This is our last Top 20 until our final one after the state championship games. Enjoy the playoffs!

  Hersey’s Luke Casey catches a touchdown pass earlier this season against Rolling Meadows. The Huskies face Prospect in their playoff opener after losing to the MSL East champion Knights 30-27 in conference play. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
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