Scouting Cook County first round playoff football games
Class 8A
No. 31 Elgin (5-4) at No. 2 Barrington (8-1)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Last week: Bartlett 48, Elgon 0; Barrington 38, Hoffman Estates 19
Previous meeting: First meeting
Advancement: Winner plays No. 15 Glenbrook South/No. 18 Minooka
Outlook: With their No. 2 seed, Barrington equaled its highest seed since 2017. The Broncos earned that seed by nearly doubling their opponent’s output, outscoring them 341-174. Barrington has done that with a balanced offense that has thrown for 1,918 yards and rushed for 1,703. Luke Tepas has completed 64% of his passes for 1,873 yards and 19 touchdowns. Austin Coles (41 receptions, 674 yards and 5 touchdowns) along with Owen Cook (29 receptions, 540 yards, 7 touchdowns) are the main targets. Sophomore Lamar Osterhuis (133 carries, 960 yards, 16 touchdowns), Cameron Massillo (67 carries, 338 yards, 8 touchdowns) and Tepas (46 carries, 242 yards, 5 touchdowns) run behind an offensive line anchored by Northwestern-commit Owen Fors. Elgin is making its first appearance in the state playoffs since 2019. However, the Maroons limp into the playoffs with a pair of losses, including a 64-21 loss to South Elgin two weeks ago. Barrington beat South Elgin 48-20 in the opening week of the season.
No. 30 Downers Grove South (5-4) at No. 3 Maine South (8-1)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Last week: Downers Grove South 43, Morton 0; Maine South 56, Deerfield 14
Previous meeting: 2001: Downers Grove South 35, Maine South 34, OT
Advancement: Winner plays No. 14 South Elgin/No. 19 Hinsdale Central
Outlook: This is a long-awaited rematch of a state semifinal game played in 2001 in the fog that had a controversial ending due to a play that took just one second. It was Maine South coach Dave Inserra’s first season as head coach. Maine South is making its 40th appearance in the state playoffs and 33rd in a row. The Hawks have qualified in 24 seasons under Inserra. QB Jameson Purcell, who has committed to Indiana, has been terrific all season, throwing to Finn Haugh, Logan Ide, Niko Kokosioulis, Jake Davis and Rico D’Alessandro. Kokosioulis has been dangerous in the backfield running the ball as the Hawks are averaging nearly 40 points per game. The Maine South defense has been equally staunch, allowing just 12 points per game. Downers Grove South is making its fifth consecutive appearance in the playoffs and 35th overall. The Mustangs won their final four games of the season to qualify and are led by quarterback James Sobkowiak.
No. 29 Huntley (5-4) at No. 4 Fremd (8-1)
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Last week: Huntley 42, Hampshire 27; Fremd 41, Schaumburg 7
Previous meeting: 2016: Huntley 38, Fremd 30
Advancement: Winner plays No. 13 Lyons/No. 20 York
Outlook: Fremd is back in the playoffs for the second year in a row. The Vikings were awarded their highest seed since 2009 when they were a No. 1 seed. Fremd welcomed back quarterback Johnny O’Brien the past two weeks after the Northwestern commit missed Week 7 with a foot injury. That was the only game the Vikings lost this season. O’Brien, who has thrown 24 touchdown passes and 1,904 yards, has rounded back to where he left off, leading his team to consecutive wins. Marquan Brewster has been the main target with 57 catches for 874 yards and 11 touchdowns. Ben Riddle has caught 31 passes for 509 yards and 6 touchdowns, Carter MacDonald has 29 receptions for 280 yards and Jay Box has 27 catches for 215 yards and 5 touchdowns. Jayden Faulkner is a threat running and catching the ball for the Vikings. The senior has rushed for 400 yards and 6 touchdowns and caught 19 passes for 22 yards and two touchdowns running behind an offensive line anchored by Northwestern commit Owen Jakubczek. The Fremd defense, led by Tom O’Brien, Troy Pepe, Jason Hardy and Brewster, has been stout, allowing 10 points per game. Huntley has been a team of streaks this season. The Red Raiders won their first three games, then lost four in a row and finished the season with a two-game winning streak. They have not beaten a team with a winning record. They lost all four games by a touchdown or less including a loss to unbeaten Prairie Ridge 35-34.
No. 25 Palatine (5-4) vs. No. 8 Whitney Young (7-2) at Rockne Stadium
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Last week: Palatine 35, Conant 7; Whitney Young 41, Taft 7
Previous meeting: First meeting
Advancement: Winner plays No. 9 Lincoln-Way East/No. 24 Stevenson
Outlook: Palatine played one of the toughest regular season schedules this season against 7 playoff teams. They may get a break here when they travel to play a Chicago Public League team in the opening round. The CPS has had limited success in state playoff football. The Pirates are also looking to break their string of two losses in their playoff openers. Will Santiago has done a very good job of running the Palatine offense, throwing for 1,465 yards and 10 touchdowns, while running for 457 yards. Ray Gasppard (694 yards, 7 touchdowns) and Kole Fager (338 yards, 13 touchdowns) are the main focus on the ground while Fager (42 receptions, 713 yards, 3 touchdowns) and Jayden Evans (37 receptions, 412 yards, 5 touchdowns) are the top receivers. Whitney Young enters the playoffs with a 5-game winning streak. The Dolphins’ only loss this season came in Week 4 to Morgan Park 28-12. Young is averaging 35 points per game and allowing just 9 points per game.
Class 7A
No. 20 Hoffman Estates (6-3) at No. 13 Batavia (7-2)
When: Friday, 6 p.m.
Last week: Barrington 38, Hoffman Estates 19; Batavia 45, Wheaton Warrenville South 12
Previous meeting: 2004: Batavia 43, Hoffman Estates 0
Advancement: Winner plays No. 4 Glenbard East/No. 29 West Chicago
Outlook: Hoffman is making its fifth consecutive playoff appearance and eighth in the last 9 playoff seasons. Austin Lesniak has guided the Hawks offense, which is averaging 31 points per game, with 1,552 passing yards and 19 touchdowns. Tori Baskins is his favorite receiver with 675 yards and 8 touchdowns while TJ Bond has 485 yards and 5 touchdowns. Landon Ford leads a potent ground game with 740 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns while Quan Fields has 240 yards and four touchdowns and Jackson Jmari 125 yards and three touchdowns. Batavia was second in 7A last year and qualified for the 15th consecutive playoff season. The Bulldogs, who are led by Brett Berggren and quarterback Michael Vander Luitgaren, who has thrown for 1,856 yards and 21 touchdowns, have lost just two games this season by a combined four points to Glenbard West and St. Charles North.
No. 18 Prospect (7-2) at No. 15 Downers Grove North (7-2)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Last week: Prospect 56, Elk Grove 28; Downers Grove North 47, Proviso East 0
Previous meeting: 2008: Prospect 48, Downers Grove North 14
Advancement: Winner plays No. 2 Glenbard West/No. 31 Willowbrook
Outlook: The two teams have not met since 2008 when they ended an 8-year series to open the high school football season. Prospect won 7 of those 8 meetings. This should be a great battle of starting quarterbacks between Prospect’s Jackson Cacini and Downers Grove North and Minnesota commit Owen Lansu, who was sidelined for four weeks this season with the Trojans still going 3-1 during that stretch. Cacini, who is a junior, began the season slowly, but has developed quickly for the Knights. He has completed 70% of his passes for 1,752 yards and 25 touchdowns. He has also run for 191 yards and 9 touchdowns. Running back Matt Donnelly has done an excellent job of keeping defenses honest, rushing for 915 yards on 124 carries and 11 touchdowns. Harvard-bound Nate Cichy leads the receiving corps 831 yards on 49 catches and 11 touchdowns. Devin Gerdes has 258 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns, Gordon Kemp 270 yards and Jacob Sutton 191 yards as Prospect spreads the ball around. The Knights are averaging nearly 48 points per game while Downers North is allowing 13 points per game.
No. 17 Payton (7-2) at No. 16 Hersey (7-2)
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Last week: Payton 20, Westinghouse 9; Hersey 54, Rolling Meadows 14
Previous meeting: First meeting
Advancement: Winner plays No. 1 Richards/No. 32 Edwardsville
Outlook: Hersey is getting stronger every week. The Huskies have won seven in a row with their only losses coming to 8A powers Barrington and Warren. Quarterback Jake Nawrot continues to shine, completing nearly 72% of his passes while throwing for 2,311 yards and 33 touchdowns, which is tied for second best in the state. He also has yet to throw an interception. Tylet Wentink is his top receiver with 47 catches for 842 yards and 10 touchdowns. But Wentink was injured last week, and his status is unknown. Josh Riggs has 38 catches for 709 yards and 7 touchdowns, and Jackson Wilder has 24 catches for 295 yards and 6 touchdowns. Brandon Jenkins is coming off a 205-yard and three-touchdown rushing performance. The Ohio University commit has 1,039 rushing yards on 103 carries with 14 touchdowns. Jenkins also has 20 receptions for 231 yards and 5 touchdowns. Payton’s win last week broke a two-game losing streak for the Grizzlies. Payton is averaging only 20 points per game while giving up 13.
Class 6A
No. 14 Rolling Meadows (6-3) at No. 3 Riverside-Brookfield (8-1)
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Last week: Hersey 54, Rolling Meadows 14; Glenbard East 45, Riverside-Brookfield 43
Previous meeting: First meeting
Advancement: Winner plays No. 6 Kennedy/No. 11 Fenwick
Outlook: Rolling Meadows has lost two in a row heading into the playoffs. They are looking to turn things around in the second season behind a scrappy group. The Mustangs have a balanced offense with quarterback Joe Brigham, who threw for 144 yards and two touchdowns last week, along with running back Jake Harvey, who ran for 122 yards on 18 carries. Riverside-Brookfield just missed out on its first undefeated regular season since 2001 when Tim Brasic was their quarterback. The Rockets now boast quarterback Braeden Novak, who threw for 290 yards last week and three touchdowns while rushing for another as the Mustangs’ secondary, led by Shea Wells and Jack Andersen, will look to contain him.