Talking with ‘Edgy’ Tim: All about the Hersey-Prospect showdown

This edition of Talking with “Edgy” Tim O’Halloran is pretty simple: We’re all about the Mid-Suburban League East showdown of unbeatens between Hersey and Prospect in their regular-season finale.

Before the teams kick off at 7 p.m. Friday for one of the most-hyped games of the season, let’s get a handle on what’s about to go down in Mount Prospect.

Kevin Schmit: We’ve had 8-0 MSL teams square off before, but the hype for this game has been building for months. How far back do we have to go to find a league game this highly anticipated?

“Edgy” Tim: I was at the 2002 quarterfinal game where Buffalo Grove lost to Prospect in the last second, when (Bison quarterback Tom) Zbikowski got stuffed at the one-yard line and they lost by a point (17-16). It was fantastic. I remember the year before was a mud bowl between the two. But I remember that quarterfinal game was packed and it was just an intense game, just back and forth.

Hersey and Prospect have had some great matchups, but to this extent? No. Not both ranked this high. Both have Division I quarterbacks. It’s special for sure.

I mean, we’ve been talking about this since Week 2. And I know, you don’t overlook anyone, but the way things looked and they lined up … I think both sides would tell you they’ve been planning on seeing this happen.

And like most years, we could very well see a rematch in the playoffs. They’ve got a better chance of avoiding each other because of the seeded brackets, but you never know.

KS: Which quarterback will people be raving about more after the game, Hersey’s Jake Nawrot, a Kentucky recruit who’s rated as one of the nation’s top senior quarterbacks, or Prospect’s Jackson Cacini, who’s committed to Eastern Illinois?

ET: Probably Cacini because I guess he’s the underdog. Eastern Illinois is great but it’s not Kentucky and it’s not the SEC. So automatically Cacini is the scrappy guy who may feel like he has something to prove. Like maybe he should’ve been recruited a little bit higher.

They’re both really good players. The only difference is really an inch or two and 15 to 20 pounds. A different body type, that’s really the big difference. They can both sling it. They can both run with it. It’s going to be fun to watch.

Hopefully Cacini can get a shot at Eastern Illinois, he proves himself and the next thing you know he’s probably playing at a much higher level in the future.

KS: Everyone talks about the offenses with these teams. What stands out about the defenses?

ET: I was really surprised by the low amount of points they’ve allowed (63 by Hersey, 87 by Prospect). It’s fantastic because the first thought in a game like this is, first to 50 points wins the game. That still could happen, but I think more than likely you’ll see a couple key stops that’ll decide the whole game.

Nick Jelaca is an outside linebacker for Hersey. Really good player. Real good instincts. Makes good reads. He can cover. Good run support. The dude really hustles. Another kid is Ryan Haefke. Again, the kid’s got a nose for the football, really physical. Just a tough player at the point of attack.

With Prospect, Caden Moran, a senior defensive back. The academies are after him pretty hard — Army, Navy, Air Force. Seven picks this season, three in one game. Kind of sits back there and ball-hawks. He makes really good reads, really athletic. Good ball skills. You get the feeling he played offense somewhere. Another one is defensive lineman Colin Fouch. Multisport kid, not really big but really strong.

KS: So who you got?

ET: I’ve had Hersey ranked higher than Prospect all year long, so I’d be kind of a jerk if I didn’t go with Hersey.

And before you ask, that’s obviously where I’m going on Friday. And I’m getting there very early for parking.

Saturday I’ll be doing TV in the WCIU studio for the playoff bracket show (at 9 p.m.).