Scouting: Bartlett at Schaumburg

Posted November 13, 2008 10:00 pm

CLASS 8A QUARTERFINAL

No. 1 Bartlett (11-0) at No. 13 Schaumburg (7-4)

When: 5 p.m. Saturday at Gary Scholz Stadium

Road to the quarterfinals: Bartlett d. No. 16 Notre Dame 10-7, No. 8 Fremd 21-7; Schaumburg d. No. 4 Glenbrook South 20-16, No. 5 Warren 55-21

Playoff history: Bartlett is in new territory with its first quarterfinal trip in its ninth straight appearance. Schaumburg lost in the quarters in 1985 and beat York in 1999 en route to finishing second in the state in Class 6A.

Outlook: Can Bartlett's defense led by hard-hitting Division I MLB prospect Kyle Zelinsky and senior S Steve Seeman, which has allowed only 65 rushing yards a game and 62 points in its last 5 games, slow down Schaumburg's high-powered offense that rolled up that rushed for 446 of its 641 yards last week? Schaumburg QB Anthony Iannotti (71.5 percent passing, 2,275 yards, 23 TDs, 3 INTs; 858 yards rushing, 8 TDs) rushed for 202 yards and 3 TDs and passed for 170, RB Shepard Little (1,520 yards, 16 TDs) rushed for 227 and 3 TDs and WR Josh Spandiary (68 catches, 854 yards, 11 TDs) caught 5 passes for 137 yards against Warren. "We stop the run first," said Bartlett coach Tom Meaney. "But if you put too many kids in the box, you're going to start giving up the pass. We're trying to keep that balanced. They can audible out at any time, which is what we do." Bartlett has also gone to using top WR Alex Van Ness more on defense in passing situations since Week 7. Bartlett also has a solid and smart QB in senior Josh Hasenberg (60.2 percent passing, 1,896 yards, 19 TDs; 7 TDs rushing) and Fabian Libreri (804 yards) leads the running game. Schaumburg came into the playoffs allowing 32 points a game, the most of anyone in the 256-team field, but has come through in key situations the last two weeks behind LB Alex Coglianese, LB Jordan Hailey and S Mike Valenti. "Their quarterback is impressive and (Van Ness and Cory Brown) do a nice job of catching the ball," said Schaumburg coach Mark Stilling. "I don't know that they do a lot of different things offensively, but the things they ask them to do, their kids do pretty well."

Advancement: Bartlett would host and Schaumburg would be on the road for a semifinal against the winner of No. 2 Maine South and No. 6 Barrington.

- Marty Maciaszek and Jerry Fitzpatrick

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