Scouting Stillman Valley at Imm. Conception

Posted November 03, 2010 11:00 pm

No. 1 Stillman Valley (10-0) at No. 5 Immaculate Conception (7-3)

Class 3A

Game time: 2 p.m. Saturday, Plunkett Park, Elmhurst.

Last week: Stillman Valley 31, St. Bede 7; Immaculate Conception 35, Byron 27.

Outlook: Meeting for the first time since IC's 35-14 second-round win in its 2002 championship season. (IC is 4-3 in Round 2.) From the Big Northern West, defending 3A champ Stillman Valley has won 24 in a row. Cardinals coach Mike Lalor's double-wing option entered the playoffs averaging 44.9 points to lead all of 3A. Adam Cox and Nate Bond have run for a respective 1,179 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 825 yards, 12 touchdowns. IC coach Mike Alberts hopes such Knights linemen as guard Rob Rivera and center James Peachey can block Stillman linebackers Cox and Jake Wold to spring backs Jose Godinez and Conor Hendricks and quarterback Cody Kotlow into the open. It worked in taking a quick 21-0 lead on Byron, but Alberts seeks the “eye of the tiger” after letting Byron storm back in. IC may offer a level of physicality Stillman's not used to, but the Cardinals are bigger, faster than Byron (beating Byron 32-14).“We're going to be the underdogs, and I like that,” Alberts said.

Advancement: Winner advances to a 3A quarterfinal against the winner between No. 2 seed Wilmington (10-0) and No. 6 Aurora Christian (6-4).

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