Playoffs? Garoppolo gunning to keep family streak alive

Tony and Denise Garoppolo are used to watching playoff football at Rolling Meadows.

Their son Mike played for four varsity teams that reached the postseason. When he was a senior, he was joined in the playoffs by his freshman brother Jimmy.

Jimmy Garoppolo played linebacker last year when Meadows made its fifth straight appearance.

Garoppolo is now a starting junior quarterback who hopes to keep the postseason streak alive when the 4-4 Mustangs head into their third straight must-win game at 7:30 p.m. today at Buffalo Grove.

"It really means a lot to our school and coaches and community," Meadows coach Doug Millsaps said of the playoff streak. "Sometimes you don't realize it until you're almost out of it.

"You get an idea when people start telling you they can't wait for the first round and six is important. And I think it's important to the players because they don't want to be the ones to end the streak."

With 5 wins, Meadows figures to have enough playoff points at 38 to 39 to make the 256-team field. A six-year streak of postseason appearances would be third-longest in Mid-Suburban League history behind Palatine's 12 (1986-97) and Fremd's current 14.

The 2004 Class 7A state semifinalist was in a similar situation at 2-4 and trailing in the fourth quarter of Week 7. The Mustangs bounced back from a 42-7 loss to Prospect by coming back to beat Elk Grove and defeating Hersey last week.

"Last week's practice was as good as we've had with any group we've ever had," Millsaps said. "I've enjoyed being at practice the last two weeks."

Millsaps has also liked what he's seen out of Garoppolo, who played four games at quarterback as a freshman and in mop-up duty last year.

"He's really played well and practiced well," Millsaps said. "He's getting it. I think he's getting better as we go along."

Which Millsaps hopes goes beyond this week. The same is true for 4-4 Conant and 4-4 Leyden in challenging finales.

Barrington coach Joe Sanchez said under most circumstances he'd be pulling for Conant to give the MSL West an unprecedented five playoff qualifiers.

But that's not the case with his 6-2 Broncos poised to get a home playoff opener with a win at Conant.

Making the postseason would be a nice reward for a Conant senior class that has experienced little success but had its first off week in last week's 31-21 loss to Schaumburg.

"We knew when the season started we'd be in the hunt," said Conant coach Bill Modelski, whose team could have 44 playoff points. "We knew we could win every game or lose every game, and that's held to be true. I felt really good about our chances to be in this spot."

Leyden travels to perennial West Suburban Gold power Downers Grove South, which has rebounded from 2 losses to start the season with a six-game winning streak.

"It's a little tougher this week," said Leyden coach Tom Cerasani, whose team would have 37 to 39 points. "Win and we're in is the way we're looking at it."

What made it even more difficult was losing standout junior defensive end Jeff Cascella to mononucleosis. Right tackle Jerry Larsen ended up going both ways.

"That was kind of devastating," Cerasani said of Cascella, who went to the hospital after practicing last Thursday. "It's one of those things where there's nothing you can do about it."

How the West will be won: There won't be any cross-town love with Fremd and Palatine tonight.

Fremd (6-2, 3-1) could win an unprecedented fourth straight outright MSL division title and sixth overall in the West if it beats Hoffman Estates (2-6, 0-4) and Palatine (6-2, 3-1) loses to Schaumburg (5-3, 2-2).

Palatine can clinch at least a share of its first MSL division title since 1997 with a win tonight. And the winner of Conant (4-4, 2-2) and Barrington (6-2, 2-2) would be part of an unprecedented four-way tie for a division title if Palatine and Fremd lose.

It's all part of what will be only the third season in the 46-year history of the MSL where no team finished the regular season undefeated or with only 1 loss.

Fremd coach Mike Donatucci, who can tie Conant's Dave Pendergast for most coaching victories at an MSL school or schools tonight with 115, isn't surprised it's come down to this.

"I didn't think anybody would go undefeated in the West," said Donatucci, whose team won the last three division titles without a loss. "I thought everybody's got a shot and figured 7-2 or 8-1 would win it.

"We had a lot coming back but a lot of holes to fill and a lot of questions to answer. I think we answered those questions but it didn't come as easy."

A potential shootout between quarterbacks Matt Rossi of Palatine and Anthony Iannotti of Schaumburg is also crucial for playoff positioning. But the Pirates want to go in on a championship note.

"Our focus will be on winning conference and that's a big goal," said Palatine coach Tyler Donnelly. "That's what our ultimate goal is and it should be a fun, entertaining game."

Fun with (low) numbers: Prospect disproved the belief football success is a numbers game after clinching at least a share of the MSL East title last week with only 32 players in uniform because of injuries and other issues.

And the Knights had to rebound from humbling losses to Barrington and Schaumburg to take a four-game winning streak into tonight's regular-season finale at Elk Grove.

"Our coach (Brent Pearlman) told us 99 percent of the teams in the state would have just quit after the losses we had," said Prospect senior two-way lineman Matt Babicz after last week's 45-28 win over Wheeling. "To come back and fight through the adversity we had is huge."

Babicz said the emergence of unexpected leaders such as linebacker Brent Schroeder and lineman Jon Sawicki has been a key to the turnaround.

"They've come up to bring the team up and everyone has come together," Babicz said. "It's a great feeling because no one thought we could do what we did.

"We're not satisfied, but it's still a great feeling."

One place Prospect overcame adversity was on the offensive line where the loss of Matt Huene to injury required replacements at tackle and guard on the same side. Sophomore tackle Matt Boll and senior guard Dylan Crowley stepped in with Babicz, Sawicki and Victor Rhee to keep defenses from getting close to quarterback Miles Osei.

"They did a really good job on pass protection last week," Pearlman said. "I'm happy with where they've progressed to - and they've developed into a pretty close unit. They've overcome some pretty good obstacles."

Boll had never played offensive line until preseason doubles.

"We had a meeting and said, 'We need somebody to do this,' and he said, 'I'll do it and get it done,'" Pearlman said. "He's done a good job and gotten better and better and better."

Looking to strike back: A loss to Prospect didn't diminish Wheeling's hopes of making school history with consecutive playoff trips for the first time.

The Wildcats can assure themselves of a berth by improving to 6-3 with a win over visiting Hersey.

"Maybe this is a blessing in disguise," Wheeling senior safety-slot back Mike Zimmer said. "We've got to keep our heads up and get after Hersey.

"We did some things well and if we run the same things the way we can we can only get better and better and better."

Wheeling would prefer not to sweat out 5 wins Saturday with about 33 to 34 probable playoff points. Dangerous Hersey junior quarterback Steve Nelson, who is approximately 250 yards from breaking his brother Tom's single-season school record for all-purpose yards, will try to provide some sweat-inducing moments tonight.

"They've worked hard and they know what's in front of them," said Wheeling coach Dave Dunbar. "The first thing in front of them is Hersey and stopping that offense."

Playoff pairings schedule: The two-hour IHSA playoff pairings show will be broadcast live starting at 8 p.m. Saturday on Comcast cable's CN 103 (digital cable required) and FoxJox.com. The IHSA Web site www.ihsa.org will also have the pairings starting with Class 1A and finishing with 8A.

Teams making the field of 256 will be set by approximately 5:45 p.m. Official times and dates of first-round games will be announced Monday afternoon.