Football: Lake County playoff previews

CLASS 8A

No. 15 Stevenson (5-4) at No. 2 Fremd (9-0)

When: 7 p.m. today

Advancement: Winner plays the winner of No. 10 Warren (6-3) at No. 7 Loyola Academy (7-2).

Outlook: For Stevenson, this is a dream matchup. After all, since last fall, the coaches and many of the players in the program have been dreaming about getting another shot at Fremd. Last season, the Patriots lost in the second round to Fremd on a hard-luck play in the final minutes. Trying to rally and take the lead, Stevenson advanced the ball all the way to the 1-inch line on third down. The Patriots were planning on punching the ball in on fourth down, but a late call ruled that they had actually fumbled the ball on the third-down play and that Fremd had recovered. The Vikings won the game, 20-14 to send Stevenson home with an 8-3 record. "During our film session, there was a lot of talk about that," Stevenson coach Bill Mitz said. "We don't have a ton of kids who played in that game, but a lot of our guys obviously remember it. We're excited to get to play them again. And it's a fun place to play. They run a great show over there. The atmosphere is great and the fans really get into it. It should be a great game to play in."...Mitz says his team hasn't seen such an effective passing team since its season opener against Loyola. Fremd quarterback Mark Tolzien has been slicing through defenses ever since passing for 290 yards (24-of-34) and 2 touchdowns against Lake Zurich in Week 1. "He burned us last year with a few of his passes," Mitz said. "He's a really accurate passer. He's got a nice arm. We've really got to put a lot of pressure on him and go after him as much as we can. We're going to have to play some solid coverage, too."...Tolzien's top targets are Andrew Corso and Mike Koeneman....Meanwhile, Stevenson's passing game isn't too shabby either. Quarterback Zach Wujcik has been solid all season, and on fire lately. In the Patriots' last two games, a win over Libertyville and a close loss to Warren, Wujcik has tallied 439 passing yards. Most of his passes go to either Dan Morales or Michael Bilton. Bilton had 2 touchdowns against Libertyville and Morales had a game-winner against Lake Forest in Week 7...Another offensive weapon for the Patriots has been the emergence of sophomore running back Mark Weisman, who has given new life to the rushing game. He rolled up 143 yards and 3 touchdowns last week against Warren...Standout Stevenson linebacker Luc Peilet, who rolled his ankle against Warren and left the game, is fine and practiced all week.

No. 10 Warren (6-3) at No. 7 Loyola (7-2)

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Advancement: winner plays winner of No. 15 Stevenson vs. No. 2 Fremd

Outlook: After a one-year absence from the playoffs, Warren is back. Quite impressive when considering the Blue Devils opened the season with back-to-back losses to New Trier (20-13) and Maine South (40-7). They followed up with a 32-17 win over Libertyville before losing to Lake Zurich 39-7. Warren's first four opponents went a combined 26-10 during the regular season. "The kids have played a little better each week," Blue Devils coach Dave Mohapp said. "We might have grown up or gained experience against those good people (in the first four weeks). I think our defense probably sparked us at Libertyville and showed that maybe we can do some things." Warren takes a five-game winning streak to Loyola, which does not have lights. Coach John Holecek's Ramblers are led by quarterback Pete Badovinac. Loyola averages 33.6 points per game. "Offensively, they're really two dimensions," Mohapp said. "They've got a big, physical offensive line and run it at you. Then they'll switch gears if they have to with their quarterback, who's got a nice arm and good receivers around him who can catch the ball." A testament to how good Loyola is, is that it lost to mighty Mt. Carmel in double overtime (31-24, Week 7). The Ramblers' other loss was also close, 20-17 to Providence Catholic. … Warren's offense features sophomore running back Greg Kennedy (1,091 rushing yards, 7.4 per carry, 13 TDs) and quarterback Zach Shaw (664 passing yards, 7 TDs, 5 interceptions). … The leaders of the Warren defense include middle linebacker Tom Hajnos (108 tackles, 3 sacks), fellow linebackers Aaron Montgomery and Tyreese Woodard, defensive lineman Bill Shaffstall (3 sacks) and defensive back Corey Harris (86 tackles, 3 interceptions). … Warren has never played Loyola in Mohapp's 11 seasons as head coach.

CLASS 5A

No. 9 Wauconda (7-2) at No. 8 Belvidere (7-2)

When: 7:30 p.m. today

Advancement: Winner plays the winner of No. 16 Johnsburg (5-4) at No. 1 Robeson (8-1).

Outlook: If Wauconda fans think there's something familiar about Belvidere, that's probably because there is. "We're mirror images of each other," Wauconda coach Glen Kozlowski said. "It's going to be a really interesting game."...The similarities start in the backfield. Of course, Wauconda features rugged running back Brad Wisniewski, one of Lake County's most prolific runners in recent memory. He's already rolled up 1,506 yards and 21 touchdowns. The Bucs have their own version of Wisniewski in fullback Patrick O'Brien, who has tallied 1,104 yards and 14 touchdowns. "He's a hard runner just like Brad," Kozlowski said. "He's big and he's strong. And they like to go to him a lot, just like we do with Brad." While both teams absolutely love to establish the run, and wouldn't mind running on every single play, they've both shown the ability to pass the ball effectively, too. Wauconda quarterback Garrett Dorsey has amassed 935 passing yards and has thrown 9 touchdowns. Dorsey loves to throw to Davis Mills, who is averaging 32.6 yards per catch. Meanwhile, Belvidere quarterback Kyle Tevebaugh has thrown for 845 yards and 4 touchdowns. The Bucs' top receiver is Charles Chapman, who has hauled in 7 touchdown passes. "Both teams have a lot of weapons," Kozlowski said. "But it's going to come down to the fact that we want to control the line of scrimmage and run...and so do they."...This is Wauconda's first playoff appearance since 1998. If the Bulldogs win the game, it will be the program's first playoff victory since 1992. That year, Wauconda advanced all the way to the Class 4A quarterfinals before falling to Oswego, 48-0. Along the way, the Bulldogs defeated Lake Zurich, 26-7 and Cary-Grove, 28-16.

CLASS 6A

No. 14 Simeon (5-4) at No. 3 Grant (9-0)

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Advancement: winner plays winner of No. 11 Highland Park vs. No. 6 Lemont

Outlook: Now that Grant has completed its first undefeated regular season since 1986, the Bulldogs will look to win their first playoff game since 1999. Coach Kurt Rous has tried to motivate his team all year by telling them that every week they're out to prove something. His strategy has been working. He's fully aware that the Bulldogs have gone eight years since winning a postseason game. … Simeon, which finished tied for third in the Chicago Public, Illini (Prairie State), earned its playoff berth by winning its last three games. The Wolverines scored only 61 points in their first six games -- which included a 28-0 loss to 8-1 Morgan Park in Week 6 -- but turned up their offense in their final three games. They scored 43 points against Hyde Park, 38 vs. Vocational and 42 against Harlan. Simeon features quarterback/defensive back Jack Ramsey, who's committed to Illinois. "He can throw," Rous said. "We saw on one of their films where he threw the ball like 65 yards in the air. So he's got a gun, and he scrambles real well." … Grant QB Pavel Zurkowski also can throw the ball a long way and effectively scramble, as well. The senior surpasses the 1,000-yard rushing mark last Friday night at Zion-Benton. He's joined in the offensive backfield by running back Izzy Rodriguez and wingback Joe Loris. "We're going to do the same thing we always do," Rous said. "We're going to run the ball, control the clock, pound out. And defensively we want to try to control (Simeon) up front." Grant placed a league-high nine players on the all-North Suburban Conference squad (first team). The list includes defensive linemen Bob Madlener, Jordan Welter, John King and Mike Zielinski (honorable mention). The Bulldogs' other all-conference selections are Zurkowski, Rodriguez, OL Kevin Savage, wide receiver/cornerback Tom Bychowski, cornerback Brandon Bushing and Loris. … Rous this week took disciplinary action on four of his starters -- Bychowski, Bushing, LB Bud Staton and WB Gunther Rosentreter -- and said he is uncertain how much any of them will play against Simeon. … Simeon drew Prairie Ridge in the first round of the playoffs last year and lost 27-20. … Saturday night's game can be heard on WRLR 98.3 FM.

No. 16 Vernon Hills (5-4) at No. 1 Richards (9-0)

When: 7 p.m., today

Advancement: Winner plays the winner of No. 9 King (6-3) at No. 8 Glenbard South (6-3).

Outlook: There's more to Richards than Tommie Thomas, but it sure does seem like the versatile quarterback can be a one-man wrecking crew at times. Last week, in a 47-0 win over Argo, Thomas returned a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns. And when he's not scrambling out of the pocket for yards or leading a lethal passing attack, he plays defensive back as well. Last year, he was rated one of the best DBs in the state. "He's their punter, too," Vernon Hills coach Tony Monken said with a laugh. "The kid can do everything. Obviously, he's a special athlete. His best attribute is his feet. He's got great speed, he's elusive and he'll run with the ball. But he also does a nice job throwing it. He loves to throw the long ball." Thomas is so athletic and well-rounded that he's being recruited by several Division I schools, including Illinois and Purdue...Thomas' favorite target through the air is 6-foot-7 receiver Shaun Pratl, but 6-foot-4 wideout Ryan Windt and slot receiver Jason Caliendo also see plenty of action for the Bulldogs. "And if that's not enough, they'll jump into the I (formation) and run right at you," Monken said. "They've got some quick and elusive runners." Tailback Lamar Harvey is only 5-foot-6, but has a lot of speed and fullback David Hettiger is big and strong at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds. "They're a very solid team and they kind of rolled through their league," Monken said. "We're hoping all the competitive games we had will help us in a game like this." Six of the Cougars' nine games were decided in the final two minutes. Quarterback PJ Marsek is a weapon on the ground running the option and backup James Hallendorff, who has the better arm, takes over in the two-minute offense. Both quarterbacks like to get the ball to sensational freshman wide receiver DaVaris Daniels ...Vernon Hills has also gotten a lot of production out of running backs Larry Guerrero and Tyler Mooney.

CLASS 7A

No. 10 Crystal Lake South (7-2) at No. 7 Carmel (7-2)

When: 7 p.m. today

Advancement: Winner plays the winner of No. 15 Fenwick (5-4) at No. 2 Glenbrook North (8-1).

Outlook: On its way to the 2003 state championship, Carmel defeated Crystal Lake South in the second round 55-7. Of course, other than for the sake of trivia, that doesn't mean much now. Not only is Crystal Lake South stocked with completely different players, but, according to Carmel coach Andy Bitto, the coaches there are running a much different scheme now than they did back then. "They're throwing quite a bit more than usual," Bitto said of Crystal Lake South. "Usually, they're this Wing-T team that kind of just runs it right down your throat. Now, they spread it out a lot more and pass a lot more."...Crystal Lake South's passing attack is led by quarterback Ian Ormseth, who has thrown for 7 touchdowns and has rolled up 1,079 passing yards. "We have to complete passes and make something happen in the passing game," Crystal Lake South coach Jim Stuglis said. "Especially if we can't get our power running game going against their defense." The Gators' running game goes through running back Colin Masterson and fullback Derek Mortensen. Masterson has rolled up 757 yards and 3 touchdowns and Mortensen is at 449 yards and 8 touchdowns. "They've got a nice offense," Bitto said. "But I think they're almost better on defense than on offense."...Bitto says that the Gators, led by standout middle linebacker Casey Macko, are scrappy opportunists who will always be swiping at the ball. "In the two games that I've watched them on film, they caused a ton of turnovers and got at least 5 interceptions," Bitto said. "We're going to have to take care of the ball."...For Carmel, the ball is always in good hands when quarterback David Venegoni is hanging on to it. He leads the same tricky triple option offense that big brother Mark did when he quarterbacked Carmel to the 2003 title. Venegoni has rushed for 840 yards and 17 touchdowns. He averages 5.9 yards per carry. Running back Geoffery Fields has also put up some nice numbers. He's rolled up 622 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns...Defensively, the Corsairs are led by safeties Ryan Williams (90 tackles) and Chris Salvi (77 tackles).

No. 13 Wheeling (6-3) at No. 4 Lake Zurich (8-1)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Advancement: winner plays winner of No. 12 Notre Dame vs. No. 5 Rolling Meadows

Outlook: Lake Zurich's first-round opponent is a team making its first postseason appearance since 1996. Wheeling tied Rolling Meadows for first place in the Mid-Suburban League (East). The Wildcats average 23 points per game are led offensively by quarterback Matt Holmes, running backs Abel Rangel and Pat Splon and wide receiver James Kurtz. In Wheeling's playoff-clinching 38-20 win over Elk Grove last Friday night, Rangel returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown, Splon had a 90-yard kickoff return for a TD, and Holmes threw a pair of touchdown passes to Kurtz. "I think that some people are underrating them -- not giving them as much credit as they deserve," LZ coach Bryan Stortz said. "They play in a tough league. If you look at their offense, they do some things that we haven't seen very much, specifically their running game. Their quarterback is one of the better quarterbacks we've seen all year. They've got two good running backs and a wide receiver that is good." Wheeling allows nearly 20 points per game and has held only three opponents to single-digit points, but the Wildcats' defense has Stortz's respect. "They try to run a defense very similar to ours," Stortz said. Lake Zurich's 3-5-3 scheme features veteran linebackers Jon Janus, Tyler LaFontaine and Brent Marks, as well as an experienced secondary with Mike Dietrich and Kevin Johnson. Nose guard John Brewer has a team-best 10 tackles for loss. The Bears have given up only 55 points, including 27 in an Opening Day loss to Fremd. Janus has rushed for 719 yards (9.7 per carry) and 9 touchdowns, while Dan Kalcsics (494 yards, 7.1 average, 6 TDs) and Adam Simpson (491 yards, 5.5 per carry, 9 TDs) also run the ball effectively in the Bears' option offense. QB Bobby DeLeo has completed 49.5 percent of his passes for 965 yards, 7 TDs and just 1 interception. … Lake Zurich enters the playoffs minus cornerback Matt Wilson, who broke his leg in Week 7 against Wauconda, and veteran offensive lineman Dylan Becker, who tore up his knee against Lake Forest in Week 8. Tanner Witt has replaced Wilson, and ex-linebacker Eddy McGlauchlin has taken Becker's spot at guard. "The kids have responded," Stortz said. "We talk about that all the time -- that as unfortunate as it (injuries are) you have to find a way to move forward. Just accept the challenges that are put in front of you."