Glenbard North's Lee paving the way

Glenbard North's football team has two 1,000-yard tailbacks, Devion Hodges with 1,050 yards rushing and Vittorio Tricase with 1,021.

The unsung actor in this is a fullback with zero yards rushing. Out of the Panthers' Pro-I offense Robert Lee has 1 pass reception for 13 yards but has not carried the ball once.

But his impact, like the senior's 6-foot-1, 235-pound frame, is large.

“He's done a great job for us. He's a big kid who's improved throughout the year. He's come a long way,” Panthers coach Ryan Wilkens said.

“Running up in there and hitting someone knowing that you're probably not going to score probably isn't fun.”

What drove Lee to take the position? Playing time. Traditionally a tight end and defensive end, Lee's spots were taken by others on the roster.

When Wilkens and his staff were considering who they'd use at a this crucial position in their offense — following in the heavy footsteps of “wrecking machine” Dillon Warnecke, who earned all-DuPage Valley Conference honors in 2014 despite carrying the ball just 5 times — Lee initially “didn't jump out at us,” Wilkens said.

He's since plowed into the trenches repeatedly to help make Glenbard North's ground game one of the best around. Between Tricase, Hodges and third back Isaiah Hawkins, that's about 328 times.

“He's done the job, done a great job,” Wilkens said. “You block for two 1,000-yard rushers, that's saying something.”

No letdowns:

After a Week 8 upset victory over Joliet Catholic, Benet probably expected a bit of a letdown the following week against Marian Catholic.

The Redwings (7-2), however, also know it can't happen again. Not as they prepare for Saturday's Class 7A playoff opener against St. Charles North (7-2).

“We won the game (21-14), but our guys learned a lesson,” said Benet coach Pat New. “You have to show up to play every week.”

Benet, following back-to-back 6-3 seasons that put the Redwings on the road for their playoff openers, needed a seventh win over Marian Catholic (1-8) to boost its seed and claim a first-round home game. Jack Sznajder's 60-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run broke a 14-14 tie and helped accomplish both.

“I definitely think a loss would have cost us a home game,” New said. “I'm sure we'll be more ready to go this week.”

No rewards:

Bolingbrook (5-4) shocked the state with last week's upset victory over Homewood-Flossmoor that earned the Raiders a playoff berth.

When No. 27 Bolingbrook wound up getting paired with sixth-seeded Naperville Central (8-1) for a first-round Class 8A game, the Redhawks were not surprised.

“When we started looking at everything, we knew it was a possibility that we'd be matched up with them,” Stine said. “The bracket pretty much turned out the way we expected.”

This marks the third time the Redhawks will play Bolingbrook in the playoffs. Naperville Central beat the Raiders in 2004 but lost to them in the 2011 semifinals.

Considering Friday's results, Naperville Central's taking nothing for granted at the start of what it hopes will be another deep playoff run.

“It's not your typical 6 against a 27 game,” said Redhawks coach Mike Stine. “They're athletic and they've got a lot of players who can hurt you. They're going to cause some problems for our offense and defense.”

Great timing:

Last Friday IC Catholic Prep inducted its 2002 football team into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame. That season the Knights, then under the Immaculate Conception banner, won the Class 3A championship aided by all-state two-way lineman Bill Krefft.

How convenient Krefft was on hand, the coach for a squad that claimed the Metro Suburban West title outright with a 56-15 win over Fenton. Krefft's defensive coordinator, Roger Kelley, also was a lineman on that squad.

“That 2002 team, I would say those are my close friends,” Krefft said. “Roger Kelley is even closer because we get bogged down by football and don't talk to anybody in the world. But we're still very tight.”

Leaders such as Joe Mastrino and Brian Kowieski from that championship team, which was coached by the late Bob Cozzi, were there for the induction and Knights win. Krefft got the biggest thrill by his current players, though.

As the inductees' names were announced at halftime, this year's squad stood along the home sideline to salute them.

“That was the only time I really got emotional,” Krefft said.

“It was very emotional for me for the first time ever, because those were my old boys and these are my new ones.”

Lone Gold:

For the first time since 1996, the West Suburban Gold is sending only one team to the playoffs. It's league champion Hinsdale South (6-3).

“It's disappointing to only have one Gold team because I thought there were a few deserving teams,” said Hornets coach Mike Barry. “It's a grind every week, and then you have to play a couple crossovers against the Silver.”

After facing Class 7A and 8A teams throughout the season, Hinsdale South hopes to stick around in 6A. Like last year's run to the quarterfinals, the Hornets have the talent to thrive against schools their own size in the postseason.

Thirteenth-seeded Hinsdale South opens on the road against fourth-seeded Thornton (8-1). Even though the Wildcats are the largest school in 6A, the Hornets like their chances.

“I think we've got a good shot,” Barry said. “We're going to try and represent the conference well.”