Week 1 playoffs, Fox Valley: Huntley eager for first playoff triumph

No. 31 Minooka (5-4) at No. 2 Huntley (9-0)

Game time: 1 p.m. Saturday

Outlook: Fox Valley Conference Valley Division champion Huntley seeks its first playoff victory under fourth-year coach John Hart. Last year, the Red Raiders lost their playoff opener at home as a No. 7 seed against No. 10 Palatine. "The lesson for us is that we walked out on the field after a lot of regular-season success and we thought success was innate," Hart said. "Then we got hit in the nose and it took us a quarter and a half to play good football. We've got to play well from the start." Minooka beat playoff-bound Plainfield North last Friday 16-14 to qualify for the tournament. The Indians are led defensively by college prospect Blake Parzych. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound senior lineman with six division-I offers has 7 sacks among his 19 tackles for a loss. The balanced Huntley offense counters with quarterback Anthony Binetti, who has thrown for 1,790 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for 314 yards and 6 scores, senior running back Casey Haayer (836 yards, 10 TD) and sophomore receiver/running back Eric Mooney, who has rushed for 715 yards and 14 touchdowns and caught 22 passes for 486 yards and 3 scores.

Advancement: The winner advances to a Class 8A second-round game between the winner of No. 18 Belleville East (6-3) at No. 15 Oswego (7-2).

No. 28 Belleville West (5-4) at No. 5 Cary-Grove (8-1)

Game time: 6:30 p.m. Friday

Outlook: Belleville West doesn't have school Friday, thus the Maroons will make the 5-plus hour drive to Cary for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff. They'll face a Cary-Grove program that has won a first-round playoff game every year since 2004. These Trojans are led by third-year fullback/linebacker Tyler Pennington. Offensively, the junior has carried 194 times for 968 yards and 15 touchdowns and fumbled only once. Pennington is complemented in the triple option attack by speedy Ryan Magel. The junior has 47 carries for 514 yards and 6 touchdowns and 6 receptions, 3 for scores. Cary-Grove's fast, swarming defense limits opponents to 199 total yards and 10.7 points per game, led by sophomore Max Skol (36 tackles, 2 TFL), senior Ben Getka (35 tackles) and junior linebacker Kevin Pedersen (34 tackles, 3.5 sacks). Belleville West senior Teantez Anthony leads the Maroons with 36 receptions for 615 yards and 7 touchdowns and has carried the ball 23 times for 164 yards and 2 scores. Anthony is "a lot like (Huntley's Eric) Mooney," Cary-Grove coach Brad Seaburg said. "And they've got a very solid offensive line. They're not monsters, but they're agile and they move real well."

Advancement: The winner advances to a Class 7A second-round game between the winner of No. 21 St. Charles North (7-2) at No. 12 Benet Academy (7-2).

Class 7A

No. 19 Jacobs (7-2) at No. 14 Lincoln-Way East (7-2)

Game time: 7 p.m. Friday

Outlook: Jacobs is back in the playoffs after a year's absence and ready to take on the Griffins, who make their 15th straight postseason appearance, the last two of which resulted in quarterfinal appearances. Jacobs is led by twin running backs/outside linebackers Mathew and Sean Barnes, who have combined for 1,113 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. Junior quarterback Chris Katrenick has completed 108 of 201 passes for 1,636 yards and 16 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. His stable of receivers includes seniors Kyle Copeland (26 receptions, 489 yards, 5 TD) and Nathan Meland (35-433-4). Last week Lincoln-Way East rallied from a 21-10 deficit with five minutes left to beat playoff-bound Sandburg (6-3) 25-21. Quarterback Brandon Bauer led the Griffins on a pair of late scoring drives. He'll face a Jacobs defense that limits opponents to 252 yards and 18.9 points per game. "Their quarterback reminds me a lot of (Anthony Binetti) at Huntley because he's a good runner," Jacobs coach Bill Mitz said. "And they play good defense. It's two good 7-2 teams going after each other that are pretty well matched. The one that gets hot is going to win."

Advancement: The winner advances to a Class 7A second-round game between the winner of No. 30 Downers Grove North (5-4) at No. 3 Libertyville (9-0).

Class 76

No. 12 Hampshire (6-3) at No. 5 DeKalb (7-2)

Game time: 7 p.m. Friday

Outlook: These nearby programs are hardly strangers. Hampshire and DeKalb met in a Week 2 nonconference game each season between 2010 and 2013. The Barbs won the first two meetings; Hampshire took the last two, including a 35-34 win in 2013. Third-year cornerback Michael Kruse, who leads the Whip-Purs with 7 interceptions, and lineman Matt Kielbasa were members of that varsity team. The rest of Hampshire's seniors are somewhat familiar with the Barbs. As sophomores in 2013, they defeated DeKalb's sophomores. Will familiarity help a Hampshire defense that allows 27 points per game contain a DeKalb run-oriented offense that averages 34.3 points? "Two years is a long time, but I don't think our kids will be awe-struck by their athleticism," second-year Hampshire coach Mike Brasile said. "They're an explosive team offensively. We have to be disciplined and sound and take away what they do well."

Advancement: The winner advances to a Class 6A second-round game between the winner of No. 13 Deerfield (6-3) vs. No. 4 Kenwood (7-2).

No. 15 Crystal Lake South (5-4) at No. 2 Prairie Ridge (8-1)

Game time: 7 p.m. Friday

Outlook: Crystal Lake South is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2012. Its reward? A matchup with District 155 and crosstown rival Prairie Ridge, which makes its third straight playoff appearance and 14th overall. CL South opened the season 5-1 but has allowed 36, 35 and 43 points in consecutive losses to playoff teams Huntley, Jacobs and Cary-Grove. That doesn't bode well since the Wolves average 52.6 points per game and have won 8 straight. PR's triple-option attack is led by sophomore quarterback Samson Evans. "It's scary that he has two more years in our conference after this," CL South coach Chuck Ahsmann said. "The positive is we're facing the same offense and same defense we faced last week against Cary. We can't give up big plays to the quarterback or a long run when he pitches out. We have to be disciplined in our assignments."

Advancement: The winner advances to a Class 6A second-round game between the winner of No. 10 Lakes (6-3) vs. No. 7 Lake Forest (7-2).