Conditions were far from ideal on Saturday in Aurora. Waubonsie Valley plays on a grass field and the wet weekend made for sloppy footing. Players were wiping out regularly and the War of 204 rivalry game between the Warriors and Neuqua Valley was as hotly-contested and emotional as any Battle of Vincennes on the South Side.
In the midst of all that, quarterback Mark Gronowski stood out in Neuqua Valley’s 35-14 win. The South Dakota State senior is 6-3 and strong.
“I think [Gronowski] is the best in the state,” Neuqua Valley coach Bill Ellinghaus said. “We added the run element for him this year and he’s just excelled ten fold.”
Gronowski was 10-for-17 passing for 142 yards and two touchdowns. He had 11 carries for 90 yards and a touchdown.
The Wildcats are a legitimate state championship threat in Class 8A.
Junior running back Armani Moreno is a bull, very difficult to bring down, and SIU recruit Sean Larkin is an excellent receiver.
Waubonsie Valley quarterback Ethan Nelson was no slouch either, finishing 17-for-28 passing for 207 yards with one touchdown and an interception.
Neuqua Valley’s defense wouldn’t let the Warriors get anything going on the ground. That’s another positive for the Wildcats’ state championship push.
Phillips up to Class 7A
Wildcats coach Troy McAllister has said for years that he wanted to play in Class 7A. The Illinois High School Association wouldn’t allow that big of a class jump previously. The school has less than 600 students and would naturally play in Class 4A. Phillips won the 4A state title in 2015 and the Class 5A title in 2017. Last season it played in Class 6A and lost in the state quarterfinals.
Last week the IHSA announced that the Wildcats would be allowed to play in Class 7A. Phillips is the only team in the state that petitioned to play up a class. It’s a loaded field in Class 7A this season. Nazareth, Mount Carmel, Glenbard West, Batavia and Brother Rice will all be competing against the Wildcats for the state title.
Phillips faces Simeon, which has gone back and forth between 7A and 8A recently, in the “Public League Super Bowl” on Saturday at Gately.
Hersey piles up the points
It’s possible some readers thought the score was a misprint, but it was not. Hersey beat Wheeling 78-20 in Week 5. That’s a new school record for the Huskies, who had 369 rushing yards and 226 passing yards.
The previous school record was 63 points. This current group has been pushing towards a new record for awhile. They scored 63 against Maine East in Week 3 and posted a 62-point game last season.Hersey, which is undefeated this season, scored nine touchdowns and a safety in the first half. Quaterback Jordan Hansen led the way with four rushing touchdowns.
The Huskies will host Prospect on Friday.
The Hilltoppers’ new star
Joliet Catholic senior Kenyetta Williams is a well-known name throughout the area, despite missing his junior year due with an injury. But another star running back has emerged this season for the Hilltoppers: Jordan Anderson.
Anderson, a 6-2 sophomore, rushed for 265 yards and three touchdowns against St. Laurence in Week 3. He posted 141 yards and three touchdowns in a win against Fenwick in Week 4 and scored twice in a loss to Brother Rice in Week 5.
Joliet Catholic, the defending Class 5A state champions, is just 2-3 this season but is now through the toughest part of its schedule and finishes up the regular season with four very winnable games.
