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Mike Helfgot breaks down this week's top games here.
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Catch up with last week's action here.
HALFTIME
4A: Phillips 14, Rockford Lutheran 7
Phillips leads unbeaten Rockford Lutheran 14-7 at the half in a Class 4A quarterfinal matchup at Gately Stadium. The half ended when Phillips wide receiver Amani Jones was tackled at the Crusaders' 10 yard-line.
Phillips (10-1) jumped on top early, scoring on each of its first two possessions. Their subsequent five drives, however, resulted in a punt, turnover on downs, two interceptions and turnover on downs. Quarterback Dewayne Collins first connected with Quayvon Skanes from 33 yards out, then raced 18 yards for a score to cap the second drive. Rockford Lutheran got on the board early in the second quarter on Jailen Horton's 35-yard toss to Marcus Hayes.
The Wildcats' defense has been up to the task in slowing the Crusaders, who came in averaging almost 54 points per game. Junior running back James Robinson, who has 2,134 yards rushing, has only mustered 19 yards in five carries. Jones also had a first-quarter interception of a Horton pass attempt. Collins has been electrifying as ever, rushing for 130 yards on 20 carries and completing nine of 15 attempts for 136 yards and the score. He did throw the two second-quarter interceptions (picked off by Luke Anderson and Nate Wieting).
- Steve Reaven
8A: Naperville Central 7, Simeon 6
Naperville Central totaled 44 yards in its first three drives, but Kevin Clifford's 51-yard touchdown off a screen pass from quarterback Conor Joyce is the difference at halftime.
The Redhawks have turned the ball over twice on fumbles, including on a muffed punt return early in the first quarter. That led to a 7-yard touchdown run by Simeon's Dion Earls Jr.
Naperville Central had a chance to extend its lead late in the second quarter but Clifford fumbled the ball away at Simeon's 1-yard line. Clifford leads the Redhawks with 14 carries for 37 yards, and Joyce is 6-for-8 for 86 yards and a touchdown. The Redhawks have converted two of their seven third-down tries and tallied two sacks.
Simeon quarterback Timon Watkins is 9-for-13 for 58 yards, and running back Earls had eight carries for 34 yards and a touchdown. The Wolverines' defense has two sacks and stopped Naperville Central on a second-quarter fourth-down attempt.
- Bob Narang @bobnarang
6A: St. Francis 34, Hinsdale South 7
St. Francis exploded for 27 points in the second quarter to take a 34-7 halftime lead over Hinsdale South in a Class 6A quarterfinal game in Wheaton.
Spartans quarterback Clint Bobowski (234 yards passing) has thrown four touchdown passes, including two to Matthew Hanson (5 catches, 153 yards). After a 7-7 tie going into the second quarter, Bobowski hit Hanson for a 52-yard touchdown with 8 minutes, 28 seconds left in the second quarter. Hanson then fought off two defenders in the end zone with four seconds left in the half for his second touchdown catch.
Hinsdale South's only score came on a 47-yard, fourth-down run by Rob Regan. The quarterback also threw two interceptions -- to Hanson and Chris Smith -- and was sacked twice.
- Bob Hurst @Hurssports
8A: Barrington 21, Glenbard West 7
A turnover-creating defense, a big-play offense and difference-making return teams allowed Barrington to handily defeat a pair of powerful opponents in the first two rounds of the Class 8A playoffs.
The No. 7 Broncos outplayed No. 2 Glenbard West in all three phases Saturday to take a 21-7 lead into halftime at Duchon Field on Glen Ellyn.
Barrington (10-1) seized momentum early. After quarterback Johnny Davidson pooched a punt down to the Glenbard West 1-yard-line, David Danhauer tipped a pass in the end zone that landed in the arms of fellow defensive lineman Jason Harris for a 7-0 lead less than three minutes into the contest.
Glenbard West (11-0) drew even on a 50-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Kramer to Michael Darnall, but Barrington quickly reclaimed the lead on a 61-yard bomb from Davidson to Scotty Miller.
Davidson completed an outstanding first half with a 40-yard touchdown pass to Mitch Pfeiffer, who outjumped a well-positioned defender to make the catch.
Davidson, a junior, was 6-for-6 for 145 yards and rushed for 74 yards on four carries. Blake Jacobs had two interceptions for the Broncos.
West's Sam Brodner, who rushed for 308 yards and five touchdowns last week, rushed 13 times for 59 yards.
- Mike Helfgot @mhelfgot
6A: Nazareth 41, Lake Forest 10
Nazareth had no trouble moving the ball against a pliable Lake Forest defense. Julian Love had two rushing touchdowns, as did quarterback Jonah Beauduy.
Running back Nolan Dean had an up-and-down first half with 11 carries for 94 yards, a touchdown and three fumbles. The Roadrunners only lost one of those fumbles. Nazareth collected 462 yards in the half.
Lake Forest's only touchdown came on a 49-yard pass from Daniel Carollo to Matthew Hargitt.
The Scouts will receive the second-half kickoff.
- Mike Stainbrook @Stainbrook419
8A: Providence 2, Wheaton Warrenville South 0
As expected between these two historic programs, big defensive plays led to the host Celtics taking the slim half time lead. Quarterback Justin Hunniford may have for 121 yards passing through the first half without Miles Boykin, but it was his punting that led to the only score of the day. Hunniford pinned Wheaton Warrenville South at the 1-yard-line early in the contest, and again at the 4-yard-line in the closing seconds of the first quarter. One play later, Luis Vasquez dragged down Tigers' running back Jevon McCorkle for a safety and the 2-0 lead.
Wheaton had one sustained drive in the first half, moving all the way to the Providence 2-yard-line, but a bad handoff resulted in lost yardage. Providence's Jake Rost then sacked quarterback Josh Prueter, pushing the ball back to the 14. The ensuing 21-yard field goal attempt was wide right.
Providence took over with 2 minutes, 24 seconds remaining, and thanks to a Hunniford-to-Matt McNabb 48-yard connection, moved to the Wheaton 8-yard-line in the closing minute. Jasper Romero picked off a Hunniford pass at the goal line with 37 seconds left, ending the Celtics' threat.
- Phil English @PhillipEnglish
7A: Mount Carmel 14, Lincoln-Way East 7
Mount Carmel strung together two second-quarter touchdowns to overcome an early 7-0 deficit at Gately Stadium. A fumbled option pitch by Mount Carmel quarterback Anthony Thompson gave the Griffins possession at the Caravan 40, which is where the half ended.
The Griffins (10-1) jumped on top 7-0 late in the first quarter on Mike Weller's 23-yard pass to Alex Kraft. The play capped a 17-play, 78-yard drive that took almost seven minutes off the clock. The Caravan (7-4) answered on their next possession. Thompson found Avery Saffold on a 9-yard scoring connection, then went on top after Thompson's 46-yard keeper on an option play with 3 minutes, 47 seconds left in the half. The drive was kept alive when Lincoln-Way East roughed the Caravan punter deep in Mount Carmel territory.
Thompson's long scoring run brought his rushing total to 61 yards for the half, as he's also 4-for-7 for 63 yards through the air. Weller was especially sharp early and finished the half 10-of-16 for 77 yards and a TD. Griffins' standout halfback Liam Morrissey has been held largely in check, accumulating only 20 yards on 10 carries.
- Steve Reaven @ReavenTrib
PREGAME
Class 8A: Barrington (10-1) at Glenbard West (11-0), 1 p.m.
Considering who they played and how they won, the Barrington has been as impressive as any team in the state playoffs.
The No. 7-ranked Broncos will face their toughest test to date Saturday afternoon when they travel to No. 2 Glenbard West for a Class 8A quarterfinal in Glen Ellyn.
Game time is 1 p.m. Saturday at Duchon Field.
Barrington's defense took center stage in the team's second-round matchup with Maine South, recording seven sacks and three interceptions to fuel a 21-7 upset.
Maine South's only touchdown came on an interception return a week after Barrington dominated high-scoring Oak Park 39-15 in the opening round.
Junior quarterback Johnny Davidson has been a revelation for the Broncos. He has thrown for 2,264 yards on 139-for-189 passing with 21 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Senior receiver Scotty Miller has 687 yards and 11 TD catches and has returned two kickoffs, a punt and an interception for scores.
A quarterfinalist for the seventh time in eight years, Glenbard West is having no trouble adjusting from 7A to 8A.
The Hilltoppers don't have any big-name recruits for a change, though junior running back Sam Brodner is making a case.
He has 1,500 yards rushing, including 466 and seven TDs in Glenbard West's 34-14 and 41-7 victories over Fremd and Palatine in the first two round of the playoffs.
Both those teams are common opponents, and Barrington beat Fremd 33-28 but lost to Palatine 24-14 during the regular season.
Barrington has not advanced to the semifinals since finishing second in Class 6A in 1998. Glenbard West reached the Class 7A semifinals the last two seasons and four of the last six.
-Mike Helfgot @mhelfgot
Class 8A: Simeon (10-1) at Naperville Central (9-2), 2 p.m.
Defending Class 8A state champion Naperville Central defeated Waubonsie Valley 24-14 in the second-round of the playoffs last weekend to win for the ninth time in 10 games.
The Redhawks haven't allowed more than 21 points in all but one game this season -- a 27-20 loss to Wheaton Warrenville South on Oct. 24. Naperville Central running back Kevin Clifford leads the team with 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns. Naperville Central, which also won a state title in 1999, enters Saturday's game allowing just 11.1 points per game.
The Wolverines defeated Hinsdale Central 55-17 last weekend and have a lot of weapons. Running back Dion Earls Jr. is an electric runner, capable of going between the tackles or breaking loose on the outside. Earls also is a player to watch in the return game.
Turnovers could be a big issue for the Wolverines outside their comfort zone of Gately Stadium.
The Redhawks have an opportunistic defense and rely on turnovers to gain momentum. Naperville Central won't be bothered by an early deficit, not after mounting second-half comebacks against Brother Rice and Waubonsie Valley the last two games. Naperville Central linebacker Bobby McMillen, an Iowa State recruit, leads the Redhawks with 124 tackles. He had one of Naperville Central's three fourth-quarter interceptions last week.
-Bob Narang @bobnarang
Class 8A: Bolingbrook (8-3) at Homewood-Flossmoor (9-2), 7 p.m.
Ranked by the Tribune as the No. 1 team in the preseason, the Raiders have an opportunity to avenge a regular-season home loss to the Vikings.
Homewood-Flossmoor junior quarterback Bryce Gray threw for 283 yards and two touchdowns during a 35-28 win over Bolingbrook on Oct. 10.
Junior running backs Deante Harley-Hampton and his brother, Devonte, have been mainstays in H-F's late-season surge. Deante scored three touchdowns against Bolingbrook, while receiver Jared Sharp caught fourth-quarter touchdown passes of 81 and 39 to finish with seven catches for 189 yards.
The Raiders defeated Oswego 31-28 in overtime last week. The Vikings posted a 42-35 victory over Edwardsville on the road in the second round. The Vikings have won six games in a row and are averaging 45.7 points per game.
The Raiders are averaging nearly 35.7 points during their three-game winning streak after losing to H-F and Lincoln-Way East in consecutive weeks.
-Bob Narang @bobnarang
Class 7A: Wheaton Warrenville South (7-4) at Providence (10-1), 1 p.m.
Saturday marks the seventh stop on Wheaton Warrenville South's "Must-Win" Tour, and the stakes are high.
Who would have guessed the Tigers still would be standing in Week 12, especially after falling to 1-4 in late September?
Top-seeded Providence has one of the best quarterbacks in the state in Justin Hunniford, who has thrown for more than 2,100 yards to a handful of top receivers, including 6-foot-5 Notre Dame recruit Miles Boykin (18 TDs). Hunniford also has a 39-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
The Celtics put up 38 points per game and give up just 14, including a combined 11 in two playoff games.
The visiting Tigers had a big night from quarterback Josh Prueter (85 yards rushing, TD; passing TD) last week in a 31-9 victory against Normal.
Running back Jonathan Johnson helped the Tigers control the clock with 170 yards on the ground. Wheaton allows 12 points per game and held a strong Normal passing game to 123 yards, with Jake Kyllonen collecting two interceptions.
-Phil English @PhillipEnglish
Class 7A: Lincoln-Way East (10-1) at Mount Carmel (7-4), 1 p.m. at Gately
Two of the state's most successful programs collide at Gately Stadium as No. 6 Lincoln-Way East visits the city to take on host Mount Carmel in a quarterfinal.
The Caravan started the year 2-4 but have rallied to win five straight, including a playoff-elimination game against Loyola in the regular-season finale and postseason victories against defending Class 6A champion Batavia and Belleville East. The Griffins have reeled off 10 straight wins after falling to Oak Park-River Forest in the season opener.
A key to the Caravan finding their footing has been quarterback Anthony Thompson becoming much more adept at running his team's option attack. Halfbacks Anthony Ries and A.J. Lewis combined for 363 yards in last week's second-round win and the defense has stiffened as the season has progressed, especially in the front seven, which features linebacker Anthony Guerra and linemen Kevin Thurman and Terrell Greer.
Mount Carmel has allowed only 29 points in its last three but faces a stiff challenge from Lincoln-Way East running back Liam Morrissey, who has rushed for 1,500 yards and 25 touchdowns. Quarterback Mike Weller does more than enough in the passing game (1,985 passing yards) to keep opposing defenses honest.
-Steve Reaven @ReavenTrib
Class 6A: Lake Forest (8-3) at Nazareth (11-0), 1 p.m.
Nazareth already broke the program record for victories in a season. Next on the Roadrunners' to-do list is earning their first trip to the state semifinals.
Nazareth is playing in its third quarterfinal under 10th-year coach Tim Racki.
Lake Forest will be playing in its ninth quarterfinal, but the Scouts have advanced to the state semifinals once (2012). The Scouts can secure their first 10-win season since 1992 with an upset against the Roadrunners.
To do that, Lake Forest will have to quell Nazareth's offense, which has averaged 45.5 points per game. The Roadrunners have outscored their opponents by 297 points and have won nine games by at least 21.
The Scouts had little defensive experience beyond senior linebacker Jack Traynor at the start of the season, and the unit struggled at times against top competition.
The winner will meet St. Francis or Hinsdale South in a 6A semifinal next weekend.
-Mike Stainbrook @stainbrook419
Class 6A: Hinsdale South (9-2) at St. Francis (9-2), 1 p.m.
Hinsdale South is led by quarterback Rob Regan and running back Marcus Curry on offense, while the Spartans are guided offensively by quarterback Clint Bobowski, running back Will Purdom and wide receiver Michael Shaw.
The Hornets have beaten Crystal Lake Central 38-15 and DeKalb 17-14 in the first two rounds. Last week, they overcame a 14-0 deficit in the first quarter to win in overtime on Nathan Michaelis' 18-yard field goal. Regan ran for 145 yards and a touchdown, and threw for another score. Hinsdale's defense also played a key role, limiting Illinois recruit Dre Brown to 88 yards and a touchdown, and getting big plays on defense from Jake Hynek, Chase Koziol and Robert Hall.
St. Francis has won seven straight games, and defeated Grayslake North 26-24 and Lakes 39-36 in the opening two rounds. Bobowski overcame two partial shoulder dislocations last week against Lakes to lead his team to a comeback win. St. Francis trailed by 10 in the fourth quarter before Bobowski threw a pair of touchdown passes to Shaw. The Spartans defense got a lift from linebacker Nate Zito last week when he scored twice on defense.
- Bob Hurst @HurstSports
Class 4A: Rockford Lutheran (11-0) at Phillips (10-1), 6 p.m. at Gately
The teams have combined for an incredible 1,041 points this season, while allowing 122.
A victory would put the Wildcats into their first state semifinal, while the Crusaders are vying for their second straight trip to the 4A semifinals.
Rockford Lutheran has won its first two playoff games by a combined score of 119-7. Phillips' 41-0 blanking of Johnsburg in last week's second-round was the team's seventh shutout of 2014.
Senior quarterback Dewayne Collins, an Illinois State recruit, makes the Wildcats go, both with his arm and legs. His 189 yards rushing last week put him at 1,547 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground for the year. He's also thrown for 20 scores, while being intercepted just three times.
If Rockford keys too much on Collins, though, running back Corey Warren also is capable of carrying Phillips' offensive load. Linebacker Amani Jones and defensive tackle Chris Elmore anchor a Phillips defense that is often overlooked.
Junior running back James Robinson is the key cog for the Crusaders. He has rushed for 2,134 yards (13.1 yards per carry) and 38 touchdowns and is on pace to break the state career rushing record. His presence gives first-year starting quarterback Jailen Horton some much-needed cover to run the Crusaders' spread attack, in which his 74 completions have averaged almost 20 yards. Sophomore Marcus Hayes and Nate Wieting are Horton's favorite targets.
-Steve Reaven @ReavenTrib
