March 28, 2024
Illinois High School Football News


News

First round game previews: Northwest Herald

Class 8A

No. 26 Chicago Taft (5-3) at No. 7 Huntley (8-1)

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Last matchup: This is the first time the two schools have played.

About the Eagles: Taft is in the Class 8A playoffs for the fourth time in seven years. The Eagles are 0-7 in their playoff history. … QB Daniel Loch has thrown for 963 yards and 15 touchdowns, with four interceptions. … RBs Dexter Stigall (498) and Roberto Salgado (302) lead the Eagles in rushing. … Stigall (20) and WR Justin Gniedziejko (17) lead the team in receptions. … The Eagles' losses were to Simeon, Phillips and Glenbrook North.

About the Red Raiders: Huntley won a share of the Fox Valley Conference championship with Prairie Ridge and has won seven consecutive games. … The Raiders' defense has been outstanding, allowing 10.2 points and 131 yards a game. … QB Bruno Bosman leads the team with 827 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns. He has thrown for 833 yards and eight touchdowns. … RB Ryder Havens has 739 yards rushing, and WR Joey Cauldren tops Huntley with 22 receptions. … The Raiders were just outside The Associated Press Class 8A Top 10 this week in the 12th spot. There was a tie for 10th.

Up next: The winner meets the winner between No. 23 Marist (5-4) vs. No. 10 Glenbard East (8-1) in the second round.

FND pick: Huntley

Class 6A

No. 16 Grayslake North (5-4) at No. 1 Prairie Ridge (8-1)

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Last matchup: Prairie Ridge 65, Grayslake North 27, Week 5 of the 2015 season

About the Knights: North is in the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. The Knights defeated Grayslake Central, 28-24, last week to qualify for the playoffs. … QB Nick Fish has thrown for 1,340 yards with eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions. … RB Christian Johnson has rushed for 858 yards and nine touchdowns. … WR Joe Swanson has 40 receptions for 890 yards and 12 touchdowns.

About the Wolves: Prairie Ridge, No. 4 in Class 6A, is in the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season. The Wolves have won three Class 6A state championships in eight seasons. … FB Carter Evans (795), RBs Taidhgin Trost (475) and Blake Brown (402) and QB Connor Lydon (358) give the Wolves a balanced rushing attack. … Lydon has completed 30 of 56 passes for 715 yards and 12 touchdowns. Trost has 10 catches for 350 yards, eight have gone for touchdowns. … The Wolves have allowed 97 points on the season.

Up next: The winner meets the winner between No. 9 Lakes (6-3) vs. No. 8 Simeon (7-1) in the second round.

FND pick: Prairie Ridge

No. 13 St. Ignatius (5-4) at No. 4 Cary-Grove (7-2)

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Last matchup: Cary-Grove 42, St. Ignatius 14, first round of the 2017 Class 6A playoffs

About the Wolfpack: St. Ignatius won its last three games over Marian Central, Marian Catholic and Fenwick to reach the playoffs. The Wolfpack had lost four in a row before that. … Like C-G, St. Ignatius runs an option offense. … The Wolfpack lost in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs last season to Niles Notre Dame, 14-7.

About the Trojans: C-G, No. 8 in Class 6A, is the defending Class 6A state champion and has been to the playoffs for 16 consecutive seasons. The Trojans have advanced to at least the quarterfinals 12 times in those 15 previous years. … FB Blake Skol leads C-G with 897 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns. … QB Luke Eleftheriou has rushed for 516 yards. … The Trojans' defense has allowed 92 points.

Up next: The winner meets the winner between No. 12 Chicago Mather (6-2) vs. No. 5 Antioch (7-2) in the second round.

FND pick: Cary-Grove

No. 15 Crystal Lake South (5-4) at No. 2 Deerfield (7-2)

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Last matchup: This is the first time these two teams have played.

About the Gators: South is in the playoffs for the third time in five years. The Gators won their first-round game last year against Chicago Kenwood, 49-0. … Sophomore QB Justin Kowalak has thrown for an area-best 1,439 yards with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions. … RB Des McCarthy is third in the area with 969 rushing yards. … The Gators hope WR Ian Gorken (31 receptions) is back strong after suffering a sprained ankle a few weeks ago. WR Brock Jewson has come through big with 25 receptions and five touchdowns. Jewson averages 22.9 yards a catch.

About the Warriors: Deerfield is back in the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. … The Warriors' only losses came against Rolling Meadows (31-24) and Maine West (29-6). … QB Ryan Nagelbach has thrown for 1,209 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. … RB Finn Pressl leads the Warriors with 404 yards rushing. … WR Alex Cohan has a team-high 23 receptions, with eight TDs. … LB Chris Dawson has sparked the defense with 136 total tackles.

Up next: The winner meets the winner between No. 10 Riverside-Brookfield (6-3) and No. 7 Chicago Kenwood (7-1) in the second round.

FND pick: Crystal Lake South

No. 11 Crystal Lake Central (6-3) at No. 6 Kaneland (7-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: Kaneland 34, Crystal Lake Central 7, second round of the 2010 Class 5A playoffs.

About the Tigers: Central is in the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. … QB Aidan Ellinger and the offense have picked things up late in the season, Ellinger is second in the area with 1,381 passing yards and has an area-best 17 touchdowns. … RB Jake Coss leads the Tigers with 761 yards rushing, and WR Jake White has 26 receptions with a 21.3-yard average a catch.

About the Knights: The 2007, 2014 and 2016 seasons are the only ones in which Kaneland has not made the playoffs since 1995. … The Knights have scored 30 or more points in eight of their nine games. Their losses came against Sycamore (35-14) and Morris (35-30). … QB Joe Smith has thrown for 1,346 yards with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. … RB Jack McIntire has a team-high 479 yards rushing. … WRs Colton Doll (28) and Ian Diehl (17) lead the Knights in receptions.

Up next: The winner meets the winner between No. 14 Lake Forest (5-4) at No. 3 Belvidere North (7-2) in the second round.

FND pick: Kaneland

Class 4A

No. 15 Chicago Urban Prep/Bronzeville (4-5) at No. 2 Richmond-Burton (9-0)

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Last matchup: Richmond-Burton 21, Urban Prep-Bronzeville 6, first round of 2017 Class 4A playoffs.

About the Lions: Bronzeville won the Chicago Public Conference Illini Heartland Division champion, which is how it made the playoffs with four wins. … The Lions were knocked out of the playoffs by Marengo, 41-6, in the second round last season.

About the Rockets: R-B finished its first unbeaten regular season since 2010. … The Rockets' defense has allowed only 53 points and has five shutouts. … FB Dalton Wood is second in the area with 1,041 yards rushing and an area-best 22 touchdowns. RB Nick Legnaioli has 686 yards rushing. … QB Jacob Huber has thrown for 707 yards and 12 touchdowns, with two interceptions. … WR Logan Hutson has 22 receptions with five touchdowns. … The Rockets advanced to the Class 4A semifinals last season, where they lost to eventual state champion IC Catholic, 28-9.

Up next: The winner gets the winner between No. 10 Manteno (5-4) vs. No. 7 Marengo (7-2) in the second round.

FND pick: Richmond-Burton

No. 10 Manteno (5-4) at No. 7 Marengo (7-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: This is the first time the two teams have played.

About the Panthers: Manteno won four of its last five games to make the playoffs. The Panthers' loss in that stretch came to Coal City, 41-7. … The Panthers made the playoffs eight consecutive seasons before missing last year. … The Panthers want to throw it a lot. QB Caleb Borkenhagen has thrown for more than 1,900 yards and 23 touchdowns. … WRs Luke Trepanier (712 yards) and Cole Jackson (542) are his favorite targets. … RB Davey Wurster (850 yards) leads the Panthers in rushing.

About the Indians: Marengo is in the playoffs for the third time in four years. The Indians were knocked out in the quarterfinals last season by eventual state champion IC Catholic. … RB Finn Schirmer leads the area with 1,333 yards rushing and has scored 20 touchdowns. … WR Cole Davis is a big-play threat with 31 receptions and seven touchdowns.

Up next: The winner gets the winner between No. 15 Urban Prep/Bronzeville (4-5) vs. No. 2 Richmond-Burton (9-0) in the second round.

FND pick: Marengo

Joe Stevenson

Joe Stevenson

I have worked at the Northwest Herald since January of 1989, covering everything from high school to professional sports. I mainly cover high school sports now.