Football capsules
Class 7a
Winner gets: No. 4 Machesney Park Harlem or No. 13 Elk Grove
Playoff appearances: St. Charles North (8 overall, 8th consecutive); South Elgin (1st appearance)
Players to watch: NORTH -- QB Jake Bergren (57-118, 794 yards, 9 TDs); WR Jeffrey Stolzenburg (26 rec., 485 yards, 6 TDs); RB Dirk Schmitt (85 att., 435 yards, 5 TDs). SOUTH ELGIN -- QB John Menken (85-176, 1,241 yards, 13 TDs); WR Jake Kumerow (38 rec., 688 yards, 6 TDs); RB Bradley Birchfield (125 att., 459 yards, 4 TDs).
Scouting North: The North Stars come into their eighth straight playoff appearance on the heels of back-to-back overtime losses, including a 14-13 defeat in double OT against rival St. Charles East last week. North will be trying to avenge a 10-7 overtime loss against South Elgin in Week 8 at Millennium Field. The North Stars have only one playoff win in school history and are 1-7 all-time in postseason games.
"We want to do more than we've ever done before," North coach Mark Gould said. "That would maybe help us forget about the last couple weeks."
North's defense is allowing only 12.9 points per game, which ranks second in the area. The North Stars have allowed more than 14 points only once. Offensively, Bergren is a threat to run and throw as he leads a unit that has been held well below its season average of 29.6 ppg the past two weeks. Stolzenburg is No. 3 on the list of area receiving leaders. RB Jordan Huxtable returned to action last week after missing the previous four games for disciplinary reasons.
"Last time we played, that whole night both teams were separated by I think one first down and five yards of offense," South Elgin coach Dale Schabert said. "It was pretty evenly matched and the field position was huge."
Scouting South Elgin: The Storm is making its first playoff appearance in its fourth varsity season. South Elgin played the third toughest regular-season schedule in the state among playoff qualifiers, including games against six teams that reached the postseason and four that won conference titles.
"Offensively and defensively we've just got a bunch of guys that are good football players," Schabert said. "There's nobody that is crazy great, but when they play as a team they are great."
Five of the Storm's wins came via second-half comebacks, including its triumph against the North Stars in which Menken connected with WR Domico Failla for an 80-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to tie the game. K David Reisner later added the game-winning field goal in overtime. South Elgin also rallied to beat Larkin 20-14 last week. Menken is the area's leading passer and Kumerow is the area's leading receiver. The Storm's defense is allowing 14.7 ppg, which ranks third in the area.
"We have the same outlooks as the first game we played against them," Gould said. "You know they've got an offense that can be explosive, and they hurt us on the deep pass. You want to take away their big play the best you can. That's still going to be our focus."
Erik Jacobsen's pick: South Elgin
Class 4A
Winner gets: No. 4 Raby or No. 13 Morris
Playoff appearances: St. Edward (3rd appearance, first since 2003); Mendota (13th appearance, 4th consecutive)
Players to watch: ST. EDWARD -- FB/LB Jordan Torres (85 att., 777 yards, 12 TDs); QB Ben Lehman (72-167, 1,233 yards, 14 TDs), TE Zach Von Ahnen (33 rec., 487 yards, 4 TDs). MENDOTA -- RB/DB Kurtis Knapp (130 att., 963 yards, 30 total TDs); QB Justin Fritz (26-52, 421 yards, 3 TDs) FB/DL Alex Caruso (54 att., 386 yards, 4 TDs).
Scouting St. Edward: The Green Wave is making its first playoff appearance since 2003 and third in program history. St. Edward is in search of its first-ever postseason win. The Wave clinched its playoff berth with a thrilling 34-28 triumph against Wheaton Academy, which marked its first victory against a team with a winning record.
St. Edward boasts the area's top scoring offense with 34.1 ppg. Torres and RB David Hoebbel rank Nos. 2 and 3 among area rushing leaders, respectively. Lehman is the area's second-leading passer and Von Ahnen is second in receiving yardage. The Wave's high-powered attack is racking up 378.4 yards per game. Senior LB Shane Finnane has 91 tackles to pace a defense that is limiting opponents to 21 ppg. St. Edward is 3-0 in road games this year.
"Obviously being the first playoff game ever for these guys they are excited," St. Edward coach Mike Rolando said. "Their intensity level should be there, so it just comes down to maintaining the focus and playing disciplined."
Scouting Mendota: The Trojans are back in the playoffs for the fourth straight year and fifth time in six seasons under coach John McKenzie. Mendota lost in the second round in its past four trips to the postseason. The Trojans finished second in the NCIC Lincoln Division this year. They are coming off a 16-9 non-conference loss to Peoria Richwoods last week.
A sizable offensive line helps pave the way for a Mendota attack that averages 34.3 ppg. Knapp is the team's most dynamic playmaker, but he'll get help from RB Travis Martinson, who missed five weeks in the middle of the year with an injury. The Trojans defense held its past five opponents to 16 points or less. Mendota and St. Edward share one common opponent. The Trojans beat Suburban Christian Conference Gold Division champion Aurora Christian 37-36 in Week 2. The Wave lost to the Eagles 26-20 in Week 7.
"Mendota has some huge linemen and some really tough-nosed, hard-running backs," Rolando said. "We've faced a lot of passing teams and a lot of speed teams, but this week we need to be ready to step up and hit some really tough running backs or they'll just run right through us."
Erik Jacobsen's pick: Mendota
Class 7A
Winner gets: No. 1 Glenbard West or No. 16 Rockford Guilford
Playoff appearances: Hononegah (21st overall, 3rd consecutive); East (19th overall, 5th consecutive).
Players to watch: HONONEGAH -- RB Forrest Wiltfang (86 att., 553 yards, 5 TDs); QB Chase Robinson (48-87, 533 yards, 3 TDs); RB Bryan Rothmaler (55 att., 386 yards, 9 TDs). EAST -- RB Zach Zajicek (104 att., 556 yards, 4 TDs); QB Nolan Possley (43-92, 558 yards, 6 TDs); WR Tyler Nutting (19 rec., 262 yards, 2 TDs).
Scouting Hononegah: The Indians are making their third straight trip to the postseason under coach Tim Sughroue. Hononegah ended its regular season with a 23-7 loss to undefeated Rockford Boylan. The setback dropped the Indians into third place in the NIC-10.
Hononegah's high-powered offensive attack is averaging 36.6 ppg, but the Indians managed only seven points in both of their losses. Robinson is a dual threat at quarterback who has run for 515 yards and 8 TDs this year. Hononegah's defense is allowing only 12.2 ppg.
Scouting East: The Saints didn't miss a beat this season under first-year coach Mike Fields. East claimed the outright Upstate Eight Conference title with a 14-13 double-overtime win against rival St. Charles North last week, marking the program's second league title in three years. Winners of seven straight games, the Saints hope to advance beyond the first round of the postseason for the fourth time in five years.
Defense has been the key to East's success. The Saints are holding opponents to an area-best 10.6 ppg and have allowed more than 14 points only once this year. East is no stranger to close games as six of its contests have been decided by a touchdown or less. Like his quarterback counterpart at Hononegah, Possley is the second-leading rusher for the Saints with 355 yards.
Erik Jacobsen's pick: East
Class 6A
Winner gets: No. 7 King or No. 10 Prairie Ridge
Playoff appearances: Huntley (3rd overall, 2nd consecutive); Marmion (9th overall, first since 2007)
Players to watch: HUNTLEY -- RB Brett Kleckner (118 att., 734 yards, 9 TDs); QB Tim Lycos (31-75, 466 yards, 3 TDs); FB Marcus Popenfoose (54 att., 237 yards, 2 TDs). MARMION -- FB T.J. Lally (65 att., 579 yards, 12 TDs); FB Bobby Winkel 125 att., 532 yards, 6 TDs); QB Bobby Peters (25-57, 409 yards, 4 TDs).
Scouting Huntley: The Red Raiders are making back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time in school history. Huntley won its first-round game in each of its previous two trips to the postseason. The Raiders finished the regular season with a 16-6 win against Jacobs. Huntley has the largest enrollment among all teams in the Class 6A playoffs.
"We are well aware we are going to have our hands full with Marmion," Huntley coach Steve Graves said. "We know there's a reason they are 8-1 and the No. 2 seed."
The Raiders endured a four-game losing streak in the middle of the season and went scoreless in consecutive weeks during that stretch. Lycos took over under center several weeks ago, replacing injured senior Brandon Luczak. Huntley's defense is allowing 21 ppg.
"We're concerned," Marmion coach Dan Thorpe said. "They have played 7, 8A schools. Their record is deceiving. And when you're a school of their size and when you have a pool of 1,000 or 900 boys to pick from, just by sheer numbers, they're going to be bigger."
Scouting Marmion: The Cadets are in the playoffs for only the second time in 11 years following their most successful season since 1998. Marmion claimed the Suburban Christian Conference Blue Division championship and has won eight straight, including an 18-7 win against Montini last week. The Cadets' only loss came in Week 1 against South Elgin.
"If we can keep it a low-scoring game, we'll be fine," Thorpe said. "But I'm concerned about (Huntley) scoring on us. People that have beaten them have beaten them through the air and we haven't really been a passing team."
Marmion relies heavily on its ground attack led by Lally and Winkel. Peters replaced former starting quarterback Will Sterne earlier this season in an offense that is averaging 28.9 ppg. The Cadets defense is allowing 15.8 ppg.
"Marmion is well-disciplined and well-coached," Graves said. "They don't make many mistakes."
Erik Jacobsen's pick: Marmion
ERIK JACOBSEN'S RECORD
Last week: 9-2
Overall: 75-30
