Joliet Catholic at Peoria Richwoods
Kickoff: 1 p.m. Saturday
Up next: JCA would meet Woodstock or Montini for the 5A state title at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 28 at Memorial Stadium on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign.
Playoff history: JCA is in for the 33rd time, including 12th in succession. The Hilltoppers are 94-19 in playoff games and have won 13 state titles and finished second twice. Peoria Richwoods is in for 24th time, including seventh in succession. The Knights are 32-21 in playoff games and have won two state titles. They also have finished second once -- when they lost to Joliet Catholic 14-13 in the 1987 Class 5A final.
How they got here: JCA shared the East Suburban Catholic Conference title with Carmel with a 6-1 mark, is in the playoffs as the conference's automatic representative, finished the regular season 7-2 and has beaten Troy Triad 48-7, Cahokia 35-12 and Washington 47-7 in the playoffs. Richwoods went 8-1 in the regular season, finishing second to Quincy Notre Dame in the Mid-State 6. The Knights have beaten Springfield 35-18, downstate Marion 23-14 and Sacred Heart-Griffin 29-20 in the playoffs.
The rundown: Peoria Richwoods' only loss was 7-6 to Quincy Notre Dame in Week 7. The Knights, who are in the semifinals for the first time since 1989, average about 35 points per game and allow a shade under 15. None of their victories were particularly impressive until last week, when Richwoods stunned No. 1-ranked and defending state champion Sacred Heart-Griffin. The Knights pulled the upset with a relentless, ball-control attack and a few defensive stops when they were needed most. Richwoods ran 78 plays from scrimmage and gained 450 yards. Sacred Heart-Griffin finished with 202 total yards in 35 plays. The Cyclones had been averaging nearly 400 yards a game coming in. But Sacred Heart-Griffin standout quarterback Eric Williamson, who was 6-for-6 passing for 109 yards in the first half, was less effective in the second half, when he suffered an ankle injury on a sack. Richwoods rotated quarterbacks Mike Davis and Nate Taylor, with the 6-foot-6 Davis also playing receiver and tailback. He caught a 44-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter from Taylor, who hit 7-of-12 passes for 135 yards. JCA has been playing well defensively, and the Hilltoppers' offense has been on a big-time roll. JCA is averaging 35.5 points and is allowing 14.3 per game. The Hilltoppers are averaging 406.6 total yards, including 326.1 rushing. Both figures lead the Joliet area. Junior wingback Josh Ferguson has rushed for 1,354 yards and a 9.4 average. Sophomore Malin Jones has 1,050 yards and a 7.8 average and senior fullback Jordan Lyles has 840 yards and an 8.5 average. Sophomore quarterback Anthony Maddie has thrown for 891 yards, with junior Alex Kolodziej his favorite target. The JCA offensive line has been playing well, and Richwoods' offensive line stood out against Sacred Heart-Griffin. Which of those units has the best day Saturday may go a long way toward determining the outcome.
