Reed-Custer at Coal City

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Ranked: Neither team is ranked.

The rundown: Reed-Custer vs. Coal City always has been a big game, and it forever will be. As an added attraction in tonight's Interstate Eight Large matchup, the winner will be a guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, while the loser may come away feeling it will need to win next week to qualify. That is especially true for the Coalers if they wind up on the short end tonight. They are light on playoff points (opponent victories) and will finish next week at home against Plano, which is 6-1 entering tonight's Interstate Eight Small championship game against Wilmington. After losing to Wilmington and Peotone in Weeks 3 and 4, Reed-Custer has beaten Sandwich, Herscher and Manteno in succession, largely on the strength of stingy defense. The Comets, who trail Peotone by a game in the I-8 Large race, allow 13.0 points per game and are third in the area in total defense, yielding 165.9 yards per game. Included in that figure is a measly 27.4 yards per game in the air. Coal City senior quarterback Colt Smith will challenge Reed-Custer's secondary. He has completed 58-of-91 passes, 63.7 percent, for 789 yards and 9 touchdowns. Tight end Mitch Hibler has 16 receptions for 281 yards. Senior back Bobby Kroeger has rushed for 737 yards, 7.0 per carry. For Reed-Custer, which beat Coal City 26-0 last season, senior quarterback Derek Albin has completed 36-of-79 passes, 45.6 percent, for 629 yards and 7 touchdowns. Steven Davis has caught 16 for 261 yards, and Garrett Sandefur has rushed for 489 yards and a 4.4 average.