CLASS 7A
No. 5 Willowbrook (10-1) to No. 20 Lake Zurich (8-3)When: 1 p.m., Saturday
Last week, second round: Willowbrook beat. Yorkville, 33-24; Lake Zurich def. Hersey, 14-7.
The winner plays: the No. 8 Phillips (9-1) against the No. 1 Mt. Carmel (11-0) winner.
Outlook: Lake Zurich freshman football coach Ron Planz entered school earlier this week and saw white hoodies here, white hoodies there, and white hoodies the low. “White hoodies everywhere,†Planz said of the “Lake Zurich Football Playoffs 2019†sweatshirts that at least 70% of students had donned that day.
“It was amazing.”
The Planz Bears intend to exhaust another home playoff opponent on Saturday – a week after 48 points per game, Hersey’s 9-winning side fell 14-7 to the spirited side of High in a second round game.
“Nobody said we would be here,” Planz said, referring to LZ’s 0-2 start.
Where Willowbrook senior Sam Tumilty will be when the Warriors face the Bears in the Warriors’ fourth straight quarterfinal: behind center and behind linebackers. The dangerous / free safety quarterback rushed for 314 yards (2 touchdowns), rushed for 136 (2 touchdowns) more and had an interception in the fourth quarter in a 33-24 loss to Yorkville on the weekend. last end. The 5-10, 170-pounder had 2,364 yards and 23 touchdowns as a passer and 1,286 yards and 17 touchdowns as a rusher.
“This kid is electric, a great football player,†said Planz, who, as the Elmhurst College football coach from 2013 to 2017, recruited players at Willowbrook and other high schools close to the Middle East. liberal arts.
But Tumilty won’t be the only double threat caller in the game. Bears senior quarterback Jack Moses burned the Hersey Huskies on Nov 9 with his right arm and both legs, totaling 148 rushing yards (including 75 and 19 yard touchdowns) and completing 10 of 18 shots for 128. His season totals, through 11 games: 1,301 passing yards (13 touchdowns, 5 INT); 972 rushing yards (12 TDs).
“Willowbrook,” said Planz, “won’t be intimidated. Coach (Nick) Hildreth has established a good culture there.”
Since a 24-3 loss to Class 8A quarterfinalist Warren on October 11, Lake Zurich has allowed a total of 21 points in four games. The Bears’ “D†is 12.9 points per game. His coaching job deserves ink: Nick Summers (defensive coordinator, DL); Vito Andriola (ILB); Jeff Bartlett (OLB); and Shane Williams (DB).
“Lots of defensive knowledge floating around our building,†Planz said. “They are crushers, like our players. They work very hard and they don’t take shortcuts. They go after them.”
Other Willowbrook strengths include senior wide Everett Stubblefield III (51 receptions, 1,034 yards, 12 touchdowns) and 6-foot, 200-pound senior running back Tavion Geanes (688 yards rushing, 6.1 yards per carry ).
LZ’s top running back Junior Jack Dwyer (646 rushing yards) has not played since Week 7 due to a leg injury and is “week to week”,
Planz noted. Bears senior receiver James Piggott walks the team with 36 catches for 584 yards (16.2 yards per trap), and senior DB Anthony Mangano has a record 4 INT.
“Someone asked me: what changed your situation after your first two losses? “Planz remembers.” We haven’t changed anything; we just grew up. We then continued to plow and follow our two mottos – ‘Relentless’ and ‘Attack the Process.’ Our guys on ‘D’, they do their job and play for each other. They are selfless. They are fun to watch. Against Hersey last week, they were physical and doing good reads. They made this team fight for every yard. “
LZ, now with a 38-20 playoff program record, secured a berth in the state quarterfinals for the seventh time since 2009 and for the 10th time in 18 seasons; Willowbrook (16-21 overall in playoff games) has lost in the state quarterfinals each of the past three seasons by an average score of 45-20. Last year Willowbrook lost 34-27 to 2017 State Champion Batavia.
The other finalist in this 2017 title match? Lake Zurich.
CLASS 8A
No. 4 Warren (11-0) vs. No. 21 Bolingbrook (8-3)When: Saturday, 3 p.m.
Last week, second round: Warren beat. Fremd, 31-6; Bolingbrook def. Oswego, 31-30 (2 OT).
The winner plays: Minooka # 1 (11-0) against winner # 24 Brother Rice (7-4).
Outlook: Warren’s football coach Bryan McNulty lived in Bolingbrook for years before moving and playing linebacker at Naperville Central.
“Good people out there,†McNulty said of people (unrelated to McNulty) who will be cheering the Raiders to take out McNulty’s Blue Devils in a rematch of a 2017 first round playoff game ( won by Warren, 28-14).
“They are telling the truth over there. They are people of the salt of the earth.”
Bolingbrook – the 2011 Class 8A State Champion, 1993 Class 5A runner-up and a state quarter-finalist for the second time since 2014 – will have to solve a Warren team that allowed for a shortage points this fall. Eleven teams have scored a total of 34 points against the Blue Devils since late August, 4 points more than Oswego in around 3 hours in his second round loss in two overtime to Bolingbrook last weekend. Think. On. This.
But McNulty had 242 reasons to applaud his offense after Warren beat MSL champion West Fremd 31-6 last weekend. Senior running back Derrick McLaughlin rushed for as many yards, on a monstrous 41 carries, behind wide path providers (aka linemen) Jack Hovey, Ethan McDermott, Matt Rich, Gus Krinich, Jaiden Lowery and the H-back Seamus Mellican.
“Derrick hadn’t carried the ball often at the end of the regular season,†said McNulty. “In the game Fremd, we asked him, ‘Are you okay? Are you tired?’ He told us, “I’m fine. He lifts weights a lot, keeps in shape. He felt cool throughout the game. He was cool Monday.
Oswego was fearless in the second OT on November 9. The Panthers, fifth seed (9-1) had just scored a TD to 1 when they opted for a 2-point conversion. Bolingbrook stopped Oswego’s full-back at the 1-yard line to maintain the 31-30 lead and extend his season.
“Bolingbrook,†said McNulty, “is a great program with a strong tradition and a great stadium. He’s playing in an outstanding conference (Southwest Suburban Blue), and coach John Ivlow is a great man. cool environment there. They’ll be ready, their fans will be ready. “
Raiders wide senior Antonio King (149 total yards since scrum) rushed for 2 touchdowns against Oswego, including the game winner, on direct shots; he scored his first, a 17-yarder, with 1:20 left in settlement. Yale QB Devyn Suggs (10 of 18, 165 yards), a 6-foot-5, 200-pound senior, connected with 6-4, 230-pound senior tight end Trevor Borland for a touchdown.
“Their quarterback is exceptional… doesn’t make a lot of mistakes,†said McNulty, whose 2018 edition lost 20-0 to eventual 8A runner-up Brother Rice in the quarter-finals, after 14 wins. -3 and 17-14 against Neuqua. Valley and Hinsdale Central, respectively.
“They have a great offensive line and their defense is solid.”
Warren’s average final score after 11 games is 37-3. Bolingbrook: 29-13.
It’s indirect match time: Warren dominated the Lake Zurich Class 7A quarter-finalist 24-3 on October 11; Andrew defeated Bolingbrook 24-17 on October 25; LZ defeated Andrew 14-7 in a first-round playoff game on November 2.
Warren is one win away from securing his first place in the state semifinals in program history.
