:quality(70):focal(1418x362:1428x372)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/SUBV5PS7ARG7DAQNBVB2V5DHCY.JPG)
Here are the first-round matchups for each Record Newspapers area playoff team.
Class 8A
No. 30 Waubonsie Valley (5-4) at No. 3 Oswego (9-0)
When: 6:30 p.m. Friday
About Waubonsie Valley: The Warriors qualified for the playoffs with a 70-28 win over Metea Valley in Week 9. It’s Waubonsie’s first playoff appearance since 2018 under then head coach Paul Murphy, also the year of their last playoff win. Common opponent is Oswego East, which Waubonsie Valley beat 14-0 in Week 1 and Oswego beat 23-7 in Week 9. Player to watch offensively is senior running back Chrisjan Simmons, who rushed for 194 yards and three touchdowns and caught a TD in the win Friday. Standout baseball player Owen Roberts had four catches and a TD in the game.
About Oswego: Oswego, champions of the Southwest Prairie West, is making its 11th playoff appearance since 2012 under head coach Brian Cooney. The Panthers went 9-0 during the regular season for the first time since 2018, one of just 21 9-0 teams statewide, and seek their first playoff win since 2019. Oswego played just two teams that finished with winning records during the regular season, Joliet Catholic and Minooka. Iowa recruit Carson Cooney leads a fierce linebacking corps for a defense that has allowed just 63 points, with just four touchdowns allowed by the first-team defense. Northern Iowa commit Jeremiah Cain, like Cooney a three-year varsity player, is a playmaker at both wide receiver and defensive back.
Class 4A
No. 13 Sandwich (5-4) at No. 4 Wheaton Academy (8-1)
When: 7 p.m. on Friday
About Sandwich: The Indians, after a feel-good 2023 season that culminated in a run to the Class 4A quarterfinals, backed up the program’s renaissance with a second straight playoff appearance. This is a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal won by Wheaton Academy 42-7 in the Warriors’ first-ever quarterfinal appearance. Sandwich overcame an 0-2 start against a pair of tough conference opponents in Manteno and Wilmington to win five of six games and put itself in playoff position. Sandwich is one of five teams from the Kishwaukee River Conference to reach the postseason. Six of the Indians’ nine opponents are in the playoffs. Nick Michalek emerged as the leading rusher for Sandwich’s wing-T offense that also features speedster Simeion Harris. Jeffrey Ashley leads a linebacking corps that overcame the offseason injuries to Sandwich’s top two tacklers from last year.
About Wheaton Academy: The Warriors are making their fourth consecutive playoff appearance after reaching the Class 4A semifinals last year. Wheaton Academy, champions of the Chicagoland Christian Conference, has won eight consecutive games since a Week 1 loss to Second Baptist from Houston, Texas. Senior Jeremy Johanik, a two-way starter at center and defensive end, is the ringleader of a defense that’s allowed just 65 points this season – eight points over the last five weeks with four shutouts. The Warriors had four pick-sixes in a Week 9 win over Marian Central.