November 01, 2024
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Waubonsie Valley football vs. Oswego Class 8A playoffs score, news, our pick, live coverage

By Shaw Local News Network
Oswego’s Trent Wollwert-Angle (19) recovers a fumble against Oswego East during a football game at Oswego East High School on Friday, October 25, 2024.

Oswego’s Trent Wollwert-Angle (19) recovers a fumble against Oswego East during a football game at Oswego East High School (Sean King for Shaw Local News Ne)

Waubonsie Valley faces Oswego in Round 1 of the 2024 Class 8A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive correspondent Alex Mielcarz will have live updates, scores and news from the game.

What to know

Waubonsie Valley vs. Oswego kickoff: 6:30 p.m. Friday

Where: Oswego High School

Waubonsie Valley-Oswego preview

About the Warriors: The Warriors qualified for the playoffs by virtue of 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 the program’s last playoff win. Oswego last met Waubonsie Valley in the second round of the 2013 playoffs, a 33-13 Oswego win. Common opponent is Oswego East, which Waubonsie Valley beat 14-0 in Week 1 and Oswego beat 23-7 in Week 9. Waubonsie played three playoff teams, going 0-3 in those games as a member of the newly-formed Southwest Valley Green. Player to watch offensively is 5-foot-7, 185-pound senior running back Chrisjan Simmons, who rushed for 194 yards and three touchdowns and caught a TD in the win over Metea. Standout baseball player Owen Roberts had four catches and a TD in the game.

About the Panthers: Oswego, champion 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, which was the year of Oswego’s last home playoff game. 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 that includes Mikey Claycombe and Easton Ruby for a defense that has allowed just 63 points (second-fewest among the teams in the 8A bracket), 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.

Advancement: Winner plays winner of No. 19 Edwardsville (6-3) at No. 14 York (7-2).

Friday Night Drive pick: Oswego

Live updates