Playoffs notebook: A trip to Chicago could bring the quarterfinals back to Princeton

Sure it would have been nice to stay home for the second round of the Class 3A playoffs.

Instead Princeton will be traveling to Chicago to play No. 12 Chicago King at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Had King lost to No. 5 Marshall on Saturday, Princeton would have hosted.

A thinking Tiger fan, however, may see it being a good thing giving the Tigers a better opportunity to bring a potential quarterfinal game back to the “Jungle.”

The Princeton-King winner will meet the winner of the No. 1 Bryon (11-0) at No. 9 Montini (8-2) game. While No. 4 Princeton would have to go to Byron for a quarterfinal matchup, the Tigers would get to host Montini should the Broncos score the upset Saturday.

“The kids have mixed emotions,” Princeton coach Ryan Pearson said Friday night. “They would kind of like to travel for Round 2 because of the possibility of us getting a quarterfinal at home. But, we’ll see how the cards fall.”

“I think it will be fun, but a long drive. I do like that we have a good chance again to host the quarters,” PHS senior lineman Cade Odell said.

Basketball was King

Chicago King has made its name on the basketball court much more than on the gridiron. The Jaquars made six Class AA state appearances from 1986 through 1999, winning three state championships with one runner-up finishs and two thirds. They have not, however, been back to state since nor won a sectional.

Illinois Valley basketball fans will remember when legendary coach Sonny Cox brought King to the Hall Shootout in February 1992 featuring a pair of 7-footers in Rashard Griffith and Thomas Hamilton. Former Hall athletic director Frank Colmone has many good stories from that night and made such an impression on Cox that the King coach invited him to sit on their team bench at state, which he declined.

King’s 40-8 win over Chicago Marshall on Saturday was its first win in its last four playoff football games. The Jaguars have now won four playoff games (4-13), but have never won a second-round contest. They’ve made five appearances in Class 5A, three in 6A, three in 4A, including two in the old six-class system, and its last three in 3A.

A big kick

Senior punter Jordan Reinhardt has missed a few games this season recovering from surgeries for his sinuses and to remove a cyst from his mouth, but he made his presence known in a big way Friday.

He averaged 40.3 yards on three punts with a long of 45 yards, pinning the Hawks at their own 9 in the second quarter. On the season, he’s averaging 41.3 per punt, including a 56-yarder.

Reinhardt knows his chances to punt are limited with the Tigers’ high potent offense, so he just wants to make the most of them and contribute when he can.

“It feels nice out there. It’s just a great atmosphere during the playoffs,” he said. “I don’t get much chances to punt but when I do I just try to make the most of it and I’m really not even thinking about much when I go out there to punt. I’m glad I can punt it deep into the other team’s territory and give our defense more confidence and a better chance to not let them score.”

Odell said Reinhardt is a big weapon.

“Jordan is a great punter. He has got better every game and we have a lot of confidence when we send him out there,” he said.

Three big plays

Along with the touchdown plays and defensive stops, there were some big plays along the way in the Tigers path to victory Friday

Noah LaPorte made a blindside blitz late in the fourth quarter on Oregon quarterback Benny Olalde, causing a fumble and 15-yard loss. LaPorte wasn’t able to convert the scoop and score because he didn’t see the ball at first, but recovered at the 5.

“I had a clear path,” LaPorte said. “I looked down at my feet and I’m kicking the ball. I didn’t even know it was at my feet. Quick reaction and everything. Our offense punched it in.”

Common Green scored on the next play to put the Tigers up 40-0 with the conversion run to put the running clock in order for the final 4:10.

Ace Christiansen was an ace in the hole on a key fumble recovery on a dropped punt return at the Princeton 37. Instead of Oregon taking over in Tiger territory, Princeton mounted a 10-play, 63-yard scoring drive capped by QB Will Lott’s 1-yard touchdown to go up 12-0 with 1:11 left in the second quarter.

“I just knew I had to fly over there to make sure that we were going to get that ball before them,” Christiansen said.

In the third quarter, Kaydin Gibson returned an Oregon punt 39 yards to the Hawks’ 13 late in the third quarter. While the Tigers failed to score in the red zone, they were set up on their next possession early in the fourth quarter. Casey Etheridge capped a four-play, 33-yard scoring drive with a 20-yard touchdown with 5:55 remaining to put the Tigers up 32-0.

Two Tiger QBs meet at Iowa

Two former quarterbacks from past Princeton playoff teams met on the field in Iowa City for Saturday’s Iowa-Wisconsin football game.

Tyler Gibson (2021), a student assistant for the Badgers, was seen on the field signaling in play calls. He went 17-2 as the Tigers’ QB on the 2019 semifinalists and undefeated (6-0) team in the 2021 spring season.

His successor, Teegan Davis (2023), suits up for the Hawkeyes. Davis was an all-state QB for the Tigers’ quarterfinal teams in 2021 and 2022, leading the Tigers to a 21-3 record.

Get your tickets

Tickets for Saturday’s game in Chicago will be sold only online in advance at https://gofan.co/event/2176706. Gates will open at 2:30 p.m. for fans to enter. All bags will be searched before entering the stadium. Concessions will be available by credit card only. Parking is available in stadium parking lot next to the field.