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Here are the second-round matchups for each Suburban Life area team.
Class 8A
No. 9 Stevenson (9-1) at No. 8 Glenbard East (9-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Patriots: Patriots coach Brent Becker said there are three simple points when it comes to playoff football: “Dominate the line of scrimmage, win the turnover battle and win field position.” In last week’s win against Sandburg, quarterback Aiden Crawley was part of all four Stevenson touchdowns (6-for-9, 176 yards, two TDs; 10 rushes, 85 yards, two TDs). Safety Abai Atabekov had 10 tackles and a critical interception. “Aidan played great, [and] Abai had a huge game,” Becker said. Running back Aiden Elliott also starred, running 20 times for 116 yards. Stevenson gained 416 yards on Sandburg, while the Patriots’ defense was equally notable, coming up with three fourth-down stops and registering five sacks carried out by four different players. Caden Schultz (10 tackles), Anthony Adams (two sacks, one tackle for loss), Luke Nelson (two tackles, one sack), Zach Becker (two tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, four catches, 48 yards, one TD), D’Angelo Washington (seven tackles, one tackle for loss), John Concialdi (one sack) and Braedon O’Hara (one tackle for loss) contributed to the defensive gem. Zach Hersh caught a 73-yard touchdown, and Thomas Simmons had two catches for 75 yards and is now up to 691 receiving yards and 11 TDs (23.8 yards per catch). Hersh has 498 receiving yards and three scores (19.9 per catch), and Becker has 361 yards and two TDs (19.0 per catch). Crawley has thrown for 1,897 yards, while Fatman Thorndyke has 753 rushing yards and 12 TDs, Frank Costabile has seven rushing touchdowns, and Crawley has four rushing touchdowns.
About Rams: The Rams won the Upstate Eight Conference East Division title with a 6-0 mark and sport a 5-1 record against playoff teams. East’s only loss is to 10-0 West Aurora. “Stevenson is a North Suburban school with good athletics,” Rams coach John Walters said. “Watching them, they are well-coached, have some size and are very athletic on the football field. They certainly will be a formidable opponent. We have to play our game. We need to dictate the pace of play, be mistake-free and execute. In the final 16 of 8A, there are no easy games. Stevenson will give us all we can handle. We look forward to having the Patriots in Lombard.” Senior wide receiver/safety/returner Amonte Cook was named the Offensive Player of the Year in the Upstate Eight East. Cook, who has college offers but has not committed yet, Walters noted, has 44 catches for 853 yards and 12 TDs. He’s scored four more rushing touchdowns and has returned two punts and two kicks for scores and has a pick-6 to his credit. All-UEC East senior wide receiver/cornerback Chris Renford has caught 41 balls for 801 yards and 11 scores. He also has a kickoff return for a touchdown and a pick-6, as well as 67 tackles on defense. Renford also is getting college offers. Junior all-conference quarterback Michael Nee completes 71% of his passes and has thrown for 2,206 yards and 28 touchdowns through 10 games while throwing only four picks.
Advancement: Winner faces the winner of No. 1 Lincoln-Way East (10-0) at No. 17 Minooka (8-2)
Friday Night Drive pick: Stevenson
-- Mike Miazga, Daily Herald Media Group
No. 15 Downers Grove South (8-2) at No. 2 Lyons Township (10-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Mustangs: Downers Grove South finally broke through last week, its back-and-forth 31-27 win over Plainfield South the program’s first playoff victory since 2011. The Mustangs have won seven consecutive games since a 1-2 start. Can Downers Grove South now break through against an opponent from the Western Suburban Silver? Both their losses this season came to Silver teams that Lyons beat – Downers Grove North and York – the Mustangs’ losses by a combined margin of 96-21. Dominic West, who threw a TD pass to Keon Maggitt last week, has done tremendous work at the controls of the Mustangs offense since coming on in relief Week 4 to beat Willowbrook. Kayden Smith is Downers Grove South’s other offensive standout to watch. The Mustangs have averaged 36.3 points per game during the seven-game winning streak.
About the Lions: Lyons had little trouble taking care of Joliet West in the first round, a 38-0 win. The Lions scored all of their points in the first half before reserves finished up. Now the Lions seek their second quarterfinal appearance in three years. The Lions’ 10-0 record is the longest undefeated start in program history. Danny Carroll rushed for 157 yards and four TDs on 16 carries in the win. Injured for the 2023 playoffs, Carroll has more than 1,100 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns this season. Dom Pisciotti threw for 110 yards, Illinois State recruit Travis Stamm had four catches and tight end and Cincinnati baseball commit Tucker King a 36-yard TD in the win over Joliet West. Defensively, Lou Ratcliffe had 3.5 sacks, and Miko Zecevic had a late interception.
Advancement: Winner faces the winner of No. 10 Fremd (9-1) at No. 7 Naperville Central (9-1)
FND Pick: Lyons
No. 14 York (8-2) at No. 3 Oswego (10-0)
When: 6:30 p.m. Friday
About the Dukes: York posted one of the more impressive wins in the first round, 37-7 over Edwardsville. Bruno Massel was the orchestrator of the breakout showing after the Dukes had struggled offensively in late-season losses to Downers Grove North and Lyons. The senior dual-threat QB rushed for 172 yards and four TDs and was a perfect 11-for-11 passing for 65 yards and a fifth TD. The Dukes trailed 7-0 early but scored the game’s last 37 points. Massel’s 41-yard TD just after halftime gave York the lead for good, and he also broke off a 46-yard score while throwing a 9-yard score to Simon Kodosky. York, a Class 8A semifinalist the last two years, is into the second round for the third straight season. Joe Reiff, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound senior lineman and Notre Dame recruit, is the man to watch up front. Jimmy Conners, like Reiff, is a two-way threat who rotates in at running back and also plays linebacker.
About the Panthers: Oswego did in the first round what it has done all season – lean on its defense while the offense did enough to beat Waubonsie Valley 21-7. It was the Panthers’ first playoff win since 2019. Now Oswego seeks its first quarterfinal appearance since 2017. Oswego rushed for 242 yards in the win. Senior Ayden Villa went for 135 yards on 19 carries and junior Dekker Zelensek 96 yards on 10 carries with a 25-yard TD. Junior kicker/punter Kaleb Stumpenhorst kicked two field goals, including a season-long 47-yarder, and has made five field goals over the last two weeks. Oswego’s defense has allowed just 70 points all year; only two opponents have reached double figures. Oswego senior and Iowa recruit Carson Cooney, the leader of a stellar linebacking corps that includes Mikey Claycombe and Easton Ruby, left the Waubonsie game late with an apparent ankle injury. His status for Friday is in doubt.
Advancement: Winner plays winner of No. 11 Barrington (8-2) at No. 27 Warren (6-4).
Friday Night Drive pick: Oswego
Class 7A
No. 12 Fenwick (8-2) at No. 5 Downers Grove North (9-1)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About the Friars: Fenwick comes in off an impressive 12-7 win over fellow CCL/ESCC member Brother Rice, the program’s first playoff win since capturing the 2021 Class 5A state title. Senior QB Frankie Hosty, in his second game relieving starter Jamen Williams, was 15-for-29 passing for 173 yards and a 39-yard TD to Andrew Bjorson. Battle-tested, six of Fenwick’s last eight games came against teams with winning records. Of that group, five are still playing this weekend. Auburn recruit Nate Marshall, 6-foot-4 and 265 pounds, is the headliner of the defense up front, the third-ranked senior in Illinois; while senior linebacker Jack Paris was named the CCL/ESCC White Defensive Player of the Year.
About the Trojans: Downers Grove North looked the part of a team poised for another deep playoff run last Friday, with all circuits firing in a 34-7 win over Wheaton Warrenville South. Minnesota-bound QB Owen Lansu was razor sharp, completing 18-of-21 passes to five different receivers for 216 yards and two TDs. Alec Fiermuga ran for two scores. Defensively, Joe Edwards had two sacks, and Oliver Thulin – who also caught five passes – had one of the Trojans’ two interceptions. Junior tight end Will Vala had five catches for 87 yards and a TD. The matchup to watch is a Downers Grove North offense that has averaged 40 points per game in nine wins against that Fenwick defense. Downers Grove North is in the second round for the third consecutive year and now seeks back-to-back quarterfinal appearances for the first time since 2012-2013.
Advancement: Winner faces the winner of No. 4 Batavia (9-1) at No. 20 Lincoln-Way West (7-3)
FND Pick: Downers Grove North
No. 10 St. Rita (8-2) at No. 26 Willowbrook (7-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Mustangs: St. Rita, like Willowbrook, beat a team out of the NIC-10 in the first round. But this one wasn’t much of a surprise, a 45-3 win over Rockford Guilford. The Mustangs have averaged 44.3 points during a four-game winning streak since a Week 6 loss to Nazareth. St. Rita’s only other loss was to Mount Carmel in Week 2. Nick Herman ran for two TDs and caught two TDs from Steve Armbruster in the win over Guilford. Armbruster also threw two TD passes to Walter Jones and ran for a score. St. Rita seeks its third quarterfinal appearance in four seasons and its fifth since 2017.
About the Warriors: Willowbrook pulled off one of the more notable first-round upsets – at least by seed – last Friday, a 40-21 win over a Hononegah team whose only previous loss this season had come by forfeit. Aidan Kuehl ran for a TD, and Jahonise Reed threw a TD pass to KJ Rhodes, one of their two scoring connections as the Warriors jumped out to a 17-0 lead after a quarter. OJ Powell returned an interception for a TD, and Dean Romano kicked two field goals in the win. Willowbrook has won six consecutive games since a 1-3 start to the season, averaging 42.3 points in those wins. Willowbrook seeks its first quarterfinal appearance since 2021 after making four straight from 2016-2019.
Advancement: Winner faces the winner of No. 15 Moline (8-2) at No. 2 Quincy (10-0).
FND Pick: St. Rita
Class 5A
No. 5 Prairie Ridge (8-2) at No. 4 St. Francis (8-2)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About the Wolves: Prairie Ridge rolled in its state playoff opener, building a 28-0 lead after one quarter en route to a 65-6 win over No. 12 Chicago Goode STEM Academy 65-6. Returning from a high-ankle sprain that sidelined him the past four games, Wolves senior FB Jack Finn rushed for 159 yards and four TDs on 15 carries, all in the first half. PR also got rushing TDs from Nick Petty (two) and Alexander Trejo. Sophomore QB Owen Satterlee threw a 45-yard TD pass to Elijah Loeding and also ran in a PAT and tossed a PAT pass to Loeding. The Wolves – who allow only 12.7 points per game – got an interception from senior LB Giovanni Creatore. While PR got Finn back, they played again without versatile junior QB/RB Luke Vanderwiel, who suffered a leg injury in Week 6 against Dundee-Crown and has not played since then. The playoff win was the Wolves’ first since they beat St. Ignatius College Prep 21-19 to advance to the Class 6A championship game in 2022. PR opened the playoffs last year with a loss to eventual Class 5A state champ Nazareth Academy.
About the Spartans: St. Francis ran its winning streak to five games with a playoff-opening, 42-18 win over visiting Sterling. Speedy junior wide receiver Zach Washington turned in a pair of electrifying plays against Sterling, returning a kickoff 95 yards for a TD and scoring on a reverse from 92 yards out. Junior QB Brady Palmer threw a 58-yard TD pass to Tanner Glock and scored on a 21-yard draw. St. Francis averages 32.3 points per game and allows 23.2 per game. St. Francis seeks its third consecutive quarterfinal appearance.
Advancement: Winner faces the winner of No. 1 Sycamore (9-0) at No. 9 Westinghouse (6-4).
FND Pick: St. Francis
— Joe Aguilar
No. 6 Woodstock North (8-2) at No. 3 Nazareth (8-2)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About the Thunder: Woodstock North earned its school-record eighth win and first playoff victory since 2012 by beating No. 11 Freeport 34-24 Saturday. Junior FB David Randecker rushed 30 times for 122 yards and three TDs. His 45-yard TD burst came midway through the fourth quarter after Freeport had pulled with 21-18. Randecker also scored on 14- and 41-yard runs. Junior QB Parker Halihan opened the scoring for the Thunder with a 7-yard run and added a TD from 4 yards out. Woodstock North started the season 6-0 before suffering back-to-back losses. The Thunder average 33.8 points per game and allow 21.7 per game.
About the Roadrunners: Nazareth opened defense of its Class 5A state championship by beating Chicago Payton 54-0 in LaGrange Park, after finishing the regular season with a 39-36 loss to St. Francis in Wheaton. Senior QB Logan Malachuk directs an offense that averages 35.9 points per game. He has plenty of talent around him with receivers James Penley, Jake Cestone and Trenton Walker. Leading the defense is edge and Stanford recruit Gabe Kaminski, Indiana commit and defensive back Garrett Reese and junior linebacker Lesroy Tittle.
Advancement: Winner faces the winner of No. 7 Benet (7-3) at No. 2 Rochelle (9-1)
FND Pick: Nazareth
— Joe Aguilar
No. 7 Benet (7-3) at No. 2 Rochelle (9-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Redwings: Benet earned its first playoff win since 2017 last week in emphatic fashion, handling Chicago Perspectives Leadership 48-0. Now the Redwings get a big step up in class at Rochelle out of the Interstate 8 Conference. Ryan Kubacki threw a TD pass to Luke Doyle and also ran for a 45-yard TD last week, Marty Radgowski ran for two TDs, and Doyle added an interception as Benet jumped out to a 41-0 halftime lead.
About the Hubs: Rochelle had no problem with its first CCL/ESCC opponent of the playoffs last week, handling Marmion 42-7. Should the Hubs continue to advance, they could draw three more with Benet, Nazareth and St. Francis on the top half of the Class 5A bracket. Rochelle’s wing-T offense rolled up nearly 300 rushing yards while quarterback Carson Lewis fired three touchdown passes, two to Dylan Manning. Fullback Roman Villalobos rushed for 172 yards and three TDs. Rochelle’s lone loss came to Sycamore, the No. 1 seed in the Class 5A bracket, in Week 4. The Hubs have averaged close to 45 points in their nine wins.
Advancement: Winner faces the winner of No. 6 Woodstock North (8-2) at No. 3 Nazareth (8-2)
FND Pick: Rochelle
Class 4A
No. 4 Wheaton Academy (9-1) at No. 12 St. Laurence (7-3)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About the Warriors: Veteran Wheaton Academy players undoubtedly have vivid memories of last year’s heartbreaking 31-30, double-overtime loss to St. Laurence in the 4A state semifinals – a game clinched on a blocked extra-point attempt. “The way last year’s game panned out is a core memory for all of us, and I can’t just dismiss it,” Warriors coach Jim Johanik said. “It hurt, and it’s on the heart of every player and coach who experienced it. That said, I reminded all of us that if you took away a penalty we committed here or a turnover there – all things that were entirely in our control – the outcome would have been different. Rather than dwelling on the past, which we can do nothing about, I put the focus on the things we can control this Saturday.” A year ago, Wheaton Academy defeated Sandwich in the quarterfinals prior to the epic semifinal battle with St. Laurence. This time around, the Warriors defeated Sandwich in the first round before heading back to Burbank on Saturday. “The way the bracket worked out for us, we knew that every game in the playoffs would be a battle, beginning with a very physical Sandwich team last Friday night,” Johanik said. “This week is going to be no different.” Junior QB Nathan Downey, senior RBs Brandon Kiebles, London Leflore, senior WR/RB Gino Spinelli, and senior C/LB Jeremy Johanik are the Warriors’ leaders. Wheaton’s defense turned two fumbles and an interception into touchdowns last weekend. “We have to move the ball against a round and aggressive defense and stop a talented running back core and a quarterback who can spin the ball around the field,” Johanik said.
About the Vikings: Two years ago, the Vikings finished with a 3-6 record. Last season, they enjoyed a huge turnaround campaign, finishing 10-4 and recording narrow playoff victories over IC Catholic Prep and Wheaton Academy before dropping a 59-38 decision to Rochester in the 4A state championship. All-state tailback Aaron Ball has since graduated, but the Vikings have several returnees from the state runner-up squad, including senior 6-foot, 230-pound linebacker Jace Chamberlain, senior running back Harley Rizzs, and senior defensive standout Jacob Bylina. Quarterback Chase Kwiatkowski played at Lake Central (Indiana) last season before transferring to St. Laurence for his senior season. The 6-3, 210-pound Kwiatkowski is an Illinois State commit. Other contributors for the Vikings are seniors Kyle Richardson, Tim Hyland, juniors Ayden Ginn (RB), Cory Les (WR), and sophomore Sean Rice. St. Laurence played a tough schedule that included playoff-bound Fenwick, Brother Rice and Montini. However, the Vikings owned an 0-3 mark against playoff teams prior to last weekend’s first-round victory over Richmond-Burton. Johanik realizes the Vikings are a formidable challenger. “A fully healthy St. Laurence team, which they are now, has a lot of weapons, a lot of speed and is very dangerous,” Johanik said. “They’re as good or better than they were last year.”
Advancement: Winner plays winner of No. 16 Geneseo (6-4) at No. 9 DePaul Prep (7-3)
FND Pick: St. Laurence
— Craig Brueske, Daily Herald Media Group
Class 3A
No. 1 Byron (10-0) at No. 9 Montini (8-2)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About Broncos: Montini took care of business last week, a 49-0 win over North Lawndale. Now the Broncos get the game they’ve waited a year for, a rematch with defending Class 3A champion Byron. Byron beat Montini in last year’s semifinal 26-20, by far the Tigers’ toughest challenge last season. Sophomore QB Izzy Abrams threw for two TD passes in a little over a quarter against North Lawndale, Santino Florio caught a TD and had a 50-yard punt return for a TD, and Max Bell and Chris Juda added interception returns for TDs. Abrams, who took over as full-time QB midway through the season, has completed 63% of his passes for 1,441 yards and 18 TDs, Florio his leading receiver with 39 catches for 458 yards and five TDs. Jaxon Lane leads the defense with 88 tackles. Montini has won six consecutive games since losses to Marist and Fenwick, averaging 37.5 points.
About the Tigers: Defending 3A champion Byron rolled in the first round, scoring 57 points in the first half of an eventual 57-20 win over Prairie Central. The Tigers have won 24 consecutive games since their last loss, to IC Catholic Prep in the 2022 Class 3A semifinals. Byron – which scored a state record 823 points last season over 14 games – has outscored its first 10 opponents this season 511-89. The closest call was a 29-28 Week 8 win at Dixon decided by sophomore quarterback Andrew Talbert’s 4-yard touchdown run with 16.2 seconds and junior fullback Caden Considine’s two-point conversion. Considine, a third-year starter and the top back for Byron’s wing-T offense, is back healthy after missing the first several games after hand surgery and a hamstring injury.
Advancement: Winner faces the winner of No. 4 Princeton (9-1) at No. 12 King (7-3)
FND Pick: Montini