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Here are the semifinal matchups for each Suburban Life area team.
Class 8A
No. 14 York (10-2) at No. 7 Naperville Central (11-1)
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
About the Dukes: York enjoyed a strong regular season, but has seemingly flipped a switch and taken it to another level once the playoffs rolled around. The Dukes have averaged 35.3 points a game to win their three postseason games by an average margin of 23.3 points. They are coming off a 34-15 rout of Warren that was even more one-sided than the final score suggests. The centerpiece of that offensive explosion has been speedy senior quarterback Bruno Massel, who has rushed for over 170 yards in all three playoff games while rushing for a total of 11 touchdowns. Jimmy Conners, also a York standout at linebacker, has topped 100 yards rushing in York’s past two games. Notre Dame recruit Joe Reiff is the anchor of a York defense that shut down Warren star running back Aaron Stewart early on last week, a good sign going into a matchup with a Naperville Central team that likes to establish the run. York is making its third consecutive semifinal appearance. The Dukes lost to eventual champion Loyola in this round the past two years. York is seeking its first state championship appearance.
About the Redhawks: Naperville Central handled one West Suburban Silver heavyweight, league champion Lyons, 24-7 last week to reach the program’s first semifinal since 2013. Now the Redhawks have to go through another Silver powerhouse to reach the state finals for the first time since that 2013 Class 8A champion did so. Naperville Central’s strength starts with a defensive unit that has held six of its past nine opponents to eight points or less. All-State defensive end Jake Stanish had a fumble recovery and Daniel Nussbaum an interception in last week’s win over Lyons. Naperville Central senior QB Sebastian Hayes is quite the feel-good story. Hayes missed his sophomore and junior seasons with two separate torn ACL injuries but has returned to lead the offense. Hayes threw for two early TDs to Indiana State recruit DeShaun Williams, who had six catches for 127 yards, to spark the win at Lyons. The workhorse of the Redhawks’ offense, though, is Aiden Clark, who has rushed for almost 1,200 yards and 17 TDs on the season.
Advancement: Winner plays winner of No. 12 Loyola (10-2) at No. 1 Lincoln-Way East (12-0)
Friday Night Drive pick: York
Class 5A
No. 4 St. Francis (10-2) at No. 3 Nazareth (10-2)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About the Spartans: St. Francis is known for an offense that’s amassed just over 30 points a game this season – but it is the defense that carried the day last week in a 10-0 win over previously undefeated Sycamore. It was the second shutout recorded by St. Francis this season and first since Week 2 – a good sign for a unit that has been susceptible at times to giving up points (five games of 27-plus points allowed). St. Francis is in a familiar spot. The Spartans are in the semifinals for the third consecutive season, but have dropped close calls to Providence and Nazareth the past two times and seek a breakthrough – the program’s first state appearance since winning the 2008 Class 5A championship. These two programs are no strangers. They met in Week 9 last year (a 35-17 St. Francis win), in the semifinals last year (a 38-31 Nazareth win) and in Week 9 this year (a 39-36 St. Francis win). Junior QB Brady Palmer returned from a late hit out of bounds in that game this year to throw for four TDs, including the game-winner late in the fourth quarter to Zach Washington. Washington, who holds 13 offers including Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota, is one of a host of targets for Palmer, including Ian Willis and Tanner Glock, although junior tight end and Division I prospect Gavin Mueller is out for the year with a torn labrum.
About the Roadrunners: Two-time defending Class 5A champion Nazareth has looked the part of a team intent on a three-peat during its playoff run. The Roadrunners have blown out three playoff opponents by an average margin of victory of 36.7 points, and are coming off a tidy 42-8 rout on the road at Rochelle. Now Nazareth hopes for history to repeat itself with a semifinal win over St. Francis following a Week 9 loss to the Spartans. Senior QB Logan Malachuk leads a Nazareth group with a ton of big-game experience. Malachuk, a four-year starter, threw for 212 yards and two TDs, and junior and three-year varsity starter Lesroy Tittle ran for two TDs against Rochelle. Stanford recruit Gabe Kaminski, another four-year starter, led a Nazareth defense that held Rochelle to 145 total yards. Nazareth’s defense has shown a few cracks during the season – allowing 56 points to Mount Carmel and 39 to St. Francis in its two losses – but has been dominant during its playoff run. Nazareth seeks its eighth state finals appearance since 2014.
Advancement: Winner faces the winner of No. 13 Morris (8-4) at No. 6 Joliet Catholic (9-3)
FND Pick: Nazareth
Class 3A
No. 2 Wilmington (12-0) at No. 9 Montini (10-2)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About the Wildcats: Defending Class 2A champion Wilmington put forth an impressive effort in ousting Durand-Pecatonica from the playoffs in the quarterfinals as its defense does what it tends to do: frustrate, annoy and cause problems for an opponent to run what it really wants to effectively. DuPec entered the contest averaging 43 points a game, but quickly found out that the sledding was going to be much more difficult than it has been all season. Wilmington’s offense also did a tremendous job of putting together several impressive drives that chewed up the clock and didn’t give the Rivermen much of an opportunity to get any momentum going. The fact that they did it all without the services of one of their best players, RB/LB Kyle Farrell, made the win even more impressive. Farrell went down on the first play of the game with an injury and did not return. His status is unknown for this game, but the Wildcats are obviously much more dangerous with Farrell than without him.
About Broncos: Montini followed up its thrilling second-round win over defending 3A champion Byron by dispatching of Princeton 24-7 in last week’s quarterfinals. Montini’s experienced defense led by CCL White Lineman of the Year JC Hayes, three-year starters Nicky Castaldo and Nick Irion and leading tackler Jaxon Lane has allowed only 114 points in 12 games and hasn’t allowed an opponent more than two scores in its past seven games. Sophomore QB Israel Abrams has thrown for 1,601 yards and 20 TDs, with CCL White Offensive Player of the Year Santino Florio his top target with 49 catches for 550 yards and seven TDs. Jeremiah Peterson, a bowling ball of a physical running back, has rushed for 719 yards and 11 TDs and taken on the mantle of lead back as the season has worn on. Montini made eight state finals appearances from 2009-2018 with five state championships, but the one-time staple seeks its first championship game appearance since a Class 5A runner-up finish in 2018.
Advancement: Winner faces the winner of No. 9 Tolono Unity (9-3) at No. 6 Monticello (10-2)
FND Pick: Montini