High School Sports RSS: Football

Methling lifts Bears past Crystal Lake S.

BY TINA AKOURIS takouris@suntimes.com — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Before rushing to the Class 3A state soccer championship against Lyons, Lake Zurich kicker Max Methling kicked three field goals to lead the Bears past Crystal Lake South 30-28 Saturday afternoon in the Class 7A second-round game at Lake Zurich.

Strong second half gets Ramblers past Warren

BY STEVE TUCKER stucker@suntimes.com — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Loyola pitched a second-half shutout and William Forsyth threw three touchdown passes as the No. 6 Ramblers knocked off visiting Warren 21-7 Saturday in a Class 8A second-round playoff game at Hoerster Field in Wilmette.

Lemont comes out firing, tops Morgan Park

BY MIKE DUFFIN — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Thanks to a 28-point first half lead, Lemont advanced to the Class 6A quarterfinals with a 49-26 second-round victory over No. 15 Morgan Park Saturday night in Lemont.

Whitmer's heroics leads Downers South

BY PATRICK Z. McGAVIN — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Downers South quarterback Chandler Whitmer directed two fourth quarter scoring drives that helped the visiting Mustangs overcome a 12-point deficit in the final 10:36 to stun Bolingbrook 22-19 in a second-round Class 8A state playoff game Saturday night.

Mesch powers Glenbard West past Hononegah

BY BRIAN BOWN — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

All-purpose back JT Mesch scored three touchdowns to lead Glenbard West to a 27-14 victory over Hononegah Saturday as the Hilltoppers scored all their points in the opening half to defeat the host Indians in a second-round Class 7A playoff game.

Montini gets revenge, tops Marian Central

BY DAN RUANE — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Montini finished off a comeback victory over Marian Central and in the process completed the �revenge� tour that it set out on in the 5A playoffs. The host Broncos came back from a two touchdown deficit to avenge an earlier season loss to the Hurricanes with a 42-21 second-round victory. Montini will face Sycamore in the quarterfinal round next weekend.

Falcons score road win against Prospect

BY DICK QUAGLIANO — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Reece Butler threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as Wheaton North defeated Prospect 38-24 Saturday in the second-round of the Class 7A playoffs in Mount Prospect.

Glenbard South holds off Vernon Hills

BY MATT LE CREN — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Glenbard South took advantage of two turnovers to jump out to a big early lead, then held off a late rally to beat Vernon Hills 33-27 in a Class 5A second-round playoff game Saturday in Glen Ellyn.

Hilltoppers get past Cahokia

BY RANDY WHALEN — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

A fake field goal set the tone for Joliet Catholic, as the Hilltoppers went on to a 35-12 victory over host Cahokia Saturday afternoon in a second-round Class 5A playoff game. Joliet Catholic (9-2) will host downstate Washington in the quarterfinals.

Fremd, Wright run by Lake Park

BY TAYLOR BELL — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Evan Wright rushed 39 times for 181 yards and scored the decisive touchdown in the third quarter as No. 4 Fremd (11-0) edged Lake Park 21-14 in the second-round Saturday at Conant to earn a spot in the quarterfinals of the Class 8A playoff for the third time in the past four years.

Hembry, Trojans rush past Highland Park

BY DICK QUAGLIANO — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Alex Hembry rushed for 212 yards and four touchdowns as Cary-Grove powered past Highland Park 48-28 Saturday in the second-round of the Class 6A playoffs in Lake Forest.

East St. Louis breezes by Minooka

BY TOMMY STOKKE -- FOR THE HERALD NEWS — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Momentum seemed to be on East St. Louis' side as they cruised to a 48-20 victory over Minooka in the second-round of the Class 7A playoffs in East St. Louis.

Crete-Monee advances to quarters for first time

BY TIM CRONIN -- SOUTHTOWNSTAR — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

In 72-degree weather, Crete-Monee scored a 35-10 victory over host Normal in the Class 6A second-round matchup before about 2,800 fans, many having made the two-hour trip southwest. The Warriors (10-1) advanced to the playoff quarterfinals for the first time.

Bland comes up big for De La Salle

BY NATE JACOBSON — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

D.J. Bland had two touchdown catches, an interception and returned two kicks for scores and De La Salle�s defense came up with a key stop on a two-point conversion to lead the No. 20 Meteors to a 33-20 victory of Crystal Lake Central in a Class 6A second-round playoff game.

Hubbard falls to Belvidere North

BY CLYDE TRAVIS — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

There are losses and then there are bone crushing defeats. Hubbard suffered the latter as they fell to Belvidere North 29-26 in the second-round of the Class 7A playoffs, Saturday at Belvidere.

Hanrahan, Celtics survive in OT

BY PHIL BROZYNSKI — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Tim Hanrahan's 6-yard touchdown run in the second overtime lifted Providence past host Oswego 16-10 Friday night in a Class 6A second-round game.

Caravan 'D' stalls Stevenson

BY STEVE TUCKER stucker@suntimes.com — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Mount Carmel had a key defensive stand with just over a minute left and held off previously unbeaten Stevenson 23-16 Friday night in a Class 8A second-round game at Gately Stadium.

Glenbard North has winning formula

BY DAN RUANE — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

Relying on a stingy defense and a productive running game, Glenbard North cruised past host Samdburg 27-0 Friday night in a Class 8A second-round game.

WW South weathers storm to advance

BY TINA AKOURIS takouris@suntimes.com — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Wheaton Warrenville South opened a 23-point lead and then survived Geneva's third-quarter comeback to pull out a 30-16 win Friday night in a Class 8A second-round game.

Football playoff brackets

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

Track the state playoffs with YourSeason.com. Here are brackets for all the classes.

Turnovers doom Lincoln-Way East

BY TIM CRONIN tcronin@southtownstar.com — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

O'Fallon took advantage of five Lincoln-Way East turnovers to knock off the top-seeded Griffins 17-16 in a Class 7A second-round game.

Akui returns as Mustangs cruise

BY ALAN MACEY amacey@southtownstar.com — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Jahwon Akui's return to the lineup gave No. 13 St. Rita a spark and the Mustangs went on to eliminate Marian Catholic 34-14 Friday in a Class 7A second-round game.

Titans, Pullano pass by Proviso West

BY CRAIG LYNCH — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Mike Pullano passed for five touchdowns and No. 14 Glenbook South turned five Proviso West turnovers into 34 points in rolling to a 44-6 win Friday night in a Class 7A second-round game.

Prairie Ridge's defense stymies Marmion

BY CARTER CRANE — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

Prairie Ridge's defense had four sacks, three fumble recoveries and an interception en route to a 31-7 win over visiting Marmion in Class 6A second-round action on Friday.

North Stars pick off Elk Grove

BY MATT LE CREN — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

Dominic Imbordino's interception in his own end zone with 43 seconds left clinched St. Charles North's 20-14 win over Elk Grove Friday night in a Class 7A second-round game on Friday night.

Friday's Prep Bowl roundup

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

Scores and highlights from Friday's Prep Bowl football action.

'D' is standing tall for De La Salle

BY TAYLOR BELL — Thu, 5 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

De La Salle (8-2) has relied on a stingy defense that has produced 24 interceptions. The Meteors' starting 'D' has allowed points in only three games this season.

Steve Tucker's preps notebook

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

Steve Tucker has all the news from around the high school sports world, including one analyst's picks for the area's top player and quarterback, recruiting updates and more.

Herald-News football preview capsules

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

The Herald-News breaks down the upcoming football games in the Joliet area.

Where is the buzz?

BY JIM OWCZARSKI -- BEACON NEWS — Thu, 5 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

Here we are in the second round of the IHSA playoffs, and it feels like something's missing. A little buzz, perhaps. A little excitement. Not that having a resurgent Marmion Academy program, a scrappy Oswego squad and a frighteningly consistent Geneva team isn't any fun � any football at this time of year is.

Redhawks aim to cool off Marist

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 00:01 CST

Naperville Central scouted Marist last week and studied two more games off the film exchange. That was probably all it needed to see. Most likely, it can't match Marist score for score. Its offensive profile suggests that it won't, so it will think about Saturday's second-round Class 8A playoff game in other terms.

Providence atop list of area title hopefuls

BY DICK GOSS -- HERALD-NEWS — Thu, 5 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

The Joliet area has nine teams remaining in the state high school football playoff hunt, with second-round games on tap this weekend.

Upstate Eight ready for its makeover

BY PATRICK MOONEY pmooney@scn1.com — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

With the addition of Geneva, Batavia and Metea Valley and the split to two divisions next season, the Upstate Eight football race will have a different look.

It's a fine line for Lemont defense

BY BILL SCHEIBE bscheibe@scn1.com — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

The numbers don't tell the whole story for Lemont defensive linemen Angel Cabral, Pat Driscoll and Petar Vjestica, whose main job is to steer blockers away from the Indians' linebackers.

Reisner, Weiss have Giants on a roll

BY TAYLOR BELL — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

Running back Jordan Reisner and linebacker/tight end Brett Weiss have helped Highland Park win seven straight after an 0-3 start.

SouthtownStar football previews

BY PAT DISABATO pdisabato@southtownstar.com — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

The SouthtownStar's Pat Disabato breaks down the second-round playoff games involving Southland teams.

Defense cannot rest in Aurora area

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 00:01 CST

In a game decided along the line of scrimmage, it is the skill positions that reap the rewards of fame in victory. Quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers dominate headlines and storylines.

Joliet 3, St. Louis 1 -- let's build on that

BY DICK GOSS -- HERALD-NEWS — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

The scoreboard stands 3-1 in our favor.

Warriors look for a win, respect

BY PAT DISABATO pdisabato@southtownstar.com — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Pat Disabato: They�ve won nine of 10 games, outscored opponents 382-65 and produced running clocks against six of their past eight foes, including a 66-8 shellacking of Julian in their Class 6A playoff opener Friday.

Krakowski states case for Minooka's 'D'

BY BILL SCHEIBE bscheibe@scn1.com — Tue, 3 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

After filling in at quarterback while Mitch Brozovich was on the mend, Corey Krakowski has returned to his old spot in Minooka's defensive backfield and hasn't skipped a beat.

Hilltoppers hope to avoid speed bump

BY DICK GOSS dgoss@scn1.com — Mon, 2 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Speed on speed. That is what is brewing for Saturday's Class 5A football second-round playoff matchup between Joliet Catholic and Cahokia, one of nine weekend games involving Joliet area teams.

Redhawks finally have foes on the run

BY PATRICK MOONEY pmooney@scn1.com — Tue, 3 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

After a slow start, Naperville Central's ground game is starting to make an impact, thanks to the contributions of players like Ben Murphy and Derek Jancik.

Five for remembering: Great playoff games

BY TAYLOR BELL — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

Veteran sports writer Taylor Bell has covered some of the greatest games in IHSA football playoff history. Here he breaks down a few of the best.

Nine lives for Joliet area in Round 2

BY DICK GOSS dgoss@scn1.com — Tue, 3 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

Dick Goss: As I reviewed the matchups in the nine second-round playoff football games involving area high schools, a thought occurred. Honestly, virtually every game can go either way.

Tigers' defense on the prowl since loss

BY TAYLOR BELL — Mon, 2 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

After losing 27-9 to Maine South in the second week of the season, Wheaton Warrenville South has allowed only 34 points in its past eight games.

Naperville North can't tame Wildcat

BY PATRICK MOONEY pmooney@scn1.com — Mon, 2 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

Fremd's use of Evan Wright in the Wildcat formation proved crucial in the Vikings' come-from-behind win over Naperville North in a Class 8A playoff opener on Friday night.

Thorpe has Marmion back on track

BY PAUL JOHNSON -- FOR THE BEACON NEWS — Mon, 2 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

Paul Johnson: The success Marmion's football program is now experiencing saw its beginning five years ago.

At Vernon Hills, the sons also rise

BY DAVE MASTERSON dmasterson@scn1.com — Mon, 2 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

Vernon Hills standouts DaVaris Daniels and Evan Spencer both have fathers who are no strangers to football. Daniels' dad Philip is a former Bears defensive end who now plays for the Redskins, while Spencer's dad Tim is the Bears' running backs coach.

Huskies' McKeon walks off field one last time

BY PATRICK MOONEY pmooney@scn1.com — Mon, 2 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

After 27 seasons, two state titles and 23 playoff appearances in the past 24 years at Naperville North, Larry McKeon's coaching career came to an end last Friday with a Class 8A first-round loss to Fremd.

North Stars find a way to rebound

BY ERIK JACOBSEN ejacobsen@scn1.com — Mon, 2 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

Erik Jacobsen: And then there was one. That�s all that�s left of the Elgin area football contingent going into the second round of the state football playoffs after St. Edward, South Elgin, St. Charles East and Huntley all saw their seasons end last weekend.

Steve Tucker's Super 25 after the 1st round

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 18:00 CST

Steve Tucker's updated Super 25 football rankings are in. After the first round of the state playoffs, four different teams join the rankings.

Sun-Times football playoffs notebook

BY STEVE TUCKER stucker@suntimes.com — Sun, 1 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

The road to Champaign and the football state finals later this month looks especially tough in Class 6A ... Wheaton Academy won its Class 5A playoff opener at Hillcrest and will hit the road to play Sycamore ... and other notes.

Public League football on the rise

BY STEVE TUCKER stucker@suntimes.com — Sun, 1 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Steve Tucker: The state football playoff experience increased for schools from the Chicago Public League, with teams from the four Chicago Conference divisions joining the schools in the Illini Conference.

Vote: Who was the top star in the 1st round?

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 00:00 CST

Star gazing: YourSeason.com's stars of the week is back by popular demand. Be sure to vote for who you think is the top star. Voting ends Wednesday night at 11:59 p.m. Please note voting is limited to one vote per day per computer.

Raya�s surprise blitz clinches Mustangs� win

BY STEVE TUCKER stucker@suntimes.com — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Outside linebacker Robert Raya made a hit in the backfield, scooped up the ball and returned it 66 yards before running out of gas to preserve a 16-7 Morgan Park victory Saturday at Gately Stadium in the first round of the Class 6A state playoffs.

Lenti steps in and stars for Hawks

BY TAYLOR BELL — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Luke Lenti, the nephew of Mount Carmel coach Frank Lenti, was credited with a half-dozen tackles and intercepted a tipped pass in the second quarter to set up a touchdown as top-ranked Maine South ousted Oak Park 28-14 Saturday in a Class 8A matchup in Park Ridge.

North Stars shoot past South Elgin

BY TINA AKOURIS takouris@suntimes.com — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Jake Bergren�s 49-yard touchdown pass to Josh Mikes in the waning seconds of the first half was all St. Charles North needed to put away host South Elgin in a 28-16 first-round Class 7A playoff game Saturday afternoon in Streamwood.

Starks, Mustangs race by Plainfield North

BY DAN RUANE — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Travis Starks filled in for an injured Jahwon Akui and ran for 250 yards and four touchdowns, leading No. 14 St. Rita past Plainfield North 40-14 in a Class 7A opener on Saturday.

Saturday's football roundup

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Scores and highlights from Saturday's football action.

Carter shines as Loyola blanks St. Pat's

BY ADAM L. JAHNS ajahns@suntimes.com — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Defensive end Chance Carter made a highlight-reel interception and returned it for a touchdown as Loyola shut out St. Patrick 30-0 Saturday in a Class 8A first-round game in Wilmette.

Butler leads Wheaton North to upset win

BY BRIAN BOWN — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Wheaton North quarterback Reece Butler threw for 129 yards and two touchdowns as the Falcons upset host Rockford Boylan Saturday in Class 7A.

Greer, defense save Caravan vs. Simeon

BY STEVE TUCKER stucker@suntimes.com — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

A 22-yard touchdown run by Milton Greer with less than five minutes to play and a great last stand by the defense lifted Mount Carmel to a 19-14 victory over Simeon in a Class 8A opener Saturday night at Gately Stadium.

Maldonado romps as Leyden rolls past Pirates

By Dan Currier dcurrier@pioneerlocal.com — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Angel Maldonado scored three touchdowns, including one for a season-long 73-yards, to lead Leyden to a 25-7 victory over host Palatine in the first round of the Class 8A playoffs Saturday night.

Marist extends home win streak

BY MIKE DUFFIN — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Mike Perish passed for 346 yards and four touchdowns to lead Marist past visiting Schaumburg 41-14 Saturday in a Class 8A opener.

Geneva, Beitzel roll past Shepard

BY PATRICK Z. McGAVIN — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Geneva quarterback Brandon Beitzel recovered from the slow start to throw three touchdown passes that powered the host Vikings to a 36-8 victory over Shepard Saturday afternoon in 7A.

Chandler, Cary-Grove keep rolling

BY DICK QUAGLIANO — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00 CST

Unbeaten Cary-Grove cruised past St. Viator 57-21 Saturday in a Class 6A opener as fullback Eric Chandler ran for 146 yards and five touchdowns.

Montini airs it out in win over St. Francis

BY MATT LE CREN — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Brandon Pechloff�s rapport with receivers Jordan and Christian Westerkamp paid big dividends Saturday for Montini, which eliminated defending Class 5A state champion St. Francis with a surprisingly easy 28-3 victory at West Chicago.

Downers South passes by Waubonsie

BY RANDY WHALEN — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00 CST

Senior Dan Miller's first prep reception, a 5-yard touchdown pass with 4:23 left in the game, and Mike Ficaro's PAT kick lifted Downers Grove South past Waubonsie Valley 22-21 Saturday in a Class 8A opener.

Brinlee, Bears knock out Rolling Meadows

BY DICK QUAGLIANO — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Jacob Brinlee ran for 212 yards and a touchdown, leading Lake Zurich past Rolling Meadows 16-6 Saturday in a Class 7A opener.

Hilltoppers' defense stands tall vs. Triad

BY DICK GOSS dgoss@scn1.com — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00 CST

No. 10 Joliet Catholic limited Triad to negative yardage through the first three quarters en route to a 48-7 win Saturday in a Class 5A opener.

Curie no match for Blue Devils

BY BRIAN BOWN — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00 CST

Warren�s Tom Lindal only ran for 63 yards on 22 carries in two quarters of play, but scored four touchdowns as the Blue Devils prevailed 49-7 over Curie in a Class 8A playoff game in Gurnee.

Wolves run past King

BY CRAIG LYNCH — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Prairie Ridge held off King 20-12 by rushing for 296 yards at Lane Saturday in the opening round of the Class 6A playoffs.

Spencer sparks Vernon Hills in rout of Brooks

BY JIM POWERS — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Evan Spencer returned a punt 49 yards for a late first-quarter score to help pave the way for Vernon Hills' 48-0 victory over Brooks in Saturday's first round of the Class 5A state playoffs.

Spartans overpower Knights with ground game

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 00:01 CST

The battle between a pair of 6-3 Western Sun Conference rivals never really materialized Saturday night as Sycamore ran roughshod over Kaneland 40-13.

Herscher knocks off Dyett

BY CLYDE TRAVIS — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Aaron Collins� 99-yard touchdown catch from backup quarterback Ryan Hoskins wasn�t enough for the Eagles to stop Herscher in a 32-6 loss at Gately Stadium.

Rockets grounded in first round

BY BRENT GLASGOW -- PEORIA JOURNAL STAR — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00 CST

Justin Riley ran for 135 yards and three touchdowns, leading downstate Washington past Rich East 42-0 Satyrday in a Class 5A playoff opener.

Morris leaves Chicago with another win

By LARRY LINDHOLM For Sun-Times Media — Sun, 1 Nov 2009 00:01 CST

For the second straight year, Morris visited Chicago's Hanson Stadium in the first round of the playoffs. And, for the second straight year, the Redskins left Hanson Stadium with a win, this time 19-6 over Chicago Raby in the first round of the 4A playoffs.

Nothing scary for Coal City in win

By TIM CLODJEAUX For Sun-Times Media — Sun, 1 Nov 2009 00:01 CST

The seventh-seeded Coal City Coalers jumped out to a 20-0 lead and coasted from there on their way to a 30-7 victory over visiting Dunlap in a first-round, IHSA Class 4A state playoff game Saturday night.

Linne rallies Redhawks past Lockport

BY RANDY WHALEN — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00 CST

Nick Linne threw four touchdowns to rally Naperville Central from a halftime deficit to a 28-16 win over visiting Lockport in a Class 8A playoff opener.

Public opinion: All good

BY CLYDE TRAVIS — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:00 CST

All-Public League team: The top four teams in the Chicago Public League are well represented on the Chicago Sun-Times All-City team. While there were 10 returnees from the 2008 team, the toughest battle was at quarterback.

Proviso West puts away Taft early

BY TINA AKOURIS takouris@suntimes.com — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:00 CST

Proviso West got two touchdowns each from Malik Thurman and Kyle Prater in the first half and rolled past Taft 46-0 Friday night in a Class 8A opener at Lane Stadium.

Osei, Bonahoom get Prospect rolling

BY DAN RUANE — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Quarterback Miles Osei ran for 217 yards and four touchdowns, and Peter Bonahoom had 170 rushing yards as Prospect raced past host Carmel 33-13 Friday night in a Class 7A opener.

Hubbard grounds high-flying R-B

BY CLYDE TRAVIS — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:00 CST

Hubbard used a ball-control offense to stymie Riverside-Brookfield's vaunted passing game and rolled to a 30-6 win Friday night in a Class 6A opener at Gately Stadium.

Friday's football roundup

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:00 CST

Scores and highlights from Friday's football action.

McKeon bows out with loss to Fremd

BY JOE COSENTINO — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Fremd rallied from 14 points down to to knock off Naperville North 22-14 Friday in a Class 8A playoff opener. It was the final game for Huskies coach Larry McKeon, who is retiring after 27 years and two state titles at the school.

Martin, Meteors take flight vs. Deerfield

BY CRAIG LYNCH — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:00 CST

Juwan Martin ran for 180 yards and two touchdowns to pace De La Salle to a 45-6 win over visiting Deerfield Friday in a Class 6A opener.

Harris, Eagles soar past Hinsdale Central

BY PHIL BROZYNSKI — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:00 CST

Sandburg got four touchdowns from Jermell Harris and took advantage of the absence of Hinsdale Central quarterback John Whitelaw to roll to a 35-10 Class 8A first-round win on Friday. Whitelaw sat out with a concussion suffered in Week 9.

O'Toole, Tigers past by St. Laurence

BY CARTER CRANE — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Reilly O'Toole passed for 158 yards and four touchdowns, leading Wheaton Warrenville South past St. Laurence 61-6 Friday night in a Class 7A opener in Wheaton.

Hirsch, Titans stand tall vs. Dons

BY DICK QUAGLIANO — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Michael Hirsch caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Mike Pullano with 4:20 left and Luke Harness kicked the tie-breaking PAT, lifting Glenbrook South past Notre Dame 28-27 Friday in a Class 8A opener.

Marmion's balance sinks Huntley

BY PAUL JOHNSON — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Marmion ran for 361 yards and had rushing touchdowns from five different players en route to a 42-20 Class 6A win over Huntley Friday night.

Natick gets Glenbard North started

BY MATT LE CREN — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Evin Natick raced 59 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage to jump-start Glenbard North in a 29-0 Class 8A first-round win over Andrew.

Spartans dominant vs. Bogan

BY ROB VALENTIN — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Marian Catholic rushed for 402 yards and picked off six passes en route to a 49-6 romp past Bogan Friday in a Class 7A playoff opener at Hanson Stadium.

Wheaton Academy gives Hawks the boot

BY PATRICK Z. MCGAVIN — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00 CST

Sam Cote kicked the game-winning PAT after Brian Pell's 8-ayrd touchdown pass to Anthony Ritchie, lifting Wheaton Academy past Hillcrest 20-19 in overtime Friday in a Class 5A opening-round game.

Lincoln-Way C. comes up on short end

By DAVE BERNHARD For Sun-Times Media — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:00 CST

NEW LENOX -- The 266-mile trip to O'Fallon from New Lenox probably seemed a lot shorter to the visiting Panthers than did the short walk to the locker room for the Lincoln-Way Central Knights.

Richards' road warriors bring home a win

BY ALAN MACEY amacey@southtownstar.com — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:00 CST

Lacey Baxter ran for two touchdowns to help Richards hold off host Rock Island 22-16 Friday in a Class 6A opener.

Time for Lemont's other stars to shine

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:01 CST

Cody Kamberos ran for 101 yards on 5 carries and scored a touchdown in Lemont's 37-0 victory over Lincoln-Way North in the opening round of the 6A playoffs on Friday night. Lee Taylor caught 5 passes for 56 yards, including a 14-yard TD grab.

Providence rolls over Harlan in opener

By TIM CLODJEAUX For Sun-Times Media — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:01 CST

NEW LENOX -- After battling and clawing its way to an 8-1 regular season finish and a Chicago Catholic League Blue Division championship, the Providence Catholic Celtics found that they had to get into the state playoffs before they could get a breather.

Crete's fast start overwhelms Julian

BY PAT DISABATO pdisabato@southtownstar.com — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:00 CST

Cortez Scott and Greg Barksdale each scored three touchdowns to power Crete-Monee past Julian 66-8 Friday night in a Class 6A opener played at Marian Catholic.

Oak Forest has no answer for Normal

BY PHIL ARVIA parvia@southtownstar.com — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:00 CST

Keegan McIntosh ran for 120 yards and three touchdowns as Normal Community rolled past host Oak Forest 41-24 Friday night in a Class 6A opener.

Van Gennep, Starke spark East blowout

By MIKE FITZGERALD For Sun-Times Media — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:01 CST

Behind a balanced offensive attack, the Lincoln-Way East football team rolled to an easy 35-7 win over Belleville West in the opening round of the Class 7A playoffs Friday night.