Football notes: 56 teams clinch playoffs

Updated: March 22, 2011 5:28PM

After Week 6 was completed over the weekend, 56 teams clinched a berth in this year's playoffs, leaving open 200 playoff spots.

Marmion Academy was one of seven Class 6A programs to clinch a playoff spot but is the first from the West suburbs. Kaneland was one of six Class 5A programs to clinch, while Sandwich was one of six Class 4A schools to do so. Additionally, the Indians won the Interstate Eight Large Conference.

For these teams, stacking at least two more wins on top of the six they already have will make all the difference in the postseason as they can secure a top seed in their bracket and homefield advantage.

"That's something we've talked about," Knights coach Tom Fedderly said. "When we look at the rest of the season, we've got some big home games and we've got to take care of business and things will work out good for us as far as seeding in the playoffs. No doubt - we want to have a home game that first round of the playoffs."

While there are games to be won - and conference titles on the line for Marmion and Kaneland - a secured playoff berth adds a new responsibility to the coaching staffs for those teams.

"We'll have the freshman, sophomore and varsity staffs covering a lot of (games); we have a lot of alumni and we'll just try to spend some time (scouting)," Cadets coach Dan Thorpe said. "I have a former assistant who has been very accurate in designing the (playoff) quadrants and he knows Chicago football in the metropolitan area, so we'll put him to work. We'll scout anybody and everybody."

Vikings' "D" rises to occasion

Geneva's defense may have given up 330 yards in total offense to Batavia in Friday's 40-21 win, but it was pretty stout for much of the game. Coach Rob Wicinski had reason to be pleased.

"In practice we've seen them getting better. I'm really proud of the defense and the job we did (Friday) because we were a sieve the first couple weeks," he said.

Leading the way were Andrew Mariotti, Rob Harden, Drew White, Matt Malecha, Tom Frederick, Ryan Landrum and Doug Berthold.

After giving up a 47-yard scoring drive on the Bulldogs' first possession of the game, the unit allowed just 31 yards in three drives to force three straight punts.

The Bulldogs drove 61 yards for a score on the first drive of the second half, but gained just 40 yards on their next three drives, punting twice and turning the ball over on downs.

After the Vikings took a 40-14 lead, Batavia drove 41 yards before turning the ball over on downs at the Geneva 33 and then scored on a 58-yard drive in the final 2:44.

Warriors off to best start in years

After a sloppy, 21-20 victory against new district rival and first-year varsity program Metea Valley last week, Waubonsie Valley dominated Larkin 56-21 on Friday for its fifth consecutive win and best start since coach Paul Murphy took over the team in 2005.

The Warriors are now 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the Upstate Eight Valley.

"I liked the way we played (Friday), absolutely," Murphy said. "I did not like how we played last week. We executed (against Larkin). We hung on to the ball and we had a lot better focus than we did last week. In high school, it all comes down to executing. Once we saw how they wanted to defend us ... you take what the defense gives you, so we threw the ball."

Waubonsie can clinch a playoff spot and move one step closer to a conference title this week with a win over Neuqua Valley at North Central College.

Rick Armstrong, Mike Knapp and Christine Bolin contributed to this report.

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