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Glenbrook South to face familiar foe in playoffs
Updated: October 26, 2011 6:50PM
At the very least, there shouldn’t be many surprises on the football field in Glenview Friday night.
Not even a month has passed since Glenbrook South played New Trier, and the two CSL South teams will meet up again in the first round of the Class 8A state playoffs.
The No. 25-ranked Titans posted a 21-10 victory the first time around, as Kevin Schroeder ran 21 times for 143 yards and scored three touchdowns.
“I guess it’s a little easier when you know the personnel,” said Glenbrook South senior Michael Demos. “It’s not like we have to come up with a whole new game plan. We are not starting from scratch. But they definitely are a better team, and they have done a couple of different things on offense since we played.”
Since losing that game, New Trier won its final three of the regular season to earn an automatic bid into the 32-team field. Glenbrook South is 2-1 since Sept. 30, losing to Maine South 45-21 Friday in a game that featured two then-undefeated teams in league play.
“We kind of felt like we didn’t play as well as we were supposed to (vs. Maine South),” Demos said. “We just weren’t good enough.”
While Maine South won its 11th conference championship in a row, Glenbrook South will have to wait another season for another crack at its first league crown since 1995.
“We’ve been building up our season to this,” said senior running back Billy Pappas. “A win would have been huge momentum into the playoffs. We’ve got to pick it up.”
Glenbrook South trailed the Hawks 24-7 at the half, but the Titans scored twice within a couple of minutes late in the third quarter to pull within three points.
Both touchdowns passes went to Pappas, the first from quarterback Mac Zabriskie and the second from receiver Sully Stadler on a trick play.
“We came out in the second half explosive and hit them in the mouth,” Pappas said. “We just couldn’t keep it up.”
Maine South answered right away with two consecutive touchdowns to regain control of the game.
“They are ranked No. 1 for a reason,” Stadler said. “Not much to say about it. It was a good test for the playoffs, and I’m sure we will run into them again.”
Glenbrook South is back in the state playoffs for seventh time in coach Mike Noll’s eight years. The Titans have won at least one postseason game five times. New Trier is searching for its first playoff win since 2009.
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