Episode 273: West and South IHSA Quarterfinal Preview - podcast episode cover

Episode 273: West and South IHSA Quarterfinal Preview

Nov 14, 202441 minSeason 1Ep. 273
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Episode description

Join hosts J.T. Pedelty and Eddie Carifio as they break down Round 2 and look ahead to the quarterfinals of the IHSA football playoffs for the western and southern portions of northern Illinois.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Transcript

Speaker 1

S GKR Injury Attorneys proudly sponsors the Friday Night Drive. I met round you.

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We are ready to take on the insurance company for you and get you to the end zone.

Speaker 1

Visit us G A n A, s SI N dot com, Gannison dot com.

Speaker 3

This is State Representative Steve Reich. Since twenty sixteen. It's been my privilege to represent the sixty third district in the Illinois House. I'd like to continue representing you and I'm asking for your vote on November fifth. Thank you pay for.

Speaker 4

By citizens to elect Stephen Reich.

Speaker 5

Hey, welcome to the Friday Night Drive podcast.

Speaker 6

The West and South Quarterfinal quarterfinal playoff preview.

Speaker 5

That was a mouthful. That was a reason.

Speaker 6

I don't know why. Anyway, he's JT Penalty. I'm Eddie Carriffio. Thanks for joining us here and we should probably jump right into this, JT.

Speaker 5

We got a lot to go over this week.

Speaker 6

It's quarterfinals in the playoffs, you start up at five a work our way on down.

Speaker 2

If that makes sense to me, go big and then bring it home.

Speaker 6

And I'm not just saying that because we got to start with, you know, the school that I'm basically here for and then I can just take a little nap for the rest of the podcast. As usual, they just draw my eyes being open and use some AI for the podcast. It's very expensive to make it a peer I'm awake. This company a lot of money.

Speaker 1

So you're basically saying, like, any bad predictions after this first game is entirely as AI's fault.

Speaker 5

Yeah, and all the previous ones it was. It was the fake smart.

Speaker 6

So anyway, we'll start off with St. Francis Sycamore. This one's one pm Saturday. The official Friday night Drive pick is for Saint Francis. I may disagree with that, as we have established my track record may not be the greatest, but I really like Sycamore in this one. We can't call them the Spartans because they're both Spartans. But Sycamore has two wins under their belt against teams still in the quarterfinals.

Speaker 5

In five A.

Speaker 6

They haven't beaten Rachelle Morris on their way to a Interstate eight title. It's an intriguing matchup because it's the old really good offense versus really good defense, strong versus strong. Here, Saint Francis can put up some points, Sycamore don't let a lot of teams score. I think the interesting aspect of this game is Sycamore can force some turnovers, you know, and when you've got a team that's going to throw as much as Saint Francis does, it certainly opens up

the interceptions, of which Sycamore has thirteen this year. So I think what Sant Francis does plays into all of sycamore strengths. So if Sycamore can ball control on offense, which they certainly have tried to this year, they've had some success running the ball, are really good running the last couple of games against the CPL teams they beat.

Speaker 5

I like this game for Sycamore.

Speaker 2

I'm with you on this. I don't know.

Speaker 1

And at this point, I mean, I hope no coaches I have won later where I kind of disagree with Seuss's pick later, and I hope and then one of the coaches that I get along great with and work with every year, and so I hope no one takes

it personal when we're not. You know, at this point, everyone's a really good team, and you know, you're just kind of picking them based off what you've seen and kind of what matchups and head to heads and common opponents and sometimes just kind of the mood of things. This Sycamore team just, you know, it feels like every time they've won a lot of games in close fashion, they found a way to do that, and then here down the stretch, they found a way to just kind

of dominate opponents. They've when it comes to winning football games, there's no way they haven't done it with defense, with offense. You know what they were able to do against Morris and Rochelle and I just I think the Sycamore team is a really tough out and obviously it's the quarterfinals, but I like their chances in this one, Eddie, I'm with you. I think they're a team that, you know, I would not be a bit surprised to see down at IU here in a.

Speaker 2

Couple of weeks.

Speaker 6

I mean, yeah, no, I mean they've definitely got the talent. I think the wrinkle with them getting that far comes with the next game. I think we're going to talk about here, and that is NAS is really really good.

Speaker 1

They're ahead, Yeah, yeah, Nazareth Academy. You know it's five a's in their half of the bracket. Five a's number.

Speaker 5

What is NAS pre seed?

Speaker 2

Three seed? Yeah?

Speaker 1

And lot and a lot of that, you know, is built off than the schedule they played during the regular season, as we saw it last year when they won a state championship after they snuck.

Speaker 2

In at four and five. Is that right?

Speaker 5

Yes?

Speaker 1

Yeah, so so, I mean, you know, they only have two losses this year against Rochelle and Rochelle team you mentioned earlier. They only lost to Sycamore handled Morris handily, a team that's still alive in the playoffs.

Speaker 2

On the other half of the bracket.

Speaker 6

I I.

Speaker 1

You know, nas NASA is going to be a very tough team to beat, but I think Rochelle's proven to be that too. That's gonna be just I think, a fantastic game.

Speaker 6

Yeah, I mean, and I'm I'm I'd probably picked nass in it, but I'm I'm not going to be surprised if there's an upset. I mean, Rochelle again, ball control. That's the way to keep these high powered offenses off the field, you know, and Rochelle certainly controls the ball that Grant Gensler will run for one hundred thirty eight yards and like four touchdowns last week. You pick a guy every weekday, like two guys at one hundred yards. It's just a very good running team, ball control offense.

And you know, I I definitely see I use this phrase kind of a lot packed in one of the players.

Speaker 5

But there's a blueprint I think that Rachelle can do to beat this team.

Speaker 6

And you know, I do think NAS comes out on top just because I think they're so loaded.

Speaker 5

But I mean, I'm not gonna, you know, drop my monocle into my bourbon if Rochelle wins.

Speaker 1

Never Yeah, and don't dismiss the fact that Rochelle's at home. They have that beautiful complex that they built a handful years ago. You know, it makes a big difference this time of year, you know, having full stands. I mean, obviously guys is going to travel as well, they're fans, but you know, it makes a difference being at home, having that.

Speaker 2

Familiarity, you know.

Speaker 1

I I think and people have talked about and Rochelle actually is the higher seed here because they have one loss in NAS has two this season. But you know, I think that's the conversation that I've seen people have increasingly year after year after year as we get deeper in the playoffs, is should the IHSA look at some of these, who gets a home game in the semi finals or the quarterfinals.

Speaker 2

I don't mind the system as it is.

Speaker 1

I think sometimes maybe some common sense would be put in, But I mean, this is one where Rochelle should be the home team, and.

Speaker 2

I think it's an advantage for him. I think I'm with you.

Speaker 1

I think you have to think boyd Naz has an excellent shot in this one. I like Sycamore in the upset on the top half of this one, and just a heck of a game next week.

Speaker 6

Yeah, with the thing about the home games, I mean, obviously I have some thoughts, but do you want to point out that the North bracket here in five A, aside from an eight to nine upset Westinghouse beat Fossor I think, and that that was date and now I match up in the first round, it has been chalk, it's been the higher seed is won every game aside from that one.

And that's not something you see given that the obviously the playoffs are determined by you know, mathematical strict structure formula, not like you said, that common sense or subjective element.

Speaker 5

What you call common sense someone else.

Speaker 6

Would call lunacy or certainly in my case, but so really weird to see see a bracket coach chalk for that long and of course the one that didn't go chalk is what resulted in Sycamore playing a road game in the second round and my first visit the new Rockney Stadium last week. But still chalk in the north half, which sidedly has not happened in the bottom half of the bracket.

Speaker 5

Professional segue, Thank you very much, an award that is a good one.

Speaker 1

Well, it's tough to get a you know, when you have programs like Morris and Joliet Catholic that you're dropping in, you kind of assume that chalk's gonna go away by both programs that play in you know, brutal conferences and do everything they can to schedule up and play bigger teams, tougher teams go out of state if they have to, which Morris did this year and and took a loss in Michigan. You know, so yeah, you're not going You're not gonna see chalk when things like this happen. Morris

is a thirteen seed, has four losses this season. They have to go up to Gately in Chicago and visit a top seeded Morgan Park. And then on the other side, you know, we have number six seed Joliet Catholic and they'll be going to Peoria Stadium to play Peoria.

Speaker 2

High which is a two loss team.

Speaker 1

So yeah, we have I think, you know, starting with Morris, you know that this is you know, this is a challenge obviously when you're playing a top seeded team. Morgan Park seems every bit a number one seed. Everything they've done, they're they're ten and one this season. You know, they had a ten game stretch where they allowed thirteen points.

Speaker 2

You know that it's Chicago Public League.

Speaker 1

Teams to tend not to do particularly well in the playoffs when they come up with teams from outside the city or outside the Public League, I should say both, but this one is. Yeah, I think this is a team that's for real. I think the Mustangs are going to be a real challenge for Morris.

Speaker 6

Yeah, you know, I'd love to you know, I've obviously been against Morris unsuccessfully a couple of times this year, but yeah, no, this definitely looks like a tough matchup. I mean, I could definitely see Morris getting the win here. I mean, it is Morgan Park, by the way, should point out the team that eliminated Sycamore last year in the in the second round of the playoffs accurately Stadium. I want to I think it was a one pm. In fact, I think Sandwich had the four pm game

after that. I got a fun Here is reminiscing brought to you by.

Speaker 5

Yeah. No, it's it's it's gonna be a good game.

Speaker 6

I know that it's gonna I think it's gonna be one of these Byron style games that goes down to the you know, two one conversion at the end sort of thing.

Speaker 5

I think it's close. I mean again, then in my head, I'm picking Morgan Park.

Speaker 6

But you know again, this isn't a monocle dropping games.

Speaker 5

That's my phrase of the week. I'm seeing if we can catch on.

Speaker 2

No.

Speaker 1

I know, you know Brady Warner, Morris's quarterback. You know, he has lots of weapons to work with. He's a dynamic playmaker. I think the concern for Morris comes on that defensive side of the ball. They just haven't been the Morris team on defense that you've expected to see the last four weeks.

Speaker 2

They've given up. I had this. I added this to our preview.

Speaker 1

They give up forty two points to Sycamore, forty eight to Byron Center, which is that Michigan oponeent I mentioned twenty eight to Troy Triad in a playoff win, and then twenty last week to Highland. So on one hand you can say, well, it's trending downward, but on the other hand, that's given up a lot of points. And then Morgan Park conversely, you know, when you look at that matchup, I think they were held to sixteen points in their only loss of the season Week one.

Speaker 2

Since then, I'll just read this off real quick.

Speaker 1

This is their points per game score, twenty six, fifty four twenty not that impressive.

Speaker 2

I have fifty four and here we got fifty.

Speaker 1

Seven, forty eight, sixty two, forty two, thirty four, fifty five knocking on the door for five hundred points in the season. They're just a quarterback Marxist Thaxton. They have a running back Terrence Gurley. Just shredded Metamora last week, you know, and everyone knows Metamora has a fantastic football program. You know, I think that's your matchup where Morris has

to play better football than they have. They have to they cannot allow what happened against Sycamore, what happened against Rochelle, what happened up in Michigan. They cannot allow their defense to give up a lot of points because Morris has the weapons to compete in a shootout, but they haven't really won a shootout, you know, they had that lost earlier this.

Speaker 2

Year to Peoria High, who we're going to talk to it talk about.

Speaker 5

In a second.

Speaker 1

So I think from I think Morris's path to victory is, you know, keeping this a respectable normal football score, you know, in the twenties, in the thirties, and not letting them be come an up and down the field shootout, because I think that's the type of game that Morgan Park's proven, you know, they can score with the best of them.

Speaker 6

Should also point out that Morris is about as healthy as it's been all year going into this one, so that also could make it the responsible for I mean, not all of the forty two points or forty eight points or whatever they were giving up, but certainly had a hand in some of that. I don't think it changes the outcome any of those games, but could be a factor in this one for sure.

Speaker 5

I think it was.

Speaker 6

Definitely a factor of last week too, So that's also worth pointing that out. As you pointed out Peory, Julia kathay werought a little bit outside of what we normally do. You want to talk about this one a.

Speaker 1

Little bit just for a quick second. I think it's worth it just because it's a great matchup. You know, we mentioned Peoria High one and we want to shoot out. You know, their coach, Tim Thornton resigned after fourteen years really just built a Peoria High team that you know, nobody wanted to play because they just not only did they win and just turn that program around to have you know, all kinds of success, but also they're they're just played football like nobody else.

Speaker 2

They're so up tempo.

Speaker 1

They had so many games that finished, you know, seventy four to sixty two or I'm sure they made all kinds of IHSA score agami's. They're and and they're they're that type of team again, even though you know, Tim Thornton resigned and took a coaching position in Florida. So I think this is gonna be a tough test for Joliet Catholic.

Speaker 5

I know.

Speaker 1

Steve Susi's official Friday Night Drive pick is Jolie at Catholic.

Speaker 2

I think I'd go along with that.

Speaker 1

But it's gonna be you know, another team just like just like we said, with Morris really going to be tested on that defensive side of the football and offensive on the offensive side to keep up against a team that maybe doesn't put all their focus on defense. So you know, for me following closely, you know sports in the Morris Joliet area as well. You know, I'm really looking forward to a Julia Katholck Morris matchup. But they both got the works cut out for him this Saturday to get there.

Speaker 6

See I'm I'm the other way, and that would be a great matchup, by the way, but Peoria Morgan Park would be a game.

Speaker 5

Man.

Speaker 6

That would be you want to talk about a score of garment, You're gonna have both teams hit one hundred.

Speaker 1

Yeah, so you know what you get, Like we said, you get to this point of the year and there really aren't any bad matchups. I think we got you know, a couple. Cinderella is still kicking around. I mean, if someone wanted to sit there and try and tell me that you know, well, you know, Morris is a thirteen seed there is Cinderella. I'm not accepting Morris as a Cinderella in any circumstance or anything.

Speaker 2

I don't think.

Speaker 3

So.

Speaker 1

There are a couple kicking around, but in almost all these classes, you're going to be talking about powerhouse against powerhouse matchups in the semi finals, which is what we want.

Speaker 5

Yeah, I wouldn't say Morris.

Speaker 6

I mean again, we went over how the seeds work, so even though they're a thirteen seed, I don't think it's once you traditionally think that was an NCAA thirteen seed getting to this point.

Speaker 5

So getting into the illegate.

Speaker 6

So we're gonna drove on down the fora for a minute, and this is a very interesting one that stretches from east to west with Dixon and Cole City.

Speaker 1

Yeah, Dixon ten and one, coal City nine and two. Cole City's two losses are to Morris and to a team we already talked about Morris and a team are about to talk about Wilmington, So obviously those are quality losses. I think coal City hung with Morris into the second half of their matchup, and then I covered their game with Wilmington, who twenty one to fourteen. Great football game could have gone either way, So no shame in Coal

City's two losses. They get to be at home because of the system where even though they're the seventh seed and Dixon's the three, coal City's played one fewer home game, so Dixon has to hit the road and goes at Cole City. Which I know there's some people up in the Suk Valley area that don't quite understand the setup or agree with it. That's where I've heard a lot of chatter in the Dixon area. Why are we going

to Coal City? But Cole City has a beautiful facility, so if Dixon has been there, though anyone who hasn't been there, they'll be treated well. Parking right there, it's fantastic. But as for the actual football game, you know, this should be another great one. I know our Friday Night Drive pick is Dixon taking the Dukes, which this would be the first time Dixon's ever made it to.

Speaker 2

The state semifinals.

Speaker 1

This is this this year is their deepest run since making the four A quarterfinals in twenty seventeen. Dixon that one loss was to Byron on a two point conversion try and the closing seconds or whatever something like that. So I mean Dixon scored over five hundred points. We talked about Morgan Park and approaching five hundred and right off their ridiculous point totals. You know, Dixon's only been held under forty three times and those three times they scored.

Speaker 2

Thirty five, twenty eight and thirty five.

Speaker 1

So that's they have a potent offense, a good defense against a Cole City team that is perfectly happy winning a three zero football game against you. Cole City they can score if the opportunity is given there, but they'd love to take the air out of the ball. They love to put together fifteen play eight minute drives that end in a touchdown and you only get the ball twice and a half. And so that's all actively so interesting contrast to styles, and I think just a great

football game here. If you made me pick this one, I would I would be hard pressed not to take Cole City just based on what I've seen them do this year, but obviously Dixon fantastic as well.

Speaker 6

Yeah, I mean I'm leaning a little more toward Dixon, but you don't have to twint really hard to see the Cole City win. First of all, playing at home, which leads right into them being able to enforce their type of game. You know, they obviously, like you said, I want to take the air out of the Dixon offense. It's a lot easier to do with your home crowd

behind you and everything. So that you know, you mentioned the home factor for Rochelle, I think for Cole City I could definitely be an advantage too, because teams are tried to make Dixon play their style of game and that has not worked this year.

Speaker 5

Dixon.

Speaker 6

Dixon plays their style and Dixon's going to make you score points to beat. That sort of game probably doesn't bode well for Cole City, I would imagine, But you know, yeah, if they can get the low scoring thing that no one's been able to do yet, But you know, that's why it's the quarterfinals, and that's why they play the game. So I would lean a little more toward Dixon, but I definitely see the path.

Speaker 1

Yeah, And this is the deepest coal City has been in the playoffs since twenty nineteen, was the last time they made the.

Speaker 5

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Speaker 5

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Speaker 2

They have it all.

Speaker 1

Semifinals. Are they trying to get to the finals. But this is as deep as they've gone since since then. And uh, you know, they haven't been to a state championship game in two thousand, since two thousand and four when they were the runners up in four A. So you know, Cole City powerhouse program. But kind of this is that stage where in recent years they've faltered. I

think they have a great team. Landon Benson is one of the best all around football players I've ever covered in terms of you know, smaller half, you know, four eight to one A and you know, I'd put him up there with a lot of those five A six A kids that I've covered in the NIB twelve slash NCIC slash Interstate eight slash whatever it'll be named in three years.

Speaker 2

You know, I'd put him up there with any of those kids.

Speaker 1

He's just a fantastic football player at everything he does. You know, he kicks the extra points, he punts, he does everything. So really really interested to see this matchup. If for me, the key matchup here is can Cole City's defense, which is the way Cole City controls football games with their defense. Can their defense slow down hold Dixon to you know, two three touchdowns? You know, Dixon's

never been held under twenty eight all year. I think if Dixon reaches thirty Cole Cities in trouble, I think dick Sin's path to victory is keeping Dixon you know, three touchdowns. Ish understand they're going to get some, but control it, don't give them any possessions, and grind out a win.

Speaker 2

I think that's Coal City's path to victory.

Speaker 5

Yeah, I know, we spent a lot of time on this one.

Speaker 6

The one thing is if Coal City could end up with a defensive score, that's the sort of game where.

Speaker 5

Obviously Dixon didn't really turn the ball over.

Speaker 6

But Coal City's defense has got to be up in the top one of the top defenses Dixon has probably seen this year.

Speaker 5

Outside of a probably Byron or something.

Speaker 6

So that's always a big element if their defense can produce that way, which is always asking a lot for a defense. So I think that's good for four A. We can drop down to three A. You're gonna disagree with me in my three A assessment. I am now going to go on my long dissertation on three A.

Speaker 5

Montine is gonna win it all. Okay, I'm done. JT.

Speaker 6

Obviously you might feel a little different about the Montine Princeton game.

Speaker 1

You know what I mean, Montini beating Byron that you know when you beat Byron and again another one that came down to the very end of the game goal line stand when you have you know, how if you beat Byron, how can you say that you're not the favorite. I think Montini has to be their nine and two team, the nine seed. They're going to Princeton, four seed, ten and one. Princeton, you know, other than one loss early in the season, has been has absolutely rolled.

Speaker 2

Everybody been fantastic.

Speaker 1

It's tough not to pick Montini in this one, but it's tough to pick against Princeton. One thing with Princeton, you know, they've been in the quarterfinals, year after year after year. This is five straight postseasons. I can't say five straight years because of the whole COVID thing, but five straight postseasons they've been to the quarterfinals.

Speaker 4

Uh.

Speaker 1

They've lost each of the last three years at home, so including last year to Montini. So you know, this is this is one where they you know, Princeton, this is one they've had. They were I'm sure they were hoping they'd get another chance to shot at redemption against Montinier and here it is. But you know, they've got their work cut out for him.

Speaker 5

Speaking of COVID, you need to test, Okay, Bud.

Speaker 2

Just coming off the cold. No, it's getting it's getting playoffs. So I'm getting my NFL film's.

Speaker 6

Voice going, yeah, I know, I'm I'm like I said, you know, Montini, that's you know, Princeton has had, like you said, uh, a heck of a season. But man, Mantini, even for the Byron wid definitely, you know, it's.

Speaker 5

Fortunately the multiplier hasn't kicked in.

Speaker 6

For them apparently, so they're they're in three A and yeah, so there we go. And again people might not like the home game thing. I I'd rather have a private school fix.

Speaker 1

But anyway, yeah, but you know what the uh, you know, kind of the way away. I would disagree with you on the state champ I'm not sure the state champion. And no disrespect to Southern Illinois because I don't know these teams. We don't see teams or very rarely do we have teams play against these teams. I think Dix had made a trip down south this year, Ottawa Marquette did, but I know very little about you know, met Nashville or Unity or Benton or Monticello, who are all in

the bottom half of that bracket. So no disrespect to them when I say this, but I think your state champion comes from the North.

Speaker 2

And I think, you know, just.

Speaker 1

Based off what I've seen and kind of scores and whatnot, and I'm not sure it doesn't come from that other quarterfinal. Eddie, you got number two seed Wilmington undefeated at eleven and zero three seed dupek duran Pecatonica ten and one. I've had the pleasure of seeing both these teams here down the stretch of season. They are both outstanding Class three A football teams. Very different, very polar opposites, but very

different football teams. I'm not sure, you know, whether it be Montini or if principles off the upset, they're going to have their hands full that next week in the semi finals.

Speaker 6

Yeah, it seems to be the theme of the excuse me, the really powerful offense versus really powerful defense, with Wilmington playing the role the really powerful defense. Although do Pek's defense, as you could attest as well. I saw them Kingston in the first round of the playoffs do Peck, but you can test the well.

Speaker 5

The tw Pick defense also pretty good. Yeah.

Speaker 1

The one thing I would say that's interesting and that Seneca du Pec game in Week nine, which do Peck beat Seneca. I think Seneca out scored them thirteen to nothing in the third quarter to take the lead, and then do Peck out scored Seneca thirteen to nothing in the fourth quarter to get the win or something like that. It might have been fifteen or but whatever the case is,

you know. I the one thing that du Peck they did a good job against Seneca's running game, but they bit hard on fakes and they over pursued, and they let Seneca's full back just absolutely gash them for three long runs. I think there was a forty yarder that set up a touchdown. There was maybe like a seventy yarder that was a touchdown, and like another fifty yarder. And I find this ad Brody Rodemaker sent because fullback who's fantastic, you know, not your typical big bruising fullback.

He's a bruiser, but he's got some legs on him too.

Speaker 2

He can go.

Speaker 1

If that's not something dou Peck has cleaned up. Wilmington runs fakes at least as well as Seneca, if not better. Wilmington out of a wing tea, Seneca runs that power tea. I'm very interested to see if Dupek gives up home run plays to Wilmington, how this game plays out, because that's really not what Wilmington likes to do. I mean, you never say no to a touchdown, although more recently as times late in games NFL players have which.

Speaker 5

I've yeah, you never say a touchdown.

Speaker 2

You never say no to a touchdown, especially in high school football. But I you know, I think.

Speaker 1

Wilmington would prefer to as I said with Cole City, I think Wilmington would prefer to take eight minutes off the clock and score, Especially Dupek has Cooper Hoffman, their quarterback, is just as good a small school football playmaker as I've ever seen at the Yeah, just is his ability to throw the deep ball, his ability to scramble. He barely ran it all until they needed it, and then

he ran almost every play. Kind of reminded me of a Justin Herbert type that doesn't want to run, but he'll do it if he has to, and it's good at it when he does. But what really impressed me more of anything about him is the way he put his receivers in a position, you know, on little outpasses, little swings, little screens. Everyone was put right on their hands in stride, leading them away from a defender. Just kind of like that next level accuracy that you don't

see a lot in high school. And I think if Wilmington is able to get those home run plays on the run game, which isn't really there Forte, but if Wilmington is getting those quick scores and giving Hoffman the ball a lot, you're gonna see Dupek. You're gonna see a player like Hoffman figure things out and put up some points against Wilmington. So I think this is a great game. Seuss's pick is Wilmington. If you made me pick, this is what I said earlier. I definitely hope Coach

Reens doesn't take this the bad way. If you made me pick, just based on what I've seen of the two teams, I would take do Peck. I think it's a good football game either way.

Speaker 6

Yeah, I haven't seen Wilmington, but it's too hard for me to pick. I you know, to be it's a toss up game. A couple of things I want to point out. We got to keep this train moving. We still got two classes to get through. But two things I want to point out is that I think du Peck's issue with Seneca may not have been so much a do Peck issue, but Seneca doing very very well as Joa.

Speaker 5

Kingston also runs the wing tea.

Speaker 6

Now obviously not to the level apparently have Seneca or presumably Wilmington, but they did and I had no problems sussing out where the ball was and everything misdirection up Why it is heavy a part of Gk's plan, but it's still obviously they're just that's baked into the wing tea. So I think that's uh, like I said, more of a good thing for Seneca and Wilmington and not so

much being necessarily one. The other thing, when you mentioned the south part of the bracket, you want to talk about Chalk, This would be decidedly not.

Speaker 5

You've got a nine, ten and six in there.

Speaker 6

That tends to especially given that the tenn seed is still eight and three, you know, six and three regular season.

Speaker 5

I think now I know.

Speaker 6

As much about Nashville Unity and Cello as you do, but or less, I would assume. But that seems to indicate, Yeah, maybe there's a lot of parody down there. Maybe there's not a high level team, just a lot of really good teams, and then you get the iron sharpening iron aspect of it.

Speaker 5

But you're still.

Speaker 6

Talking Montini or a team that beats Montini. So I'm I'm with you on the North. North is where the champ's going to come from. We know I'm never wrong. So which brings us to two A D. White and team. I don't know how much you know about Farmington. I guess you get to enlighten us, well, you know, just a little.

Speaker 1

Bit Farmington just kind of their reputation and what they've done this year, Farmington undefeated, the top.

Speaker 5

Seed, also really being the Farmers is like crazy.

Speaker 2

Oh, that's fantastic.

Speaker 5

Well yeah, col Farmers at.

Speaker 1

Coal City Cohlers, Farmington Farmers. I like when people don't overthink it, you know. I I like the clever I like the clever Polo Marcos, but I also like the Farmington Farmers. I think it's fantastic. But you know, Farmington, you know, they score a ton of points, especially early on in the season, that's kind of tapered off a little bit. A lot of that's been the competition they've played.

But it's been weird watching it because if you had one of those charts that has you know, they're scoring goals like this and their points allowed has gone like this, kind of they seem like one of those teams that just whatever they need to do to win the game, they do. I maybe, like, you know, use another NFL analogy, you know, like a Kansas City Chiefs where oh, Patrick Mahomes, you know, isn't good this year statistically or whatever. They're

not scoring a lot of points. Well, then they did defense. Well, the defense doesn't have their great Well, then they block a field goal. You know, Farmington just seems like one of those teams that you know has found a way to win. And you know, speaking of finding a way to win, you know, I mean Dwight. Steve Sussi messaged me after the game and it's like, what kind of voodoo are you doing with Dwhite.

Speaker 2

When you go cover them?

Speaker 1

Had coming off a fantastic game against Elmwood Brimfield twelve six. They won on a There's only three completed passes in the entire game and the winning past was a Touchdow.

Speaker 5

Are you on the Dwite bandwagon again this week? Are you? Are you at that one?

Speaker 2

I am not. I am not.

Speaker 1

I have Bill Frescos going there for for a Friday night drive, so he'll be there.

Speaker 2

You can follow him with updates. I might go there just to watch.

Speaker 1

I do not have a Saturday afternoon game as of right now, so might be there just as a spectator. It's an easy drive for me and man Dwight. Team's fun to watch, you know, a lot of just a goofy, goofy game.

Speaker 5

You know.

Speaker 1

Dwight basically gave up five yards and got a fourth time out in the second half is what it ended up being.

Speaker 2

The upshot of it all.

Speaker 1

The coach just said he thought the other team he thought Elm would have taken a time out, so he went out on the field and talked with his kids and they got to delay a game from the one yard line. That pushed him back to the city. But he got to call it two three plays while he was huddled up with his kids, and that's the second of those plays ended up being the game winner.

Speaker 5

So the greatest penalty of all time, it was.

Speaker 1

It was fantastic thought for sure it was on purpose. He's like, he's like, I'm a young coach MANU coach Matt Standard here.

Speaker 2

He's like, I'm pretty young. I'll learn from it. I thought they took a time out. I was kind of.

Speaker 1

Surprised no officials went over. It's like, hey, what are you doing on the field. You know they didn't take a time out. But sometimes you know, everyone's looking around thinking someone else is going to do something and just wondering what's going on. But it all worked out for Dwight. Yeah, the Cinderella probably that's left in small school. Dwight number twelve seed. They're eight and three now, I'm sorry, Yeah, they're eight and three now. Should be a great game.

I think I think you have to think Farmington undefeated. And the one that really stuck out to me that would make me think Farmington's the favorite in this is you know this twelve this Elmwood Brimfield team that Dwight Gardner South Wilmington just beat twelve to six on a last minute play. They're in the same conference as Farmington, and Farmington beat them forty to nothing in week five.

So if you're doing that common opponents and kind of doing that thing, you have to think Farmington maybe has a little more muscle than Dwight Gardner South Woomington this game and runs it off. But you know what, Dwight gets them at home. We talked about that before and we'll I'm sure they're perfectly happy to be in the quarterfinals for the first time in school history and take their chances.

Speaker 5

Yeah. I don't much that add on that one.

Speaker 6

I mean, Dwy's just playing with house money at this point, so always a dangerous proposition when you got a team with nothing to lose playing at home. But it certainly seems like on paper the Farmers that farm in Farmington probably the favorites. So one more thing I know we want to touch on really quick down in one A.

Speaker 5

And that is part of me.

Speaker 6

I can need about twenty five minutes to say this name Gibson City, Melvin Sibley. They have a win, they go to the win, Lena Winslowness in a once it a and U I see a show CI alphabet soup showdown there.

Speaker 1

You go, yep, and that other one that's playing with them in the quarterfinals that would match up with them the semifinals number twelve Galina seven and four and undefeated Leroy eleven and know.

Speaker 2

The top seed.

Speaker 1

And I only point this out because you know you pointed out in Class five A the Interstate eight and the CCL Green.

Speaker 5

Green Yes, which we actually didn't say it was in my notes.

Speaker 6

We didn't make it on here, but good point. It's the CCL Green I eight showdown.

Speaker 2

And the half of the bracket.

Speaker 1

And this is a yeah, this is a Heart of Central Illinois super Conference. That's the combination of the Central Illinois and the Heart of Illinois.

Speaker 2

This year was the first year they got together for football.

Speaker 1

But yeah, you got your Heart of Illinois, Heart of Central Illinois and your Northwest up state ALIINI. Both these matchups feature them against each other. And the only reason I mentioned this game. They're both a little outside of our what we normally talk about, although our teams reulb up against them a lot. Main reason I wanted to bring this one up is, you know, I know every year people talk about, especially in the summer leading up

when we're doing our previews for Friday Night Drive. We preview almost every conference in the northern half of the state. Talk to the coaches players to watch. Here's the big games. It's really cool. I'm advertising something that happened in August, which is kind of dumb, but I'm advertising.

Speaker 5

Selling the preview. If you want to check, there's a magazine outside still still available for purchase.

Speaker 2

I assume beautiful magazine. You can look at how wrong we were and how right we were.

Speaker 1

But you know, one of the things with UH with when we do those that a lot of people talk about, you should do more with this conference. This is the power we had seven playoff teams last year we had and I always say to people, you know what, when you're picking out your Thanksgiving turkeys and looking at the date to thom, that's when you tell me.

Speaker 2

What what conferences are good?

Speaker 1

This matchup or like we talked about with the with the Catholicice Green and Interstate eight. When you get to this weekend and you have matchups like this where the entire half of a bracket is two T two conferences and off against each other, that's what I call a good high school football conference. You know that this is you don't have much better than the n U I C and h O C I now and not the h O I C.

Speaker 2

You don't have much better than them in small school football. And this points it out.

Speaker 6

Yeah, and I think it's it speaks really well to the I eight for you know, a.

Speaker 5

Sixteen conference joining this party.

Speaker 6

You know, you're talking about you know, the Catholically, you're talking about you know, the n U I C.

Speaker 5

You're talking about the Wake or the whost C or both.

Speaker 6

And and you're throwing in a relatively I mean, I mean, let's face a young conference, even though obviously the name has been around, but throwing in a sixteen conference it speaks really high to what those teams have done. And not just more as Michelle and Sycamore, but obviously you know Caitlin getting into the postseason and just missing out.

Speaker 1

Yeah, you've got half of the Interstate eight still playing yeah again, So so you know that that that's that tells you. That tells you everything you need to know about that conference all the times when you know we've written previews or talked with you know, coaches at.

Speaker 2

Ottawa or lp R Kane there like man, this conference late, you know yep.

Speaker 1

I mean it's proven out because they're going out and beating the crap out of people from other conferences too. So when you compare since the Thanksgiving Cranberries to Cranberry's, you know you're finding out which teams, which conferences are powerhouses. And no surprise, we talked about all year, the Interstate it's one of them, the heart of Central Illinois one of them. Then I see is one of them? This is this is not a surprise to anybody.

Speaker 6

I mean, the question is is Interstate they get a team into the next round At this point it's it's three pretty tough challenges. Three even on a relative scale for this point in the playoffs, it's pretty tough.

Speaker 2

So I would say has the best chance? Would you agree with that?

Speaker 5

Yeah?

Speaker 6

I mean, like I said, I see the road for all three of them getting there.

Speaker 5

But I really like Sycamore.

Speaker 6

I think if they force some turnovers, they control the box, things that they've done all year, like even with their quote unquote problems running the ball, and I use the word problems in all the air quotes in the world. Even with those problems, that they still ran off so many long drives, twelve play sixteen play drives because they'll use.

Speaker 5

The short passing game effectively too.

Speaker 6

They can take the top off if they have to, but they can use the short passing game.

Speaker 5

They have multiple places they can run from.

Speaker 6

And even those problems that I'm going full doctor Evil at this point is three or four yards of carrick, which you know they're they're pretty consistent at least getting them. So I really like Sycamore's chances in this one, and I think they're gonna.

Speaker 1

Let's go ahead and seg right into our picks to click, because I believe you have an Interstate eight stand out as your pickup.

Speaker 6

I can just keep talking about Sycamore because I'm in the turnovers, because they have a lot of interceptionally said the thirteen this year part of your cats, five of them at defense back.

Speaker 5

And O'Donnell, I think he's been my pick to click prior. Uh he has three.

Speaker 6

Interception returns with a touchdown, four total interceptions. And he's a linebacker and I'm saying turnovers, I'm going with I'm gonna go with Cooper Body on this one. He's another linebacker. He has a pick six this year. He's a powerful, uh just linebacker and lay hits down and can force fumbles. I I think, uh, if he gets a turnover, I think Sycamore wins. So I'm gonna And plus he's been playing running back more and more. He's obviously reason linebackers are.

Can imagine how that translates into Mackfield, especially with you know when they shrink it on down and run the more heavy set. So I'm going with Cooper Body. Is my click to pick yours.

Speaker 2

Mine's gonna be in Class three A. I could flip a coin here between.

Speaker 1

I think Wilmington if they're gonna win this game over du Pak I think it's gonna be a great game. And even if I think I would based on the games I saw, I'd give Dupeka slide edge. I think Wilmington's gonna have a very good game. And I'm gonna pick a running back. Kyle Ferrell could be ferreal. I could also pick Ryan Kttman, who is the other featured

back for Wilmington. They're almost the same guy. I think if you had to pick, you know, if you talk to the coach, I think maybe Ferrell's a little more physical and a tiny bit less explosive than Katman, and Katman's maybe a tiny bit more explosive and a tiny bit less physical. But they're both physical, they're both explosive, they're both great running backs. Picking one of them I

could have flipped a coin on. I'm gonna take Kyle Ferrell today, just because I think that physicality is the advantage that Wilmington will have over du Peck up front. And if they're gonna win the game, it's gonna be because they are just beating up du Peck up front. So my pick to click will be Kyle Ferrell Wildcats running back and that which should be an awesome matchup.

Speaker 6

The Dwight standout for those of you that don't have the Dwight roster off hands. But yes, no, that'll I think that'll do it. I think I think we could call this a podcast. I think we're probably gonna call this the season. Well, we'll see how stuff shakes out, but I know we said that after last week and here we are this week. But definitely, as always has been a absolute pleasure.

Speaker 2

Ye love talking football with you, Eddie.

Speaker 1

Always a good time, hopefully you know, great to see so many of our teams still alive down here in the you know, Like like I've said, we call this, we jokingly call this the corn Cornfield Podcast, just because you know, it's kind of you know, we're outside the suburb, which is most suburbs and a suburban area which most of Friday night drive centers on. So awesome that we still have so many teams not only alive, but so

many great matchups. And I think I think we squeeze a few teams into the next round and you know, whether we're here to report on them or we hand it off to the mothership Friday Night Podcast. Either way, I think we have some great football coming down the stretch.

Speaker 5

Okay, well again, thanks all, thanks to y'all for listening. And he's j th penalty. I'm at a CARRIPHEO.

Speaker 2

See you take care.

Speaker 4

Do you ever wonder where the profits go when you shop at a big box store?

Speaker 2

Hi?

Speaker 4

This is Patty from Oliver's Corner Market When you shop at Oliver's, you can rest assured that the profits stay local, supporting other local businesses and charities. Find us at the corner britt and Bradshaw and Dixon

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