WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:03.600 Schwiker, Gannison, Krizek, Rundio, Proudley sponsors to Friday Night Driver. 2 00:00:03.759 --> 00:00:06.639 I'm Mike Krazak. If you've been injured, we are ready to take them 3 00:00:06.679 --> 00:00:10.039 the insurance company and get you to the end zone. We've recovered hundreds of 4 00:00:10.080 --> 00:00:22.199 millions of dollars for our clients. Visit Ga Nassi, m Dot count Well. 5 00:00:22.280 --> 00:00:24.800 Josh fills like a long time ago, you know, back in August, 6 00:00:24.839 --> 00:00:28.839 we're getting preview content ready and the optimism and just excitement of high school 7 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:32.560 football has started. And now we're at a point where we're in that final 8 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:35.960 week where a lot of state championship dreams are going to be realized. And 9 00:00:36.039 --> 00:00:38.560 it's just been a hack of a ride and a lot of fun. So 10 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:43.159 for everybody that's been listening to our Friday Night Drive Western Shoppers podcast is always 11 00:00:43.359 --> 00:00:45.679 thanks so much for making us for part of your afternoon. You can follow 12 00:00:45.799 --> 00:00:50.359 us on Twitter at Jake Barleston at j WELG ninety six Josh. Before we 13 00:00:50.399 --> 00:00:53.880 get started on a busy semi final, we'll obviously look ahead to Champagne. 14 00:00:54.359 --> 00:00:57.240 I think we got a touch on the weather and what the last couple of 15 00:00:57.240 --> 00:01:00.920 weeks have been like, you know, affecting game outcomes and whatnot. Yeah, 16 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:03.519 it's funny. You know. I was telling you before that that throughout 17 00:01:03.560 --> 00:01:07.680 the regular season, I thought it's the best regular season weatherwise that I can 18 00:01:07.719 --> 00:01:10.400 ever remember. I mean, I agree, we just had great weather week 19 00:01:10.439 --> 00:01:12.280 in a week out, hardly any rain. Um. You know, Balmy, 20 00:01:12.519 --> 00:01:15.799 I remember Week nine covering game in shorts, which is unheard of. 21 00:01:17.560 --> 00:01:19.120 Um. It has certainly not been the case in the last few weeks for 22 00:01:19.159 --> 00:01:23.719 the playoffs. Um. Last Saturday. Um, you know, I've been 23 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:27.079 covering football for twenty six years, and that's the coldest game or weather for 24 00:01:27.159 --> 00:01:30.760 a game I can ever recall. Um. I mean it was twenty degrees 25 00:01:30.920 --> 00:01:36.959 at kickoff at Elmhurst. And on top of it, at Plunkett Park, 26 00:01:37.159 --> 00:01:41.719 they only have bleachers on one side of the of the field, so there 27 00:01:41.840 --> 00:01:47.400 isn't that bleacher element to block out the wind. So the wind was coming 28 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:53.760 in, um and uh and making it a little bit more uncomfortable throughout the 29 00:01:53.799 --> 00:01:59.000 game. But just really really bitter, bitter cold. And I will say, 30 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:00.079 I don't think it really a fact to the outcome of my game, 31 00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:02.640 which I was happy to see. I mean, that's the one thing you 32 00:02:02.719 --> 00:02:07.079 don't want. I mean, nobody likes to sit through twenty two b weather, 33 00:02:07.239 --> 00:02:10.080 but you know, as long as it's not a big effect on a 34 00:02:10.199 --> 00:02:14.080 game, and you know, you kind of lived through it. But it 35 00:02:14.240 --> 00:02:17.520 was cold. It was definitely cool. I had. I had two pairs 36 00:02:17.560 --> 00:02:21.879 of sweatpants on. I'm a layers guy. I'm not a big coke guy 37 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:27.159 covering football. So I had two thermals, three sweatshirts, hood hat, 38 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:31.080 scarf. I mean, I was totally layered up and I had I had 39 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:34.800 to switch on my handwarmers at half. I had two in each glove. 40 00:02:34.919 --> 00:02:38.719 I still was cold, So it really goes to show how kind of nuts 41 00:02:38.759 --> 00:02:43.360 it was. Yeah, I was definitely doing the layers thing. And unlike 42 00:02:43.439 --> 00:02:47.120 some sports traders who really really brave the elements, I am not afraid to 43 00:02:47.159 --> 00:02:52.680 go into a press box if the weather makes it where you need to. 44 00:02:52.919 --> 00:02:57.560 But um, I see Catholic preps press box. Let's just say it's about 45 00:02:57.639 --> 00:03:00.560 as big as my closet at home, so you're not gonna get too many 46 00:03:00.599 --> 00:03:05.479 people in there for a football game. But I was on the sidelines just 47 00:03:05.639 --> 00:03:07.879 like a lot of the other sports writers. But so a lot of good 48 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:13.759 football last Saturday in the cold. It looks like this Saturday in Champagne and 49 00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:17.400 this Friday it's gonna be a little bit more typical conditions for November in the 50 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:21.240 forties. So uh, you know, don't think that the weather is going 51 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:24.479 to play a big factor. But uh, but but yeah, certainly an 52 00:03:24.560 --> 00:03:30.560 interesting last Saturday. Um, Jake a lot of football last last weekend. 53 00:03:30.680 --> 00:03:34.879 Last Saturday. Um, you were up in lake Zurich to see Batavia. 54 00:03:35.400 --> 00:03:38.479 Um, sort of a rematch. They've seen each other a few times over 55 00:03:38.520 --> 00:03:40.439 the playoffs, um the last few years. Uh, you know, but 56 00:03:40.599 --> 00:03:45.319 what were you see? Obviously Batavia coming out with a big win. So 57 00:03:45.560 --> 00:03:49.680 for starters, UM, you know, I thought the way the game started 58 00:03:50.199 --> 00:03:53.840 where you know, Batavia had a couple of mistakes fumbles. Uh, you 59 00:03:53.919 --> 00:03:55.400 know, lake Zurich able to took a quick lead and then you know, 60 00:03:55.520 --> 00:04:00.159 Batavia able to get it back. Um. But the one thing Batavia was 61 00:04:00.199 --> 00:04:02.400 really able to do was kind of stabilize and open up their passing game, 62 00:04:02.439 --> 00:04:06.120 which I think really helped them. Where Lake Zurich you know, tried to 63 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:10.680 do some passing but it just wasn't as effective. But Batavia was able to 64 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:14.800 break off some chunk plays, and as coach Jannis Peron you know, pointed 65 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:18.160 out, they had respect the past, so you couldn't jam pack the box 66 00:04:18.279 --> 00:04:21.439 with you know, seven eight defenders. You kind of had to spread out 67 00:04:21.480 --> 00:04:26.600 the field a little bit. And then from there Batavia was able to do 68 00:04:26.680 --> 00:04:29.639 its damage. I mean, they going into the half of the lead, 69 00:04:29.959 --> 00:04:32.639 and then Batavia gets the ball to open the third quarter that first play, 70 00:04:32.759 --> 00:04:36.519 Tyler James, he just burst through for a seventy two yard touchdown in the 71 00:04:36.600 --> 00:04:42.439 first play, and I felt like that was a huge momentum thing where it 72 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:46.319 just gave a lot of breathing room and then the defense could fly around and 73 00:04:46.680 --> 00:04:50.240 not play so we can't make a mistake type feel, and then they were 74 00:04:50.279 --> 00:04:54.360 just able to kind of, you know, grind out the clock running wise. 75 00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:57.519 So overall, I mean it was a pretty Batavia game, I would 76 00:04:57.560 --> 00:05:00.439 say, running the football, stopping the run, able to get a couple 77 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:02.920 of big pass plays, a couple of punts. Charlie Well, I mean, 78 00:05:02.920 --> 00:05:06.120 we keep talking about him. He gets just he just flips the fields 79 00:05:06.199 --> 00:05:10.519 sometimes. And so it was the way Batavia wanted to win. Lake Zerk 80 00:05:10.600 --> 00:05:13.560 did play well at stretches, but clearly they needed to get more first downs 81 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:15.639 and then they didn't. Yeah, I mean, Tavia gets the lead and 82 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:18.680 then they turn it over. The defense is really strong. And Tyler jan 83 00:05:18.759 --> 00:05:21.199 Zy, I mean he's a kid that, um, you know, late 84 00:05:21.240 --> 00:05:26.600 in the year they turned him a little bit more running football, and obviously 85 00:05:26.680 --> 00:05:30.600 he's a very talented kid. And and from what appears to me, it 86 00:05:30.680 --> 00:05:32.120 sounds like he had a pretty big game for them, obviously, and the 87 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:38.399 really long touchdown run which really gave put Tavia in the driver's seat last weekend. 88 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:42.800 Yeah, um, you know, we've talked about it before, but 89 00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:46.160 Patavia always seems to have one or two extra wrinkles and in their offense, 90 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:49.759 uh, you know, come playoff time. And I've covered him long enough 91 00:05:49.879 --> 00:05:54.560 where it goes from you know, Matt Wortz to Quinn or a Whiler to 92 00:05:55.240 --> 00:05:59.360 uh you know, Michael jan Zy, his brother in the twenty seventeen playoffs 93 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:02.160 are now getting his moments. So I mean, it's it's just pretty neat 94 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:05.879 to see, um, you know, just from a human element where a 95 00:06:05.959 --> 00:06:10.759 lot of those guys were in seventh eighth grade when Batavia won that state title 96 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:14.519 of twenty seventeen. I remember talking to Ryan Whitwell, at the end of 97 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:17.079 the game, he was a seventh grade water boy, you know, on 98 00:06:17.160 --> 00:06:20.040 the sidelines for it, and you know, he's up front and gets to 99 00:06:20.120 --> 00:06:23.720 see that action. And now he's going to be playing in a state championship 100 00:06:23.720 --> 00:06:26.720 game of his own. So I know everybody has their own little kind of 101 00:06:26.759 --> 00:06:29.639 story and wrinkled to that, but I think it's kind of neat, it 102 00:06:29.759 --> 00:06:32.120 really is. I mean, obviously, Tyler James's older brother was a part 103 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:36.000 of a lot of success Patavia as well, and uh, you know, 104 00:06:36.120 --> 00:06:40.879 but now this, this current edition of Bulldogs is kind of making their own 105 00:06:40.920 --> 00:06:45.399 mark and getting that program um, you know, back to state and back 106 00:06:45.399 --> 00:06:48.279 to obviously a ring matchup will talk about later in a podcast with Mount carmel 107 00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:51.680 Um. So, you know, a very good win from Batavia and congratulations 108 00:06:51.759 --> 00:06:57.560 to them moving on to Champagne while they'll be playing on Saturday afternoon. Jake, 109 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:01.519 you mentioned a little bit of a wrinkle with Batavia with Tyer jan Z. 110 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:05.759 Well, I'm going to talk about Iccathley and prop and let's just say 111 00:07:05.800 --> 00:07:09.879 that they've they've had quite a bit of a wrinkle with the young man by 112 00:07:09.920 --> 00:07:14.040 the name of Joey Guyata that we talked about in the podcast last week. 113 00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:16.519 He's a kid that had through the first eleven games of the season, he 114 00:07:16.600 --> 00:07:21.639 had six carries total UM, and then he came u sort of out of 115 00:07:21.720 --> 00:07:27.279 nowhere as an offensive player, had a huge game in their overtime win against 116 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:30.879 Princeton. I really came into last Saturday's game curious to see that, you 117 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:32.439 know, was it was it just kind of a one day thing where they 118 00:07:32.519 --> 00:07:35.920 really, we're gonna feed the hot hand or you know, maybe there's an 119 00:07:35.959 --> 00:07:41.360 injury or something that we don't know about. Not the case. I mean, 120 00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:45.160 he was front and center as their as their lead back, um Denzel 121 00:07:45.240 --> 00:07:46.959 Gibson, who's sort of been there, their leading rusher out the year. 122 00:07:47.000 --> 00:07:49.439 He did play, Um, he got a few carries, had a couple 123 00:07:49.480 --> 00:07:54.160 of touches in a passing game, played some defense. But to me, 124 00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:58.639 I mean, they found something with him and he is not a boy. 125 00:07:58.680 --> 00:08:01.199 I'll tell you what they said. He was the third string running back. 126 00:08:01.720 --> 00:08:05.879 Well, what he's a pretty darn good third string running back because he you 127 00:08:05.959 --> 00:08:11.279 know, second play from scrimmage, forty four yard game, uh, two 128 00:08:11.319 --> 00:08:13.839 plays later, scored the touchdown. He goes on to run for one hundred 129 00:08:13.839 --> 00:08:18.279 and ninety two yards and four touchdowns. Um, you know, it's funny. 130 00:08:18.360 --> 00:08:22.160 I mean I'm on the sidelines and I'm talking to their their sad guys, 131 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:26.240 and they kind of look like their set guys kind of look like that 132 00:08:26.399 --> 00:08:31.040 that kid at Christmas that got that Christmas present that they weren't expecting to get, 133 00:08:31.399 --> 00:08:33.080 but now that they really wanted, they just want to keep playing with 134 00:08:33.159 --> 00:08:37.519 it all night long. So I mean, he's just it's just really an 135 00:08:37.559 --> 00:08:39.720 exciting thing to see. And then, um, a lot of his teammates 136 00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:43.440 on the sidelines, you know, after he had a big play, they 137 00:08:43.480 --> 00:08:48.559 start with the yelling calling him Joey Football, which is pretty awesome to see. 138 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:50.840 But he is just I mean, you know, you'll you'll see if 139 00:08:50.840 --> 00:08:54.519 you watch the game on Friday, just a really good, you know, 140 00:08:54.679 --> 00:08:58.679 cutback runner. Patient. I mean, he had a couple of runs where 141 00:08:58.039 --> 00:09:01.320 the play it was maybe to the right, there was nothing there, and 142 00:09:01.480 --> 00:09:05.679 on a dime he just took it the other way gone just I mean, 143 00:09:05.879 --> 00:09:09.399 he had a four yard touchdown run which doesn't seem like much, but again 144 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:13.600 nothing was there to the right, and on a dime, cut back left 145 00:09:13.639 --> 00:09:16.639 and it was right there, which you know, I don't know. I 146 00:09:16.679 --> 00:09:18.480 mean, he's a junior in high school, and it's it's a town, 147 00:09:18.759 --> 00:09:22.360 it's a skill and uh, you know, a very patient runner in the 148 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:26.600 meantime, and his coach Bill Kreft said that, you know, when you're 149 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:30.480 patient like that, then sometimes the holes open up for you, and and 150 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:33.679 and they have for him, and you know what a story. I mean, 151 00:09:33.840 --> 00:09:37.039 he's just you know, seemingly come out of nowhere. I mean, 152 00:09:37.639 --> 00:09:39.679 I will say, come out of nowhere. He is their second leading tackle 153 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:43.600 or as a linebacker. In addition to one hundred and ninety two yards, 154 00:09:43.879 --> 00:09:46.919 he had nine tackles last weekend. He's also an All state wrestler. UM, 155 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:50.879 so you know a lot of times you see those guys translate to the 156 00:09:50.919 --> 00:09:54.360 football field, you know pretty well, and certainly has for him. But 157 00:09:54.559 --> 00:09:58.120 uh, you know, obviously he's been a huge story for them. Um, 158 00:09:58.200 --> 00:10:03.679 they're able to to avenge a loss that they had to Buyron last year 159 00:10:03.639 --> 00:10:09.600 at one point loss in big fashion thirty five to nothing. Besides Joey Gouliota, 160 00:10:09.399 --> 00:10:13.960 you know, probably the attorney point in the game is icy Catholic was 161 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:18.159 leading seven to nothing in the first half, Byron had a twenty two play 162 00:10:18.279 --> 00:10:22.000 drive that that they had the ball for sixteen minutes and they got eight first 163 00:10:22.039 --> 00:10:26.000 downs at the drive. But then they had a fourth and goal to three. 164 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:30.919 Their quarterback through a little play action pass Jesse Smith, Icy Catholics middle 165 00:10:30.919 --> 00:10:35.440 linebacker intercepted in the end zone. Byron was sort of never the same after 166 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:37.159 that. It's sort of like that huge you know, the balloons, the 167 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:41.480 balloons were let out of the tires after that play. You know, Ice 168 00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:46.080 came back and they scored right away. Joey guliatic and scored a touchdown. 169 00:10:46.600 --> 00:10:50.679 M They had a long touchdown pass early in the third quarter and then icy 170 00:10:50.759 --> 00:10:54.879 Catholic was off to the races and notably U they won thirty five to nothing. 171 00:10:54.200 --> 00:10:58.720 And their star All state wide receiver kJ Parker, I don't think he 172 00:10:58.759 --> 00:11:01.720 had a cash If he did, he had one catch, so um, 173 00:11:01.080 --> 00:11:05.480 pretty impressive that they were able to do what they did with, you know, 174 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:09.399 probably their most standout player really not doing a whole lot. Yeah, 175 00:11:09.480 --> 00:11:13.240 not being the big factor in a you know, in a game like that, 176 00:11:13.039 --> 00:11:16.000 and the weather probably played a factor into that as well. I mean, 177 00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:20.840 and you know, you feed a hot hand and obviously Joey Quad is 178 00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:24.039 a hot hand right now. But you know, I see Catholic rolls into 179 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:26.840 the finals with really impressive win last Saturday. Well, I mean, you 180 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:31.159 got to have three or four options in the backfield at this stage in the 181 00:11:31.240 --> 00:11:35.200 game. You know, in playing Illinois playoff football, it's the weather's cold. 182 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:37.600 You got to be able to run the football, and injuries happen and 183 00:11:37.720 --> 00:11:41.480 next man up and you need that. And and certainly he's emerged to be, 184 00:11:43.639 --> 00:11:46.360 you know, certainly more than just a you know, a guy that 185 00:11:46.440 --> 00:11:48.960 you feed every once in a while, you have, you have something and 186 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:52.960 take off with them. Yeah, and I know there's other people staying on 187 00:11:52.039 --> 00:11:54.120 sidelines too, I mean, you know, fresh legs. I mean, 188 00:11:54.200 --> 00:11:58.960 he hasn't carried the ball all year, la, I mean and and uh 189 00:11:58.120 --> 00:12:01.639 and and you know, I fully expect him to get a lot of touches 190 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:07.360 on Friday because he's hot right now. And they're gonna he told me after 191 00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:09.120 the game Friday, he said, you know, guys, you open holes. 192 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:11.600 Form you you walk from me, you open holes. We're gonna go 193 00:12:11.639 --> 00:12:16.639 a long way. And obviously they're going places right now. Sou So, 194 00:12:16.840 --> 00:12:20.279 congratulations to the Knights. And yeah, and and the do you want to 195 00:12:20.279 --> 00:12:24.039 go out to four A? Yeah, you know, so four A matchup. 196 00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:26.720 I you know, one of many last Saturday that I thought was you 197 00:12:26.759 --> 00:12:30.759 know, sort of a coin flip game between Saint Francis, um, you 198 00:12:30.840 --> 00:12:35.159 know, getting into the to the semifinals against the Providence team who you know, 199 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:37.120 forget the Seeds, throw out the Seeds. I mean, um, 200 00:12:37.799 --> 00:12:41.159 uh, you know they would be enjoyed a Catholic in the in the second 201 00:12:41.240 --> 00:12:45.080 round and then Richmond Burton in the quarterfinals. And it was a game that 202 00:12:45.159 --> 00:12:48.879 came down to the wire. I mean Saint Francis led deep into the fourth 203 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:52.919 quarter, but then Providence store to light. They have been throughout the playoffs. 204 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:56.200 You know, they just made plays that they needed to make and uh 205 00:12:56.440 --> 00:13:01.080 you know they they advanced. So um, obviously very difficult loss for Saint 206 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:05.440 Francis, but you know, I do believe they're going to be back. 207 00:13:05.559 --> 00:13:07.879 You know, they're building something and I think before you know it, we're 208 00:13:07.960 --> 00:13:11.639 going to be seeing them playing Champagne or wherever the state finals are. I 209 00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:15.600 think so too. I mean, just reading over the game story, they 210 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:18.679 you know, had the lead, it seemed I mean it was close but 211 00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:22.519 it was comfortable. A late interception kind of sealed it because they got down 212 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:26.960 into the red zone, you think, and they might be able to steal 213 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:30.399 a big play and obviously Providence made the one they needed too. So, 214 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:35.080 um, you know, disappointing end for Saint Francis. I know they wanted 215 00:13:35.080 --> 00:13:39.559 it to end in Champagne, but I completely agree with you. Foundations definitely 216 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:41.799 there. They're there. If they're not one year away, they're they're two 217 00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:45.000 years away. I mean, it depends on talent and all. It all 218 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:48.279 comes together. But keep knocking on the door. Eventually that you're gonna knock 219 00:13:48.360 --> 00:13:50.080 that door down. It's just a matter of time in my opinion, before 220 00:13:50.120 --> 00:13:54.720 they exactly exactly. So I know it wasn't the way that the Saint Francis 221 00:13:54.759 --> 00:14:00.240 faithful wanted it to happen, but I do think it'll get there, you 222 00:14:00.279 --> 00:14:03.480 know, bumping up to five a here, Josh, like, I gotta 223 00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:05.559 give you credit. I mean, we could probably go back to week seven, 224 00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:11.320 week maybe even before then. And you know we were talking about if 225 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:13.039 you're an opposing team, I don't think you want to play you know, 226 00:14:13.240 --> 00:14:20.159 Nazareth and every single week throughout this postseason they have proven you correct on that 227 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:24.279 and they're able to not only steal a perfect season away from from Sycamore, 228 00:14:24.919 --> 00:14:28.080 but they were the you know, knock them off, you know, the 229 00:14:28.159 --> 00:14:30.720 second year in a row for for Sycamore, you know, in the state 230 00:14:30.799 --> 00:14:35.360 semifinals and pull out a win. I thought impressed the two from Nazareth is 231 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:39.519 that, you know, they really haven't been challenged during this long winning streak 232 00:14:39.559 --> 00:14:41.200 that they have. I mean, that's the impressive thing. They went from 233 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:45.679 two and four to the semifinals and they've kind of I don't want to say 234 00:14:45.720 --> 00:14:50.399 breeze, but they've blown out pretty much everybody along the way. But you 235 00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:54.600 knew going into Sycamore their defense is really, really tough, that they were 236 00:14:54.759 --> 00:14:56.960 not going to score a lot of points and they were going to have to 237 00:14:58.080 --> 00:15:01.440 really play you know, whatever you want called an ugly type game, a 238 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:05.399 defensive minded game, and darneth they did. I mean, their their defense 239 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:09.200 held up and and I was wondering if they would because that's a really young 240 00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:15.000 Nazareth team. I mean, they start a sophomore quarterback, They're they're running 241 00:15:15.000 --> 00:15:18.240 back is a sophomore. Two receivers or sophomores, you know, their best 242 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:22.000 defensive lineman is a sophomore. They have a freshman in the secondary. I 243 00:15:22.039 --> 00:15:24.360 mean, you get the point. They're a real young team. And to 244 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:28.320 go on the road to an environment where Sycamore, I mean, you can 245 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:31.639 know Sycamore was just chopping on a bid. They they thought this was a 246 00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:35.639 year, their year to take it to the next step. But Nazareth hangs 247 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:39.639 in there, hangs in there, hangs in there, and then in the 248 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:43.919 fourth quarter they put the ball in the hands of their stud Justin Taylor and 249 00:15:43.080 --> 00:15:48.240 he gets about a thirty yard run, sets up a touchdown path slogan malcheck 250 00:15:48.279 --> 00:15:50.600 to Zach Kayes, who I know they're young, but Zach Hayes is not 251 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:56.200 one of the young players. And he's a senior kind of like Charlie Wepley, 252 00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:58.759 where he does a little bit of this for Nasawreth, he does a 253 00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:02.080 little bit of that. He'll run the ball, he'll kick field goals, 254 00:16:02.360 --> 00:16:06.080 he'll cash passes, he'll play defense, you know, one of those kind 255 00:16:06.120 --> 00:16:08.600 of glue guys and that team, and obviously he makes it play late for 256 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:12.759 naz and they're going back to States and uh, you know, wow, 257 00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:17.679 what an accomplishment. I mean, you know, a couple of years ago 258 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:19.799 when they had you know, JJ and Tyler Morris and all those guys and 259 00:16:21.080 --> 00:16:25.080 and UH and uh and Julian Love. I mean, it was kind of 260 00:16:25.559 --> 00:16:27.840 wasn't really a surprise at all, and it was almost like like, Okay, 261 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:30.679 you know, when are we going to see them, and when's the 262 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:33.399 game gonna be? You know this. On the other hand, I mean 263 00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:36.240 I'm not surprised. Clearly we talked about that. I thought they were a 264 00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:38.440 dangerous team, but to go from two and four to be playing in the 265 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:44.360 state championship game, I mean, you really gotta it, really takes it. 266 00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:47.519 You really gotta dig deep, and you really got to stay committed to 267 00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:49.240 what your coaches are telling you. And you know, we just got to 268 00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:52.639 stick with it. You know, we're gonna get to where we want to 269 00:16:52.679 --> 00:16:56.399 go. And I give I give coach Tim Racki and his and his coaching 270 00:16:56.440 --> 00:16:59.840 staff and those kids a lot of credit because, I mean, the league 271 00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:02.799 that they play in, you get to two and four, you know, 272 00:17:02.919 --> 00:17:04.519 you might not see the light of the end of the tunnel, but obviously 273 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:08.720 they did and they're playing for a state title on Saturday morning. I mean, 274 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:11.880 honestly, it's kind of the same vein with with Batavia. You know, 275 00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:15.359 I talked to Ryan went Well at the end of the game and they 276 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:17.279 were one and two, and he's like, hey, listen, you know 277 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:19.839 there were some guys that were kind of questioning, like what are we and 278 00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:23.799 for better for worse, they they banned it together and you know, they 279 00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:29.119 find themselves in Champagne too. So I think sometimes you can have early season 280 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:32.640 struggles and that really that can make or break a team. Right. You 281 00:17:32.680 --> 00:17:34.880 could have guys that could say, oh, you know what, we're two 282 00:17:34.920 --> 00:17:37.599 and four, it's not a good season. We're just gonna try to end 283 00:17:37.640 --> 00:17:40.440 it. Or there's other guys that say, you know what, no, 284 00:17:40.519 --> 00:17:45.400 we're gonna get this together. And then you see the end result absolutely so. 285 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:48.920 Um, you know, congratulations to Nazareth going back, Um, you 286 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:51.920 know state congratulations to Sycamore as well. I got to give them, you 287 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:53.279 know, typic Cabin. You know, they've run into you know, a 288 00:17:53.400 --> 00:17:56.680 couple of really difficult opponents in the semifinals the last couple of years, and 289 00:17:57.680 --> 00:18:02.400 and they had a fantastic season. Um, speaking of teams that had great 290 00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:04.839 years that they you know, let's just be honest, they ran into juggernaut 291 00:18:07.160 --> 00:18:11.079 buzza juggernaut type of opponents. I mean Lamont, York and Glenbard West all 292 00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:15.920 very good teams. Um. You know, Lamont and York was undefeated one 293 00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:18.680 Bard West had just one loss coming last Saturday against York. But uh, 294 00:18:18.839 --> 00:18:22.839 you know, I'll start with Lamont. Um, so maybe under the radar, 295 00:18:22.920 --> 00:18:26.039 I think everybody was kind of looking at Okay, you know it's it's 296 00:18:26.079 --> 00:18:29.759 East Saint Louis's Brackett, you know, and who who do they have to 297 00:18:29.839 --> 00:18:32.799 face the next But I don't know if you saw it. Jake Lamont gave 298 00:18:32.839 --> 00:18:34.640 him all they wanted. I mean, Lamont was leading fourteen and nothing we 299 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:38.279 talked about it. We were leading into the second half. I believe they 300 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:42.640 were leading into the fourth quarter, um um. And then East Saint Louis. 301 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:48.039 I mean their offensive line is just enormous. They put the ball in 302 00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:51.559 the hands of a sophomore running back. He runs for three hundred and fifty 303 00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:55.200 three hundred and seventy five yards, but that line and they pulled off. 304 00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:57.880 But I had to give Lamont a ton of credit because you know, after 305 00:18:57.960 --> 00:19:03.759 East Saint Louis demolished Creet Money in the quarterfinals, I didn't really know what 306 00:19:03.839 --> 00:19:07.119 to expect from Lamant. I didn't really give them the maybe the chance that 307 00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:11.000 they should have got. But you know a lot of credit for them pushing 308 00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:14.440 East Saint Louis the way they did. Yeah. No, I mean I 309 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:15.839 haven't had a chance to totally study it, but I can't tell you that. 310 00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:21.079 Um, that was talked about on the sideline with a couple of people 311 00:19:21.160 --> 00:19:23.680 I was chatting with. We were like, whoa, yeah, we were 312 00:19:23.720 --> 00:19:29.119 totally paying attention to that. Yeah, and I know Lamont's very successful head 313 00:19:29.160 --> 00:19:32.160 coach is you know, retiring at the end of the year. He's had 314 00:19:32.160 --> 00:19:33.839 a great run for them. Um, they had a great run this year. 315 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:37.880 Peyton Salmon or quarterback, just had a fantastic year. No tail or 316 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:42.440 really fine player for them as well. So congratulations to Lamont on a very 317 00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:45.799 good year. Another team we talked about a lot in this podcast, York. 318 00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:49.920 I actually got to get over to the first half of that game since 319 00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:55.039 it was about a half mile away from from the Icy Catholic game. You 320 00:19:55.160 --> 00:19:59.640 know, York running into Loyola and I mean similar to East Saint Louis, 321 00:20:00.039 --> 00:20:03.519 And you know, I saw Loyal before the game, and then early in 322 00:20:03.559 --> 00:20:07.200 the game, and they're just so big. I mean an offensive line looks 323 00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:11.440 like a small college offensive line. I mean it's probably two fifty across the 324 00:20:11.559 --> 00:20:15.599 board. And then Brooks bear their defensive end that's going in Michigan. I 325 00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:19.759 mean, he's one of the more impressive physical I don't want to say specimens 326 00:20:19.960 --> 00:20:25.400 physically gifted kids that I've seen on a high school fields. Six foot six 327 00:20:25.480 --> 00:20:29.279 and two hundred and seventy pounds, and he does and he looks every bit 328 00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:32.759 of it. But anyway, so you know, York was going up against 329 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:37.519 it was going up against the powerhouse. But you know, it was still 330 00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:40.599 they were right there for about a quarter and a half. They had kicked 331 00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:44.119 the field goal. It was seven to three. But then I thought probably 332 00:20:44.119 --> 00:20:48.279 the biggest play of the game was Loyal gets the ball back and it hit 333 00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:52.359 a seventy yard touchdown pass on a dep fly. And I told Scotchman, 334 00:20:52.359 --> 00:20:53.480 who was covering the game for US, I said, you know, they 335 00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:56.480 just couldn't give up plays like that. I mean, it's gonna be difficult 336 00:20:56.559 --> 00:21:02.240 to stop them physically on the line um, but in a game like that, 337 00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:04.839 you know that that that kind of stuff just you just can't give it 338 00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:10.160 out because it's so deflating. And then Lamart, we all ended up going 339 00:21:10.279 --> 00:21:15.000 seventeen to three and a half and they go on to win. So you 340 00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:17.880 know, obviously not the way York wanted the season at end, but what 341 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:19.759 a season it was. I mean talking about they were twelve and oh going 342 00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:23.799 in first perfect regular season in one hundred two year history of the program, 343 00:21:25.079 --> 00:21:27.799 most wins in the history of the program, and you know, similar to 344 00:21:29.079 --> 00:21:33.000 a Saint Francis. I mean, they're gonna run into Juggernauts every year in 345 00:21:33.079 --> 00:21:36.400 eight Ay, but we haven't heard the last from York. I mean, 346 00:21:36.440 --> 00:21:38.880 I think they're a program that's that's here to stay and and and you know, 347 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:41.599 who knows, maybe they'll be playing for a state titled down the Road. 348 00:21:42.400 --> 00:21:45.359 Yeah, I completely agree. You know, again, I haven't had 349 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:48.839 a total chance to study the game story, but um, I agree with 350 00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:52.359 you. You can't give up the big play. If you're gonna if you're 351 00:21:52.400 --> 00:21:57.119 gonna pull off a win, it's you're gonna play. You're gonna not play 352 00:21:57.200 --> 00:22:00.160 dirty, but you're gonna you're gonna do this small things really well. You're 353 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:04.640 gonna limit the run game. You're gonna force turnovers, flip field position, 354 00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:07.519 you know, field goals, that type of stuff you get get to get 355 00:22:07.559 --> 00:22:11.759 down in the mud, is what I'm really trying to say. You can't 356 00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:14.319 give up those big plays. So now you can't. And if you know, 357 00:22:14.359 --> 00:22:15.839 a few calls didn't go their way, and I mean in a game 358 00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:21.279 like that, physical game, I mean it it sometimes it doesn't happen that 359 00:22:21.359 --> 00:22:23.839 way, but it doesn't take anything away from York or for that manner, 360 00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:29.279 Loyola. I mean, and I think everybody that studies high school football thought 361 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:33.119 at the beginning of the playoffs, um that Loyola and Lincoln we East we're 362 00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:37.960 sort of on a collision course in the eight A Bracken. And it appears 363 00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:41.359 that's going to be the case because Lincoln we East. Um you know, 364 00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:45.519 Glenbard West led early in that game. But then Lincoln and we East, 365 00:22:45.559 --> 00:22:48.759 I mean, they just keep just keep doing what they do. And I 366 00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:52.480 you know, I really thought Glenmard West is gonna need to score some points 367 00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:55.880 to have an opportunity to win that game. But to be able to hold 368 00:22:55.920 --> 00:23:00.200 Glenbard West is one touchdown is a pretty darn impressive accomplishment, no doubt. 369 00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:04.400 I mean, We've talked about Gunbard West each week, and they have guys 370 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:07.640 that they can throw at you and hurt you in a lot of ways and 371 00:23:08.119 --> 00:23:11.720 be able to limit them just to that one score. I think it says 372 00:23:11.720 --> 00:23:17.680 so much about what Lincoln Way East is about it really is and Lincoln Way 373 00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:19.759 East Loyola. I mean, you know it's going to be the last game 374 00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:22.799 of the weekend, and boy, we're kind of building towards a pretty great 375 00:23:22.839 --> 00:23:26.400 finish between those two programs. Yeah, I know, we'll talk about it 376 00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:29.519 on the other side, but the one thing I will say from an overarching 377 00:23:29.599 --> 00:23:34.680 standpoint is the Titans are meeting, you know, at the end of at 378 00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:38.319 the end of the final. I mean, I think everybody loves a good, 379 00:23:38.359 --> 00:23:41.880 feel good story here and there, you know, you have a team 380 00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:45.799 that kind of comes out of nowhere and might shock the world. This is 381 00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:48.640 a this is a finals bracket, and we'll again, we'll talk about it. 382 00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:52.119 The Titans are meeting, and now it's the fight from an olympus, 383 00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:55.000 so to speak, no doubt about it. Even when we're talking about a 384 00:23:55.119 --> 00:23:59.440 Nazareth or a Providence. I mean, look, these are programs that have 385 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:03.279 been here for they know how to get there and it's not. I mean, 386 00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:06.359 you know, it's a great story that Nazareth with two and four, 387 00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:07.880 but they're here now. But I mean we're not shocked. I mean, 388 00:24:07.880 --> 00:24:11.680 if you would have told me to start in the playoffs the NASA is gonna 389 00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:14.839 be in Champagne, I would have said, like, yeah, that's definitely 390 00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:18.480 even. You know, you look at Batavia. I know a lot of 391 00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:21.039 people get caught up in seeds that really don't file this too much, but 392 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:22.880 I mean when I lived at a bracket, I lived at Batavia, and 393 00:24:22.920 --> 00:24:27.119 I said, I think they have an excellent chance at getting Champagne. The 394 00:24:27.400 --> 00:24:30.519 bracket kind of you know, lined up for them to get there if they 395 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:33.960 could get buy a couple tough opponents, and they did so, um, 396 00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:37.200 yeah, it should make it for a really great weekend. I mean, 397 00:24:37.240 --> 00:24:41.559 I know people love to see the underdogs and things like that, but you 398 00:24:41.640 --> 00:24:45.279 know the sort of silver lining when the underdogs and a lot of the favorites 399 00:24:45.319 --> 00:24:48.240 and the Titans win, is you get a really good ending. And I 400 00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:52.400 think we're gonna get a really good last weekend. Absolutely, So we'll talk 401 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:53.720 about that on the other side of this break. So don't go anywhere. 402 00:24:53.720 --> 00:24:57.839 We're talking Champagne State Finals. Jake Barlison, Josh Wagi will be right back. 403 00:25:00.599 --> 00:25:03.519 Schweiker, Gannison, Krizak Rundio proudly sponsors to Friday Night Drive. I'm 404 00:25:03.559 --> 00:25:07.319 Mike Krazak. If you've been injured, we are ready to take them the 405 00:25:07.400 --> 00:25:10.960 insurance company and get you to the end zone. We've recovered hundreds of millions 406 00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:15.359 of dollars for our clients. Visit g A N A SSI N dot com. 407 00:25:17.200 --> 00:25:22.279 After a quick break on Champagne, Looking ahead, Josh, I think 408 00:25:22.279 --> 00:25:26.119 we'll start in three a Ice Catholic has got Williamsville twelve and one, both 409 00:25:26.200 --> 00:25:30.240 of them going in this one. They play at four o'clock. We've talked 410 00:25:30.279 --> 00:25:34.079 about Icy Catholic a lot this season, but what's gonna what's it gonna take 411 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:38.759 to pull down that trophy. I think it's gonna take them doing what they 412 00:25:38.839 --> 00:25:41.640 have been doing. I mean, I think if they stick to who they 413 00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:45.160 are and to their identity, and now obviously their identity is a little bit 414 00:25:45.160 --> 00:25:49.359 different than it was a couple of weeks ago with the ministers of Joey Kuyatta 415 00:25:49.599 --> 00:25:52.799 than Um. You know, I think they're they have an excellent chance to 416 00:25:52.920 --> 00:25:56.920 win State. I think there is a fair amount of people that thought that 417 00:25:57.000 --> 00:26:00.400 the person that the team that comes out of the north half of that bracket 418 00:26:00.839 --> 00:26:03.759 and three A was going to be the favorite to win it. With its 419 00:26:03.799 --> 00:26:08.079 respect to Williamsville, they have been here before. They do have success playing 420 00:26:08.839 --> 00:26:11.880 at state into getting to State. So, um, you know, by 421 00:26:11.960 --> 00:26:15.920 no means do I think they're a pushover. But I do think icy catholic. 422 00:26:17.440 --> 00:26:19.839 I mean even after that game, I mean, they obviously they're happy 423 00:26:19.880 --> 00:26:23.799 to win that game, but quickly their head coach Bill Kraft was like, 424 00:26:23.920 --> 00:26:27.279 all right, we're not just going there to go there. We're going there 425 00:26:29.119 --> 00:26:32.759 to win. And it's not like a coach saying that hasn't been there before. 426 00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:37.160 I mean, he knows they won three straight state titles from twenty sixteen 427 00:26:37.160 --> 00:26:41.920 to twenty eighteen. This particular group of young men were not part of any 428 00:26:41.960 --> 00:26:45.160 of those teams. So obviously they want to, you know, similar to 429 00:26:45.160 --> 00:26:48.279 the Batavi guys that we talked about earlier, I think they want a piece 430 00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:52.880 of their own history. But you know, I think more Jobeyague at it. 431 00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:56.000 I think he's a kid that I mean, it's gonna be fun to 432 00:26:56.079 --> 00:26:59.759 see him on a big, big stage, you know, in Champagne like 433 00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:03.799 that at kJ Parker I mentioned he had kind of a quiet game last weekend 434 00:27:04.279 --> 00:27:07.559 in the Elements. I have a feeling we're not going to see a quiet 435 00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:11.839 game from him this Friday. I think the unleashed. I think you just 436 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:17.759 see kJ Parker unleashed because him and Dennis Mandola have been a pretty special and 437 00:27:17.960 --> 00:27:22.559 dynamic combination that I don't know if you see in too many places in the 438 00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:27.640 in the three A bracket, their defense has been really good. Um, 439 00:27:29.000 --> 00:27:33.160 you know what, we'll see what happens if turnovers and things like that can 440 00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:37.440 always always affect a game. You never know how um you know, things 441 00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:41.359 that are going to react if if things start to go south early. But 442 00:27:41.400 --> 00:27:45.240 but boy, the way that the way I see Catholic approached their game last 443 00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:49.559 weekend against Buyer and who's obviously a great team. You know, I really 444 00:27:49.640 --> 00:27:53.359 like their chances. They're playing very good football right now. They definitely looked 445 00:27:53.400 --> 00:27:56.000 at the part and they back it up. In the five A game, 446 00:27:56.079 --> 00:28:00.319 we have Nazareth. We talked about them. They play Peoria twelve and one, 447 00:28:00.440 --> 00:28:03.200 Nazareth coming in nine to four forget the records. This would be the 448 00:28:03.240 --> 00:28:07.480 first game on Saturday at ten am in Champagne. You know, we've talked 449 00:28:07.519 --> 00:28:12.519 about kind they're a younger team with Nazareth. To me, and maybe you 450 00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:15.759 can speak to this a little bit more. I'm more interested to see how 451 00:28:15.799 --> 00:28:19.559 they start. Are we going to see false start penalties, backup offensive drives? 452 00:28:19.599 --> 00:28:22.880 Are we going to see, you know, maybe the defense give up 453 00:28:22.920 --> 00:28:26.400 ten yard chunks and just start a little bit slower. To me, I 454 00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:30.559 think just the temple of how this game starts will tell us a lot come 455 00:28:30.640 --> 00:28:34.240 third fourth quarter. The other thing too, is that, I mean they 456 00:28:34.279 --> 00:28:38.720 are able to win a low scoring, slugfest type of game with Sycamore. 457 00:28:40.759 --> 00:28:44.559 I really do not expect a similar type of game with Peoria because did you 458 00:28:44.599 --> 00:28:48.319 see the score from Peoria last week? I did not. They put up 459 00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:51.640 seventy six points. Oh that's right, I did, actually did sort. 460 00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:53.519 I mean I believe they gave up. They gave up fifty six. It 461 00:28:53.640 --> 00:28:56.079 was like fifty six or something, fifty six or somebody, and they scored 462 00:28:56.119 --> 00:29:00.240 seventy six. I mean they are a team. I mean, I would 463 00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:03.880 say as much as any team this weekend that I'm looking forward to seeing I 464 00:29:03.920 --> 00:29:07.480 would say their one and obviously I'm looking forward to seeing that running back for 465 00:29:07.559 --> 00:29:10.319 Prairie Rich is that, um, you know, such a big season. 466 00:29:10.440 --> 00:29:15.920 But you know, seventy six points wow. Um And and they've been doing 467 00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:18.839 it a lot. They've really kind of rolled. So clearly Nazareth is going 468 00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:23.279 to have to score some points, you would think, um, But um, 469 00:29:25.839 --> 00:29:29.599 I do think that their defense as the ability to to at least slow 470 00:29:29.720 --> 00:29:33.599 them down. I mean, I look back to Week one where Kankie Key 471 00:29:33.720 --> 00:29:37.279 came in a ton of great skill position guys, teams coming back from a 472 00:29:37.319 --> 00:29:41.000 state runner last year, Nazareth shut them out. They want two to nothing. 473 00:29:41.440 --> 00:29:44.680 Um. And not that I expect two to nothing, but I do 474 00:29:44.759 --> 00:29:48.599 think nazareth defense, you know, they're gonna need to kind of slow them 475 00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:51.480 down. You know, Nazareth's gonna, you know, need to avoid the 476 00:29:51.599 --> 00:29:55.279 turnovers U you know, like we talked about it before. We kind of 477 00:29:55.279 --> 00:29:57.559 a young team. We'll see how they react in a situation like this. 478 00:29:59.039 --> 00:30:03.000 I will say they have the benefit they have a veteran coach, Tim Raki 479 00:30:03.079 --> 00:30:06.079 has been here many, many many times, so he can prepare them, 480 00:30:06.480 --> 00:30:08.200 you know, for a game like this, you know, we'll see It's 481 00:30:08.200 --> 00:30:11.160 definitely a game that I'm looking forward to. I like nazarous chances, but 482 00:30:11.359 --> 00:30:17.240 Peoria they've they've been rolling, and you know, you obviously cannot discount a 483 00:30:17.319 --> 00:30:21.559 team that just scored seventy six points in a semifinal, no doubt. Zoom 484 00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:23.440 is telling us eight minutes and forty five seconds left, So we'll just bump 485 00:30:23.480 --> 00:30:27.680 it up to seven A Batavia Mount Carmel. Listen, I could have told 486 00:30:27.720 --> 00:30:32.599 you week one, even before the start of the season, if the bracket's 487 00:30:32.640 --> 00:30:34.039 gonna play out a certain way and Batavia is at the end of it, 488 00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:40.480 I guarantee you they they were gonna say we want Mount Carmel by virtue of 489 00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:42.880 what happened last year. We've talked about it enough. I think I think 490 00:30:42.920 --> 00:30:45.960 they genuinely want to turn the page. Last year was last year. We 491 00:30:47.119 --> 00:30:49.839 get it. They lost in controversial fashion, calls didn't go their way, 492 00:30:51.200 --> 00:30:53.720 game could have been over, it wasn't, and they lose. That being 493 00:30:53.759 --> 00:30:59.400 said, new year and they just want to move forward. So what's it 494 00:30:59.480 --> 00:31:03.400 gonna take for Patavia to win a game like this? I think as long 495 00:31:03.440 --> 00:31:08.119 as they limit the self inflicted mistakes, typically They've been a pretty organized team. 496 00:31:08.680 --> 00:31:12.319 But if you start getting false starts and you start getting holds and stuff 497 00:31:12.359 --> 00:31:17.119 like that, and it eats away, it drives. Patavia does get some 498 00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:19.279 stretches where they have to punt the football quite a bit, and you know, 499 00:31:19.480 --> 00:31:22.720 some of that gets stalled. You really can't afford those types of things 500 00:31:22.759 --> 00:31:26.880 against Mount Carmelo, and they've been able to kind of roll things through all 501 00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:30.759 years. So limit the mistakes. Obviously they're gonna ride whit Well and Tyler 502 00:31:30.839 --> 00:31:33.519 jan Zy. You're gonna need a big game up front. I think this 503 00:31:33.680 --> 00:31:36.839 is gonna be I think this is gonna be a classic one of those things 504 00:31:36.880 --> 00:31:38.880 where we talk about, you know, four or five years down the line. 505 00:31:41.119 --> 00:31:44.200 And also I think, you know, Patavia's defense is gonna have to 506 00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:47.160 play, you know, their best game of the year because they mean, 507 00:31:47.279 --> 00:31:52.960 Aunt Carmel is going to present challenges offensively from Carmelo's offensively. You know, 508 00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:55.880 I just don't think Patavia has seen all year. I mean, I trying 509 00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:59.440 to think of who they played the schedule wise, that could even compare to 510 00:32:00.160 --> 00:32:04.000 Way Lincoln with East maybe, I mean, they would probably be the closest, 511 00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:07.039 but yeah, Mount Carmel you know tradition, their Mount Carmel is traditionally 512 00:32:07.039 --> 00:32:08.920 is a team that, hey, we got to stop the run. This 513 00:32:09.079 --> 00:32:12.720 is a different Mount Carmel team. I mean, they're they're a team that 514 00:32:12.759 --> 00:32:15.640 can can put the ball in the air with their quarterback, Planey Dowling. 515 00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:19.880 He's had a huge, huge season. Saint Rita was able to hold them 516 00:32:19.960 --> 00:32:22.519 down for a long part of the game. UM last week, UM so 517 00:32:22.839 --> 00:32:27.519 kind of interested to see how Mount Carmel responds to that. But Batavia's defense, 518 00:32:27.680 --> 00:32:30.920 which is a very good defense, is going to have to play their 519 00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:32.599 best game of the year, and not only the guys up front, the 520 00:32:32.680 --> 00:32:36.759 guys in the second area too, because they're going to be the guy They're 521 00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:38.720 gonna really be challenged when Mount Carmel goes to the air. Yeah, real 522 00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:42.519 quickly. I think the other underrated thing is and I think this you can 523 00:32:42.559 --> 00:32:45.359 you can apply this across to any any team at this stage. You got 524 00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:51.440 to keep the emotions in check. You know, you can't sideline infractions and 525 00:32:51.960 --> 00:32:55.039 all that type of stuff. I mean I was at the game last week, 526 00:32:55.119 --> 00:32:59.640 and I mean everybody was on the track for Batavia, like way far 527 00:32:59.720 --> 00:33:02.759 behind in the line. Those types of things, just limit, limit all 528 00:33:02.839 --> 00:33:07.960 the impediments that could affect, you know, feel position later. So it'll 529 00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:10.960 be really interesting. I'll be there for that one. I'm sure you will 530 00:33:10.960 --> 00:33:15.200 be too. That's a that'll be at four o'clock on Saturday. And then 531 00:33:15.440 --> 00:33:21.400 with about five minutes left, eight Day with Lincoln Way East and Loyola another 532 00:33:21.480 --> 00:33:25.559 classic in the making. Yeah, I mean I I you know, typically 533 00:33:25.720 --> 00:33:30.880 when those like eight Days and the powers get together, just not a ton 534 00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:35.000 of scoring. Um, you know, we'll see if it's different this time. 535 00:33:35.440 --> 00:33:37.960 But you know, I've only got to see a half of Loyola very 536 00:33:38.359 --> 00:33:42.359 pressed to them, but when Lincoln Ways has been able to do kind of 537 00:33:42.400 --> 00:33:45.279 speaks for itself. I mean, we're set up for a you know, 538 00:33:45.599 --> 00:33:47.680 you know, great game. And quickly back to the TV game. You 539 00:33:47.759 --> 00:33:52.519 know, I think most people are probably saying, Okay, Mount Carmelo's definitely 540 00:33:52.559 --> 00:33:55.720 a favorite here and we expect them to win. Catholic Wague and all that 541 00:33:57.240 --> 00:34:00.599 stuff, but it's our call asking. I mean, Saint Rita playing Wheaton 542 00:34:00.680 --> 00:34:05.640 North, I wasn't really sure how much I was giving Wheaton North the chance, 543 00:34:05.960 --> 00:34:08.280 and then they come in and win that game, so um, you 544 00:34:08.360 --> 00:34:12.800 know, we'll see Batavia. I mean, they've seen Mount Carmel. I 545 00:34:12.920 --> 00:34:15.840 think the fact that they have seen Mount Carmel recently, I don't think that 546 00:34:16.000 --> 00:34:20.440 hurts them. I know it wasn't this year, but I like the fact 547 00:34:20.480 --> 00:34:22.760 that they've seen them recent late, so it's not like maybe it's been a 548 00:34:22.760 --> 00:34:27.320 shock to their system what they're seeing. And I also like the fact that 549 00:34:27.360 --> 00:34:30.760 they've been there before. Maybe not these guys, but coach Bernan has been 550 00:34:30.800 --> 00:34:32.719 there before. He's had success in as one of the best in the business. 551 00:34:34.159 --> 00:34:36.960 Um, you know, you know, obviously he kind of pulls out 552 00:34:37.039 --> 00:34:39.960 different things in big game situations. So um, you know, obviously you 553 00:34:40.000 --> 00:34:44.880 know Mount Karma has to be considered the favorite in this game. But you 554 00:34:44.960 --> 00:34:46.639 know, I do think it's gonna be a very good game. Yeah, 555 00:34:46.679 --> 00:34:50.119 I mean, we got to live at a time I think, you know, 556 00:34:50.280 --> 00:34:52.960 kind of going back to what my football notebook was, you know, 557 00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:55.519 I had in this game with Lake Zurich or their game. Um, you 558 00:34:55.559 --> 00:34:58.800 know, I asked Matt home about, like, hey, how much does 559 00:34:59.079 --> 00:35:00.960 film looking back to last year? How much does that really help you in 560 00:35:01.039 --> 00:35:06.440 preparation? And he's like, you know, it might help with going back 561 00:35:06.480 --> 00:35:09.599 and seeing what they thought would work against you and maybe being prepared for that. 562 00:35:09.760 --> 00:35:13.760 But for the most part, I don't think they're gonna be I don't 563 00:35:13.800 --> 00:35:16.239 think they're gonna be really relying so much on their you know, their playoff 564 00:35:16.320 --> 00:35:20.239 tape last year. I think they're gonna be looking at these last two games 565 00:35:20.280 --> 00:35:23.320 in particular and really pound it out from there, no doubt. I mean, 566 00:35:23.480 --> 00:35:28.000 it's it's gonna be a lot of fun. You know, we'll be 567 00:35:28.119 --> 00:35:30.639 here, We'll be there in Champagne this weekend. Our entire crew will be 568 00:35:30.880 --> 00:35:37.320 our We're gonna have a whole army of Friday Night Drive Sean media writers and 569 00:35:37.440 --> 00:35:40.760 photographers there as well. So make sure you're following along. Um, we're 570 00:35:40.800 --> 00:35:45.760 gonna have Jake and I are gonna have features of our local teams this coming 571 00:35:45.800 --> 00:35:50.760 this week. We'll have state championship game previews coming on Friday, UM, 572 00:35:50.840 --> 00:35:53.360 so make sure you're following that. Kyle and Kyle Neighbors and Steve Susy will 573 00:35:53.360 --> 00:35:58.239 be back with their podcast later in this week. And then make sure you're 574 00:35:58.239 --> 00:36:01.079 following around because we'll be covering all eight championship games. I mean, obviously 575 00:36:01.119 --> 00:36:06.760 we're gonna be special focused on our local teams in western suburbs. But Friday 576 00:36:06.800 --> 00:36:08.719 Night Drive we'll be covering all eight championship games. Yep. They'll have the 577 00:36:08.760 --> 00:36:12.320 game stories for at least four of those, so a lot of fun. 578 00:36:12.400 --> 00:36:15.920 All right. That'll do it for us this week on the Champagne. Everybody 579 00:36:15.079 --> 00:36:19.079 get excited, because I know we are, so we'll see on the other 580 00:36:19.159 --> 00:36:21.480 side of this thing that as always, Thanks so much for making us a 581 00:36:21.519 --> 00:36:24.239 part of your afternoon. Have a great safe travels down to Champagne for those 582 00:36:24.280 --> 00:36:28.639 that do make the trip, and we'll check in next week. There'll be 583 00:36:28.719 --> 00:36:34.920 some state championships to talk about. Schweiker Gannison Krizak Rundio proudly sponsors to Friday 584 00:36:35.000 --> 00:36:37.920 Night Drive. I'm Mike Krazak. If you've been injured, we are ready 585 00:36:37.960 --> 00:36:39.920 to take on the insurance company and get you to the end zone. We've 586 00:36:39.960 --> 00:36:45.559 recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients. Visit GA nassi n dot com.