WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:04.080 Schwiker, Gannison, Krizak Rundio proudly sponsors to Friday Night Drive. I'm Mike 2 00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:07.240 Krazak. If you've been injured, we are ready to take on the insurance 3 00:00:07.240 --> 00:00:10.480 company and get you to the end zone. We've recovered hundreds of millions of 4 00:00:10.480 --> 00:00:22.640 dollars for our clients. Visit GA nassi n dot com. Hello, and 5 00:00:22.800 --> 00:00:26.920 welcome back to the Friday Night Drive Podcast. I am Kyle Neighbors along with 6 00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:30.519 Steve Susy here for a special edition really of the Friday Night Drive Podcast. 7 00:00:30.559 --> 00:00:33.679 Because it is semi final weekend. It is my favorite weekend of the year. 8 00:00:33.719 --> 00:00:36.960 Suits it's gonna be a good week and we've got thirty two teams left 9 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:40.240 in the state. It's gonna be a cold weekend though. Man, yeah, 10 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:42.960 it certainly is. And I mean, like you said, the semi 11 00:00:43.000 --> 00:00:47.119 final week is one of the most fun weeks around. You tend to get 12 00:00:47.159 --> 00:00:51.679 some of those matchups that you're thinking to yourself, this might be better served 13 00:00:51.679 --> 00:00:54.479 as a state final. I mean, that's just kind of the way that 14 00:00:54.520 --> 00:00:58.880 the brackets fall sometimes. So you always have a lot of games that are 15 00:00:59.479 --> 00:01:02.280 that are kind of coming down to the wire. You've got you know, 16 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:04.760 great matchups that you like to try to pick apart before we get to those 17 00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:08.280 games, and it's always fun to get those games to the point of where 18 00:01:08.280 --> 00:01:12.079 they're in fruition. Interesting thing about this week, there's a lot of games. 19 00:01:12.439 --> 00:01:17.159 Almost all the games I believe are in the early afternoon, excluding the 20 00:01:17.200 --> 00:01:21.280 one Friday games, So we're probably going to get another one of those moments 21 00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:25.239 of like around three thirty four o'clock where a lot of games are coming to 22 00:01:25.280 --> 00:01:30.280 their apex and are all completing at the same time and should be a little 23 00:01:30.280 --> 00:01:34.680 bit of chaos to round out the last the way I term it, the 24 00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:38.239 last kind of week of the season, where you've got a whole bunch of 25 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:42.480 games going on at the same time. Yeah, you referenced the Friday night 26 00:01:42.519 --> 00:01:46.879 game. I reference the cold temperatures you are going down on Friday night for 27 00:01:46.920 --> 00:01:49.959 the Leonard Bowl, which we're going to jump into in a bit to talk 28 00:01:49.000 --> 00:01:53.000 about. We'll preview one eight three eight, like we typically do during the 29 00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:57.840 postseason. But certainly, you know it's it's mid November. We're used to 30 00:01:57.879 --> 00:02:01.519 cold, but this is this is certainly colder than we're used to even for 31 00:02:01.560 --> 00:02:05.760 this time of year. Um, what are you doing on Friday night to 32 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:08.759 stay warm? Man? Well, I think I'll be okay just in general, 33 00:02:08.879 --> 00:02:13.080 because you know, it's it's one of those things that I kind of 34 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:15.919 anticipate that I'm going to have a bad one, uh, you know deeper 35 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:20.520 in the playoffs, so you know, I'll just layer up and manage to 36 00:02:20.520 --> 00:02:23.199 get through it. You know, I'm a hardcore sideline guy, so I 37 00:02:23.240 --> 00:02:28.680 mean, it doesn't really matter to me whether you know how bad it gets. 38 00:02:29.439 --> 00:02:31.439 I still plan on being down on the sideline in the middle of it, 39 00:02:31.479 --> 00:02:36.400 because I don't. I don't really like any other way. The only 40 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:39.080 really, the only time that uh that I put up with it is at 41 00:02:39.080 --> 00:02:44.080 the state finals. Um, and even then I get a little, I 42 00:02:44.120 --> 00:02:46.439 get a little stir crazy. I gotta go wander for at least a game 43 00:02:46.520 --> 00:02:51.439 or two for a while, because it's just it's it's the way that I 44 00:02:51.560 --> 00:02:55.719 do it. So I don't I'll complain about it in the moment, but 45 00:02:55.800 --> 00:03:00.560 I enjoy it so much that uh that I you know, like, well, 46 00:03:00.039 --> 00:03:04.800 I can deal with it, and I challenge it to compete with some 47 00:03:04.840 --> 00:03:08.120 of the worst ones that I've ever had, because you know, it will 48 00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:13.280 be bad, but I can. I can make you a list of several 49 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:16.599 that were much worse where I felt like I was. You know, I 50 00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:21.159 literally had to thaw myself out as an ice block after it was over. 51 00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:24.919 You'll get quite that bad on Friday night. So no, us. It's 52 00:03:24.919 --> 00:03:29.719 funny because Joe Aguilar, a long time writer, a prep writer at The 53 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:32.599 Daily Herald who's now a member here at Shaw Media. I was talking to 54 00:03:32.719 --> 00:03:36.840 him. We were talking about our favorite postseason game when it came to like 55 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:38.800 weather stuff, and he actually covered the game. And I don't I don't 56 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:44.439 remember talking to Joe that day, but he covered that state semifinal game back 57 00:03:44.439 --> 00:03:47.080 in like twenty fifteen suits where we had the snowstorm between Bradley bourbon A and 58 00:03:47.080 --> 00:03:51.439 Libertyville. He came down for the DH and covered Libertyville. And that is 59 00:03:51.479 --> 00:03:53.800 some of the worst conditions I've ever covered a game. But him and I 60 00:03:53.800 --> 00:03:57.400 both agreed that it's also the most fun we've ever had covered a game. 61 00:03:57.719 --> 00:04:02.039 So um, you know, I mean, that's that weekend in particular as 62 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:08.199 one that's kind of ridiculous in general. I remember that weekend because I covered 63 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:13.800 Icy Catholic in Wilmington that weekend and you know, a little look behind the 64 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:17.639 cover of who I am as a person. I really dislike driving in winter 65 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:21.279 weather. So I anticipated that it was going to be a bad weather day 66 00:04:23.079 --> 00:04:27.839 that day. And I actually went up and saw a morning movie prior to 67 00:04:27.879 --> 00:04:32.199 that game. And when I went into the movie theater, the weather was 68 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:36.519 clear, it was open. And then I went and I actually remember what 69 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:41.000 movie it was. I went to see Spotlight, and I mean it wasn't 70 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:44.439 an exceptionally long movie. It was probably a two hour movie. And I 71 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:49.439 came out of the movie and it was a winter wonderland outside. So in 72 00:04:49.480 --> 00:04:53.519 the span of the time that I had watched that movie, the weather had 73 00:04:53.720 --> 00:04:58.720 violently changed. So yeah, it was And that made for a really interesting 74 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:01.160 day. And that was back when I was doing radio for another publication. 75 00:05:01.800 --> 00:05:08.839 So I was tucked into the icy Catholic press box, which is microscopically tiny, 76 00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:14.839 and went out before the game and was messing around on the field to 77 00:05:14.920 --> 00:05:18.160 try to get a feel of how the texture was and I felt twice, 78 00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:23.040 well, I was like, this is gonna be this is gonna be an 79 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:26.360 interesting day. Yeah, we're not looking at any snow this weekend. It 80 00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:30.000 doesn't look like just just some cold temperatures, unlike Buffalo suits. I don't 81 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:31.720 know if you've been paying attention there, Like the Buffalo Builders supposed to play 82 00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:35.879 on Sunday and they're predicting four to six feet of lake effect snow in Buffalo, 83 00:05:35.959 --> 00:05:41.040 So good luck with that. Make a fun Sunday game if they do 84 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:43.959 play that in Buffalo and we get to watch that. But like I said, 85 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:46.319 no, no snow in the area. But um, all right, 86 00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:48.839 we're gonna go ahead and dive in one A through eight A here and start 87 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:53.560 breaking down these games. And ZEUS will start in one A and we'll start 88 00:05:53.600 --> 00:05:59.199 in the north bracket where we have a semifinal matchup that honestly, I don't 89 00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:02.160 feel like we had have to spend a lot of time on. And that's 90 00:06:02.199 --> 00:06:06.639 simply because we're looking at a match up here between Forested and Lena Winslow two 91 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:12.279 Nui see rivals, two teams that are used to, honestly playing in the 92 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:15.399 semifinals. They're used to seeing each other deep in the playoffs. This was 93 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:17.879 a game that Lena Winslow one twenty eight to fourteen during the regular season. 94 00:06:18.199 --> 00:06:20.000 And the reason I say we don't have to spend a lot of time on 95 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:23.519 it is because, like I said, these teams know each other really well, 96 00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:25.680 and honestly, they're not going to do a lot to try and change 97 00:06:25.720 --> 00:06:28.439 what they do. It just comes down to execution in a game like this. 98 00:06:29.240 --> 00:06:30.639 Yeah, it really does. I mean, obviously they know, you 99 00:06:30.680 --> 00:06:33.839 know everything about each other. I mean when I look at this game, 100 00:06:33.879 --> 00:06:38.680 it's just astonishing to me to think about the fact that one of these two 101 00:06:38.680 --> 00:06:43.120 teams have hoisted every single Class one A state championship trophy going back to two 102 00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:48.480 thousand and fifteen. So, you know, it's obviously it's it's cliche to 103 00:06:48.519 --> 00:06:54.399 say it, but the road to the one A state championship runs directly through 104 00:06:54.439 --> 00:06:58.959 this conference and directly through these two programs. So you know, Lena Winslow 105 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:02.240 is obviously your face here, but you just despite the fact that all the 106 00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:06.800 numbers leaned towards Lena Winslow, you can't completely dismiss Forrest in the game. 107 00:07:08.360 --> 00:07:11.959 Um, you know, I would be slightly surprised if they won the game, 108 00:07:11.959 --> 00:07:15.560 but I refuse to acknowledge that they have the zero percent chance of winning 109 00:07:15.560 --> 00:07:17.600 it. Yeah, I mean, they the Forreston knocked off Lena Winslow and 110 00:07:17.639 --> 00:07:21.000 the regular season finale last year. Not um. You know, UM, 111 00:07:21.639 --> 00:07:26.439 these two teams know each other so well that it can happen like that. 112 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:29.600 You get into a close game, you know it's fourth quarter. Um, 113 00:07:30.120 --> 00:07:32.040 I'll go back to several years ago, right, Like, UM, I 114 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:35.560 want to say this, with the twenty seventeen season, Kerry Grove and PR 115 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:40.319 played and that's a very memorable game for a lot of reasons, including UM. 116 00:07:40.360 --> 00:07:44.839 Anyone who's the state football fan probably remember it's the Sampson Evans touchdown run 117 00:07:44.839 --> 00:07:46.839 in the final seconds down the sideline when it looked like PR, which was 118 00:07:46.920 --> 00:07:49.959 the heavy favorite to win the state title that year, almost got knocked off 119 00:07:49.959 --> 00:07:55.639 by it's in district rival Kerry Grove in a game where you know a lot 120 00:07:55.680 --> 00:07:58.800 of people thought PR would win by a couple of touchdowns. So it just 121 00:07:58.839 --> 00:08:01.759 goes to show you when you have two teams that are it's a rematch their 122 00:08:01.800 --> 00:08:05.560 conference rivals, things can get a bit weird. Lena Winslow is the clear 123 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:09.079 favorite here, but like I said, I think can get a bit weird. 124 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:11.800 So, UM, let's go to the southern side of the bracket, 125 00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:15.439 where you know we're talking about two kinds of state powers on the north side. 126 00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:18.920 On the south side, you're talking about two programs here that have kind 127 00:08:18.920 --> 00:08:24.279 of cemented themselves over the last decade as and particularly you look at Ridgeview, 128 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:26.839 a co op that started became a co op I want to say in like 129 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:30.680 twenty fourteen twenty fifteen has taken off over the last couple of years. Now 130 00:08:30.680 --> 00:08:35.360 back to back state semifinal appearances. At Camp Point Central is making it fourth 131 00:08:35.720 --> 00:08:39.679 semifinal appearance. I was looking through the Peoria Journal Star Um West View. 132 00:08:39.720 --> 00:08:43.360 It had posted some by the number stuff and it was Camp Point Central's fourth 133 00:08:43.399 --> 00:08:50.120 semifinal appearance. All have come since two eleven sous. Yeah, it's a 134 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:54.799 program that has really built itself up and over time to be the expectation that 135 00:08:54.840 --> 00:08:58.000 they're going to be in the mix at this time of year. It doesn't 136 00:08:58.039 --> 00:09:03.159 really surprise me all that much that this is the matchup that we have on 137 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:05.879 the opposite side. In fact, this entire bracket is kind of set up 138 00:09:05.879 --> 00:09:09.159 in a way that I if you would have given me maybe two or three 139 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:13.279 guess is that who who will the final four B in one A probably would 140 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:16.759 have gotten all four of these teams, right. That's you know, I 141 00:09:18.279 --> 00:09:24.720 ridge View, as their success level has been fairly recent. They have emerged, 142 00:09:24.919 --> 00:09:30.720 but this particular group of players kind of got some wind under their sales 143 00:09:31.000 --> 00:09:37.080 in their playoff run of last year, kind of came in as a team 144 00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:39.360 with you know, a couple of losses in the postseason, a relatively low 145 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:45.519 seed. That group of underclassmen still here and now looking to make their mark 146 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:50.440 even deeper get themselves to a state championship game. You have a lean either 147 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:54.159 way in this game. I'm leaning ridge View, But like all season long, 148 00:09:54.200 --> 00:09:56.000 I think I've said on this podcast, or at least you're in the 149 00:09:56.000 --> 00:10:00.399 postseason, like I I've not had a great feel for the one A South 150 00:10:00.399 --> 00:10:03.840 teams this year. Yeah, I lean a little towards Ridgeview, but it 151 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:07.320 is not a heavy lean, you know. That's one of those things where 152 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:13.679 I think this is a fairly fairly competitive game. I would be surprised if 153 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:16.480 it was a runaway one way or another. But I think it's it's pretty 154 00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:20.360 close to a toss up in my mind. But picking it, I'm picking 155 00:10:20.440 --> 00:10:22.840 Ridgeview. By the way, I was so excited to dive in that I 156 00:10:24.039 --> 00:10:26.759 didn't mention that You can find the complete schedule for the semifinal round at Friday 157 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:31.639 Night Drive dot com. You can also follow us on Twitter at f and 158 00:10:31.720 --> 00:10:33.759 Drive. You can follow SEUs on Twitter at the SEUs. You can follow 159 00:10:33.799 --> 00:10:37.960 myself on Twitter at Kyle Neighbors, and you can find all of our content 160 00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:41.799 on Facebook and Instagram as well. Just search for Friday Night Drive follow us 161 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:48.799 there. So let's go ahead and dive into two A suits where I feel 162 00:10:48.840 --> 00:10:52.279 like we have on both sides of the brackets two teams that both of us 163 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:56.200 considered to be the favorites going into these games, the two teams that we 164 00:10:56.240 --> 00:11:00.720 thought would meet in the state title game. On the north side the bracket, 165 00:11:00.720 --> 00:11:03.120 you have number six Try Valley at number one, Moroa Forsyde. On 166 00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:07.200 the south side of the bracket you have number two Johnson City at number one 167 00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:11.879 Saint Teresa. I felt all along that we were on a collision path between 168 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:16.039 Moroa Forsydes and Saint Teresa, but started on that north side of the bracket. 169 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:18.399 Try Valley is playing really well. You saw him a couple of weeks 170 00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:20.919 ago. They followed that up with another impressive win last week. So I 171 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:26.080 don't want to kiss a discount Try Valley in this matchup with Morou. Yeah, 172 00:11:26.159 --> 00:11:30.240 I mean, I guess I got a little I guess got a little 173 00:11:30.279 --> 00:11:33.480 off the Try Valley train for a couple of reasons as we headed into the 174 00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:37.919 postseason. But all they've done since has convinced me that I was wrong to 175 00:11:39.000 --> 00:11:43.639 do. So, you know, it's they have gone through a relatively strong 176 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:50.960 gauntlet through the state playoffs. They crushed Clifton Central in the opening round, 177 00:11:50.039 --> 00:11:56.120 which raised my eyebrow a little bit. Then they moved into and defeated the 178 00:11:56.159 --> 00:11:58.799 state champions. They're defending state champions Wilmington in round two in a game that 179 00:11:58.840 --> 00:12:03.320 I was at UM and I was really impressed with what they were able to 180 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:09.360 do and how they were able to adjust when Wilmington kind of took away some 181 00:12:09.399 --> 00:12:13.080 of their preferred modes of getting things done, they were still really really good. 182 00:12:13.399 --> 00:12:16.639 UM. And and then last week, you know, hanging forty six 183 00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:20.360 points on Knoxville, UM just tells me that this is a team that's playing 184 00:12:20.440 --> 00:12:26.200 really good football at the right time. And before the before the postseason began, 185 00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:31.080 I thought we were looking at a Mount Moroa of forsythe Sat. Teresa 186 00:12:31.159 --> 00:12:35.120 game. I'm not one hundred percent convinced anymore that I don't believe that Try 187 00:12:35.159 --> 00:12:39.919 Valley can win this football game. Wow, That's That's where I'm at right 188 00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:46.200 now. I I like morea of forsythe a lot, but it's just one 189 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:48.840 of those things where I think, like sometimes you get a little bit of 190 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:52.080 mojo going here and and I think they've got it right and Try Valley has 191 00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:56.440 it on their side right now. So, um, I could see that 192 00:12:56.559 --> 00:13:00.639 I picked Try Valley to win this game. I I did. I went 193 00:13:00.679 --> 00:13:03.279 off I went off book a little bit and picked Try Valley to win. 194 00:13:03.879 --> 00:13:07.559 Yeah, Sus, as he's done all season long or all postseason long, 195 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:11.799 has been predicting every postseason game with a little bit of analysis. Those will 196 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:16.840 be dropping on Friday morning at Friday Night Drive dot Com SEUs on the south 197 00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:20.360 side of the Brackett Johnson City at Saint Teresa. I'm not gonna lie to 198 00:13:20.360 --> 00:13:22.720 any of our listeners. This is by far the matchup I know the least 199 00:13:22.759 --> 00:13:26.399 amount, in particular Johnson City and how they would match up against this Saint 200 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:30.240 Teresa team. Sus, you know much better than I do, so walk 201 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:33.279 us through this. What do you think of this matchup? You know it's 202 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:39.200 interesting because Like I've mentioned before about Johnston City, I've been confused about them 203 00:13:39.240 --> 00:13:43.960 the entire postseason. It's always very, very difficult to get a read on 204 00:13:43.159 --> 00:13:50.120 Locked Conference teams and how good they are and in regards to the rest of 205 00:13:50.159 --> 00:13:54.919 the field that they're in, and I didn't really get a lot of answers 206 00:13:54.919 --> 00:13:58.080 to that through a couple of rounds of the playoffs. They opened the playoffs 207 00:13:58.120 --> 00:14:03.639 against a Black Diamond Conference team. They played an Arthur team in round two 208 00:14:03.720 --> 00:14:09.200 that I had heard through the grapevine was really really banged up. So they 209 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:13.159 won that game and they moved on. The quarterfinal game against Belleville. ALTOF 210 00:14:13.240 --> 00:14:16.720 was a game where, you know, heading into it, it looked like 211 00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:22.360 ALTOF the stars that aligned for them, you know, playing a five A 212 00:14:22.600 --> 00:14:26.840 six A caliber schedule, you know, getting themselves in through kind of the 213 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:31.000 back door of the playoffs at five and four, they look like one of 214 00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:35.679 those teams that you would see them potentially even make a run to the state 215 00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:39.679 finals and go, yeah, I understand like how they had four losses against 216 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:43.200 the schedule that they had, but this is a really good football team. 217 00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:46.360 But Johnson City just kind of said, Okay, we're just gonna trade punches 218 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:50.759 with you, and they beat them. So, you know, I still 219 00:14:50.799 --> 00:14:54.360 have I still have a few questions about them, even though that we've reached 220 00:14:54.399 --> 00:15:00.279 the semifinal round. But I think they're kind of running into a behemoth here. 221 00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:05.399 You know, Saint Teresa has has done everything that they needed to do 222 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:09.519 to get themselves at this point. They've won comfortably in every game they've played 223 00:15:09.559 --> 00:15:13.799 this season. They have not really been pushed. This is where they ran 224 00:15:13.879 --> 00:15:20.240 into a little bit of a stumbling block before. For them, right now, 225 00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:24.840 I think it's a matter of simply not getting ahead of themselves finishing the 226 00:15:24.919 --> 00:15:28.360 job in task, because I mean last year they got beat by Nashville in 227 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:35.120 a wild game that was high scoring and you know, didn't end up getting 228 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:39.120 them, you know, where they wanted and needed to be. Historically, 229 00:15:39.159 --> 00:15:45.080 this has been a team that has put up some huge numbers in this regular 230 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:48.559 season in the early rounds of the playoffs, but other than a few limited 231 00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:54.279 situations, they've been tabbed as favorites and they haven't been able to finish the 232 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:58.240 deal. So, you know, I think here they are the favorite again, 233 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:03.000 and I think whoever they would get on the other side of the bracket. 234 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:04.720 I think they would remain the favorite if they were to win this game, 235 00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:12.200 but I think just moving them smoothly to that final would be a mistake. 236 00:16:12.519 --> 00:16:15.519 Like I said, I think we have to we have to take into 237 00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:21.000 account what Johnson City has done to this point and give them some prompts at 238 00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:25.799 this point in time. Completely agree, all right, So let's go ahead 239 00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:30.159 and move on to three A. Here on the north side of the bracket, 240 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:34.799 we are looking at a matchup that we should be pretty familiar with because 241 00:16:34.840 --> 00:16:38.679 it is a rematch of last year's state semifinal game, and that comes from 242 00:16:40.360 --> 00:16:45.200 two quarterfinals that were rematches the last year. And you know, you're looking 243 00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:49.840 at Byron versus Ice Catholic and it played out so similar on Byron side, 244 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:53.919 at least, you know they're coming off a semifinal win over Recuster where they 245 00:16:53.960 --> 00:16:56.480 scored in the final minute, Jeff, like they did the year before. 246 00:16:56.799 --> 00:17:02.440 I see Catholic played Princeton again, but unlike last year where I see Catholic 247 00:17:02.440 --> 00:17:06.640 won the game rather handily. I see Catholic very very tough game against Princeton 248 00:17:06.680 --> 00:17:10.359 to get by them. There. This sets up to be a very competitive 249 00:17:10.359 --> 00:17:14.480 matchup between I see Catholic and Byron. I'm thinking sus yeah, I mean, 250 00:17:14.599 --> 00:17:18.640 no disrespect to the south side of this bracket, but this would be 251 00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:22.319 a game that I'd really like to see as a state championship game. I 252 00:17:22.359 --> 00:17:27.160 feel like both of these two teams have obviously run a pretty impressive gauntlet just 253 00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:30.880 to get here. It will bother me that one of these two teams is 254 00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:37.079 not in the state championship game. It's it's once again, I'm going to 255 00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:40.920 fall back on another cliche. To me, this is kind of the state 256 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:45.599 championship game. I feel like whoever wins this game will be a heavy favorite 257 00:17:45.720 --> 00:17:52.119 in the three A final and we'll probably win it. So and I don't 258 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:56.799 really I hate to keep using phrases like coin flip and stuff like that. 259 00:17:57.359 --> 00:18:00.920 I feel like this is I mean, yeah, I agree, you know, 260 00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:06.119 I feel I see Catholic, in my mind, might be the more 261 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:11.240 talented team and has, you know, the explosive playmaker and the things that 262 00:18:11.319 --> 00:18:15.960 you look for in a game like this to maybe gain separation. Oh man, 263 00:18:17.079 --> 00:18:21.359 it is so difficult to go against the Byron track record in games like 264 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:23.640 this. I mean, we used to win games like this all the time. 265 00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:26.359 I mean, they did it last year fifteen to fourteen. I think 266 00:18:26.440 --> 00:18:30.960 was the final score if I remember correctly. Yeah, I mean the they 267 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:34.640 it's Byron will slow the game like Byron knows they can't. They're not gonna 268 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:37.359 outscore I see Catholic. If they get into the shootout, they're probably gonna 269 00:18:37.400 --> 00:18:40.720 lose the game. But Byron knows if they slow the game down, which 270 00:18:40.759 --> 00:18:42.039 is what they want to do anyway, they're going to run the ball, 271 00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:47.359 control the clock, rely on what's always the salad defense, and in the 272 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:51.279 fourth quarter half a shot to win the game. Yeah. I mean, 273 00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:55.319 that's that's really what they do. And uh and I They've shown it time 274 00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:57.880 and time again. They're not gonna get rattled if they if they fall behind, 275 00:18:59.559 --> 00:19:02.640 um and and have to you know, rally in the last minutes of 276 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:06.880 the game. So I don't know, sus. Can you hear the the 277 00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:11.920 obnoxious people out on my deck right now or on my front porch with a 278 00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:15.440 lawn a blower. I can hear it a little bit. Ye, Okay, 279 00:19:15.480 --> 00:19:19.119 if that is it overpowering, because we'll stop for now. Okay, 280 00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:22.839 if it gets work, just let me know we'll stop. Anyone's listening to 281 00:19:22.839 --> 00:19:26.519 the podcast wondering what's going on in the background. I live in a town 282 00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:30.160 home in the ground crew, no matter what. So usually they come on 283 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:34.000 Mondays when I'm doing UM the Bears podcast with Sean when we're doing it live. 284 00:19:34.400 --> 00:19:37.759 So of course they didn't come on Monday, but they found another time 285 00:19:37.799 --> 00:19:42.200 when I'm recording a podcast. It's it's it's quite entertaining and it's incredible how 286 00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:47.240 often they're able to time it. UM anyway, So let's go ahead of 287 00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:52.440 My dogs will start barking at it, so you'll know it's the the the 288 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:56.359 amusements of working from home in post COVID, Right, So let's go over 289 00:19:56.400 --> 00:20:00.599 to the South bracket, where you have another team into state semifinals as a 290 00:20:00.680 --> 00:20:04.400 repeat from last year in Tolono Unity, the fourth seed going to number three 291 00:20:04.440 --> 00:20:11.319 Williamnum Up sorry Williamsville, and the Bullets are in no case a stranger of 292 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:14.279 also being in the state semifinals. This is a matchup of two teams, 293 00:20:14.279 --> 00:20:17.799 two programs once again that are used to being in this position. It's another 294 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:23.359 matchup where I expected to be incredibly incredibly close throughout. Yeah, I mean 295 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:26.640 both of these two teams kind of have this pedigree of being able to get 296 00:20:26.680 --> 00:20:33.720 through things get it done. You know, Tolono kind of surprises me that 297 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:38.599 they're here. They avenge that loss to Prairie Central and last week's quarterfinals, 298 00:20:40.039 --> 00:20:44.599 but it doesn't really surprise me because Tolono Unity always seems like they're here. 299 00:20:45.640 --> 00:20:48.839 So when it comes right down to it, you got two programs that obviously 300 00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:55.319 had quite a bit success during the regular season and put themselves in this position 301 00:20:55.319 --> 00:21:00.200 on a regular basis. You know, I leaned towards Williamsville here, but 302 00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:06.279 I would also accept and understand just about any result on the spectrum. Yeah, 303 00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:10.400 I mean, I think Williamville. The way the Bullets are playing right 304 00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:14.279 now, I really like the way the offense is looking. I think the 305 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:17.119 Bullets win this game. But I do think it's gonna be pretty competitive throughout. 306 00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:19.839 Like I said earlier, sus Yeah, I do too. And it's 307 00:21:19.880 --> 00:21:23.599 just you know, it's hard to bet against either one of these two teams 308 00:21:23.599 --> 00:21:29.880 in their postseason pedigrees. You know, if Tolono wins it, we'll talk 309 00:21:29.880 --> 00:21:34.160 about their struggles in the next round at that time. But as far as 310 00:21:34.200 --> 00:21:37.599 getting there, there are a few programs that are better that than Tolono is 311 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:41.480 all right. One more class before we take a quick commercial break, and 312 00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:45.960 then Class four A. In the north bracket, you have number thirteen Providence, 313 00:21:45.079 --> 00:21:49.039 which pulled off the upset last week against Richmond Burnon and not only pulled 314 00:21:49.079 --> 00:21:52.640 off the upset but controlled that game throughout. They get another tough matchup going 315 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:57.240 to number three Saint Francis this week. A team suits. I've liked the 316 00:21:57.240 --> 00:22:03.799 Saint Francis team. I'll see and long. You know, it's it's weird 317 00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:07.799 because I had Richmond Burden as the favorite to make it to State in four 318 00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:11.000 A and Providence just beat them. So I should be taking Providence to win 319 00:22:11.079 --> 00:22:15.640 this game, but I find myself leaning towards Weed in Saint Francis. Here, 320 00:22:15.680 --> 00:22:21.359 Susan, Well, I'm gonna I'm gonna stop using the word upset in 321 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:26.920 connection to Providence' that's there. That's my personal motto for at least the next 322 00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:33.160 week or so. I'm just gonna stop doing it because they keep I don't 323 00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:37.599 know if they keep sticking it to me, but they keep showing me that 324 00:22:37.640 --> 00:22:42.799 they are a very, very sound football team. And sometimes I can't really 325 00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:48.000 explain how this is getting done. It's just getting done. And that's when 326 00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:52.279 I look at this game, like if you would have asked me and said 327 00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:56.799 hypothetically, okay, because I mean, when you really look at the brackets, 328 00:22:56.359 --> 00:23:02.400 we weren't that far away from having this as a first round matchup. 329 00:23:02.680 --> 00:23:06.920 If you think about it, if this would have been a first round matchup 330 00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:11.480 in the playoffs, I wouldn't have blinked. I would have picked Saint Francis. 331 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:15.359 I mean, I wouldn't even hesitated. Yeah. Now it's a whole 332 00:23:15.480 --> 00:23:21.640 different thought process and conversation in my mind. And it's only been three weeks. 333 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:25.839 So that's that's kind of the way that I look at it. It's 334 00:23:25.960 --> 00:23:33.799 it's definitely a game where I really like both teams. But I also I'm 335 00:23:33.839 --> 00:23:37.799 not a big believer in you know, oh, this team's got momentum, 336 00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:41.880 and this team's got you know, you know, all the all the intangibles 337 00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:45.640 on their side. I'm not a huge believer in that kind of stuff. 338 00:23:45.160 --> 00:23:49.359 But there are isolated incidents where I do believe that it's it's credible and something 339 00:23:49.400 --> 00:23:53.319 that you have to consider, and I think if anyone qualifies under those grounds, 340 00:23:53.319 --> 00:23:56.759 it's providence. Right now, I feel, you know, I hate 341 00:23:56.799 --> 00:24:00.279 like momentum and that type of stuff too, But I do feel like at 342 00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:06.079 the high school level it tends to carry a bit more weight. Yeah, 343 00:24:06.119 --> 00:24:10.880 And it's and I think some of it with Providence comes from a leadership position, 344 00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:15.920 because I don't know if I've ever seen someone, especially in their first 345 00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:22.319 year as a head coach more even keel than Tyler. Plants is like he 346 00:24:22.440 --> 00:24:26.759 is almost completely unflappable, and when he speaks about what his team does, 347 00:24:27.720 --> 00:24:36.200 it's almost like he one hundred percent expected all of this and it's just materializing 348 00:24:36.319 --> 00:24:40.160 the way that he planned it to go. I mean, maybe maybe it's 349 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:44.039 a little bit of a guys, but I don't know. Like I said, 350 00:24:44.119 --> 00:24:48.000 I don't know if I've ever come across somebody who, especially in their 351 00:24:48.039 --> 00:24:53.440 first year as a head coach, that just seems to handle everything that comes 352 00:24:53.480 --> 00:24:59.440 to him with just a complete calm. It's almost zen like I mean it 353 00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:03.880 is. It's it's really something. I mean that he just has a way 354 00:25:03.880 --> 00:25:07.440 that I think the kids have really responded to, and it's just it's been 355 00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:11.480 kind of fun to watch, to be completely honest with you. So, 356 00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:17.400 I mean I'm picking Providence to win the games. I mean that's That's really 357 00:25:17.400 --> 00:25:21.519 what it comes down to. This is a fascinating game. I talk about 358 00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:23.880 this all the time. I would love to be able to clone myself on 359 00:25:25.559 --> 00:25:30.000 some of these playoff weekends because I want to go to multiple games. I'm 360 00:25:30.039 --> 00:25:33.440 going to a game that I'm really excited to see, but this I think 361 00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:37.079 would be number two on the list of games that I wish I could see 362 00:25:36.839 --> 00:25:41.400 on Saturday. Yeah. Well, I mean Tyler, Tyler Plants may look 363 00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:45.759 unflappable. So if any of our listeners don't know, Tyler is a Providence 364 00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:48.200 grad that went on to play at the University of Notre Dame and ended up 365 00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:52.200 working his way up on the coaching staff there and had been an assistant until 366 00:25:52.279 --> 00:25:56.599 he was hired. And maybe the reason he feels it looked on flappable suits 367 00:25:56.680 --> 00:26:00.480 is if you've had to work under Brian Kelly, I can't imagine that you've 368 00:26:00.519 --> 00:26:06.839 had a lot of scenarios where you haven't been costing a fire before. Yeah, 369 00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:08.720 I suppose that could be accurate. I mean, it's just like I 370 00:26:08.759 --> 00:26:15.039 said, he just he has a way about him that I can see would 371 00:26:15.160 --> 00:26:19.279 would be a potential situation for a high school athlete to be rare responsive to 372 00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:25.200 him, so and at definitely whatever he's doing, it is working because they 373 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:30.079 have put together a really impressive playoff run and they are not eking these games 374 00:26:30.079 --> 00:26:34.079 out. I mean, they are winning them and winning them comfortably. I 375 00:26:34.200 --> 00:26:37.480 kind of thought that it was possible that they would win last week. I 376 00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:41.319 did not think that I would be hopping in my car after the game that 377 00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:47.839 I was covering to discover Providence was ahead comfortably and essentially just winding out the 378 00:26:47.880 --> 00:26:49.559 clock in that game, Hunt. I did not think that was going to 379 00:26:49.599 --> 00:26:55.559 be as the scenario that came into play. So the recipe, the recipe 380 00:26:55.559 --> 00:26:57.720 for Providence has been pretty impressive. All right. On the south side of 381 00:26:57.759 --> 00:27:00.960 the bracket, we had the up that we've all been anticipating. Here, 382 00:27:02.200 --> 00:27:06.279 as I mentioned earlier, we get one last matchup, one last Leonard Bull 383 00:27:06.359 --> 00:27:11.960 here with Rockchester number four Derek Leonard going up against his father Ken Leonard, 384 00:27:11.960 --> 00:27:15.720 who is retiring at the conclusion of the season, Number two Sacred Heart Griffin. 385 00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:22.000 It's it's a special matchup suits one. It's a matchup that I think 386 00:27:22.039 --> 00:27:25.400 football fans in Illinois always enjoy because it's two of the best programs in the 387 00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:32.279 state. But anyone who who enjoys the history of high school football relishes this 388 00:27:32.359 --> 00:27:34.519 matchup and knows what it means, and anyone that knows that's had a chance 389 00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:40.359 to talk with both Derek and Ken over the years, it's just it's it's 390 00:27:40.359 --> 00:27:42.920 a fun matchup. It's a special matchup, is what I'm saying. Yeah, 391 00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:45.680 I mean, obviously I've been watching this for a while. From a 392 00:27:45.799 --> 00:27:49.839 historical perspective, I'm excited. This is my first one that I've attended, 393 00:27:49.960 --> 00:27:56.400 so I've been in I've been floating around him for years in the situations like 394 00:27:56.440 --> 00:27:57.480 this when I thought I might be able to get to go to one, 395 00:27:57.519 --> 00:28:00.960 and I never have. So I'm glad that it's working out this way that 396 00:28:02.039 --> 00:28:04.519 I have a chance. You know, I become friendly with both of these 397 00:28:04.519 --> 00:28:08.240 coaches over the years. I'm obviously impressed with what they've done with both of 398 00:28:08.279 --> 00:28:12.759 their programs. But they're both really, you know, really genuine people, 399 00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:19.279 so it's just kind of a fun situation for them, and it creates an 400 00:28:19.400 --> 00:28:23.319 environment that I mean, you almost never get in these types of situations where 401 00:28:23.359 --> 00:28:30.119 you know where if you are on the losing side of it, there seems 402 00:28:30.160 --> 00:28:33.680 to be genuine happiness for the person on the other side that actually won the 403 00:28:33.720 --> 00:28:38.079 game. So you know, sometimes that stuff feels insincere. That's definitely not 404 00:28:38.119 --> 00:28:44.000 the case here. I talked a lot in the run up to the postseason 405 00:28:45.240 --> 00:28:51.039 with coach Leonard about a coaching n Lennard about his kind of hoping that his 406 00:28:51.079 --> 00:28:56.240 team might flide into the three A classification, not necessarily because he wanted to 407 00:28:56.240 --> 00:29:00.279 try to induct the competition in Foura I think of given the eye, and 408 00:29:00.279 --> 00:29:04.640 he would have played up to five to avoid this stact because he was concerned 409 00:29:04.680 --> 00:29:11.880 about like the strife that it causes whoever doesn't win the game. So so 410 00:29:12.680 --> 00:29:18.319 it was it was really kind of interesting to have that conversation with him. 411 00:29:17.559 --> 00:29:21.680 Um, you know, it was that's why he was kind of hoping that 412 00:29:21.680 --> 00:29:26.119 it wouldn't come down to this, potentially maybe ending his long career on a 413 00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:32.400 loss to Rochester or ending Derek's season because he's a son for Christ's sake. 414 00:29:32.519 --> 00:29:37.119 So um, it's just it's one of those things where you know, everybody 415 00:29:37.160 --> 00:29:41.759 loves the Leonard Bowl, especially when it comes into the playoffs, but I 416 00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:45.000 don't know if that family loves the Letter Bowl as much as everyone else is 417 00:29:45.319 --> 00:29:48.200 yeah, No, that's yeah, definitely, definitely understandable. I think everyone 418 00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:52.759 on the outside loves it. Um got to be a tense isn't the right 419 00:29:52.759 --> 00:29:57.400 word. Tense week for the Leonard family, but a conflicted week for the 420 00:29:59.160 --> 00:30:03.279 Yeah. Again, though, we're looking at a matchup where I expect to 421 00:30:03.319 --> 00:30:08.880 see Rochester make this game a lot closer. And the other thing to note 422 00:30:08.880 --> 00:30:12.559 of that first meeting is it was week one. I mean, it was 423 00:30:12.720 --> 00:30:15.960 not just the fact that it was a long time ago, but Week one 424 00:30:17.000 --> 00:30:18.240 tends to be a little bit weird to begin with. It takes a while 425 00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:22.319 for teams to figure out what exactly they have, so I expect this to 426 00:30:22.359 --> 00:30:29.640 be a much closer rematch. Well. And if there's anybody that I trust 427 00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:33.759 to go into their mad science laboratory and come up with something interesting to try 428 00:30:33.759 --> 00:30:37.640 to combat a team that it doesn't look like, I mean they have a 429 00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:45.319 really good chance against it's Derek Leonard, as inventive as they get in regards 430 00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:49.480 to attacking something that looks like maybe maybe they're not in the best position for 431 00:30:51.119 --> 00:30:56.279 so I would be I would be surprised if if we don't see some wrinkles 432 00:30:56.319 --> 00:31:02.039 from Rochester and them closing the gap considerably from the first matchup with the two 433 00:31:02.079 --> 00:31:06.279 teams. I'm taking Facred Heart Griffin in this game. Suits, Are you 434 00:31:06.759 --> 00:31:07.839 willing to go to the other side? Are you coming with me here? 435 00:31:08.559 --> 00:31:12.880 I'm coming with you on this one. I just I can't see like I 436 00:31:14.880 --> 00:31:18.319 realized that. I mean, they did get beat pretty handily in last year's 437 00:31:18.319 --> 00:31:25.119 four A final against jol a Catholic, but that entire roster practically returns from 438 00:31:25.200 --> 00:31:27.519 last year, and that was a pretty good football team in the grand scheme 439 00:31:27.559 --> 00:31:32.039 of things. They just ran into a superpower. I mean, that's that's 440 00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:37.119 as good a four A team that I think I've seen maybe in my lifetime 441 00:31:37.240 --> 00:31:41.640 in Joe a Catholic last year. So that's you know, that's what it 442 00:31:41.640 --> 00:31:45.000 comes down to, is I mean, this is a really this is a 443 00:31:45.039 --> 00:31:51.599 really, really good Sacred Heart football team. Schweiker Gannison Krizak Rundio proudly sponsors 444 00:31:51.640 --> 00:31:53.640 the Friday Night Drive. I'm Mike Krizak. If you've been injured, we 445 00:31:53.680 --> 00:31:56.759 are ready to take on the insurance company and get you to the end zone. 446 00:31:56.880 --> 00:32:01.400 We've recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients visit GA N A S 447 00:32:01.599 --> 00:32:07.039 S I N that's count and now SEUs let's go ahead and talk about Class 448 00:32:07.079 --> 00:32:13.400 five A here or we're looking at a North matchup between number eleven Nazareth and 449 00:32:13.559 --> 00:32:20.400 number one Sycamore. Sycamore playing incredibly well defensively coming off a shout out against 450 00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:24.319 Sterling last week, but this Nazareth team also playing really well. Not surprised 451 00:32:24.319 --> 00:32:29.480 to see it as an eleven seed find its way to the state semifinals. 452 00:32:30.559 --> 00:32:34.759 Yeah. I don't know what happened to cause them to flip the switch that 453 00:32:35.119 --> 00:32:38.079 at some point they were two and four during the regular season, and they 454 00:32:38.119 --> 00:32:43.640 have been on fire since then. I guess somebody maybe you know, told 455 00:32:43.680 --> 00:32:46.440 them, hey, you know the year playoffs start now. I mean, 456 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:50.559 it's it's one of those things that people talk about all the time. But 457 00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:53.799 since that happened and they dropped the two and four, this seems to have 458 00:32:53.839 --> 00:32:59.480 been a totally different football team. They have been pretty dominant in the playoffs. 459 00:32:59.759 --> 00:33:06.200 They have done a nice job of of shutting off some extremely capable individual 460 00:33:06.279 --> 00:33:12.440 offensive players and it poses an interesting challenge here here with Sycamore, a team 461 00:33:12.480 --> 00:33:16.000 that you know, I've said repeatedly continues to convince me how good this football 462 00:33:16.039 --> 00:33:22.200 team really is. Uh, this is this is a five a semifinal that 463 00:33:22.319 --> 00:33:28.440 I think could be really really good. You know, we're just looking at 464 00:33:28.440 --> 00:33:30.920 two teams right now that I think are playing as well as they have been 465 00:33:30.960 --> 00:33:36.480 all year long at the exact same time. And when you get those those 466 00:33:36.519 --> 00:33:40.319 types of games, uh, you usually get those epic struggles that I don't 467 00:33:40.359 --> 00:33:45.119 often say this because it's it's weird to make a call like this. Um, 468 00:33:45.279 --> 00:33:49.799 this game feels like an overtime game to me. I'm just it's just 469 00:33:49.839 --> 00:33:52.960 one of It's one of those that, like I'm thinking to myself, you 470 00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:54.119 know, I just feel like it's just going to come right down to the 471 00:33:54.119 --> 00:34:00.519 wire. Yeah. And honestly, UM, I know now as it's been 472 00:34:00.559 --> 00:34:04.920 scoring some points over the last six weeks or so, but I expect that 473 00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:07.559 this to be a pretty low scoring game. Oh I do too. I 474 00:34:07.599 --> 00:34:12.039 mean, I would be really surprised if this this game had I guess, 475 00:34:12.079 --> 00:34:15.440 either team in the twenties. That's kind of what I feel like we're going 476 00:34:15.480 --> 00:34:17.519 to get here. Now, moving to the south side of the bracket, 477 00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:22.840 we're got a matchup between number three Peoria hosting number four Morris this weekend. 478 00:34:23.960 --> 00:34:28.920 What do you think of this matchup? You know, it's very interesting. 479 00:34:29.079 --> 00:34:35.480 I mean when you look at at these two teams just individually and not necessarily 480 00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:39.800 up against one another, they each have things that really kind of pop for 481 00:34:40.400 --> 00:34:45.440 you. You look at what Morris has done in the majority of their games, 482 00:34:45.440 --> 00:34:50.679 how they've like really kind of like jumped out on teams and basically put 483 00:34:50.719 --> 00:34:54.280 their boot on people's throats. And I mean they've they've forced multiple games this 484 00:34:54.360 --> 00:34:58.639 year to go into the running clock when you're coming out for the second half. 485 00:34:58.920 --> 00:35:00.960 That doesn't happen very often. This is a team that can score in 486 00:35:01.039 --> 00:35:06.079 bunches. They make a lot of plays on special teams. And then you 487 00:35:06.159 --> 00:35:09.679 look at Peoria down there in the bottom and they've scored a ton of points. 488 00:35:09.679 --> 00:35:14.519 And that's something that Peoria has done a lot recently, but they're kind 489 00:35:14.519 --> 00:35:16.559 of doing it in a little bit of a different way than they've done in 490 00:35:16.599 --> 00:35:21.119 the past. Peorias, you know, in the past, has been kind 491 00:35:21.119 --> 00:35:23.199 of a team that you would, I guess they've been classified as being fun 492 00:35:23.199 --> 00:35:28.480 and gun, where they throw the ball all over the field and run when 493 00:35:28.519 --> 00:35:31.199 the passing game has opened up running lanes for them, um, and just 494 00:35:31.280 --> 00:35:36.320 do a lot of things you know, very well offensively. This is more 495 00:35:36.360 --> 00:35:40.519 of a smash mouth version of Peoria football. Um. You know, their 496 00:35:40.599 --> 00:35:45.960 lead running back at forty kerries last week. It's so odd to see, 497 00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:50.199 you know. It's so it's it's it's definitely not what you You look at 498 00:35:50.239 --> 00:35:53.239 their scores and you think it's typical Peoria football, It's not. And that's 499 00:35:53.280 --> 00:35:57.920 the thing about them. They've done a really nice job of not trying to 500 00:35:57.960 --> 00:36:01.119 put you know, a wear pag into a round hole. They fit their 501 00:36:01.199 --> 00:36:06.840 personnel, They're using what they have to the best of their abilities. Um, 502 00:36:06.920 --> 00:36:09.400 and that makes them a very interesting team in this type of situation. 503 00:36:09.960 --> 00:36:14.880 This is this is yet another I think of all the groupings, I think 504 00:36:14.880 --> 00:36:19.480 the five A semi finals are the most interesting to me in terms of the 505 00:36:19.719 --> 00:36:23.440 individual matchups between the two teams. How I think they are there there are 506 00:36:23.440 --> 00:36:27.079 two teams here that are kind of similar in a lot of ways and do 507 00:36:27.159 --> 00:36:30.760 a lot of the same things, and the keys for both teams are kind 508 00:36:30.800 --> 00:36:35.920 of the same things. So Razor Edge kind of marketing both of these games. 509 00:36:36.440 --> 00:36:39.559 Yeah, So it's it's I think that makes for obviously some some very 510 00:36:39.639 --> 00:36:43.719 interesting games to try to break down, but also some very interesting games to 511 00:36:43.760 --> 00:36:45.840 watch. So, um, you know, I really think either one of 512 00:36:45.840 --> 00:36:52.199 these two teams could end up in Champagne. Um, and that my gut 513 00:36:52.239 --> 00:36:58.559 I'm picking Morris, but that's that's really just a gut pick. I'm on 514 00:36:58.599 --> 00:37:01.360 the same page as you. I I like the way this Piora team is 515 00:37:01.360 --> 00:37:05.559 playing. I think it sets up better than it normally would for them against 516 00:37:05.679 --> 00:37:08.039 Morris. Like if they were still this this kind of throw it all over 517 00:37:08.079 --> 00:37:12.480 the field game against Morris and the postseason, I would think that would actually 518 00:37:12.639 --> 00:37:15.079 hurt them. But the fact that they're running the ball effectively like this, 519 00:37:15.119 --> 00:37:19.000 I actually think it makes this a more competitive game. Yeah. And that 520 00:37:19.119 --> 00:37:23.320 and that's definitely one of those situations where you're looking at fit and how teams 521 00:37:23.480 --> 00:37:29.199 are considering the weather conditions and all these other things. Um, you know, 522 00:37:29.679 --> 00:37:34.000 I've seen Pioria deep in the playoffs before with their with their you know, 523 00:37:34.320 --> 00:37:44.559 offense where they will so I don't know, can you see that zeus? 524 00:37:45.320 --> 00:37:49.840 Yeah, So anyone who doesn't know, obviously you can't. You can't 525 00:37:49.840 --> 00:37:52.800 see what we're doing as we're recording the podcast. Um at this point you 526 00:37:52.840 --> 00:37:55.320 probably trade it out. I'm having some internet issues as well as people outside 527 00:37:55.360 --> 00:38:00.159 my apartment, so I'm sitting on the floor next to the modem and the 528 00:38:00.159 --> 00:38:05.559 dog has come over to join the podcast here. So as we move over 529 00:38:05.599 --> 00:38:07.760 to Class six A, sus we're gonna look at a matchup in the north 530 00:38:07.760 --> 00:38:15.599 bracket between number four Saying Ignatious and number two Prairie Ridge. And so this 531 00:38:15.880 --> 00:38:22.760 is a matchup here between two triple option teams, and Prairie Ridge has been 532 00:38:22.800 --> 00:38:25.280 the favorite pretty much all season long in the north bracket of six A. 533 00:38:25.400 --> 00:38:29.639 With the way things were setting up, that continues to be the case. 534 00:38:29.639 --> 00:38:34.679 And I think the Wolves are a fairly substantial favorite for this game. But 535 00:38:35.119 --> 00:38:38.639 a couple of interesting wrinkles is the fact that Saying Ignatius not just as playing 536 00:38:38.639 --> 00:38:42.840 well, but playing really well defensively. And I think the fact that they 537 00:38:43.039 --> 00:38:45.920 know the triple options so well running the system themselves, that helps a lot. 538 00:38:46.079 --> 00:38:50.440 You know, we see this in the postseason so often where teams faith 539 00:38:50.599 --> 00:38:54.320 pr or Kerry Grove and when they don't see the dog down there, and 540 00:38:54.360 --> 00:38:58.239 when they when they don't know the triple option, it makes it a lot 541 00:38:58.280 --> 00:39:00.079 more difficult, But when you're at least familiar year, I mean that should 542 00:39:00.119 --> 00:39:04.880 help saying ignacious quite a bit in this matchup series. You know, I'm 543 00:39:04.920 --> 00:39:07.519 not sure if I agree that pray Ridge is a substantial favorite in this game. 544 00:39:08.199 --> 00:39:13.320 Interesting. I do think they're the favorite, but I think i'd probably 545 00:39:13.360 --> 00:39:19.199 remove that substantial label from it. I Okay, when I say substantial, 546 00:39:19.239 --> 00:39:22.480 and I we should, I should frame it in this way, so like 547 00:39:22.000 --> 00:39:25.320 substantial in a regular season might mean thirty or fully points. When we're talking 548 00:39:25.320 --> 00:39:29.440 about state semifinal, I think this is probably more of like a two score 549 00:39:29.519 --> 00:39:31.920 game. Okay, that's fair, and I don't I don't know if it's 550 00:39:31.920 --> 00:39:37.280 that wide. That's This is a Saint Ignatious team that I think does what 551 00:39:37.320 --> 00:39:45.280 they do very well, and I just have a sneaking suspicion that while I 552 00:39:45.400 --> 00:39:50.760 understand he's run for a billion yards this year, I just think that that 553 00:39:50.880 --> 00:39:57.920 Saint Ignatious will have a better understanding of how they can hem him in and 554 00:39:58.079 --> 00:40:01.400 they have justin Scott, so I have a feeling he's going to cause some 555 00:40:01.480 --> 00:40:07.480 problems. So, I mean, there are things here that I think that 556 00:40:07.000 --> 00:40:10.320 give saying just a little bit of a leg up. Like you said, 557 00:40:10.440 --> 00:40:15.760 a lot of teams don't have the familiarity with this they do I do. 558 00:40:15.079 --> 00:40:20.000 I think this game is maybe a little bit more interesting on paper than a 559 00:40:20.000 --> 00:40:22.000 lot of people are giving a credit for him. Yeah, I'm happy you 560 00:40:22.039 --> 00:40:25.360 brought up Justin Scott because I was gonna make share to mention him. Anyone 561 00:40:25.400 --> 00:40:30.400 who's going out to see that game this week and it's the first time I'm 562 00:40:30.440 --> 00:40:32.239 gonna have a chance. I'm gonna go over and watch that game on Saturday, 563 00:40:32.440 --> 00:40:36.039 the first time I'm gonna have a chance to lay eyes on Justin Scott, 564 00:40:36.079 --> 00:40:39.519 who is a defensive end comes in and about what six five, three 565 00:40:39.599 --> 00:40:43.559 ten, somewhere in that range, I want to say, is the top 566 00:40:43.679 --> 00:40:47.760 rated recruit in the twenty twenty four class in the state of Illinois. Has 567 00:40:47.800 --> 00:40:52.519 just about an offer from every major Division one program that you can think of, 568 00:40:52.639 --> 00:40:55.639 if you can name, it's a good chance they've at least talked with 569 00:40:55.679 --> 00:41:00.880 the kids, So that definitely can play a fact in the game's use. 570 00:41:02.039 --> 00:41:06.320 Yeah, And like I said, it's it's definitely an X factor type of 571 00:41:06.360 --> 00:41:10.800 situation in this game. So I'm sure prayer Rich will have a game plan 572 00:41:10.880 --> 00:41:15.400 for how how to deal with him, because obviously this is a program that 573 00:41:15.920 --> 00:41:20.920 comes into every situation as prepped as they can be, but sometimes the best 574 00:41:21.000 --> 00:41:22.960 laid plans. So, like I said, I think this is a pretty 575 00:41:23.000 --> 00:41:29.400 interesting game. I'm interested to see how it plays out. It never surprises 576 00:41:29.440 --> 00:41:32.840 me with Prayer Ridge in the postseason when they have success. So once again, 577 00:41:32.920 --> 00:41:37.639 if you're right on that and this is a wide outcome wouldn't be particularly 578 00:41:37.679 --> 00:41:40.639 stunning. I just think maybe Sainty Nastius has a potential to throw a little 579 00:41:40.639 --> 00:41:44.360 bit of a monkey wrench in there. Yeah, and one more thing before 580 00:41:44.400 --> 00:41:49.960 we move on. Joe Stevenson previewing Prayer Ridge and talked with pr coach Chris 581 00:41:49.960 --> 00:41:54.480 Trump and talked about the improvement. Well, the biggest concern I had for 582 00:41:54.800 --> 00:42:00.400 the Wolves heading into the postseason was their defense, and it struggled over the 583 00:42:00.400 --> 00:42:04.639 second half of the season really throughout. But I had anticipated to get stronger. 584 00:42:05.000 --> 00:42:07.639 Um it kind of hadn't though. Honestly, it was rough even into 585 00:42:07.639 --> 00:42:09.559 the first round of the playoffs. And I know that was a matchup, 586 00:42:09.559 --> 00:42:14.480 a rematch against Crystal Lake's outlet. Like South moved that ball against Prairie Ridge. 587 00:42:14.519 --> 00:42:15.880 They tied it up over the last couple of weeks. Um, I 588 00:42:15.880 --> 00:42:20.360 think that's a good sign. They have to get better defensively for this matchup. 589 00:42:20.679 --> 00:42:23.159 But all right, so let's let's go to the south bracket of Class 590 00:42:23.199 --> 00:42:30.440 six A where you have East Saint Louis against Lamont, and it's it's it's 591 00:42:30.679 --> 00:42:35.440 it's so weird to say because here you go, Lamont, the top seed 592 00:42:35.480 --> 00:42:39.079 has been tremendous all season long, and then you're like, congrats, you 593 00:42:39.119 --> 00:42:44.280 made it to the state semifinals. Now you get to face an absolute juggernaut 594 00:42:44.639 --> 00:42:50.039 in in East Saint Louis. Have fun, buddy. Yeah, It's it's 595 00:42:50.039 --> 00:42:52.840 just one of those things that you know, you know, it's kind of 596 00:42:52.880 --> 00:42:55.519 inevitable. I keep thinking back when I look at this game, back all 597 00:42:55.559 --> 00:43:00.360 the way to before the season started. I was at a preseason event before 598 00:43:00.400 --> 00:43:05.360 the year started, and I was sitting at a table with Lamont's safety Noah 599 00:43:05.400 --> 00:43:07.000 Taylor, and we got to talking about, like, you know, what 600 00:43:07.079 --> 00:43:10.960 was going on, and we talked about some of the early games. It 601 00:43:12.000 --> 00:43:15.599 took him all of about a minute to ask, how good is he Saint 602 00:43:15.679 --> 00:43:21.360 Louis, And how do you think the bracket plays out? In sixth heay, 603 00:43:21.920 --> 00:43:25.679 So that was just with me in a casual conversation in August. So 604 00:43:25.920 --> 00:43:31.719 the Lamont kids I think won this game. They knew this game was probably 605 00:43:31.760 --> 00:43:36.559 coming if things played out the way that they expected that they were going to 606 00:43:36.639 --> 00:43:40.679 play. But even though they want it, they want the opportunity to prove 607 00:43:40.719 --> 00:43:46.039 themselves. They know the behemoth that is coming to Lamont, They're well aware 608 00:43:46.159 --> 00:43:51.679 of what it is and how good this football team is. Still want the 609 00:43:51.719 --> 00:43:57.119 opportunity to challenge themselves against them. So it's a it's a shame for Lamont 610 00:43:57.119 --> 00:44:00.320 in a lot of ways. They got knocked out of the postseason and similar 611 00:44:00.360 --> 00:44:04.360 circumstances last year by the same EAS Saint Louis team. Yep, um gave 612 00:44:04.440 --> 00:44:07.400 him a pretty good game. Um probably, I mean, obviously they see 613 00:44:07.519 --> 00:44:12.239 Saint Louis didn't lose in the championship game, but to that point, maybe 614 00:44:12.280 --> 00:44:16.280 the best game that EAS Saint Louis had had all season. Um. So, 615 00:44:17.400 --> 00:44:20.679 I think they know in the backs of their minds that they play really, 616 00:44:20.679 --> 00:44:23.360 really really well. They can compete with this team, but it's gonna 617 00:44:23.440 --> 00:44:30.280 take a curriculian effort for them to remove the Flyers from this playoff bracket because 618 00:44:30.800 --> 00:44:34.320 you know, they don't have Luther Burden anymore, but they have just about 619 00:44:34.320 --> 00:44:37.039 everything else. Yeah, that's well, that's what I would. What's what's 620 00:44:37.039 --> 00:44:40.480 so fun funny about East Saint Louis this year is Yeah, they lost Luther 621 00:44:40.519 --> 00:44:44.679 or Burden. They lost. Um, I'm blanking on the kid's name, 622 00:44:44.719 --> 00:44:49.320 the defensive back to Toriano Pride that No, No, that's the the right 623 00:44:50.199 --> 00:44:52.360 that's one of them. Yes, okay, well he I mean like he 624 00:44:52.679 --> 00:44:55.280 graduated right, Yeah, he was at he went to Clemson. So like 625 00:44:55.559 --> 00:45:00.800 you lose, you lose players that went to Missoo and Clemson off that team 626 00:45:00.800 --> 00:45:02.199 that was in a state title game last year. And I think this Seat 627 00:45:02.199 --> 00:45:06.840 St. Louis team is better than it was last year, just because they 628 00:45:06.880 --> 00:45:12.639 were actually pretty young overall last year. And I just think the maturation, 629 00:45:12.760 --> 00:45:15.639 like this team I think is a more complete team than they were a year 630 00:45:15.679 --> 00:45:19.559 ago. Well, the thing that always gets kind of lost in the shuffle 631 00:45:19.559 --> 00:45:23.559 when you're talking about East Saint Louis is there one Illinois High School Football Coaches 632 00:45:23.599 --> 00:45:29.320 Association All stater is an offensive lineman. The supernova that is Miles McVeigh, 633 00:45:30.159 --> 00:45:34.760 who's going to Alabama legitimately superstar. Here's the fun thing about them. The 634 00:45:34.800 --> 00:45:39.239 honorable mentioned list from the Ellini High School Football Coaches Association also includes two more 635 00:45:39.360 --> 00:45:45.119 offensive linemen from East Saint Louis. So it's I mean, they don't talk 636 00:45:45.159 --> 00:45:49.599 about that. That offensive line is massive. I honestly think you could take 637 00:45:49.639 --> 00:45:53.320 it off of the East Saint Louis line and put it on some Division one 638 00:45:53.360 --> 00:45:59.280 college football lines and maybe improve that team situation. I'm not talking about Big 639 00:45:59.320 --> 00:46:01.360 ten or anything like that. I'm just talking about maybe a lower rung D 640 00:46:01.519 --> 00:46:06.280 one team. If you took all five of the Saint Louis's offensive lineman and 641 00:46:06.400 --> 00:46:09.039 plug them in and gave them a couple of weeks to get acclimated, you 642 00:46:09.159 --> 00:46:14.199 might improve your situation. That's how good this offensive line is, part by 643 00:46:14.239 --> 00:46:17.519 part. So I mean people don't even talk about that. I mean that's 644 00:46:19.480 --> 00:46:22.960 you didn't get caught up in the offensive numbers and all these other things. 645 00:46:22.280 --> 00:46:25.840 They've They've thrown three consecutive shutouts in the playoffs. I could go on and 646 00:46:25.880 --> 00:46:30.679 on about this team. I think, honestly, you know, pound for 647 00:46:30.800 --> 00:46:34.639 pound, I mean, if they play their best football game, I don't 648 00:46:34.679 --> 00:46:37.039 know if anybody in Ellinois can beat them. That's really what it comes down 649 00:46:37.039 --> 00:46:39.880 to. Yep, we're on the same page. So let's go ahead and 650 00:46:39.960 --> 00:46:45.480 get over to class seven eight where we have Mount Carmel uh facing Saint Rita, 651 00:46:45.719 --> 00:46:49.719 which is h There's a lot to unpack here. So first off, 652 00:46:49.840 --> 00:46:52.679 let me say, Michael dwel Jack go to Friday Night Drive dot com right 653 00:46:52.719 --> 00:46:59.960 now and Remichael's CCLESCC notebook. A ton of information about a ton of team 654 00:47:00.199 --> 00:47:02.840 in there from that that league, UM, and he hits on this matchup. 655 00:47:02.880 --> 00:47:07.280 It is the hundred meeting was the season opener for these two teams. 656 00:47:07.679 --> 00:47:12.760 UM, but they get another match up here. Uh. Todd Cousca retiring 657 00:47:12.920 --> 00:47:15.000 or stepping down in same Rita at the end of the year. A lot 658 00:47:15.039 --> 00:47:20.159 of interesting storyline for this matchup series. Yeah, there are. I mean 659 00:47:20.239 --> 00:47:24.079 I was talking to coach Cusca before the seasons or before the postseason started, 660 00:47:24.480 --> 00:47:28.360 UM, and I was kind of explaining to him what I thought, what 661 00:47:28.440 --> 00:47:31.159 I kind of forecasted for them in regards to the playoffs, and he's like, 662 00:47:31.199 --> 00:47:34.960 well, hopefully we'll have a chance to make another run at it and 663 00:47:35.280 --> 00:47:37.079 maybe get another crack at malt Carmel, And that was kind of how our 664 00:47:37.199 --> 00:47:40.840 conversation wrapped up. That was four weeks ago, and here we are, 665 00:47:40.920 --> 00:47:45.519 they get another crack at Moult Carmel. He didn't sound extremely excited about that 666 00:47:45.679 --> 00:47:52.280 possibility, but I think nonetheless he wanted another chance. So um, that 667 00:47:52.360 --> 00:47:54.320 was that was kind of what I remember about that at the time. But 668 00:47:55.519 --> 00:47:59.760 you know, this is a game that that is fun in a lot of 669 00:47:59.760 --> 00:48:04.360 way. I'm interested to see I actually get to watch this one because I'm 670 00:48:04.360 --> 00:48:07.920 gonna tape it because the Marquee is starting their broadcast of them of high school 671 00:48:07.960 --> 00:48:12.719 football games this weekend. It was something that's kind of been anticipated that they 672 00:48:12.719 --> 00:48:15.079 were going to do eventually. They're starting with a pretty good one. So 673 00:48:15.880 --> 00:48:21.679 that semifinal game is available on the Marquee Network on Saturday afternoon. So taping 674 00:48:21.760 --> 00:48:23.199 that one, I plan on watching it when I get home from the game 675 00:48:23.239 --> 00:48:27.280 that I will be at. So um, you know, so that that 676 00:48:27.360 --> 00:48:30.280 should be interesting. Uh. Mount Carmel. Obviously, the way they're playing 677 00:48:30.360 --> 00:48:36.760 right now still remains a pretty substantial favorite. Um. But still you can 678 00:48:36.800 --> 00:48:40.079 never you never discount anyone when you get one of these Marquee Catholic week matchups 679 00:48:40.079 --> 00:48:44.679 together. I like that you dated yourself and really myself here by saying that 680 00:48:44.679 --> 00:48:47.719 you're taping it instead of recording it. Yeah, I mean that's the I 681 00:48:47.760 --> 00:48:52.400 was talking with Stevenson the other day and we had a conversation about tape and 682 00:48:52.519 --> 00:48:59.280 video. That's that's Uh, that's definitely one of the one of the misnomers 683 00:48:59.320 --> 00:49:02.639 of being old man like I tend to be sometimes. Yeah, I mean 684 00:49:04.079 --> 00:49:07.360 Saint Rita playing really well. I'm not gonna lie. I did not expect 685 00:49:07.440 --> 00:49:10.840 to see the Broncos coming into the season. Like once we got in the 686 00:49:10.840 --> 00:49:16.400 postseason, I'm not shocked to see this team here. Umie, what's that 687 00:49:16.960 --> 00:49:21.159 you call them the Broncos? They're the Mustangs? Oh the Mustang? Sorry, 688 00:49:21.559 --> 00:49:23.599 uh it was I knew it was a type of horse. Come on. 689 00:49:24.800 --> 00:49:30.920 Uh So going into this season, honestly, like I thought Saint Rita 690 00:49:30.960 --> 00:49:32.599 was gonna take a bit of a step step back. Um, but they 691 00:49:32.679 --> 00:49:39.079 really solidified that that that roster um over the course of the season and they've 692 00:49:39.119 --> 00:49:43.480 been humming come to the postseason. So while I think Mount Carmel is they 693 00:49:43.679 --> 00:49:45.639 considerable favorite in this game, um, I do think that they will give 694 00:49:45.719 --> 00:49:50.320 them a better effort than we saw back in week one. Yeah, I 695 00:49:50.360 --> 00:49:53.079 do too, and that's you know, that comes from a lot of factors. 696 00:49:53.119 --> 00:49:57.639 But uh, you know, Mount Carmel was kind of a bit of 697 00:49:57.639 --> 00:50:00.280 a buzz saw to another Catholic League Brother and last week and Brother Rice. 698 00:50:00.400 --> 00:50:04.800 But I think the Clamps get down a little bit tighter this week. Still 699 00:50:04.800 --> 00:50:07.079 favor Amount Carmel to win the game, but I do think it will be 700 00:50:07.119 --> 00:50:12.480 competitive. So all right, let's move on to or to the next game. 701 00:50:12.519 --> 00:50:16.360 Here, Patavia the eighteen seed at number eleven, Lake Zurich. I 702 00:50:16.400 --> 00:50:22.519 want to start with lake Zurich because this is a team doing some research on 703 00:50:22.599 --> 00:50:29.880 them for to do the podcast today. It was interesting because my thing with 704 00:50:30.000 --> 00:50:32.000 lake Zurich, and really it's kind of the same thing with Warren, is 705 00:50:32.000 --> 00:50:37.559 they're very good defensive teams that I always worry when when they get behind against 706 00:50:37.559 --> 00:50:40.280 top competition that they're not going to be able to score quick enough to have 707 00:50:40.360 --> 00:50:44.880 a pretty much a dynamic enough offense to get back in the game. So 708 00:50:44.920 --> 00:50:49.159 they were down twenty one to seven against Peak and last weekend they had a 709 00:50:49.320 --> 00:50:52.519 special teams play a return for a touchdown which got them back within twenty one 710 00:50:52.599 --> 00:50:55.480 fourteen, So that's not an offensive play, but they really took control of 711 00:50:55.519 --> 00:50:59.800 that game at that point and were able to build a lead peak and actually 712 00:51:00.079 --> 00:51:01.559 scoring late, went for two to try and tie it to force overtime. 713 00:51:01.840 --> 00:51:06.360 But where I'm going with all this is that gave me a lot of more 714 00:51:06.440 --> 00:51:14.119 confidence that lake Zurich has the potential or has the ability suites even if they 715 00:51:14.119 --> 00:51:16.199 were to fall behind in this game against Patavia. And I'm not saying that's 716 00:51:16.199 --> 00:51:17.840 going to be the case, because I think this is going to be a 717 00:51:19.800 --> 00:51:23.000 tremendously competitive game though, But if they do fall behind against Patavia, I 718 00:51:23.079 --> 00:51:28.119 don't think that means it's over. I think lake Zurich has the tools this 719 00:51:28.239 --> 00:51:31.119 year to be able to come back and win a game. Yeah, It's 720 00:51:31.119 --> 00:51:36.800 definitely something that I've kind of noticed through throughout their run through the playoffs. 721 00:51:36.920 --> 00:51:40.360 They've now shown an ability, especially with that you can win, to kind 722 00:51:40.360 --> 00:51:45.880 of morph themselves into the situation that they need to morph themselves into. A 723 00:51:45.920 --> 00:51:49.159 lot of times, when you get a team with that defense first label on 724 00:51:49.320 --> 00:51:52.760 them, it's hard to worry about the constructive Okay, what happens if they 725 00:51:52.800 --> 00:52:00.119 get behind fort You know what do they do can they come back? And 726 00:52:00.159 --> 00:52:04.480 I think that's something that Lakes There can do in this situation. You know, 727 00:52:04.559 --> 00:52:07.199 I just kind of think that this is gonna be a punching bag game. 728 00:52:07.239 --> 00:52:10.440 It's like, hey, you throw a punch at me, I'll throw 729 00:52:10.519 --> 00:52:14.760 one back, and we'll just keep going back and forth and see where we're 730 00:52:14.760 --> 00:52:16.960 at the fourth quarter. That's just kind of what I feel like this game 731 00:52:17.079 --> 00:52:22.519 is going to be. That might mean that we're we're ten to seven or 732 00:52:22.679 --> 00:52:25.400 seven all. I mean, I can see that being a potential Supario here. 733 00:52:27.599 --> 00:52:30.480 But nonetheless, I have a feeling it's going to be one of those 734 00:52:30.480 --> 00:52:35.760 games where nobody really gets entrenched and says, Okay, we're gonna we're just 735 00:52:35.800 --> 00:52:39.280 gonna throw grate our way to this victory. That I don't really see that 736 00:52:39.360 --> 00:52:45.559 happening. It's it's a very weird little undercurrent circumstances. Lakes direc has one 737 00:52:45.639 --> 00:52:50.280 loss, it's two Saint Charles North. One of Behavia's losses during the regular 738 00:52:50.320 --> 00:52:54.440 season is also the Saint Charles North. You don't have that happen very often 739 00:52:54.760 --> 00:52:59.000 when you get to a semifinal where you know, if they're not from the 740 00:52:59.000 --> 00:53:04.960 same conference, where they have a common opponent that does not happen very often. 741 00:53:07.079 --> 00:53:08.400 All right, we got one more class. We want to get you. 742 00:53:08.440 --> 00:53:12.280 Actually, I you know what, I don't think we let's let's I 743 00:53:12.320 --> 00:53:15.320 didn't make a pick there, um, so I'm gonna make it a little 744 00:53:15.320 --> 00:53:16.480 more clear. I'm taking Batavia in the game, but I think it's gonna 745 00:53:16.480 --> 00:53:21.679 be close. Sious, I am also taking part. All right, one 746 00:53:21.760 --> 00:53:24.000 more class ago um and I just got an email. Suits Uh, the 747 00:53:24.000 --> 00:53:30.400 Airbnb reservation for State football was confirmed. Uh, so we have a We'll 748 00:53:30.440 --> 00:53:32.760 have a ton of people down at State Football for Friday Night Drive. But 749 00:53:32.760 --> 00:53:36.760 there's four of us in particular that are staying for all eight games on the 750 00:53:36.760 --> 00:53:39.239 weekend. Myself, Steve Susy, Alex Kentecki, and Michael Dwojack will be 751 00:53:39.280 --> 00:53:44.159 down in Champagne. So trying to find an hotel room. I'm sure people 752 00:53:44.159 --> 00:53:45.840 listening to this, no this, It's hard to find hotel rooms in Champagne 753 00:53:45.840 --> 00:53:50.639 for State football that aren't incredibly expensive. But I was messing around on Airbnb 754 00:53:50.760 --> 00:53:54.480 and found this nice renovated home and pretty close to the stadium. So we 755 00:53:54.599 --> 00:53:59.440 got the Friday Night Drive house for the weekend. That'll be fun suits that 756 00:53:59.559 --> 00:54:02.039 should I'm looking forward to that. That is always a good time on State 757 00:54:02.039 --> 00:54:07.239 final week, but weekend, but you know, having the opportunity to hang 758 00:54:07.239 --> 00:54:08.800 out with the rest of the staff that we don't obviously we don't run. 759 00:54:08.920 --> 00:54:14.239 We don't cross physical cross paths very much during the regular season because we're all 760 00:54:14.239 --> 00:54:16.760 out of our own individual games. Yeah, so all right, one class 761 00:54:16.760 --> 00:54:21.880 to go here, Class eight A, and we're looking at a matchup here 762 00:54:22.000 --> 00:54:23.599 on top of the bracket in the well, I guess not the North and 763 00:54:23.679 --> 00:54:28.480 half and eight A, but the top team in the bracket here, Glenbard 764 00:54:28.519 --> 00:54:32.920 West, the five seat at number one. Lincoln Way East sues another matchup, 765 00:54:34.079 --> 00:54:37.920 and I'm really happy to say this about our semifinals. For the most 766 00:54:37.000 --> 00:54:39.599 part, man, these are a game where I have a really tough time 767 00:54:39.679 --> 00:54:44.440 deciphering who I want to take. And while I think Lincoln Way East is 768 00:54:44.480 --> 00:54:49.880 tremendous deserves all the credit, this Glenbard West team is playing really tough football 769 00:54:49.960 --> 00:54:53.800 right now. Yeah they are. And it's you know, I've talked about 770 00:54:53.840 --> 00:54:58.719 this a little bit in the past. For me, like and I'm trying 771 00:54:58.719 --> 00:55:01.239 to be mindful of this one. I watched them play. I don't think 772 00:55:01.280 --> 00:55:07.239 I've appreciated Lincoln Way East properly, like for this entire season, Like Eve, 773 00:55:07.480 --> 00:55:10.880 how good they are at what they do and how they do that. 774 00:55:12.000 --> 00:55:19.000 I mean, it's it's just you know, they're not flashy, but they 775 00:55:19.159 --> 00:55:22.360 just do everything so well. And I'm like, you don't. You don't 776 00:55:22.440 --> 00:55:27.159 find a lot of situations where you're looking at a team and you're like, 777 00:55:27.840 --> 00:55:31.639 I think the opponent can do this to possibly, you know, take advantage 778 00:55:31.639 --> 00:55:35.840 of this. There's just not a lot of those things, you know. 779 00:55:36.000 --> 00:55:39.920 I mean, and I never know how they're going to eventually break away from 780 00:55:39.960 --> 00:55:45.840 somebody. I just know that they're going to and that's It's it's very kind 781 00:55:45.840 --> 00:55:52.000 of it's very kind of strange trying to analyze this football team because they're gonna 782 00:55:52.119 --> 00:55:54.480 figure it out. You just don't know how they're going to figure it out. 783 00:55:54.679 --> 00:55:58.960 Something's something's going to come to the forefront. They just have so many 784 00:55:59.000 --> 00:56:01.760 things that might do it. It's like, I mean, I was watching 785 00:56:01.800 --> 00:56:06.840 that game against Warren, which they completely dominated that game. I mean it 786 00:56:06.840 --> 00:56:08.320 looks on the score, I mean it was thirty five fourteen at the end 787 00:56:08.360 --> 00:56:13.280 of the game. The gap seemed much much wider. I mean, it 788 00:56:13.440 --> 00:56:17.519 just it was a complete dismantling by lincoln Way East Warren. Warren couldn't do 789 00:56:17.559 --> 00:56:21.960 anything offensively, and it was just like every time I looked up, it 790 00:56:22.000 --> 00:56:25.360 was a different lincoln Way East defender that was causing the problem. It wasn't 791 00:56:25.400 --> 00:56:30.079 one guy that was that was blowing up everything. It was on this play, 792 00:56:30.119 --> 00:56:32.400 it was kaid Nor Rourke. On this play, it was Jake Siana. 793 00:56:32.480 --> 00:56:36.400 I mean, it was just like it was like all over the field, 794 00:56:36.880 --> 00:56:42.559 everybody's doing their jobs and that's they They just have this lunch bucket mentality 795 00:56:42.599 --> 00:56:46.800 about them. They don't care if it's twenty one, twenty or forty two, 796 00:56:46.840 --> 00:56:52.320 nothing, it does not matter. W is all we care about and 797 00:56:52.360 --> 00:56:53.679 we're going to try to do the best we can to make sure that that 798 00:56:53.760 --> 00:56:59.480 happens. So it's it's just a really good football team. And it's I 799 00:56:59.760 --> 00:57:01.639 don't, like I said, I don't think I've really appreciated them as much 800 00:57:01.639 --> 00:57:07.159 as I should have. As for Glenbard West, I haven't seen them since 801 00:57:07.199 --> 00:57:10.480 week one. I was extremely impressed with them in week one in their win 802 00:57:10.559 --> 00:57:15.840 over Marist, and it just when I look at just having visual knowledge of 803 00:57:15.880 --> 00:57:20.760 both of these two teams. I'm fascinated to see how this plays out, 804 00:57:20.880 --> 00:57:25.679 Just truly completely fascinated to see, you know, how each team kind of 805 00:57:25.719 --> 00:57:30.599 combats what the other team has. I don't know if link Away East has 806 00:57:30.599 --> 00:57:37.360 had a pretty good defensive effort all year long. I don't know if they've 807 00:57:37.400 --> 00:57:42.400 they've squared locked horns with an offensive line that is as talented as Glenbard West's 808 00:57:42.679 --> 00:57:45.639 and as big as Glenbard West believe it or not. Chris Terrick on the 809 00:57:45.679 --> 00:57:51.440 outside is the main component, but it's just it's a very good offensive line. 810 00:57:51.719 --> 00:57:54.039 They have a running back who's kind of kind of been converted into that 811 00:57:54.119 --> 00:57:59.039 running back position in Julius Ellens, who's really really good. It's just there's 812 00:57:59.079 --> 00:58:04.000 just a lot of things here that that could potentially make this a really really 813 00:58:04.039 --> 00:58:07.800 interesting game. And uh, you know, I could make a list, 814 00:58:07.880 --> 00:58:12.599 but we'll be here all afternoon. Yeah, the Glenbard West, you know, 815 00:58:12.639 --> 00:58:16.360 the offensive line, and it really the explosiveness of the offense of the 816 00:58:16.400 --> 00:58:22.440 Glenbard West offense is something that Lincoln Way East hasn't seen a ton this year. 817 00:58:22.559 --> 00:58:24.960 Like I look back through their schedule, I mean, um, and 818 00:58:25.239 --> 00:58:29.360 the only time. I really look at a game where I felt like they 819 00:58:29.639 --> 00:58:32.519 like it was a game where Lincoln Way East had to keep scoring, right, 820 00:58:32.679 --> 00:58:36.400 was that bowling Brook game? And they but even then I'm pretty sure 821 00:58:36.440 --> 00:58:39.039 they you covered that game. They controlled that game, right, like, 822 00:58:39.519 --> 00:58:43.719 yeah, no question it was. It was one of those situations where you're 823 00:58:43.760 --> 00:58:46.440 saying that Lincoln Way East had to keep scoring, they could keep scoring, 824 00:58:46.519 --> 00:58:51.719 Yeah, they couldn't. It was literally gives give us the ball, will 825 00:58:51.760 --> 00:58:55.079 go score. The job for bowling Brook in that situation was you need to 826 00:58:55.119 --> 00:58:59.199 match us because we're going to keep scoring. You can't stop us. And 827 00:58:59.239 --> 00:59:01.599 they couldn't. That's I mean, And I think that I'm drawing a blank. 828 00:59:01.679 --> 00:59:06.320 I think that we're stopped one time the entire game, and so it 829 00:59:06.440 --> 00:59:08.760 might have been half time. And I think that's a good thing for them, 830 00:59:08.800 --> 00:59:15.880 because what I'm saying is that I think this is by far the most 831 00:59:15.000 --> 00:59:19.519 dynamic offense Lincoln Way East has seen on the year. I think they're going 832 00:59:19.559 --> 00:59:22.079 to have to score a lot in this game. I actually think this game 833 00:59:22.159 --> 00:59:23.679 is going to be fairly high scoring. I want to say that, like, 834 00:59:24.679 --> 00:59:27.719 you know, particularly for an eight A game, I think we see 835 00:59:27.719 --> 00:59:30.000 a lot of lower scoring games when you get to the eight A semifinals and 836 00:59:30.599 --> 00:59:34.719 stay championship game. But I think this is a game that you could see 837 00:59:34.760 --> 00:59:37.480 it end up being thirty five to thirty one on something like that. Yeah, 838 00:59:37.519 --> 00:59:40.880 And I think in order for that to happen, I mean, I 839 00:59:42.199 --> 00:59:45.920 think one of the things that falls on Glenbard West here is they kind of 840 00:59:45.960 --> 00:59:47.599 maybe have to go back to their roots a little bit in this game. 841 00:59:49.239 --> 00:59:53.239 Usually you look at this team as being a defensive minded type of program that 842 00:59:53.320 --> 00:59:58.079 hasn't meant as much the case this year. Glenbard West is going to need 843 00:59:58.119 --> 01:00:01.599 to get some stops here they if they really need to, because if you 844 01:00:01.760 --> 01:00:07.119 let Lincoln Way East to get themselves into a groove, they'll they're more than 845 01:00:07.159 --> 01:00:12.760 content to just squeeze eight minutes of clock on you and and end it with 846 01:00:12.800 --> 01:00:15.599 a you know, a two yard touchdown run. They'll do it, and 847 01:00:15.639 --> 01:00:19.800 they don't care, and they'll they'll keep doing it until you demonstrate that you 848 01:00:19.800 --> 01:00:22.159 you can stop it in some capacity, and right now, just based on 849 01:00:22.239 --> 01:00:27.519 Glenbard West results, I don't know if they can. So it's I mean, 850 01:00:28.079 --> 01:00:30.960 that's in my mind for Glenbard West to be in this game, they're 851 01:00:30.000 --> 01:00:35.039 gonna have to get a couple of defensive stops, preferably early, just to 852 01:00:35.079 --> 01:00:37.159 demonstrate to lincoln Way East that they can do it, because if they can't, 853 01:00:37.440 --> 01:00:42.079 Lincolnway East will will put them through the meat grinder like they've put everyone 854 01:00:42.119 --> 01:00:45.719 else on their schedule. At this point, I think that's pretty clear that 855 01:00:45.760 --> 01:00:49.639 you're taking lincoln Way East. I'm leaning that way as well. As much 856 01:00:49.639 --> 01:00:53.239 as I really actually like that, I'm really close to picking Glenbard West to 857 01:00:53.239 --> 01:00:57.480 win this game. I really really like the way this team is playing, 858 01:00:58.400 --> 01:01:02.159 but lincoln Way East it's just too strong for the way. Like for me 859 01:01:02.199 --> 01:01:06.400 to sit here and say that I expect Glenn Martin West or I'm taking Glynn 860 01:01:06.440 --> 01:01:08.360 bart West, I think would be would be over the top. So like, 861 01:01:08.400 --> 01:01:12.639 I'm taking lincoln Way East, but at in no way would I'd be 862 01:01:12.679 --> 01:01:15.760 surprised to see Glynn Marble West pull off the upset here, I'm inclined to 863 01:01:15.760 --> 01:01:20.760 agree with you. I mean, it's it's one of those situations where lincoln 864 01:01:20.760 --> 01:01:22.840 Way East, in my mind, has not really had a lot of games 865 01:01:22.880 --> 01:01:29.880 where they have been pushed. So what happens if they are you know what 866 01:01:30.000 --> 01:01:34.519 happens, maybe they make a mistake or two early on and have to rally. 867 01:01:34.800 --> 01:01:37.159 I mean, I don't know the answers to any of these questions because 868 01:01:37.159 --> 01:01:39.599 they really haven't been pressed. So I mean, that's that's I mean, 869 01:01:40.400 --> 01:01:44.599 what happens when that happens. Maybe it doesn't happen. Maybe maybe they just 870 01:01:44.679 --> 01:01:47.280 keep doing this. But um, you know, if the breaks don't go 871 01:01:47.320 --> 01:01:51.840 their way early, what is the response to that? You know, if 872 01:01:51.840 --> 01:01:53.639 they have to rally, if they have to. You know, I have 873 01:01:53.800 --> 01:02:00.480 some questions about their ability to move the ball vertically quickly because they really have 874 01:02:00.599 --> 01:02:05.480 not have had to do that very much. So you know, if it's 875 01:02:05.519 --> 01:02:07.480 it's a game and where that needs to get done, can they do it? 876 01:02:07.880 --> 01:02:10.880 Um? You know, is that is that something that's in their bag? 877 01:02:10.960 --> 01:02:15.079 Maybe it is and we just haven't seen it, but um, it's 878 01:02:15.119 --> 01:02:19.000 it's definitely a game where I think there might be some scenarios playing out where 879 01:02:19.079 --> 01:02:22.239 Lincoln Waste has to go a little bit deeper in their playbook than maybe they 880 01:02:22.280 --> 01:02:25.639 have all season all right, one game to finish it up here, suits 881 01:02:25.679 --> 01:02:30.599 we got number six Loyola at number two York, you got the Ramblers. 882 01:02:30.599 --> 01:02:35.079 Loyola um, doing what they have to. They get the run game going, 883 01:02:36.320 --> 01:02:42.559 getting getting help from multiple pieces there in the run game, and York 884 01:02:43.039 --> 01:02:46.840 a team that just continues to prove itself suits. Yeah. I mean, 885 01:02:47.159 --> 01:02:51.320 this is a game that, like on paper, you look at it and 886 01:02:51.360 --> 01:02:53.400 you say, Okay, well, I think Loyola is probably gonna win the 887 01:02:53.400 --> 01:03:00.079 game. And I'm not saying that I don't necessarily believe that, but I 888 01:03:00.119 --> 01:03:06.559 just have a real problem like discounting York here and their their capability to possibly 889 01:03:07.159 --> 01:03:14.000 also win the game. It's York just continues to get things done, and 890 01:03:14.079 --> 01:03:17.920 I think they're just gonna make this very very interesting. It's more of a 891 01:03:17.960 --> 01:03:24.840 gut instinct than anything else. But York all season long has has taken these 892 01:03:24.920 --> 01:03:30.000 challenges and some of them haven't been pretty, and some of them have been 893 01:03:30.039 --> 01:03:35.360 really kind of close calls. But if this is a close game, I 894 01:03:35.519 --> 01:03:39.360 kind of lean towards York just because they've had those experiences and most of them 895 01:03:39.400 --> 01:03:43.480 have been positive. Wow. So if they can stay in this, they 896 01:03:43.480 --> 01:03:49.480 can stay in the realm of making this a competitive game. You know, 897 01:03:50.199 --> 01:03:53.840 I think York is better already prepared to deal with a you know, a 898 01:03:53.920 --> 01:04:01.239 competitive game. So I'm gonna pick Loyola, but it's more like I'm picking 899 01:04:01.400 --> 01:04:06.719 Loyola. If that makes sense. I mean, that's that's that's that's where 900 01:04:06.719 --> 01:04:11.039 I'm coming from. It's you know, I think this has the potentially be 901 01:04:11.119 --> 01:04:15.920 a close game, and if it turns into that reality, um, I 902 01:04:15.960 --> 01:04:19.840 think York is better prepared to play in a back and forth sort of hey 903 01:04:20.000 --> 01:04:24.559 decide, you know, let this decide it for us. And I also 904 01:04:24.599 --> 01:04:28.280 think York's defense probably hasn't gotten the respect that it deserves. I think they 905 01:04:28.679 --> 01:04:33.039 potentially can force this to be a competitive game. So, yeah, York 906 01:04:33.119 --> 01:04:35.599 has been the team all year. Like you go back to the regular season, 907 01:04:35.599 --> 01:04:39.119 they finished nine year old. But like middle of the season they beat 908 01:04:39.199 --> 01:04:41.719 Lions. I'm like, okay, they beat Lion, but they're not gonna 909 01:04:41.719 --> 01:04:45.159 beat Glenbard West next week. Then they beat Glenbard West. Then you get 910 01:04:45.199 --> 01:04:46.440 to the playoffs, I'm like, oh, wow, they actually got by 911 01:04:46.440 --> 01:04:49.360 Merits in the second round. That's really good. I don't think they're gonna 912 01:04:49.360 --> 01:04:53.239 get by Palotine next week though. Then they go out and only give up 913 01:04:53.280 --> 01:04:57.639 ten points of Palotine. It's like, yeah, if they just keep proving 914 01:04:57.760 --> 01:05:00.440 that they are an elite team that needs to be taken seriously. So yeah, 915 01:05:00.480 --> 01:05:04.440 I completely agree with you. I'm taking Loyola to win the game. 916 01:05:04.639 --> 01:05:11.440 But again, I can't discount York at all. Yeah, yep, all 917 01:05:11.519 --> 01:05:14.159 right, give us some final thoughts and we'll get out of here. Man. 918 01:05:14.760 --> 01:05:16.480 Well, you know, it always seems to be this way, and 919 01:05:16.559 --> 01:05:20.559 you can say it on almost any playoff year, but it really looks like 920 01:05:20.559 --> 01:05:25.920 we have a fascinating semi final weekend on tap here. A lot of great 921 01:05:25.960 --> 01:05:30.800 matchups, a lot of teams that I think are so evenly matched that picking 922 01:05:30.840 --> 01:05:34.639 games is almost foolish in this particular round, because you know they could go 923 01:05:34.719 --> 01:05:40.000 one way or another. So just looking forward to seeing how it all ferrets 924 01:05:40.000 --> 01:05:43.320 out and seeing which sixteen teams are going to be making that trip to Champagne 925 01:05:43.360 --> 01:05:47.119 next weekend. Absolutely, we're looking forward to bringing all that coverage to you 926 01:05:47.239 --> 01:05:51.280 at Friday Night Drive dot Com over the weekend. Stick right there now, 927 01:05:51.320 --> 01:05:56.239 we're gonna go ahead and sign off though for Kyle Neighbors, I am for 928 01:05:56.440 --> 01:06:00.719 Stieve Susy, I am Kyle Neighbors. We will talk to you next week. 929 01:06:00.760 --> 01:06:06.079 Everyone, Enjoy semi final weekend. Schweiker Gannison Krizak Rundio proudly sponsors to 930 01:06:06.159 --> 01:06:10.199 Friday Night Drive. I'm Mike Krizak. If you've been injured, we are 931 01:06:10.239 --> 01:06:13.199 ready to take on the insurance company and get you to the end zone. 932 01:06:13.280 --> 01:06:17.480 We've recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients. Visit GA nassi n 933 01:06:17.719 --> 01:06:18.480 dot com.