1. Class 5A is about to rock and roll. With Urban Prep-Bronzeville, Urban Prep-Englewood and a few other have-nots gone from the northern bracket of 5A, all games the rest of the way will be dandies. The bracket-order lineup this week: Montini (10-0) at Marian Central (8-2), Kaneland (9-1) at Joliet Catholic (9-1), Sycamore (10-0) at Nazareth (8-2) and Lincoln-Way West (9-1) at Glenbard South (10-0). Each of those match-ups, and the quarterfinals and semifinals between survivors, will be pick-’ems.
2. The Catholic League Blue and East Suburban Catholic are that good. The five-team Catholic League Blue put four in the playoffs and had four winners, including Providence, which downed defending 6A state champion Crete-Monee 25-14 after going 1-3 in conference play. The East Suburban Catholic sported six playoff teams and Benet was the only loser. Of course, the competition usually gets stronger after Round 1.
3. Lincoln-Way East may be better for it. The Griffins were banged up at the running back spots, so Rob Zvonar and his staff switched senior QB Jordan Wirtz to running back in Week 9 and inserted junior Mike Weller at quarterback. The alignment worked to the tune of 384 total yards in a 31-0 victory over Plainfield East in Round 1 of the 7A playoffs.
