Welcome to the regular-season finale. Now that it’s crunch time, the fun begins
There’s been a change at the top of our rankings and a showdown looms to determine if the DuKane Conference title goes to one team or is shared by two or even three.
The top takeaway from Week 8, though?
The light shining on the postseason that starts next week.
Three teams still in hunt
The clock is already ticking for three area teams — Waubonsie Valley, Marmion and Oswego East — still looking to lock up a berth and expand the field of playoff teams.
At 4-4, all three are chasing a magical five-win mark that all but guarantees a team a spot in the 256-team playoff field of eight 32-team classes.
The Warriors and Cadets appear to be in the driver’s seat, scheduled to play at 7 p.m. Friday at Metea Valley (1-7) and at 1 p.m. Saturday at Leo (1-7), respectively.
Both should win.
Junior quarterback Niko Villacci, senior safety Jake Boissiere and their Oswego East teammates face a tall order at 7 p.m. Friday at home against crosstown rival Oswego (8-0).
The Panthers last week locked up the Southwest Prairie West title.
“Any time we line up against those guys on the north side of town, it’s a meaningful game,” Oswego East coach Tyson LeBlanc said. “These kids have grown up playing with and against each other. Many are good friends. Any time it’s a backyard game like this it’s something special.”
Villacci passed for 256 yards and two TDs and Boissiere returned a blocked field goal 70 yards to start the scoring in a 34-14 victory over Yorkville.
“We’re trying to win tomorrow’s practice,” LeBlanc said. “One step at a time.”
At 4-5, the Wolves might still have a chance. Last season, six teams with that record made the playoffs. The year before, it was one. And in 2021, no 4-5 teams made it, and even one 5-4 team failed to qualify.
Wins are the most important criterion, but opponents’ wins are the first tiebreaker. Oswego East should have 49 or 50 points in that category. And Friday night will feed into that.
“It doesn’t matter the records,” Oswego coach Brian Cooney said. “These games are always going to be barnburners.”
Definitely in with six or more wins are undefeated Oswego, Geneva and West Aurora, one-loss Batavia and St. Charles North, and two-loss Jacobs and Burlington Central.
South Elgin, Kaneland, Sandwich and Aurora Christian are all 5-3 and likely in.
Trading places at the top
Oswego posted the most eye-catching result last week with a 42-10 win over playoff qualifier Minooka (6-2).
The Panthers took a 28-0 lead before giving up a last-second field goal to end the first half, then led 42-3 late before giving up a touchdown in the final minute of a dominant defensive effort.
“Their whole defense is solid,” LeBlanc said of Oswego. “They’re stout up front, they have very talented linebackers everyone’s heard a lot about, and the guys in the back, truth be told, are good, too.”
Four seniors make up the defensive front for the Panthers, and Cooney agreed they are probably unsung. Trent Wollwert-Angle and Jordan Sweiss, both 6-foot-2, man the ends while 5-11 Christian Taylor and 6-0 Joshua Flores play tackle.
“Christian made a tackle for loss on a third-and-one to force a punt,” Cooney said. “It’s not so flashy, but we ask them to be technically sound and they are. They take a lot of pressure off the linebackers, actually, and let them flow.”
Big finish set in DuKane race
Geneva (8-0, 6-0) didn’t lose the top spot in the rankings as much as Oswego took it. The Vikings still took care of business with a 49-14 win over a St. Charles East team hit hard by injuries.
The top two could easily trade places again this week.
Geneva plays host Friday to St. Charles North (7-1, 5-1), with Batavia (7-1, 5-1) very much interested in the outcome while finishing up at Glenbard North (2-6, 0-6).
“In the grand scheme of the season, it’s just fun,” St. Charles North Stars coach Rob Pomazak said of the matchup. “You work hard to put yourself in position to play for opportunities like this.
“There’s risk-rewards because you do have the playoffs coming up afterward. We feel like it’s a great opportunity against a great team.”
A Geneva win gives them the title outright. A St. Charles North win would like force a three-way tie if Batavia can hold serve.
