By Greg Halbleib
The road to DeKalb and Illinois high school football championships begins with post-season play on Friday and Saturday.
U-High carries a 6-3 record and a #14 seed to Peoria Stadium on Friday for a 7 p.m. kick-off against Peoria High (8-1) in Class 5A. The host Lions are a #3 seed and the coach of the visiting Pioneers, Mike Troll, says everyone’s tough in the playoffs.
“That’s the way we’re going to look at it,” said Troll. “They’re going to give us some things that we can do with our offense as far as what they do defensively, and vice versa.”
The U-High-Peoria match-up is the featured game on Friday’s WJBC Country Financial High School Football Extravaganza, which also will cover Normal Community (8-1) with a #6 seed hosting #27 Schaumburg (6-3) in Class 7A in a 7 p.m. Friday start. Ironmen coach Wes Temples says despite being favored, his team needs to execute well to win.
“Any sort of breakdown gets you beat,” said Temples, “so Number 1, we have to take care of the football. We have to be able to move the ball and we have to make the most of our opportunities. There are some things we like (about Schaumburg) and some things that really worry us.”
Friday also features a 7 p.m. kick-off in Mackinaw in a Class 2A first round game as Deer Creek-Mackinaw (7-2) carries a #4 seed against visiting #13 West Hancock (6-3). Dee-Mack coach Job Linboom is ready to establish the ground game. “If we can establish the run game and mix in a little play action and keep the penalties down, we’ll be all right,” said Linboom.
In Class 4A, #8 Pontiac (7-2) hosts #9 Johnsburg (7-2) at Williamson Field. The game can be heard on WJEZ 98.9 in Livingston County and world-wide on WJEZ.com.
First round coverage continues with bonus play-by-play on WJBC.com on Saturday as Central Catholic hosts DuQuoin at 2 p.m. in Class 3A, Play-by-play of a Class 6A rematch between Normal West and Peoria Notre Dame can also be heard on WJBC.com with kick-off scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
Illinois State volleyball and Bloomington Thunder hockey are both in action tonight on WJBC.com. Listen here for ISU and here to the Thunder.
The area first round playoff schedule is below.
FRIDAY:
CLASS 2A:
#13 Hamilton [West Hancock Coop] (6-3) at #4 Mackinaw (Deer Creek-M.) (7-2), Fri., Oct. 30, 7 p.m.
CLASS 4A:
#9 Johnsburg (7-2) at #8 Pontiac (7-2), Fri., Oct. 30, 7 p.m.
CLASS 5A:
#14 Normal (University) (6-3) vs. #3 Peoria (H.S.) (8-1) at Peoria Stadium, Fri., Oct. 30, 7:00 p.m.
CLASS 7A:
#27 Schaumburg (H.S.) (5-4) at #6 Normal (Community) (8-1), Fri., Oct. 30, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY:
CLASS 1A:
#16 Tremont (5-4) vs. #1 Toulon (Stark County) (9-0) at Wyoming, Sat., Oct. 31, 1 p.m.
#9 LeRoy (6-3) vs. #8 Greenfield [G.-Northwestern Coop] (6-3) at Greenfield, Sat., Oct. 31, 1:30 p.m.
#15 Mt. Olive (5-4) at #2 Gibson City (G.C.-Melvin-Sibley) (9-0), Sat., Oct. 31, 3 p.m.
CLASS 2A:
#10 Knoxville (6-3) at #7 Minonk (Fieldcrest) (7-2), Sat., Oct. 31, 1 p.m.
#16 Savanna (West Carroll) (5-4) at #1 Downs (Tri-Valley) (9-0), Sat., Oct. 31, 2 p.m.
#12 El Paso (E.P.-Gridley) (6-3) at #5 Mendon (Unity) [Coop] (7-2), Sat., Oct. 31, 2 p.m.
CLASS 3A:
#12 DuQuoin (H.S.) [Coop] (5-4) at #5 Bloomington (Central Catholic) (8-1), Sat., Oct. 31, 2 p.m.
CLASS 4A:
#16 Clinton (5-4) vs. #1 Belleville (Althoff Catholic) (9-0) at Belleville (Lindenwood University), Sat., Oct. 31, 7:30 p.m.
CLASS 6A:
#10 Normal (Community West) (6-3) vs. #7 Peoria (Notre Dame) (7-2) at Peoria (Richwoods), Sat., Oct. 31, 2:30 p.m.
