Maine South’s defense earned the headlines after shutting out Bolingbrook’s high-powered offense in the Class 8A first round on Friday.
The Raiders arrived in Park Ridge averaging 42 points and wound up losing 24-0. But it isn’t big news that Maine South has an excellent defense. The Hawks have allowed more than 20 points just twice this season (Prospect, New Trier).
Maine South’s crisp, dynamic passing attack was a revelation. Senior Ryan Leyden threw for 222 yards against Bolingbrook’s quality defensive backfield. It was his first start since he was injured on Sept. 2 against Warren.
Leyden, a lefty, connected with six different receivers. Maine South coach Dave Inserra said Leyden is still working off some rust, but the Hawks are a significant threat in Class 8A now.
“I’m getting a lot more comfortable reading blitzes and with the play calls and line calls,” Leyden said. “I’ve learned a lot the past four years, especially last year behind Rowan Keefe on the state runner-up team.”
Roadrunning
Nazareth popped into the Super 25 early in the season and then faded out of the spotlight for the majority of the season. The Roadrunners finished 5-4 and squeaked into the playoffs.
A deeper look at Nazareth’s schedule is revealing. The losses are all to teams that spent most or all of the season ranked: Lemont, Marist, Notre Dame and St. Rita. The Roadrunners opened the season by beating Kankakee 2-0.
Things are clicking now for Tim Racki’s squad. Nazareth is averaging 42 points in its last four games and scored a season-high 48 in its first-round road win at Glenbard South on Friday.
The Roadrunners might not be as star-studded as some past groups, but there are game-breakers on the roster. Sophomore Logan Malachuk took over as the starting quarterback last season. He’s a solid passer and is developing into a significant threat on the ground. Wisconsin recruit Justin Taylor has played as a receiver and a running back and made an impact in several positions on defense.
Nazareth will host Rockford Boylan (9-1) in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs. A showdown with Morgan Park would loom in the quarterfinals.
Public League update
A record 25 Chicago Public Schools teams advanced to the state playoffs. The first-round results were mixed.
There were four games with Public League teams facing each other, so obviously the Public League went 4-4 in those.
In the other 17 games, Public League teams finished 2-15. Simeon and Morgan Park were the only winners. The lopsided scores are more of a concern than the overall record. Only Amundsen, which lost 35-21 to Harlem, was competitive. The combined score in the other 14 Public League losses was 770-79.
CPS schools have made great progress this season. Simeon, Morgan Park and Kenwood are each serious threats in their classes and Payton, Goode and UP-Bronzeville also advanced to the second round. The next step is getting a handful of teams up to Amundsen’s level of competitiveness.
Looking ahead
There are seven matchups between ranked teams in the second round but there are a handful of other matchups to keep a close eye on.
In Class 8A possible upsets include Warren at Andrew and Lyons at Plainfield North. Bremen travels to Chicago to take on Kenwood in what should be a very competitive Class 6A showdown.
