Two Wheaton football teams take the field at home Friday, Oct. 30, in Class 6A second-round playoff games with season-ending stakes.
Wheaton Warrenville South (6-3) hosts Joliet Catholic (6-4) at 7 p.m. Wheaton North (6-3) kicks off against Rolling Meadows (3-7) at 6:30 p.m.
Both matchups were previewed by Friday Night Drive, the Shaw Local sports publication, which picked Wheaton North to win and Joliet Catholic to upset the Tigers.
Tigers face a familiar foe
The WW South-Joliet Catholic game carries decades of history. The two programs last met during the 2008 regular season. Before that, WW South beat Joliet Catholic 40-34 in double overtime in the 1992 Class 5A state championship game. That victory was the school's first state title and the first of four the Tigers won in the 1990s under coach John Thorne, according to the Suburban Life notebook.
WW South coach Sean Norris acknowledged the weight of the matchup. "An epic game, South's first state championship," Norris said of the 1992 meeting. "You immediately see JCA and there is a lot of respect. We know the kind of history and tradition that they have."
Junior quarterback AJ Rogers leads the Tigers' offense. He has completed 69.4% of his passes for 2,001 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions, according to the Daily Herald. Wide receiver Blake Ittersagen is his top target with 39 catches for 628 yards and seven touchdowns. The Tigers earned a first-round bye after finishing 4-1 down the stretch to close the regular season.
On defense, Clark Jensen serves as the DuKane Conference defensive team captain. Zach Turner, the league's Outstanding Defensive Lineman, anchors the line. The Tigers have qualified for seven straight postseasons and won a playoff game last year for the first time since a 2019 quarterfinal run.
Joliet Catholic brings a stingy defense of its own. The Hilltoppers held opponents to 14 points or fewer in seven games this season. They shut down Bradley-Bourbonnais in their opening-round victory. Derrick Pomatto, an all-state linebacker, has rushed for 631 yards with nine touchdowns and recorded 76 tackles on defense.
The winner advances to face the winner of No. 14 Thornwood (6-4) at No. 3 Riverside-Brookfield (8-1).
Falcons host Rolling Meadows
Wheaton North returned to the playoffs after back-to-back losing seasons. The Falcons opened 5-0 before dropping three straight to WW South, Batavia and Geneva. They closed the regular season with a 14-7 win over Glenbard North in Week 9.
Running back Mac Murray carries the offense, and Adam Schilling plays both ways at linebacker and tight end. Starting quarterback Burke Neibch has been sidelined during the second half of the season with a hand injury. Junior Rory Burke and sophomore Grant Neibch have both taken snaps in his absence.
Rolling Meadows entered the expanded playoff field as the last team in, one of 18 teams with 2-7 records to qualify. The Mustangs beat Addison Trail 34-26 in the opening round behind sophomore Ryder Smialowicz, who rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries. Quarterback Gavin Prickett threw for 180 yards and three touchdowns.
Friday Night Drive picked Wheaton North to advance. The winner plays the winner of No. 18 Carmel (4-6) at No. 2 Geneva (8-1).
