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Football: Scouting Stevenson at Glenbard West

CLASS 8A

No. 1 Stevenson Patriots (12-0) at No. 2 Glenbard West Hilltoppers (12-0)

When: 1 p.m., today

Road to the semifinals: Stevenson def. Lyons (21-17), Loyola Academy (24-21) and New Trier (38-10); Glenbard West def. Fremd (34-14), Palatine (41-7) and Barrington (28-21).

Playoff history: Stevenson is making its 26th straight playoff appearance. The Patriots advanced to their only state championship game in 2002 and lost to Lockport, 35-14. Last year, Stevenson was ousted in the final seconds of the Class 8A semifinals by Loyola, 15-14. Glenbard West is making its eighth straight playoff appearance and its first in Class 8A. The Hilltoppers won the Class 7A state championship in 2012 and placed second in 2009. Last year, Glenbard West lost in the Class 7A semifinals to Lake Zurich, 16-7.

Coaches: Bill McNamara, Stevenson; Chad Hetlet, Glenbard West

Skinny: On the road for the first time in the playoffs, Stevenson is in for a stiff test. New to Class 8A this season, Glenbard West has been a heavyweight in Class 7A in recent years, and won the state championship in 2012. The Hilltoppers seem to have made a smooth transition up a class. Not only are they 12-0, but they are winning their playoff games by an average of 20.3 points per game. "Glenbard West is 12-0, and there is good reason for that. They are a great football team and have skilled athletes on both sides of the ball. Anytime a team gets to the semifinals, they are worthy of their placement," Stevenson coach Bill McNamara said. "This game will be a war as there are two great teams battling it out to get to the state finals. Anyone who attends the game is in for a real treat."…Glenbard West is averaging 36 points per game and loves to keep the ball on the ground with running back Sam Brodner. "They have a large offensive line," McNamara said of Glenbard West. "(Brodner's) success running the ball is based on the talent and schemes around him as well as his Division-1 potential as a runner." Hilltoppers quarterback Kyle Kramer will mix in the pass enough to keep defenses honest. His favorite target is Aidan Gould…Defensively, the Glenbard West defense, a 3-3 stack led by linebacker Nico Gagliano, should look familiar to the Patriots. "The Glenbard West defense has many similarities to the Patriot defense, schemes and talent," McNamara said…The Stevenson defense has been clicking on all cylinders in the playoffs. The Patriots, behind lineman Nick Dillon and linebacker Jason Vavrick, is allowing just 11 points per game. They held New Trier, primarily a running team, to just 63 rushing yards last week…Offensively, Stevenson has been humming all season, averaging 31.4 points per game. Quarterback Willie Bourbon has two solid targets in Northwestern-bound senior Cameron Green and junior Jack Sorenson. Running back Jack Joseph gives great balance and rushed for 129 yards on 14 carries last week.

Winner gets: A berth in the Class 8A state championship game against the winner of No. 3 Homewood-Flossmoor at No. 2 Simeon. The Class 8A state championship will kick off at 7 p.m. on Nov. 29 at the University of Illinois' Memorial Stadium in Champaign.

- Patricia Babcock McGraw

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