Time to get busy or make other postseason plans
Now it's getting serious.
Last weekend DuPage County saw its first football teams become playoff eligible and, unfortunately, become eliminated from playoff qualification.
With more teams sitting on the verge of both lists again this week, the latest edition of Eyes on Five provides a status update six weeks into the rapidly dwindling regular season.
1. Change of plans:
It's not a glaring difference, but it is different.
When I watched Benet play St. Patrick a couple weeks ago, the style of play stood out from the norm. Both teams showed no-huddle, up-tempo offenses that made my head spin trying to keep stats.
They ran a combined 157 plays, which is something you don't see very often.
There might be a solid reason why.
If you look at the DuPage Valley Conference, offensive tempos are slower. Quarterbacks aren't taking off on designed run plays as much as in past seasons.
Basically, one of the state's most physical leagues is making an effort to reduce exposure to contact. The DVC - especially with the number of two-way players this season - recognizes the weekly grind does no body any good.
There's no desire to expose players to the physicality of 150 plays. Not when there's little hope for a blowout where you can rest your starters. The only way to heal an aching body in the DVC is to sit him for the night, which is something that's happening regularly this season.
It's all about survival until (hopefully) the playoffs.
As long as the schedule is what it is, expect to see deliberate offenses from DVC teams hoping to have a little something left in the tank at the end of the season.
2. The "Don't Worry" list:
There are plenty of DuPage County teams with unremarkable records, but you'd be foolish to count them out of the playoff picture.
Remember last season when Wheaton Warrenville South started 1-4 and won six straight games to reach the Class 7A quarterfinals? A similar situation may be happening this year.
The Tigers fell to 1-4 with last week's loss to Naperville Central, but there's still hope for another playoff berth. It'll take some doing, starting with Friday's game against Waubonsie Valley, but their final four opponents have a combined record of 6-14.
Willowbrook's 2-3, but the remaining West Suburban Gold teams on the schedule have a combined record of 5-15. Unfortunately for the Warriors, one of those teams is Downers Grove South - another squad aiming for a late-season surge.
In the WSC Silver, Downers Grove North and York both sit at 2-3. Their Week 8 game just might determine a playoff berth.
Until you get tagged with that fifth loss, never give up hope. Especially if you're one of the teams just mentioned.
3. Enjoy:
Week 6 might end up being the best slate of DuPage County games this entire season.
It gets no better than Saturday's WSC Silver showdown between unbeatens Hinsdale Central and Glenbard West. While the Hilltoppers are a known state title contender, folks are learning quickly that Hinsdale Central also looks like a team with long playoff legs.
Naperville Central (4-1) travels to Batavia (5-0) for a much anticipated matchup between 2013 state champions. It's a DVC-Upstate Eight crossover game where both sides drew the short straw.
Addison Trail and Hinsdale South meet in a game that could decide the WSC Gold title. Benet and Nazareth are both 4-1, but they are playing each other just to keep pace behind Joliet Catholic in the East Suburban Catholic.
It's still early in the Metro Suburban Conference schedule but two of the unbeatens - IC Catholic Prep and Riverside-Brookfield - play this weekend. Finally, the Upstate Eight Valley title might be decided this weekend when South Elgin travels to Lombard to play Glenbard East. Both are 4-1 overall and unbeaten in the Valley.
It's the kind of weekend where you wish you could be in 10 places at once.
4. Randomness:
Random fact No. 1 ... Speaking of York, the Dukes lead DuPage County with 30 playoff points. Heading into last week, five of their opponents were unbeaten, and four remain without a loss heading into Week 6.
More randomness ... The shift of Montini and St. Francis into the Chicago Catholic League has been a mixed bag. It's created intriguing matchups with St. Rita, Brother Rice and Fenwick, but it's also created tremendous competitive gaps. Montini's in a stretch of playing four straight teams with a combined 4-16 record - including St. Rita - while St. Francis has dealt with a forfeit win over Hales Franciscan and last week's blowout win over first-year program Catalyst/Maria, which has played only three games this season.
Final random thought ... With the return of the 1-32 playoff format in Class 8A and 7A, look for the bulk of the DVC survivors to wind up smack dab in the middle of the pack. The parity's going to lead to a bunch of five- and six-win qualifiers.
5. Stat time:
Last week three DuPage County teams became playoff eligible with their fifth win. Glenbard West, Hinsdale Central and Montini all stayed unbeaten at 5-0, and all three have a shot at clinching a playoff berth with a sixth win this week. Glenbard West and Hinsdale Central play each other, meaning one will definitely clinch a spot.
Seven area four-win teams can become playoff eligible with a win this weekend.
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