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Breaking down this weekend's IHSA football title games

There is no doubt the 16 football teams that made it to state championship weekend at Northern Illinois' Huskie Stadium are prepared for almost anything.

They have all faced a variety of challenges and adversity to get this opportunity. That includes dealing with wintry and blizzard-like conditions last weekend.

That will make a forecast of temperatures in the mid- to high-30s with a slight amount of precipitation seem near-perfect in DeKalb.

So, there will be no convenient excuse if these annual predictions are not perfect. They have been far from it, although we did go 5-3 last year to slip above .500 at 25-23. The goal is to stay above the break-even mark.

Saturday's games

Class 8A: Loyola (13-0) vs. Marist (9-4), 7 p.m.

Loyola has routinely entered the state title conversation under 10th-year head coach and former Illinois and NFL linebacker John Holecek. The Ramblers finished second in 2011 and 2013 and are back for a shot at their first title since 1993. The offense is balanced with QB Emmett Clifford (2,353 yards, 32 TDs) and RB Dara Laja (1,702 yards, 20 TDs) and DE Ben LeRoy (6-3, 265), Anthony Romano and Graham Repp drive a defense that had 5 shutouts and only 73 points allowed the first 11 games.

Marist was coming off a rare losing season under Pat Dunne but don't be fooled by its record - the losses were to Mt. Carmel, Benet, Nazareth and Joliet Catholic. The Redhawks beat East Suburban Catholic co-champion Notre Dame for the second time this year 17-14 in the first round and won an incredible 59-56 second-round shootout with Barrington in the final seconds. Senior QB Brendan Skalitzky (4,600 total yards, 47 TDs) leads the high-powered offense and Liam Keffer (91 catches, 1,380 yards, 12 TDs) is the top target.

The pick: Loyola responded to two tough tests the last two weeks against title contender Homewood-Flossmoor and Palatine. Those should have the Ramblers ready to roll and end Marist's run 49-21.

7A: Libertyville (13-0) vs. Glenbard West (13-0), 4 p.m.

This is what marquee matchups are made of - two undefeated teams with two of the most exciting players in the state in Libertyville QB Riley Lees and Glenbard West RB Sam Brodner.

Lees will be going to Northwestern as a receiver but this year he has thrown and run the ball for an amazing 4,174 total yards and 57 TDs. His TD plunge on the final play helped the Wildcats escape with a 22-17 semifinal win at Bradley-Bourbonnais. Junior Tyler Jost (6-6, 280) is getting D-I interest and defensive lineman Ben Kimpler (6-6, 234) has 9 sacks and is committed to Miami (Ohio).

Brodner (1,313 yards, 33 TDs) is headed to Vanderbilt and showed just what a workhorse he is for West with 50 carries for 292 yards in the 21-6 semifinal win over Cary-Grove. He's complemented by solid QB Brian Cochrane, and LBs Nico Gagliano and Ross Andreasik are a big part of a defense that beat Mt. Carmel 7-0 in a memorable second-round matchup.

The pick: Both teams know they are in great hands with Lees and Brodner. Can either of them be slowed down? It will be fun to see how the challenge for the defenses plays out and I'm taking Glenbard West 28-21.

6A: Montini (13-0) vs. Crete-Monee (11-2), 1 p.m.

If it's Thanksgiving weekend, then it's no surprise Montini and head coach Chris Andriano are spending it getting ready for a state championship game. The Broncos are making their seventh straight trip - taking second the last two years to Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin after claiming four straight titles.

They remained perfect with a dramatic fourth-quarter semifinal comeback 35-27 over Prairie Ridge. QB Justin Blake (2,474 total yards, 30 TDs) runs the offense with RB Prince Walker (1,230 yards, 19 TDs) and LBs John Embrey and Jake Kapp lead a defense that has allowed only 108 points. As usual, the Broncos have an X-factor with kicker Michael Cooney (9 field goals).

Crete-Monee lost a regular-season finale at Prairie Ridge 52-33, then rebounded to knock out Springfield Griffin 38-35 in the quarters and Hinsdale South 40-37 in the semis. Versatile Clint Ratkovich does whatever is needed - quarterback, running back, receiver, linebacker - toward 1,724 total yards and 31 TDs for a program that won a title in 2012.

The pick: For all of Montini's accomplishments, one thing it does not have is a perfect finish for a state title. That will change this time as it wins its sixth title under Andriano 41-24.

5A: Nazareth (11-2) vs. Lincoln-Way West (11-2), 10 a.m.

Most Illinois high school football fans figured the success Tim Racki had in leading Driscoll to the first four of its state-record seven straight titles would materialize at Nazareth, and it did last year with a 6A crown. The Roadrunners are back this year with Notre Dame-bound WR-RB-FS Julian Love (1,672 yards rushing and receiving, 25 TDs), Ivory Kelly-Martin (1,802 yards, 29 TDs) and Lehigh-bound two-way lineman Matt Prendergast anchoring a group that averages 266 pounds offensively and 250 defensively.

Lincoln-Way West didn't get as much attention as sister school Lincoln-Way North, which is closing at the end of the year. But West rebounded from a season-ending 28-21 loss to North to make its first state appearance with TB Gabriel Montalvo (2,274 yards, 38 TDs) operating behind a line led by Nebraska-bound Bryan Brokop (6-5, 280) and North Carolina State-bound Justin Witt (6-7, 275).

The pick: Both teams have been tested with rugged schedules. And this is a great matchup for focusing on who wins what should be an intriguing battle in the trenches. But a lot of Love will go a long way and Nazareth gets a second straight title in a different class 34-20.

Friday's games

4A: Belleville Althoff (13-0) vs. Phillips (13-0), 7 p.m.

There are two intriguing storylines. Phillips gets a second straight shot to become the Chicago Public League's first state football champion. Belleville Althoff's core of key players will also have starring roles in its quest to win a 3A basketball title this season.

Phillips has garnered national attention as the South Side school has gone literally from nothing before coach Troy McAllister arrived in 2010 (a one-and-done playoff trip in 1985) to last year's 4A title game. UConn recruit Quayvon Skanes made the successful switch from WR to QB (1,777 total yards, 44 TDs) and is a dangerous kick returner. Junior RB Kamari Mosby (2,246 yards, 18 TDs) and senior DTs Amir Watts and Chris Elmore helped the defense overcome the late-season loss of LB Amani Jones to a torn knee ligament.

Junior TE Jordan Goodwin was also the leading scorer as Althoff was second in the state in 3A hoops last season. Top receivers Keenen Young and C.J. Coldon and WR-DB Tarkus Ferguson are also basketball starters. Junior QB Jordan Augustine (3,509 yards, 40 TDs) and 1,000-yard rushers Jaylon Bester and Malik Easley were part of a 46-42 quarterfinal upset of five-time defending 4A champion Rochester.

The pick: Phillips has been on a mission since losing to Rochester in last year's final to finally bring home a title trophy to Chicago, and owns solid wins over Fenwick and Carmel. Althoff, which won the last of its three titles in 1990, opened a lot of eyes when it stunned Rochester. Althoff will go into basketball season with a football title 45-38.

3A: Kankakee McNamara (12-1) vs. Tolono Unity (10-3), 4 p.m.

Rich Zinanni, one of the state's legendary coaches with 333 wins in 41 seasons at McNamara, has a team in the title game for the first time in 17 years and now looks to end a 28-year drought since the last of its four titles. He has an electrifying RB in Jonathan Ward (2,165 yards, 32 TDs), and FB-LB Jerrico Johnson is a two-way standout for the Fightin' Irish, whose only loss was 70-40 to 5A semifinalist St. Laurence.

Tolono avenged regular-season losses to Monticello and St. Joseph-Ogden the last two weeks. Dual-threat sophomore QB Steven Migut (2,800 total yards, 35 TDs) and RB Chandler Cousins (1,356 yards, 24 TDs) will try to bring the program its first title trophy after four runner-up finishes since 2000.

The pick: McNamara, which cemented itself as one of the state's premier programs with three straight titles from 1985-87, makes a triumphant return to glory with a 35-13 victory.

2A: Downs Tri-Valley (13-0) vs. Auburn (10-3), 1 p.m.

Tri-Valley gives opponents triple trouble with its running game of Peyton Roop (1,297 yards, 15 TDs), Brock Danko (1,077 yards, 16 TDs) and QB Hayden Long (1,424 yards, 19 TDs). Auburn recovered from a 1-3 start behind RB Ryan McLaughlin (1,492 yards, 23 TDs) and QB Drew Chance (2,224 yards passing, 22 TDs; 802 and 11 rushing) but has allowed 224 points.

The pick: Auburn's defense will have a tough time as Tri-Valley's triple threats lead the way to a 42-21 victory.

1A: Toulon Stark County (13-0) vs. Arcola (13-0), 10 a.m.

Arcola's 42-0 semifinal win over LeRoy was its seventh shutout and it allowed only 18 regular-season points behind two-way senior standouts RB-LB Wyatt Fishel (1,929 yards, 33 TDs) and QB-DB Clayton Strader (1,270 yards rushing, 931 passing, 35 total TDs). Stark County won a semifinal postponed to Sunday because of weather and field conditions 10-7 over Ottawa Marquette behind senior RB-LB Chase Johnston (2,202 yards, 29 TDs) and junior QB John Groter (1,718 yards, 22 TDs, 3 INTs).

The pick: The multidimensional Strader makes the difference to bring Arcola its fourth title but first since 1988, 28-14.

marty.maciaszek@gmail.com

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