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Scouting Fox quarterfinal playoff football games

Class 7A

Batavia (10-1) at Hononegah (11-0)

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Last matchup: 48-0 Batavia in 2019 (playoffs)

About the Bulldogs: Batavia is coming off a 45-17 win over Lincoln-Way Central. Six different players scored touchdowns: Luke Alwin, C.J. Valente, Isiah Brown, Charlie Whelpley, Nathan Whitwell and Zach Granberg. Whelpley rushed for 89 yards, had 50 yards receiving and 29 passing. Ryan Boe continued his excellent season passing for 243 yards and 3 TDs. He's got a number of excellent targets with Alwin, Valente and Whelpley all averaging at least 44 receiving yards a game. Batavia is just as balanced in the run game with Whelpley at 57 yards and Granberg 50. The Bulldogs also impressed on defense last week with 12 tackles for loss, 5 sacks and forced 3 turnovers.

About the Indians: Cole Warren has a 25-to-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio and has 1,644 passing yards on the season. Hononegah has four players over 200 yards rushing, but Greyson Motter and Estin Fichter both share an equal workload in the backfield with a combined 130 carries. Isaiah Houi is a big-play candidate and had four catches for 112 yards and a TD, plus a punt return for a TD, in the massive win over Willowbrook. Linebacker Kurt Smith leads with 62 tackles on defense.

Who's next: The winner plays either Mt. Carmel or Quincy in a semifinal. If Batavia and Mt. Carmel both win, it represents a rematch of last year's 7A state title game next week.

Class 6A

No. 7 Geneva (9-2) at No. 3 Cary-Grove (9-2)

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

About the Vikings: Geneva has cruised through the first two rounds, outscoring Senn and Lake Forest a combined 92-15. ... Senior QB Nate Stempowski has competed 107-of-184 passes for 1,335 yards and 17 touchdowns, while WR Finn Weppner (26 catches, 344 yards) has made the most of his opportunity with Talyn Taylor's status unknown for this weekend regarding his injury. ... RBs Troy Velez and Michael Rumoro are a strong 1-2 punch for Geneva in the rushing attack. Meanwhile, the Vikings' defense is headlined by LB Tommy Diamond (56 tackles) and DB Charlie Winterhalter (83 tackles) and DL Rocco DiLeonardi (38 tackles, 3 sacks).

About the Trojans: C-G beat Highland Park 49-29 last week to reach the quarterfinals for the 15th time in 19 years. ... C-G is 59-24 in its playoff history and is 14-1 in its last 15 playoff games with two state titles in that stretch. The Trojans won Class 6A titles in 2018 and 2021. ... FB Logan Abrams has 1,251 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. RB Andrew Prio has run for 1,044 yards and averages 15.6 yards per carry. ... The Trojans don't throw often, but are extremely effective when they do. QB Peyton Seaburg has completed 13-of-21 passes for 305 yards and nine touchdowns.

Up next: The winner advances to the semifinal against the winner between No. 4 Belvidere North (9-2) at No. 1 Lake Zurich (10-1).

Cary-Grove's Andrew Prio runs the ball during the Trojans' second-round win over Highland Park last week at Wolters Field in Highland Park. Patrick Kunzer/for Shaw Local
  Geneva's Derek Verdone (54) tackles Lake Forest's Nathan Williams during the Vikings' win last week in Lake Forest. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
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