By Paul D. Bowker
MaxPreps.com
Not one 2008 Glenbard West Hilltopper was alive the last time, and the only time, Glenbard West won a state championship in football.
The year was 1983. Ronald Reagan was president. The Right Stuff was blasting its way into movie theaters at a cost of much less than the $7 we pay now at the ticket office. And those Chicago Cubs still hadn’t won a World Series.
At noon Saturday, the Hilltoppers (12-0) will try and move one step closer toward repeating that 1983 feat when they take on East St. Louis in the Class 7A semifinals at Glen Ellyn.
Glenbard West’s challenge is big.
East St. Louis (11-1) hasn’t lost since August, to Huber Heights of Wayne, Ohio, in the Burger King Kirk Herbstreit Varsity Football Series at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. The Flyers rallied from a 14-0 deficit last week to beat Chicago Catholic League Blue champion St. Rita 35-28 in the quarterfinals at St. Louis.
St. Rita’s day began at 7 a.m. last Saturday with a six-hour bus trip to St. Louis. But this time, the Flyers will be making the trip to the western suburbs of Chicago. Advantage: Glenbard West.
The Hilltoppers, ranked No. 4 in Illinois by MaxPreps, have not played any of the state’s top three teams. But they swept through the West Suburban Silver with a 6-0 record and have impressively won their first three playoff games by a combined score of 105-21.
Last week, Bryant Venson rushed for 94 yards and two touchdowns in the Hilltoppers’ 35-7 win over Downers Grove North.
“All the work we’ve done has finally paid off,” Venson told the Chicago Sun-Times.
The Hilltoppers have surpassed the 40-point mark four times, but what gives them a chance Saturday against a quick East St. Louis team is their defense. They have won four games by shutout, including Wheaton North, 14-0, in the first round of the playoffs and Hinsdale Central (No. 5, MaxPreps), 9-0, to win the West Suburban Silver on the last weekend of the regular season.
Since then, Hinsdale Central has won three straight and plays Catholic League powerhouse Mt. Carmel in the 8A semifinals Saturday night.
If Glenbard West somehow manages to shut down East St. Louis’ strong offensive attack that includes a pair of receivers (Terry Hawthorne, Kraig Appleton) who are already verbally committed to Division I schools, the Hilltoppers would boot out the one non-Chicago team remaining in title contention in Classes 7A and 8A, the state’s largest divisions.
The championship games in all classes will be played next weekend at the University of Illinois in Champaign. Here is a look at the remaining Chicago-area teams in this week's playoff games:
Class 8A semifinals
Mt. Carmel (10-2) vs. Hinsdale Central (10-2)
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Hinsdale
The skinny: The Caravan, appearing in the state semifinals for the fourth consecutive year, has won eight straight since a loss at St. Rita in September. Northern Illinois recruit Jordan Lynch directs Mt. Carmel’s offense. Hinsdale Central’s only hiccups were at powerful Wheaton Warrenville South in the first week of the season and a 9-0 loss to Glenbard West, the West Suburban Silver champ, in the final week of the regular season.
Maine South (12-0) vs. Bartlett (12-0)
When: 7:08 p.m. Saturday
Where: Streamwood High School
The skinny: The game will be played in Streamwood, and with the schools located just 23 miles from each other in Chicago’s western suburbs, there should be a huge crowd. Vanderbilt recruit Charlie Goro is closing in on 3,000 passing yards this season, and that is the Maine South player Bartlett will have to stop. Bartlett also has a quarterback star in Josh Hasenberg, who passed for more than 2,000 yards.
Class 7A semifinals
East St. Louis (11-1) vs. Glenbard West (12-0)
When: Noon Saturday
Where: Glen Ellyn
The skinny: A strong defense has led the Hilltoppers to this point, and it will need to perform well Saturday against a speedy East St. Louis offense that averages nearly 50 points per game. St. Rita held the Flyers to 35 points last week, but still lost on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Detchauz Wray to Kraig Appleton with 2:45 left.
Crystal Lake South (10-2) vs. Geneva (12-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Geneva
The skinny: Geneva running back Michael Ratay has rushed for more than 2,600 yards and 41 touchdowns. The Vikings, Western Sun champs, have scored over 40 points seven times this season and are averaging 36 points in three playoff wins. However, they do give up points. Crystal Lake South will need to stop the running game and move the ball offensively.
Class 6A semifinals
Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin vs. Providence Catholic
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: New Lenox
The skinny: Providence was the only team to hold Mt. Carmel to a field goal, beating them 6-3 in a rainstorm in September. That was the team’s only win in the Catholic League Blue, but the Celtics have come back strongly in the postseason. They shut out Oak Forest and No. 1 seed Rock Island, and also knocked out Joliet Catholic.
Antioch (12-0) vs. Lemont (12-0)
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Lemont High School
The skinny: A battle of unbeaten and No. 2 and 1 seeds. Antioch, the North Suburban Prairie champ, has scored 500 points, including 68 in its playoff opener against Chicago Harlan.
Class 5A semifinals
Wheaton St. Francis vs. Kankakee
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Wheaton
The skinny: Since a 42-21 loss to Lombara Montini cost the Spartans a Suburban Catholic League title, they have won eight straight. Last week’s win not only got them into the semifinals, but it was a sweet taste of revenge since the Spartans defeated Montini, 28-14.
Class 4A semifinals
Aurora Christian (12-0) vs. Richmond (8-4)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Richmond
The skinny: Aurora Christian quarterback Jordan Roberts, the all-time Illinois leader in touchdown passes and passing yardage, has led the Eagles to a memorable season. Last week, the Eagles ended Driscoll’s string of seven consecutive state titles with a 24-17 win in the quarterfinals.
Class 2A semifinals
Elmhurst Immaculate Conception (8-4) vs. Clifton Central (10-2)
When: 5 p.m. Saturday
Where: Clifton
The skinny: The Knights scraped into the postseason with a 5-4 record as the fourth Suburban Catholic team to make the playoffs, and they have taken advantage of the at-large spot. A No. 15 seed, they have put up 40 points-plus in three playoff wins.
Recruiting: Colvin a Cyclone
Chris Colvin, a highly-regarded starting guard for Whitney Young High School’s basketball team, gave a verbal commitment this week to Iowa State. He is the fourth player from Whitney Young to sign or verbally commit as a Division I recruit. Colvin is ranked as the No. 2 senior in Illinois by chicagohoops.com.
Colvin was also being recruited by Illinois, Marquette, Southern Cal and Connecticut, among others.
Volleyball: Joliet Catholic Wins 3A Title
State finals night at Normal, Ill., turned into a celebration for Joliet Catholic and a disappointment for Benet Academy.
Joliet Catholic, which until last Saturday was the only team to defeat Benet, won the Class 3A state title with a dominating 25-19, 25-14 victory over Burlington Central. The Angels finished with a 39-3 record.
“This is the ultimate dream,” senior Gina Vera told the Chicago Tribune.
Benet had 40 wins this year, including a three-set win over thrice-beaten Mother McAuley in the semifinals, but the Redwings fell to St. Charles East in the finals, 23-25, 25-22, 25-19. It was the first state title for St. Charles East, which finished the season with a 10-game winning streak.
Benet’s only previous loss was to Joliet Catholic in a mid-season tournament.
Paul Bowker covers the Chicago area for MaxPreps. He may be reached at bowkerpaul1@aol.com