Mike's Prediction:
It's prediction time once again. Both teams boast a high powered offense and smashmouth defense. In a game of this magnitude, I believe it will come down to who has the experience and the big time playmakers. I have to give Wheaton-Warrenville South the nod in both of these areas. This is their third consecutive trip to the state's semifinal game and the third time will truly be the charm tomorrow afternoon.
When looking for the playmakers and experience, you need look no further the Danny Dierking for both. This Perdue bound runner has rewritten the record books for the Tigers. What makes this the most impressive is the ancient records were set by Red Grange, a Hall of Fame immortal who played in the days before modern facemasks. Needless to say, it will be the legs of Dierking that will propel this offense. That said, the South offense will no simply be able to run the ball through the stingy York defense without softening up the secondary with the occasional deep bomb or play action pass by QB Michael Piatkowski.
York on the other hand has its own dominating run game capable of controlling the pace of the game and can neutralize all the Dierking talk. Fullback John Henisch weighs in at 240 pounds along with tackles Matt Bradbury and Neil Dieters, 270 and 310 pounds respectively will look to open holes for Corey DeRosa who has continually romped through the competition all year long. But in the end, I believe it will be Wheaton-Warrenville South's defense that keeps the York from running wild, and will lead their team to the Illinois championship game next week.
Chris' Prediction:
Chuck Knox once said that, "Football players win football games", and today that will be the case when these two teams butt heads at Red Grange Field. Football players like Danny Dierking and Jim O'Brien of Wheaton-Warrenville South will be asked to make plays while there defensive counterparts Patrick Rooney and Stephen Herbert are going to have the task of stopping the methodical York run game. This run game of York boasts two FBs of 240 pounds in John Hanisch and John Clark, and will have to put together some very time consuming drives in order for the Dukes of York to have a chance. In the end the offensive of York will not be able to put together such drives and Cory DeRosa (RB) and the rest of the York High team will lose 27-17 to Coach Muhitch and the Tigers of Wheaton-Warrenville South.
