Football Friday Playoffs
The Playoffs are here and Football Friday is ready for a Saturday night edition. Only two local teams in the playoff field, but it should be an exciting postseason as always. Let’s get into the round one highlights.
Benet Academy at Glenbard North
On Friday night, Benet Academy traveled to Glenbard North. The Panthers with an impressive bounce back year, going 6-3 after an 0-9 season in 2018. The Redwings started the year 6-0 but three straight losses to end the season put BA on the road to start the playoffs.
All Panthers to start this game. Led by running back Jordan McQuarter, who ran for 112 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone. Glenbard North shocked the Redwings with a 35-0 lead at halftime.
Benet was able to stop the bleeding defensively in the second half with a shutout and Michael O’Connor connects with freshman wide receiver Pierce Walsh for an 81 yard touchdown. But it would be too little too late as Glenbard North ends Benet’s season after a 35-8 victory. The Redwings end the 2019 season 6-4 while Glenbard North moves on to play the number one seed Mt. Carmel.
Conant at Neuqua Valley
Moving to the Saturday afternoon game, Neuqua Valley hosting a round one playoff game for the first time since 2016. The DVC champion Wildcats are 8-1 and ready to start the post season against Conant from the Mid Suburban West Conference. The Cougars have lost three straight heading into round 1.
It did not take long for the Wildcat offense to make its presence felt, Mark Gronowski with a quick out to Patrick Hoffman, the senior shakes a tackle and breaks loose for a 65 yard touchdown. 7-0 Cats.
After the Neuqua defense forces a safety, Gronowski shows once again what a dual threat the senior signal caller can be. A 61 yard draw up the middle puts his team up 16-0 after the first quarter.
The Wildcats cruising in this one, running back Nick Pastore with a huge game in relief of Armani Moreno. He takes a 60 yard scamper down the sidelines. He would punch it in from 8 yards out later in the drive. Whenever you get a running clock in a playoff game, you’re doing something right. Neuqua Valley gets its first post season win since 2015 after a 44-6 win.
After the big victory, Neuqua Valley takes a big step up in competition during round 2. The Wildcats will travel to face the 6 seed Vikings of Homewood Flossmoor next Saturday. The Vikings defeated Curie 53-6.
Since Neuqua Valley is our only remaining team in the playoffs that means the 2019 edition of Football Friday has come to an end. You can find the highlight of next week’s game and all of the 2019 football highlights on NCTV17.com. I’d like to thank everyone who made these highlights possible every week including, Allie Kaleta, Patrick Codo, Adam Cornwell, Kevin Jackman, Anthony Yench, Ryan Risky, Christain Canizal, Logan McKee, Liz Spencer and Joe Viso. And thank you all for watching all season long. Hope to see you again in 2020, for Football Friday, I’m Justin Cornwell.
