Meadows keeps even perspective

Rolling Meadows hasn't forgotten where and when its season ended last year.

But tonight's Mid-Suburban East football showdown at Prospect is also not the game the Mustangs want to look back at as their most memorable.

"Our coaches have been telling us whatever happens in this game, this isn't it," said Meadows senior receiver-defensive back Ty Kirk. "It's important, but it isn't as important …"

As other goals the undefeated and top-ranked Class 7A team in the state has in mind.

"We know it's just one game and it doesn't make or break our season," said Meadows senior quarterback Ben Sabal. "But it is definitely a little sweeter to get this one because it's such a good rivalry."

One where Prospect had the upper hand twice last year -- 28-2 in the regular season en route to a second straight Mid-Suburban East title and 20-0 in the 7A quarterfinals in Mount Prospect.

Two years ago, Prospect won 10-7 in the final minute in the regular-season finale for the East crown.

"The last few years they've been the team to beat and our rivals," Sabal said. "They'll be the No. 1 team in the conference until someone in the conference beats them."

Meadows coach Doug Millsaps hopes having a large crew of players who have experienced a deep playoff run pays off in the school's first East title since it won its only division crowns in 1999 and 2000.

"I don't care what their record is," Millsaps said of the 3-2 Knights. "They are well-coached and they do everything right. They fly around the football all the time and that is a big difference.

"Now is the time for these seniors to play. But we know it will be tough."

Prospect will get running back-linebacker Pat Mack and two-way lineman Sean Wheeler back from injury. Coach Brent Pearlman said he wasn't sure exactly what role Mack will play -- particularly on offense -- but he will probably start on defense.

Pearlman likes what he's seen with the hard running of Mason Pack, who has three straight 100-yard games. But he's still looking for more across the board.

"There's plenty of talent here … but we haven't reached our full potential yet," Pearlman said. "I haven't seen this team ignite. There's a lot of potential but this team hasn't ignited yet."

Meadows hopes to keep that from happening and return the favor of having its homecoming spoiled last year. And yes, players have been thinking about this one for a while.

"I was wondering when we were going to play them this year," Kirk said of the trip home after last year's playoff game.

Now this year is here.

Wrestling with success: Fremd senior defensive end Bryan Opitz thinks he's pinned down part of the reason for his unit's success.

The Vikings' front line features three of its heaviest wrestlers in Opitz, John LaPointe and Ben Perna.

"That helps a lot," Opitz said after the Vikings' 35-14 win over Barrington.

The interesting twist going into tonight's cross-town clash with Palatine is standout junior linebacker Ryan Cortez is the son of Fremd head wrestling coach Ralph Cortez.

"He'd better be wearing scarlet and grey," Palatine coach Tyler Donnelly said with a laugh about Cortez' dad.

But the one common denominator of this year's matchup is stingy defenses.

Palatine's is much improved behind Cortez, defensive end Monroe Brooks, cornerback Kurt Handzel and senior Ryan Hourigan, who has moved from defensive end to inside linebacker.

It's given Palatine much more to play for this year than just bragging rights.

"We'll have to play really well to beat Fremd," Donnelly said. "They're used to winning, but it seems every team we play, the kids don't get intimidated by that stuff.

"It's a little more fun going in with some momentum."

Momentum such as this is nothing new for Fremd, which is coming off a big win over Barrington.

But this is another big test that Fremd coach Mike Donatucci said could match the excitement of 1995 when Palatine held on for a 6-0 win and the MSL North title in the regular-season finale.

"It's good for us as a team because you have to learn how to stay at a benchmark," Donatucci said. "You can't be playing up and down, up and down, up and down."

And Donatucci knows no one is looking down at a Palatine team that beat Prospect in overtime and challenged undefeated Lake Forest and Rolling Meadows to the final minute.

"They're not sneaking up on anybody anymore," Donatucci said. "They've worked hard to gain this level of respect and now when they come into a game people are going to be ready for them."

Familiar spot: Losing to Fremd the last two years hasn't turned Barrington's season into a lost cause.

Barrington coach Joe Sanchez hopes his team can make a positive out of a negative again.

"It seems all it's done is it's motivated us to go on a great run," Sanchez said of consecutive 8A quarterfinal trips. "We'll take that same approach here and keep getting better and go from there."

But Sanchez would prefer to take a different route after the Broncos lost to the Vikings for the seventh time in eight tries.

"I'm tired of always being on the short end of the stick here against those guys," Sanchez said with a rueful grin. "But my hat's off to Mike (Donatucci) and his staff.

"We fought hard for a half and made it a game and unfortunately in the second half it got a little away from us. That's what happens when you play a great program like that."

Keeping them on edge: A bunch of front-runners don't have Leyden off to a 4-1 start and in position for its first playoff berth since 1998.

The Eagles' 24-21 win over Willowbrook on Mike Feldmann's 26-yard field goal with 40 seconds left was its third second-half comeback.

Standout running back Josh Serrano tied it with a 3-yard touchdown run with 4:11 to play.

"Being able to come back in the fourth quarter really shows you the character of this team," said Leyden coach Tom Cerasani. "We have a lot of heart."

And Cerasani said a lot of smarts have also played into the Eagles' best start in nearly a decade.

"This team has stuck to what we've stressed all year," Cerasani said. "Believe in the scheme, believe in your teammates and believe in your coaches and you'll come out on top.

"I've told the kids we're not good enough to just show up. But when we play the way we're capable of playing we're a pretty good team."

The name game: Fremd junior running back Mike Gyetvay's name might be a bit of a misnomer with a running style more along the lines of get out of his way rather than jet away.

"He's just a truck," said senior teammate Bryan Opitz after Gyetvay's career-high 163 yards and 3 touchdowns on 29 punishing carries against Barrington.

The hard-running Gyetvay is fueled with pretty good bloodlines, too. His dad Mike was a three-year letterwinner at Syracuse.