Plainfield North.....a developing story?
- Thread starter pjjp
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Yeah...but they play in the Southwest Prairie. When has a team done anything in the playoffs from the Prairie not named Oswego?
PN dominated the LOS on both sides of the ball.
QB had a hot hand and kept BB's D off balance.
BB had no room to run and did not have the time to get the ball into space where their skill guys could make plays.
BB fell behind early and kept trying to make up the growing deficit in one drive instead of getting a few first downs and slowing the pace --- to many deep passes that fell incomplete.
QB had a hot hand and kept BB's D off balance.
BB had no room to run and did not have the time to get the ball into space where their skill guys could make plays.
BB fell behind early and kept trying to make up the growing deficit in one drive instead of getting a few first downs and slowing the pace --- to many deep passes that fell incomplete.
Excellent concise synopsis. Just what I was looking for to help explain this result.
Thanks for the summary. I attended the round 1 Libertyville @ BB matchup and wondered about PN's winning formula. BB's defense was susceptible to the run but had strong skill players on both sides of ball. Am surprised to hear of PN's success through the air. I'm glad for PN's win because of the on-field antics of BBs head coach during 4th quarter of our game. I hope Coach Kohl use his free time in the off-season to attend anger management sessions!
I'm a PN dad and agree the SWP teams have not had any success in the post season outside of Oswego, so it can be difficult to gage how good this PN team really is.
But, we have played Joliet West, Highland Park, and BB the last 3 weeks and completely dominated all 3 games. We are playing our best football right now and this is not the same team we had at the beginning of the season. Our defense has been GREAT since game 1 and teams will have a tough time moving the ball against our front 7 and our DB's have great skill and speed.
The difference in our team now is that our offense has become incredibly balanced and efficient. We run and pass very well now and our OC has done a great job keeping the defense off balance the entire game. Our O-Line is much improved in the run blocking game and our QB is much more experienced and comfortable running the offense.
I can't say we are the most talented team left in 7A, but i certainly wouldn't want to face PN the way they are playing right now.
But, we have played Joliet West, Highland Park, and BB the last 3 weeks and completely dominated all 3 games. We are playing our best football right now and this is not the same team we had at the beginning of the season. Our defense has been GREAT since game 1 and teams will have a tough time moving the ball against our front 7 and our DB's have great skill and speed.
The difference in our team now is that our offense has become incredibly balanced and efficient. We run and pass very well now and our OC has done a great job keeping the defense off balance the entire game. Our O-Line is much improved in the run blocking game and our QB is much more experienced and comfortable running the offense.
I can't say we are the most talented team left in 7A, but i certainly wouldn't want to face PN the way they are playing right now.
After seeing PN, I think I could make a pretty good argument that they are the most talented team in 7A after ESL.
Glenbard North was pretty talented. As a matter of fact, they were very talented. I don't know if the Henderson kid run track (I know he play for boom football) but he is very fast. I am talking track fast.
Henderson was god awful in track last year actually. Ran a 58 in the 400. They were a good team that provided challenges to ESL, but they don't have the athletes PN does at all.
Not sure what plainfield has but I have seen a few good teams play and I am not sure you can get more football athletes than was Glenbard North had. I would be more interested in Henderson 100m time opposed to his 400 time. That is a man's race (track terms for the football fans out there) so there aren't a lot of kids that can run 52 or less if you are not a track guy. Again I can challenge your statement because right now I haven't seen anything on Plainfield North. I can say for sure the only secondary that I have seen better than Glebard North was CBC with the Babb kid. With so many athletes, how did they lose to both Oswegos?
I think the main reason for their resurgence is that their QB is healthy. They played a DB at QB to fill in for the injured one for both losses. I think their coaching has also gotten better as they found their identity as well. After seeing them play, I was shocked that they lost to the Oswegos as well. PN does have their issues, but I was very impressed with them athletically.
I think you would want to see GBN live and in person before you claim PN is the most talented in 7A behind ESL.
I have seen GBN play several times and they are very impressive. I guess if you guys get past Rockford and Fenwick you will get ESL on a neutral field and we can compare the results of that vs. GBN at ESL results.
Yeah, we will see. I watched the PN v BB game and the highlights of their game against Highland Park. Haven't followed them all season but read about them after seeing their game online this week. I watched the highlights of the GBN v ESL game, so that is all I have to go on for them. I think they are a valid argument for 2nd most talented 7A team. I just think PN has the slight edge in that department from what I have seen. Just my opinion. Could be wrong.
I do think if you were to look at the results of the game between GBN and ESL to compare talent, you would get a misleading read. GBN was simply a bad matchup for ESL and their style. But GBN had a grand total of about 15 rushing yards against ESL and that included a 50 yard TD run.
Don't get me wrong... I am rooting for PN! Great story and I wish all the western suburb teams well in the playoffs
But yeah - That's what surprised me the most about the GBN/ESL game - GBN has pretty much been running it on everyone all season,....even the two games they lost in the DVC they put up 250+ rushing yards on WV and 160 rushing yards on NN.
ESL (other than 1 play) completely shut down GBN running game. GBN has a good passing game when they need it and that's what made this a down to the wire game.
I think towards the end of November one could start to make the case that ESL is the best team in the state regardless of class. That would for sure happen if Edwardsville won the 8A title and their only loss was to ESL. Still a long ways off from that and I'm not sure Edwardsville will get by GBW or Loyola.
That was a highlight for ESL and did not include some of the great things GN did to ESL. NO ONE has been able to run the ball on ESL this year. The held PC RB to 13 yards or something. They held E'ville back to 10 yards and he was averaging 180 a game. This can be said for every team they have played this year as no one has rushed for 100 yards against them. #6 from GN flat out left the CB from ESL multiple times. I have never seen a kid consistency run away from an ESL DB. I have seen missed tackles or just bad coverage however playing 10 yards off and still get beat deep by about 4 to 5 yards is very impressive.
What impresses me the most about PFN is how they are currently playing. They hung a running clock on Joliet West in Week 9. JT West then lost a close one (10-9) to Oswego in Round 1. They put up another shutout and running clock on Highland Park in Week 10. Then, they destroy previously undefeated Bradley 49-20 (it was 42-7 at half) in Bourbonnais. This is the same Bradley team who beat 8A quarterfinalist LWE rather handily in Bourbonnais. Wouldn't at all be surprised to see them make the 7A finals and a possible matchup with ESL. It's a great story, because they were 0-5 in the playoffs before this year, and the Southwest Prairie has not performed well, as whole, in the playoffs....other than Oswego.
Yes to clarify the PN Quarterback did play early in the season he just rotated time behind center and he did play the complete game against Oswego East and our team simply got beat. Since that game, this team has really settled in, found an identity, and is executing at an unbelievably high level. Since that game, we have outscored opponents 256-27 (20 came against BB) and have 4 shutouts. This team is confident and getting better with each snap. Again, i can't say we are better than any of the remaining 7A teams, but we are going to be a tough out for anyone that has to play us right now. Peaking at the right time!
Voodoo,
I believe Neuqua's head Coach Ellinghaus has two sons playing at PN, one a Jr the other a Freshman. I remember them being pretty good ball players in the age group program. Happy that coach E gets a silver lining in seeing his boys play this season out!
I believe Neuqua's head Coach Ellinghaus has two sons playing at PN, one a Jr the other a Freshman. I remember them being pretty good ball players in the age group program. Happy that coach E gets a silver lining in seeing his boys play this season out!
#6 was very good. His dad played college ball at Joliet Jr College back in 2003 when they won the national championship. I don't recall #6 beating our cornerbacks that badly. Stride for stride, our secondary is just as fast if not faster. What happens is, we can't cover. 10 yards off or not, our DBs need some work. Even Thomas. Jeff is just a phenomenal athlete. Recovery speed is off the charts. I haven't seen many that can keep up with him so there is no coaching that. ESL gave GBN 2 touchdowns...one on a blown coverage to #5 and the first score in the second when ESL was playing bump and run. That was also to #5. I think you may be getting #6 confused with #5. If we play with 2 safeties the whole game, those 2 scores don't happen. However, GBN is a run first team so the gameplan focus was to stop the run. Also, if Jeff doesn't fumble, we don't give up 2 scores but that's all a part of the game. GBN was the best team the Flyers seen since CBC..
Cool!! It must be fun to watch as a fan after spending all the time effort and energy on the Coaching front.
I've always wondered what the majority of the coaches prefer - to coach their kids,..or to just watch them as a fan/Dad. Shame he can't see more of their games live- but wow I bet there are some awesome film sessions at home!!
I keep hearing that ESL/Willobrook will be a blowout win for ESL. Now how does a team make it to the Quarterfinals and not be a quality opponent? I can't find much film on them but their schedule doesn't suck. Glenbrook north was a good team right? I would hate to make the 4 hour trip for a blowout. Are they a pass first team?
#6 is the guy that the first deep pass went to that could have been call for PI. #6 is who caught the first touchdown pass of the game. Henderson is his name. On both plays ESL corners were close to 10 yards off the ball and got beat deep. Speed is speed and that kid had a lot of it. Every corner get caught on so it is what it is. I believe in giving kids respect when they earn it. That kid can run and #1 can play as well. For group of corners that can't cover its interesting only two out of 11 teams where able to complete passes on them this year. That is less than 20%, I will take those can't cover corners any day, especially considering everybody run game was shut down this year so far.
You're aware that GBN is one of the most talented teams in the state right? I'm aware PN is still playing and that's a nice story and all but they didn't play ESL.
When I say talented, I say deep, athletic, big, and balanced. I just think PN edges GBN with all those things considered. I think GBN was one dimensional and relied on a handful or less of guys. I also think ESL shot themselves in the foot a bunch. Meanwhile PN took BB behind the woodshed. I don't know how you can laugh off PN when you obviously haven't seen them.
Maybe they will both meet up in the finals!! Looking forward to that thread Saturday nite and Sunday morning!!!!! But both teams still have a couple of games to power thru first.
The Flyers outgained the Glenbard North by more than 200 yards of total offense, but a pair of turnovers deep in their own territory -- both fumbles by Thomas -- set the Panthers up for touchdowns.
Sunkett was in ear of the All-America wide receiver, telling Thomas he owed his teammates something big. Thomas finished the game with 7 catches for 190 yards and 2 touchdowns.
"I just kept telling him 'Come on, Jeff, you owe us one,' and he said, 'I'm going to get you one.' That's Jeff Thomas, one of the best athletes in the county. That's what's expected of him. I love that kid and he brought it home for us."
Estes, a University of Missouri commit, completed 9 of 15 passes for 209 yards and rushed for 103 more. Jarrell Anderson rushed 21 times for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns.
East St. Louis held a 6-point lead at the half, but Thomas' second fumble of the game set Glenbard North up for the go-ahead score, a 45-yard pass from Shane Conway to Greg Newsome.
The Flyers got the lead back, however, with a 5-play, 43-yard drive capped by Estes' 20-yard run to the corner of the end zone to make it 26-21.
But on Glenbard North's next possession, East St. Louis left Newsome uncovered and all alone on the right sideline. Conway sped the count and hit Newsome on a quick slant that sprung him on a 77-yard touchdown sprint that put the Panthers back on top.
I don't think you did your homework. I posted part of an article from the daily herald...Newsome is #5 and he was the one making the big plays....#6 is Henderson and is better on defense. I sat with his dad the whole game. I eat and sleep high school football, especially the Flyers.
No one said powerhouse. Just outlining why I believe PN is slightly more talented. If you can't understand that at this point I don't know what to tell you.