Lincoln-Way East tore through its first seven games this season. Quarterback Jonas Williams led the offense, and lineman Jacob Alexander spearheaded the defense.
Williams (ankle) and Alexander (concussion) have missed the last two games, and the Griffins have looked very ordinary without the two stars.
‘‘Right now, we are who we are,’’ Lincoln-Way East coach Rob Zvonar said after a loss Thursday to Sandburg. ‘‘We are a 7-2 football team, and we are fading a little bit. There is no doubt about it. Reinforcements are coming, and we will see if we can get it fixed.’’
The Griffins host Stevenson in the first round of the Class 8A playoffs Friday. With Williams and Alexander back, Lincoln-Way East is a heavy favorite. Without them, it’s anyone’s game.
Williams, who set the state record for career passing touchdowns this season, was a shoo-in for Sun-Times Player of the Year honors two weeks ago. But if he doesn’t return from the injury, the competition will open up.
Trae leading the way
Carmel went 3-6 last season after getting a significant amount of preseason hype centered on quarterback Trae Taylor. The Corsairs lost their last four games, and no one was sure what to expect this season.
Taylor, a 6-3 junior, committed to Nebraska in May and has turned in a sensational season. He has passed for nearly 3,000 yards and 33 touchdowns with only three interceptions.
Most important, he has won. Carmel is 7-2 after knocking off Fenwick in Week 9.
Taylor, who picked up his first college scholarship offer when he was in seventh grade, was 26-for-39 for 302 yards with two touchdowns and one interception against the Friars. He also scored a rushing touchdown and had 10 carries for 50 yards.
Taylor repeatedly refused to slide or even head out of bounds on runs.
‘‘That’s what I felt I had to do,’’ he said. ‘‘You are going to get punched in the mouth, or you are going to punch someone in the mouth.’’
Carmel hosts Normal in the first round of the Class 7A playoffs. The Corsairs are a legitimate state-championship contender, and Taylor has a shot at Player of the Year honors — especially if Williams doesn’t return for Lincoln-Way East.
A step forward in Joliet
Joliet West and Joliet Central faced off Friday night at Joliet West. The Tigers won 60-12. Neither team is heading to the playoffs, and the football attention in the city is focused on Joliet Catholic and Providence.
But it’s a big step in the right direction that Joliet’s public schools played under the lights on a Friday. It was the first time that had happened since the early 1990s. The schools were combined as one team for 18 years. Since splitting back into two teams 14 years ago, the game has been played on a Saturday afternoon because of safety concerns.
I’m thrilled that my hometown finally figured out a way to get the game back on a Friday night. Kudos to the coaches and administrators for making it happen.
Up next
The Illinois High School Association will release the dates and times for all the first-round state playoff games Monday.
Expect a decent number of Friday games. Fremd, Downers Grove North, Batavia, Prairie Ridge, Barrington and Lincoln-Way East already have announced Friday games.
The big Loyola-Mount Carmel matchup in Class 8A is at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
Most games after the first round will be played on Saturdays, with one or two Friday games possibly popping up.