Senior Nico Caputo and his Riverside Brookfield High School football teammates are coming off a strange Friday in October.
They didn’t play.
With this year’s expanded state playoffs, the Bulldogs were among the 16 teams in Class 6A that received first-round byes based on their 8-1 record, which included the Upstate Eight Conference East Division title.
“Yeah, it was pretty weird, having a week off, not having a game,” Caputo said. “It was pretty nice, though, especially on our bodies this late in the season. We recover a little while still practicing every day.”
That didn’t mean football wasn’t on their minds Friday.
The Bulldogs (8-1), the No. 3 seed in their half of the bracket, began preparations for their home playoff opener against No. 14 Thornwood (6-4) at 7 p.m., Oct. 30.
The Bulldogs are seeking their first playoff victory since 2015. In the final 6A Illinois state media poll, Oct. 22, the Bulldogs were ranked No. 7. Some players actually made the trip to watch Thornwood’s 27-14 victory over No. 19 Plainfield East (5-5). Caputo and most others watched the game online.
“A few of our players did go (to the game) and obviously our coaches went,” Caputo said.
The Bulldogs’ season already has seen a 7-0 run through the Upstate Eight Conference East Division for the program’s first conference title since 2009.
Thornwood’s wins over teams with current winning records are Thornton (7-3) 31-14 in Week 9 and Hillcrest (6-4) 12-0 in the season opener. The Thunderbirds have lost to three 7-2 teams, including Sandburg 37-14, Sept. 4, two weeks after the Eagles handed RBHS its only loss this season 28-6.
“We just have to have a lot of energy and go play the best we can,” Caputo said. “We have to have a good week of practice and play well.”
LTHS football
Lyons Township senior offensive tackle Edwin Martinez was easy to find Friday. The 6-foot-2 Martinez had a big smile and short blonde hair. His offseason work has earned a starting spot with the Lions’ prolific offense, which once again shined in the 36-14 victory over Metea Valley in the 8A playoff opener Friday in Western Springs.
“I was 300 pounds, overweight, couldn’t move so I spent the offseason dedicated to losing all of this weight,” Martinez said.
“Now I’m a solid 250. I can move now, moving dudes off the ball. It’s awesome, growing up here and just to be a fan here and you get to play yourself. Now it’s finally your turn. There’s no other feeling.”
The Lions (7-3), the No. 21 seed, tries to reach to the 8A final 16 for the fifth straight year at No. 12 Perspectives (7-2) at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. After being a mainstay in this season’s 8A Illinois state media top 10 rankings, the Lions did not receive any votes, Oct. 22, after back-to-back losses to York and Downers Grove North with scoreless first halves.
The Lions took care of that Friday against No. 44 Metea (5-5) by scoring on their fourth play from scrimmage. EJ Kuhlman’s 44-yard run was the first of his four touchdowns en route to 197 rushing yards on 15 carries. The Lions led 22-0 at halftime and 29-0 after three quarters.
“The last two weeks, it was a little bit of a struggle offensively, so our entire game plan was to come out fast, come out physical,” senior two-way lineman Charlie Harrington said.
As for the blonde hair, Martinez did the short cuts and bleaching the previous Saturday with fellow starting offensive linemen Luke Vaupell, Liam Corrigan and Mason Price.
“It’s awesome, something new, something to keep us motivated until Week 1 (playoffs) and to keep rolling,” Martinez said.
Harrington, the other starting offensive tackle who has red hair, was out of town.
“(My mom) loves my red hair,” Harrington said. “They look great. It’s so funny and they also got five other guys who did it.”
Kuhlman scored on the Lions’ second possession with a 40-yard run and caught a 24-yard TD pass from quarterback Brendan McCabe by leaping for the ball with a defender who appeared to catch the ball first.
“EJ, being a senior and competitor, just ripped it out of his hands. Just a really, really awesome play,” LTHS coach Jon Beutjer said. “The goal is to continue to peak at the right time. We’re improving.”
Kuhlman then scored on a 32-yard run in the third quarter. Jack Williams had an 82-yard TD scamper with 8:22 left after his earlier TD run was nullified by a penalty. The defense came through with a key stop on the game’s opening drive after the Mustangs ate 10:07 off the clock. On fourth-and-1 from the Lions’ 21, senior linebacker Charlie Carlisle broke through for the tackle and five-yard loss.
Carlisle is a first-year varsity player as a senior.
“It’s been so much fun. I really enjoy just being out there playing with my brothers, being physical,” he said. “I just love the sport. It teaches a lot of life lessons.”
Nazareth football
Nazareth Academy (5-5), the No. 20 seed in its half of the 6A now 32-team bracket, gets a tough second game at downstate No. 4 Dunlap (8-1) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, after a 44-14 victory over No. 13 Shepard (5-5) in Friday’s opening round. In the final 6A Illinois state media poll, Dunlap shared the No. 4 ranking and the Roadrunners were No. 8.
Quarterback JJ Chapman was 8 for 11 passing Friday for 158 yards with a 48-yard TD pass to Cash Coleman (2 catches, 67 yards).
Dylan Wellner (1 yards), Gavin Hartigan (5 yards), Jack Parisi (8 yards) and Chase Carithers (31 yards) had rushing TDs and Jayden Ruth returned a punt 56 yards for a score. Billy Harding kicked a 28-yard field goal.