Every game is a new adventure, every triumph a trip to Disneyland.
These are the teams sometimes known as playoff fodder, the lowest seeds that are supposed to get stomped by the postseason giants.
They are Cinderellas at a monster ball.
But Benet said, “Forget it,” with a 28-26 first-round victory over No. 1 seed Harper in Class 6A.
The Redwings and Watseka are the only No. 8 seeds still playing, with Benet (6-4) in Burbank on Saturday to face Reavis.
“Some people might overlook us, but we believe in ourselves,” said Benet running back Chris Martin, who has rushed for four touchdowns, caught five TD passes, returned two punts and one kickoff for TDs. “We always come out thinking we should win because we know what we’re capable of.”
Earlier this season, Benet lost to No. 1 Carmel 21-14 and to No. 14 Joliet Catholic 9-6 after leading 6-2 with 1 minute 49 seconds left. The Redwings from west suburban Lisle were 12 points away from finishing the regular season at 9-0.
“The pressure is on every other team to beat us,” Benet coach Gary Goforth said.
There are several other teams that could continue springing upsets with their nothing-to-lose attitude.
Glenbard South
“Beating a team that has won 10 state titles–it was one of the best feelings you could have,” Raiders running back Eric Seals said after last week’s 33-0 upset of Mt. Carmel. “It pumped us up when the newspapers were writing about a Mt. Carmel-versus-St. Rita matchup.”
According to coach Jerry Barton, a former Mt. Carmel assistant, team speed and a two-platoon system have been the mainstays for one of the playoffs’ best-kept secrets.
“We could be the biggest surprise in the playoffs because nobody was looking for us to get past the first round,” said Barton, whose 7-3 team will be the underdog against No. 10 St. Rita on Saturday. “To get ready for Rita, I thought we might go up to Madison and scrimmage Wisconsin.”
Glenbard South’s no-huddle offense has helped Seals rush for 1,260 yards and 31 touchdowns while quarterback T O’Shea has passed for more than 1,100 yards.
Riverside-Brookfield
This wild bunch coached by Otto Zeman could open the game with an onside kick and considers a fourth-down fake punt as part of its regular offense. The No. 7 seed upset second-seeded Geneseo Darnall 31-30 and has its sights set on No. 3 Rock Island Alleman on Saturday in Brookfield.
Igniting the five-receiver, no-running-back attack is Northern Illinois-bound QB Britt Davis, who has 2,895 yards and 28 TDs passing as well as 510 yards and six TDs rushing. All-State receiver Joey Coia has 48 catches for 1,111 yards and seven TDs. He has also rushed for six TDs and scored on a punt and kickoff return. D.J. Wilson has 55 catches for 1,025 yards and 12 TDs and one kick-return touchdown.
Evanston
The seventh-seeded Wildkits are hungry for redemption in their rematch with longtime rival New Trier in Round 2 of the 8A playoffs.
“People around school and athletes in other sports have told me we don’t have a chance against New Trier,” Evanston quarterback Bryan Kelly said. “Then, if we do win on Saturday, everyone figures we’ll lose to Maine South the following week. It makes all of us want to work that much harder to prove them all wrong.”
Looking to atone for a 20-17 overtime loss to the Trevians two weeks ago are Wildkits back Alex Brown and receiver Jody Ellis. Evanston’s defense is led by 6-foot-2-inch, 245-pound junior linebacker Tim Reed.
