Matchup: First round Class 7A playoffs, 31st-seeded Niles North (5-4) vs. second-seeded Young (9-0) at Lane, 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30
How they got here: Niles North won five games and its 40 playoff points were enough to qualify, while Young won the Big Shoulders conference to capture an automatic berth.
Niles North stat leaders:
QB: Sr. Markhus Taylor, 101-for-173 (58.4 percent), 1,517 Yds, 8.8 Yds/Att, 19 TD, 8 INT
RB: Sr. Barrington Wade, 170 Att, 1,586 Yds, 9.3 Avg, 12 TD
WR: Jr. Jordan LaBelle, 36 Rec, 523 Yds, 14.5 Avg, 8 TD
Telling number: 1992 — That was the last season that Niles North won a playoff game, beating Senn 29-8. The Vikings, who lost 45-0 to Loyola in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs in 1992, then went 22 years without getting to the postseason until they qualified for the Class 7A playoffs last season. But Niles North suffered a 52-14 loss to Cary-Grove in the first round.
Behind the numbers: Niles North earned its entrance into the playoffs with its 42-29 win over Highland Park in Week 9. It was the team’s fourth victory against a team with a losing record. Niles North’s lone win against a playoff-eligible team was a 63-32 victory over Shepard in the opening week. The Astros finished 5-4.
Under the radar player to watch: Sr. FB/DE Jerome Guy — He has only one carry all season and no catches, but Guy is an important cog in Niles North’s high-powered offense, which averages 43.3 points a game. The 5-foot-9, 197-pound Guy is the lead blocker for Wade, senior Richard Azunna and senior Craig “Dutch” Dawkins. With Guy showing the way, the Vikings average 318 yards on the ground a game and 8.3 yards per attempt. Wade is an Iowa recruit.
Sound bite: “We are playing really well on the offensive side of the ball. Our defense has improved dramatically, but we’re still giving up too many big plays.” — Niles North coach Mark Egofske
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