A brief preview of second-round high football games on Saturday involving Pantagraph-area teams
Class 6A football playoffs: Crete-Monee vs. NCHS
Time and place: 1 p.m., Normal
Records: Crete-Monee 9-1; Normal Community 8-2
Playoff experience: Crete-Monee - 12th appearance, fifth consecutive, 3-11 all-time in playoffs; NCHS - 24th appearance, 14th consecutive, 35-22 all-time in playoffs.
FYI: No. 11 seed NCHS rushed for 379 yards while knocking off sixth-seeded Oak Forest, 41-24, last week at Oak Forest. Third-seeded Crete-Monee rolled over Chicago Julian, 66-8, and is seeking to get past the second round of the playoffs for the first time. The Warriors, ranked No. 7 in the 6A state poll, have run for 2,017 yards, led by running backs Cortez Scott (780 yards, 14 TDs), Julius Spicer (556, 6) and Greg Barksdale (254, 10). Scott also has caught 16 passes for 304 yards and four scores. The defensive front is keyed by Eddie Tate (10 sacks) and Rodney Reed (13 tackles for loss).
Quoting: "Every time you watch film of them, it's like watching Danville. They are extremely athletic, maybe even more so than Danville. The great thing for us is our conference (Big 12) was very good this year. We've seen the athletes and the physicality. That's prepared us very well for it." - NCHS coach Wes Temples.
Class 2A: Mercer County vs. GCMS
Time and place: 2 p.m., Gibson City
Records: Aledo (Mercer County) 8-2; Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley 9-1
Radio: WGCY-FM (106.3)
Playoff experience: Mercer County - 17th appearance, 13th consecutive, 42-13 all-time in playoffs; GCMS - 10th appearance, sixth consecutive, 4-9 all-time in playoffs.
FYI: No. 7 seed Mercer County is led by 5-9, 145-pound senior quarterback Brett Anderson, who has completed 62 percent of his passes (91 of 147) for 1,375 yards and 16 touchdowns with two interceptions. He also has run for 225 yards and four TDs, including a 1-yarder with less than 25 seconds left in last week's 22-19 win over Bureau Valley. Second-seeded GCMS, a 25-6 first-round winner over Port Byron Riverdale, relies heavily on running back Michael Romshek (1,370 yards rushing, 18 TDs; 384 yards receiving, 4 TDs) and quarterback Stephan Birt (732 yards rushing, 928 passing, 23 combined TDs).
Quoting: "We're going to have to try to put pressure on (Anderson). We've seen game film where his big offensive line has given him all day to throw and he's picked teams apart. We also have to do it in a smart way because he can run. If you don't keep containment on him, he's off to the races." - GCMS coach Mike Allen.
Class 1A: Alexis United vs. Heyworth
Time and place: 1 p.m., Heyworth
Records: Alexis United 9-1; Heyworth 7-3
Radio: WHOW (1520 AM, 92.3 FM)
Playoff experience: Alexis United - fifth appearance, second consecutive, 5-3 all-time in playoffs; Heyworth - fifth appearance, third consecutive, 2-4 all-time in playoffs.
FYI: Second-seeded Alexis United, ranked ninth in the Associated Press 1A state poll, needed overtime to edge Flanagan-Cornell-Woodland 21-20 in the first round. Running back Adam Olin rushed for 136 yards and three touchdowns, giving him 1,443 yards and 24 TDs this year. Aaron McDonald (726 yards) and Geoffrey Hahn (679) have combined for nine touchdowns. Sixth-seeded Heyworth upset No. 3 Princeville, 20-13, last week. The Hornets' strong rushing attack is fueled by senior Jase Wilson, who has 938 yards and 13 TDs in eight games.
Quoting: "If our (offensive) line plays well, I think we should have a good chance of winning. Our backs have to run hard. United has three good backs as well. Defensively, we've been playing really aggressive. We need to keep up the intensity and stop their backs." - Heyworth coach Mark Hancock.