Ryan leading Sycamore into 5A quarters

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Joe Ryan

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Former Princeton coach Joe Ryan has guided his Sycamore Spartans into the quarterfinals for the first time in his five-year tenure.

The Spartans throttled Wheaton Academy 42-0 last week to earn a 5A quarterfinal match-up at Lombard Montini. Sycamore (8-3) is a 9 seed, Montini (7-4) a 12 seed. Gametime is 1 p.m. Saturday at Sycamore High School.

Though Ryan said the Spartans will have their hands full with Montini, they match up with them very well.

“We are very fortunate to have a combination of size and speed this year,” he said.

Ryan is 24-24 in five seasons at Sycamore, including a playoff berth in 2007 (5-5). In nine seasons at Princeton, he took three teams to the playoffs, including a 4A semifinal run in 2002.

His brother, Pat, takes his fourth straight hometown Metamora team into the quarterfinals, on the heels of first- and second-place state finishes, but are in 4A after nine appearances in 5A. The Redbirds (10-1) travel to Breese Mater Dei (10-1).

Although it would be two weeks and two wins down the road for both teams, a reunion for the Ryan brothers in the state finals, albeit in two separate classes, would certainly be a dream match-up for the first family of Metamora football.

“It would be nice if we’re both there,” Joe Ryan said.

2A clash of the Titans: When Annawan/Wethersfield takes on Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley in Saturday’s 2A quarterfinals at Wethersfield Stadium (2 p.m.) there will be one common denominator — Aledo Mercer County.

GCMS throttled Aledo Mercer County 60-19 in last week’s second round contest, the same Aledo outfit which defeated AW 32-0 back in Week 2 of the season.

Mercer County in turn, beat Bureau Valley in the playoff opener, the same Bureau Valley team which lost to Amboy/LaMoille during the season. Continuing the cycle of playoff connections, A/W beat Amboy/LaMoille last week 33-21.

AW, which merged together a year ago, marks its first venture into the quarterfinal round. Before the co-op, Wethersfield reached the quarters four times and Annawan five times. The Wethersfield Flying Geese captured the 1A crown in 2001.

Gibson City makes its sixth straight playoff appearance, but its first quarterfinal berth came since 1998.

• Gametime decision: AW coach Brandon Johnston remains hopeful to regain the services of senior FB/LB Shayne Neubert who sustained a concussion in practice Nov. 6 and sat out last week’s game. Johnston said when concussions are involved, athletes face a mandatory one week sit-out period which would leave him a gametime doctor’s decision.

• Get there early: If you’re going to Mendota for today’s 4A playoff game with Geneseo, you better get there early. ␇
Mendota school officials are anticipating a crowd of 5,000, including a strong gathering of Maple Leafs fans. Geneseo has already erected two sets of its own bleachers on the north end zone at Mendota’s Doenier Field to accommodate 600 people.

The old NCIC rivals will meet for the first time since 1981 when Geneseo made the switch from the small-school side of the NCIC (then the Southwest) to the large-school (then the Northeast, now the Reagan).

Geneseo and the rest of the Reagan division will exit the NCIC next season to form the new Northern Illinois Big 12.

Mendota is already 1-0 against Reagan teams in the playoffs with a 35-0 win over Morris. The Trojans will take the field again without star running back Kurtis Knapp, who is sidelined with an enlarged spleen contracted from a virus.

In other playoff action, Morrison battles Orion on the road at 1 p.m. in 2A and Sterling Newman (8-3) hosts 3A powerhouse Stillman Valley (11-0) at 1 p.m. at Sterling High School.

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