Last Saturday at around 9:00 pm, Lake Forest Scout fans crowded around their TV’s and computers in anticipation of a Scouts playoff berth. It was noted that either Lake Forest or Crystal Lake Central would clinch the final spot in the class 6A bracket, but that was not the case. Crystal Lake took the 16 seed, which made it seem like at the time that the Scouts didn’t make it, but moments later the blue and gold announced as the 15 seed, providing a sigh of relief across Lake Forest. The Scouts will take on the Riverside-Brookfield Bulldogs, who they destroyed last year in the first round of the playoffs, 40-7. However, things have changed. The Bulldogs are coming off a very impressive (8-1) season, with their one loss coming against Immaculate Conception in Elmhurst. Also, with the absence of middle linebacker John Deering, other Scouts will be forced to step up on the defensive side of the ball. This will be a much different matchup than last year’s playoff game. The Bulldogs of Riverside-Brookfield have improved in numerous categories, but it still isn’t enough to take them off of upset alert.

Led by Head Coach Brendan Curtin, the Bulldogs finished second in their conference behind the aforementioned IC. It has been a season full of positives for Curtin and his squad, but just like any other team, Riverside-Brookfield possess some weaknesses. One of the biggest concerns–especially at the beginning of their season–was their defense, while the Bulldogs offense needed to pick them up quite a bit in the early stages of the season.

According to Edgytim.com, the Riverside-Brookfield Bulldogs only have one returning starting back, Jimmy Mizura, on defense. Therefore, the main focus for the Bulldogs coaching staff in the offseason was to get their inexperienced defense in a position where they would be able to prevent huge scoring outbreaks from teams in their conference. For the most part, it seems like Riverside-Brookfield’s defense has become more comfortable on the field, but one of the biggest unanswered questions is: will the intensity of a playoff game throw them off guard? Their past two games show no reason for them to slow down in their biggest game of the year. Last week, they only allowed 7 points against Glenbard South and the week prior let up only 14 points against St. Edwards. Coincidentally, both of those teams finished the regular season with a 5-4 record, just like the Scouts. Among the players to watch for on the Bulldogs is the 6’1’’ senior Anthony Walsh. According to the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark, Walsh had seven tackles in last weeks win. If Walsh can get going, he could play a big role for Riverside-Brookfield tonight. Overall, the defense has had a better year than many expected. They had one slip up against IC when they gave up 45 points, but have remained poised against near .500 teams. I do not see inexperience playing a big role in tonight’s game.

Headlined by star quarterback Hunter Hughes, the Bulldogs’ offense has been one of the main reasons why they have only suffered one loss this season.  Hughes has been terrific in the pocket this season and is a very good decision maker when looking downfield, leading to a very low INT rate. With the regular season in the books, Riverside-Brookfield scored an average of 32.11 points per game (PPG), which is astonishingly high at any level. One of the reasons why Hughes and the rest of this offense has been able to score so much is because of their 5’9’’ senior running back Nick De Nodal. In last week’s game against Glenbard South, De Nodal had a momentous 75 yard touchdown run to cap off a night where he rushed for 142 yards on 14 carries. Lake Forest will need to set the tone tonight and limit the Bulldogs’ running game and force Hunter Hughes to throw the ball often. The one x-factor to watch for tonight will be Zachary Vaia. The 5’10’’ Junior who wears #15 on his jersey is one of Hughes’s favorite targets. Especially if the Scouts can limit the Bulldogs running game, expect Vaia to rack up plenty of receiving yards based on the amount of times he will be targeted.

This team is much improved compared to last year. Their somewhat new defense has stepped up in a critical way this season, allowing their punishing offense to take over games early in the contest. This, in theory, will be the toughest team the Scouts have faced since Lake Zurich, but remember, Lake Forest is coming in hot having won their past three games. An upset is entirely possible.

At 2-4 coming off a loss to the Lake Zurich Bears, the Lake Forest Scouts varsity football team needed to win their remaining three games in order to have a chance at making it to the playoffs. After a nail-biting finish resulted in a W at Zion-Benton, the Scouts went on to defeat Mundelein and destroy Waukegan. Now, with momentum on their side, Lake Forest is one game win away from pulling off the upset of the 6A tournament, but will have to do so without one of their best players on defense.

Believe it or not, the Lake Forest Scouts did leave Waukegan with one major loss. John Deering, who has performed at an elite level this season on defense, left Waukegan high school with an injury. Regarding the defensive star’s injury, head coach Chuck Spagnoli said “it is safe to assume that he won’t play tonight,” and later Deering added that he would be inactive for tonight’s game. The middle linebacker has been a huge staple in Lake Forest’s defense and their strong performances this season; Deering will be very tough to replace for Coach Spagnoli and the rest of the Scouts’ coaching staff. This likely means that Bryan Ooms will play more defense than he will on offense as a running back. Now, without a reliable MLB, Nick De Nodal along with the rest of the Bulldogs offense could really expose the Scouts defense, but the defensive line and linebackers have to answer the bell tonight to keep the Bulldogs in check. The effect of not having Deering on the field tonight will be something to watch for in tonight’s game.

After a rough beginning to conference play, the Scouts offense has truly bounced back, scoring an average of 32.67 points in their past three contests. Granted, Riverside-Brookfield is much better than any of the three teams the Scouts beat at the end of the season, but Lake Forest has momentum going against a defense with very little playoff experience. If the Scouts can set the tone early by scoring a couple touchdowns, they could definitely set themselves up for a potential upset victory. Jack Mislinski will need to make smart choices when passing, while Jacob Thomas and the rest of the Scouts running game will need to make a considerable impact.

To sum things up, the Scouts do have a chance to upset the Bulldogs, but a lot needs to go right for them to have a chance at winning this game without their defensive captain.  If the Bulldogs defense comes out sloppy and the Scouts can shut down Hunter Hughes and the rest of Riverside-Brookfield’s offense, then Lake Forest could put themselves in a position where they could upset the #2 seed in the 6A tournament and move on to likely face Hoffman Estates High School. Come out to Brookfield, Illinois tonight at 7:00 pm to hopefully catch the first of many playoff games for Lake Forest.

Players To Watch For:

Bryan Ooms: Ooms will likely play more defense than usual tonight. He will be limited on offense due to Deering’s absence on the other side of the ball. Watch for him to step up and make some big plays for the Scouts defense.

Jacob Thomas: The junior running back, who coincidentally celebrates his birthday today, will get more carries than usual tonight with Ooms on defense for the majority of the contest. Thomas has only made improvements this season and will need to get going for the Scouts to have a chance at winning.

Scouts Defensive Line: The Scouts defensive line will need to put a lot of pressure on Hunter Hughes. The standout QB is great in the pocket and makes few mistakes under pressure. Limiting his time in the pocket will lead to fewer targets. Look for Spencer Yauch and Shannon Charleston to lead the d-line’s attack.

Jack Mislinski: Mislinski has been electric in his past two games. Watch for him to lead his team down the field many times tonight creating scoring chances. Playoff games are often won by smart quarterback play, and tonight will be no exception. 

About the Bulldogs:

Record: (8-1)

Coach: Brendan Curtin

Conference: Metro Suburban Conference

Enrollment: 1,600

Furthest IHSA Playoff Advancement: 6A Quarterfinalists (’16, ’15, ’14, ’10, ’09, ’08)