Benet (5-2, 3-2 East Suburban Catholic) @ No. 18 Joliet Catholic (5-2, 4-1 East Suburban Catholic), 7:30PM.
Last week: Benet beat Carmel, 24-21; Joliet Catholic lost at Nazareth, 24-21
Storyline: Snapping its two-game losing streak to reach playoff eligibility with a 24-21 victory over Carmel, Benet looks to officially clinch its spot in the Class 7A postseason field with a road upset of Joliet Catholic.
It’ll look to do so by continuing to ride senior running back Brad Sznajder.
Toting the rock 39 times for 229 yards and a pair of TDs against the Corsairs, Sznajder is now the proud owner of both of the Redwings’ single-season and career rushing marks with totals of 1,184 and 1,998 yards, respectively.
The Redwings did enough to hold off the Corsairs, who had come in winners of three straight games, and their focus now turns to the highly regarded Hilltoppers.
Brian Bravo’s potential game-tying field goal from 37 yards out with eight seconds was blocked by Nazareth last week, pinning the first East Suburban Catholic Conference loss on the Hilltoppers with a 24-21 defeat last Saturday.
Joliet Catholic let a 14-7 halftime lead against the Roadrunners dissipate but received 120 total yards from running back Michael Johnson and a 99-yard kickoff return for a TD from Harold Davis.
Benet coach Pat New on Joliet Catholic: “For one thing I’d say they’re doing differently (from years past) is I think they’re passing the ball really effectively this year than they have in years past. It just seems like they’re really a little bit more balanced this year and that, of course, makes them more dangerous.
“I’ve noticed about JCA that they always seem to just reload with great running backs. Quite honestly, as soon as the game was over last year, I asked (Nicholas Borgra), I said, ‘What year are you?’ and he told me was a junior. I just shook my head. I think he felt like that was kind of funny because I was really impressed with him last year. He’s a heck of a football player.”
