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1990 JCA vs Morris. Morris and JCA were both ranked in top 5 in state. I believe Morris was also ranked pretty high nationally. It was a beautiful day and 8,000+ showed up at Memorial Stadium to watch a Mike Alstott led JCA beat Morris 36-10
Played against Greg Bradshaw in 83 and Woodstock went on to win state. I don’t remember thinking they’d be good enough to go all the way but they did.1976....Year 3 of the postseason. In the Wednesday round of the 4A playoffs (5A was for biggest schools back then) host Zion-Benton beat Woodstock 29-28.
These were not awesome teams as Z-B was easily ousted in the next round three days later. But for drama and a miracle finish, you will be hard-pressed to top the Z-B victory.
It was 43 years ago so sadly I can’t remember the details well other than the following:
Zion-Benton scored two touchdowns in the final minute (onside kick recovered) without Woodstock running an offensive play and won it with a Hail Mary pass into the end zone and a PAT kick with no time on the clock.
The lasting vision 43 years later is of the Woodstock defensive players sprawled out in the end zone in frustration and disappointment on consecutive plays .., the successful Hail Mary and then the ensuing PAT kick.
Bob Bradshaw was Woodstock’s legendary coach back then and I would guess he might say this loss was one of the most heartbreaking and frustrating of his career.
A half-dozen or so years later, Woodstock won it all, I believe with Beadshaw’s son leading the team at QB. The younger Bradshaw went on to play QB at Northwestern.
Forty-three years ago... i wish I could remember more details but I was in the jammed Z-B stands.
I am not positive but I think back then, home field in the Wednesday round was decided by a coin flip and that Woodstock had the better team on paper but suffered heartbreak in the field.
Again, not great teams, but s great finish, if this is what you were looking for.
1992: School was out, game was on! Great MC win!
https://4.files.edl.io/aa04/08/09/19/144717-d2c54cf2-4730-41ec-92e8-aa8c2ea3f687.pdf
Lost that year in a great battle to Bishop Mac in the Quarters.
Most of the kids were Juniors in 1992, went undefeated in 1993 for the 4A Championship
The only one I really remember was the 1988 matchup of Aurora Central versus Yorkville. Not sure how many remember the story behind Robert Vaughn and Yorkville, but coming home to play against ACC was pretty special. I had a ton of friends that both went and played for ACC, as well as, knowing Robert in Jr High and friends with his brother. The ACC kids starting getting a bit personal and Robert ended up silencing the crowd with his performance on the field. Vaughn's story is one of truly good ones.
Yes, he did and he has become quite successful. I played in a flag football league with a few years after graduation, which was pretty cool having an all-Big 12 Dback playing in a rec league. Here's an article I pulled up today.I was pretty young but remember that Yorkville team and some of the Vaughn story. Yorkville played Wilmington the 2nd round which was Wilmington’s best playoff win for a long time. Vaughn went on to play for Kansas. That might have been Yorkvilles last year in the old I8.
I remember seeing highlights of the game on the news1990 JCA vs Morris. Morris and JCA were both ranked in top 5 in state. I believe Morris was also ranked pretty high nationally. It was a beautiful day and 8,000+ showed up at Memorial Stadium to watch a Mike Alstott led JCA beat Morris 36-10
Dempsey Norman stud at TildenHow about worst Wednesday playoff game - 1982 Tilden came up North to play Deerfield on a wet cold afternoon. Tilden left with a 27-21 victory. I believe it was the first time a CPS school beat a suburban school in the playoffs.
Yes he was. I believe he went on to play at Michigan State.Dempsey Norman stud at Tilden
Best one was St. Rita traveled to St. Pats in 1988 at Hanson Stadium St. Rita was 9-0 and St. Pats was 5-4 or 6-3 but SR was on the road, does anyone know why? I don’t know the answer. Anyway, game was on Comcast or whatever it’s equivalent was back then.
Now to the game itself. SR was clear favorites but the Shamrocks pretty much had the Mustangs on the ropes all game. SR had a senior kicker but needed a 50 yard fg so they used the junior kick off kicker Brian Courtney with the bigger leg. He nailed it with a couple minutes left to make it 15-8.
St. Pats then travels 98 yards in two minutes and score a TD making it 15-14. Coach Gruber of St. Pats opts to go for 2 and the win and junior Defensive linemen Brian Hamilton (who ends up as an all-American his senior year and ND for college ball) slips in and tackles Figueroa for a loss.
The game was at night on the parking lot turf under the yellow lights of Hanson Stadium and was one of the best games I have ever seen. Anyone know why St. Rita was on the road for that one? Were Wednesday game hosts decided by coin flip or something?
I was at that game. I recall Sterling had great team speed. Definitely one of the better Wednesday games I've seen.Any JCA guys remember the ‘83 game against Sterling? I wasn’t even a thought yet so I wasn’t around but I believe this one was a great (possibly) Wednesday game. Pretty sure JCA had a late td pass in the end to win 26-21.
It was almost unfair to ask a defense to try and stop Rick Thayer on the 30 & 31 Buck that year.Sadly, we had to meet Joliet Catholic and Rick Thayer the following Saturday.
You won’t find many people with EA playoff memories.1980 6A Preliminary..The Willowbrook Warriors Co-Champions (with Hinsdale South) of the Des Plaines Valley League, travel to Aurora to take on the 8-1 Upstate Eight champion East Aurora Tomcats coached by John Wrenn in a night game, and win 27-22...Down 22-21 with little over a minute left in the game and facing a 4th and long from their own 46 yard line, Warriors RB Torsten Boss breaks loose and rambles 54 yards for the winning score. The Warriors playoff run would be short lived as they would exit the dance in the next round 31-11 in Villa Park to the Conant Cougars...
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-09-24-8603110571-story.htmlYes he was. I believe he went on to play at Michigan State.
Not the younger generation...but the generation before them are still strong supporters of Tomcats athletics especially football and basketball...Things changed around those parts and so did the success of the football program....they have a nice stadium now...You won’t find many people with EA playoff memories.
Not the younger generation...but the generation before them are still strong supporters of Tomcats athletics especially football and basketball...Things changed around those parts and so did the success of the football program....they have a nice stadium now...[/QUOTE
Oh I’m aware. I’m went there, and was still pretty involved until my kids starting growing up. Hell my house was built by the QB last led EA to the playoffs
Best one was St. Rita traveled to St. Pats in 1988 at Hanson Stadium St. Rita was 9-0 and St. Pats was 5-4 or 6-3 but SR was on the road, does anyone know why? I don’t know the answer. Anyway, game was on Comcast or whatever it’s equivalent was back then.
Now to the game itself. SR was clear favorites but the Shamrocks pretty much had the Mustangs on the ropes all game. SR had a senior kicker but needed a 50 yard fg so they used the junior kick off kicker Brian Courtney with the bigger leg. He nailed it with a couple minutes left to make it 15-8.
St. Pats then travels 98 yards in two minutes and score a TD making it 15-14. Coach Gruber of St. Pats opts to go for 2 and the win and junior Defensive linemen Brian Hamilton (who ends up as an all-American his senior year and ND for college ball) slips in and tackles Figueroa for a loss.
The game was at night on the parking lot turf under the yellow lights of Hanson Stadium and was one of the best games I have ever seen. Anyone know why St. Rita was on the road for that one? Were Wednesday game hosts decided by coin flip or something?
1992: School was out, game was on! Great MC win!
https://4.files.edl.io/aa04/08/09/19/144717-d2c54cf2-4730-41ec-92e8-aa8c2ea3f687.pdf
Lost that year in a great battle to Bishop Mac in the Quarters.
Most of the kids were Juniors in 1992, went undefeated in 1993 for the 4A Championship
Nothing better than 3 games in 8 days. Loved itOld days... Wednesday games....
Did the IHSA determine everything “random”? Parings, home field etc...?
I was a Junior when he was a Senior. Kid was a load. Glad to see he made good with his life. I remember our D Coordinator preaching all week that Vaughn wasn’t going to get 100 yards against us that year. Think they beat us 21-6 or something. Next day film session, we go over film and of course we are getting an earful. Films get over and one of my buddies, who could never miss a chance to dig up a laugh, raises his hand and says “well coach one good thing about last night, Vaughn didn’t get 100 yards, he had 200”. I think we ran sprints after films for the first time that season at that point lolYes, he did and he has become quite successful. I played in a flag football league with a few years after graduation, which was pretty cool having an all-Big 12 Dback playing in a rec league. Here's an article I pulled up today.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1993-11-21-9311210269-story.html