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Past results don’t matter (+ Evanston team page)
Evanston's Justin Bishop (4) tries to outmaneuver Niles West's Tommy Williams (2) in Evanston, Ill. on Friday, October 19, 2012. | Jon Durr~For Sun-Times Media
This Week
Evanston
BOYS and GIRLS
CROSS COUNTRY
Saturday
At Niles West Sectional, (B) 2:30 p.m., (G) 1:30 p.m.
FOOTBALL
Friday
At Playoffs - 1st Round at Loyola Acad., 1:45 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER
Saturday
At New Trier Sectional, 3 p.m.
Tuesday
At Glenbrook South Super-Sectional, 6 p.m.
GIRLS SWIM/DIVE
Friday
At Waukegan, 5:30 p.m.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Today
At Trinity Regional, 6 p.m.
Tuesday
At Niles North Sectional, 7 p.m.
Thursday (11/1)
At Niles North Sectional Champs, 7 p.m.
Article Extras
Updated: November 26, 2012 6:26AM
EVANSTON — The recent history of Evanston’s football series with Loyola has been decidedly one-sided.
In 2011, the Ramblers opened the campaign with a 40-0 win over the Wildkits, and then knocked Evanston out of the Class 8A playoffs with a 35-0 victory. The score also was 35-0 in favor of Loyola when the teams met in Wilmette in the 2010 season opener.
But Evanston coaches and players insist recent results will be irrelevant when the sides square off at 1:45 p.m. Saturday in the Class 8A playoff opener in Wilmette. Loyola (8-1) is the No. 2 seed and Evanston (5-4) is seeded 15th.
“The bottom line is: We have a different team than we had in previous years, and so does Loyola,” said Evanston head coach Mike Burzawa, whose team qualified for the postseason for a third straight year. “That’s what’s great about high school football. Kids move through the program and new players get an opportunity.”
Evanston junior quarterback Chris Little said he and his teammates discussed the matchup after watching the IHSA Playoff Pairings Show on Saturday night.
“We were talking about how our offense and defense are stronger than last year and the year before,” he said. “If we play like we played against Maine South (a 31-21 loss), we could come out with a ‘W.’ ”
The Oct. 6 loss to Maine South, the No. 1 seed in 8A, is one of three narrow defeats Evanston suffered against quality opponents. They also fell 14-10 to Glenbrook North and 15-9 to New Trier.
Burzawa believes those games show Evanston can play with top teams.
“We had three very tough losses, which came in the last two or three minutes (of the game) against opponents with great records,” the coach said. “The ball didn’t bounce our way, but we learned from our mistakes and have been improving.”
The coach said he was proud of the resiliency his team showed in Friday’s regular-season finale, when the Wildkits came back from 13-0 to defeat Niles West 28-21. Evanston need that win to become playoff eligible.
Little said that victory, in which he launched two long, second-half touchdown passes to junior receiver Alex Zineddine, gave Evanston confidence heading into Saturday’s game.
“I definitely think (the comeback win) is going to help,” he said. “We’ll be going into the postseason with a little more fire in our stomach.”
Names in the Game
Jay Honnold
Noteworthy efforts: The senior finished 42nd in 16 minutes, 44 seconds on Saturday at the regional race at Harms Woods to help the Wildkits qualify as a team to this weekend’s sectional at Niles West. Jame Grodzicki, who finished 51st in 16:55, is the only other senior in the team’s top seven.
Anna Hamrick
Noteworthy efforts: The senior swimmer won the 100-yard backstroke in 1:05.66 to lead the Wildkits to a 139-43 win over Guilford on Saturday in the final home meet of the season. Senior Susannah Mulhern also won an individual event, finishing first in the 100 free in 57.43.
Quick Hits
Big Numbers
2 | Seniors who scored goals in the soccer team’s 4-0 win over top-seeded Maine West in Saturday’s regional final at Niles North. Ben Adrien and Kevin Doyle both had goals to give the senior class its first regional championship.
Sound Bites
“I felt like it was a really slow start, but I thought why not go out faster? It wasn’t a planned thing. It just kind of happened.”
— Evanston sophomore runner Carl Klamm, who set the early pace Saturday at Harms Woods.
Don’t Miss
Thursday
Girls volleyball: Trinity Regional final, 6 p.m.
No. 7-seeded Evanston, will have to watch Lane take on Trinity after the Blazers knocked off the Wildkits in the regional semifinals on Tuesday.
Saturday
Cross country: Niles West Sectional. Girls at 1:30 p.m.; boys at 2:30 p.m.
Both Wilkits teams are underdogs to advance to the state meet, but some individuals, including sophomores Carl Klamm and Estaban Escabar, are contenders to qualify.
Culture Grid: Carl Klamm
Carl Klamm is a sophomore runner and the first Wildkit to cross the finish line Saturday at the regional race at Harms Woods.
What is your favorite TV show? “Funny story about that. We don’t own a TV. But I do enjoy the ‘Big Bang Theory.’ ”
What’s a song getting a lot of play right now? “ ‘My Moment,’ by DJ Drama. It’s a good song with a good flow. But I don’t listen to it before races. I am a huge visualization guy. I will sit there on the bus in silence and picture my race.”
What’s your go-to restaurant around town? “Bill’s Drive-In in Evanston. It’s a really good burger joint. They also make the best chocolate shake anywhere. They also have amazing cheese fries. It’s a real bang for your buck.”
