Caleb Smith

🟤Joliet Catholic (5-4) earned the #11 seed in 6A South and will host Bradley-Bourbonnais. The Hilltoppers rely on their tough defense and bruising run game to wear down opponents on both sides of the ball. They’ve won 2 state titles under Jake Jaworski and were the 5A runners-up in 2023 and 2024. With a win on Friday, they would visit Wheaton Warrenville South, and the Hilltoppers will be a difficult matchup for any of the teams in their quarter of the bracket. 🏈Scoring averages: Offense 19.7 / Defense 17.1 👀One player to watch: LB/RB Derrick Pomatto averaged 9 yards per carry as the lead back in a deep backfield, and the White Division DPOY will team with Ryker Czubak and the rest of the defense to focus on stopping Ky’ren Edmon 🔴Behind Enemy Lines: Bradley-Bourbonnais The Boilermakers (4-5) have lost 5 of their last 6 games, but those losses also came against teams that finished a combined 35-10. This is another run-first offense, so look for JCA to stack the box and force sophomore QB Gavin Pippin to make plays. The Boilermakers have won 4 playoff games in the last 3 years, and they were knocked out in the second round last year by St. Laurence. 🗓️Schedule: Tough - 51 opponents’ wins, 2 ranked teams, 2 RV 🏈Scoring averages: Offense 22.6 / Defense 29.0 🏆Best win: Week 1 at T.F. North, 34-7 👀One player to watch: Junior RB Ky’ren Edmon is the real deal @HilltoppersFB @JCAonline @derrick_pomatto @rykerczubak @cfk_nuk @vinthekicker @KeegCastagnoli @CalebSmithCB6 @CStuckwisc54947 @SkedelVincent @nico_gonzo99 @nick_sojka @DylanTravis_2