Sadly, no surprise from STCN in the quarters at Glenbard West.

Better team won the game but it sure woulda been nice to see North take care of the football a little better and put more pressure on Glenbard West to execute.

Still a very nice season for North, especially with all the ups and downs those guys went through. Last team left standing in the Tri-Cities ... Sly's hat is off to the North Stars.

OK, North's body isn't even cold yet, but Sly was never accused of being the most tactful fox in the room. So let's wrap up this football season in style, shall we.

Sly wants to hear your guys' final thoughts on three questions:

1. Who should be the Chronicle's Football Player of the Year this season?

2. Who did the best coaching job this season?

3. If you HAD to get your bet down now, which area team will be strongest in 2010? Coach Sly knows the offseason will make a huge difference, but doesn't hurt to hazard some guesses based on who people have coming back.

There might be 8 or 10 people around these parts that think St. Charles North is going to be beat Glenbard West on Saturday (not counting the North team, of course). For the rest of us, might be time to start winterizing our brains.

Coach Sly's fine that that ... basketball is a great sport to watch at the high school and college level, and we're going to have some nice squads to watch this winter.

The Batavia boys are going to be very good, better than last year Sly believes. Sly thinks Kaneland is going to have its best team in years. St. Charles North has the chance to be pretty good again and will have maybe the best player in the area in Mikes, long as he steers clear of the free safeties and linebackers for another week or two.

On the girls side, Geneva is still where it's at. Wicinski and Augustine's combined winning percentage in all their sports has got to be, what, like .867? Thirty wins again? Could be. Sly also thinks the St. Charles East girls are gonna have one of their best years in a while, and Rosary has a nice thing goin', too.

Who do you guys think are gonna be some of the best newcomers this year and top surprise teams?

Girls hoops starts in less than a week, and the boys tip off one week later.

No more monkeys jumpin' on the bed, or on the back of North coach Mark Gould now that the North Stars have shown they know how to take off their shoes, kick up their feet and stay a while in the playoffs.

Losing that game late woulda brought North to its knees, and Coach Sly salutes that North defense for making some big-time plays in money time to send Elk Grove home. Making the quarters is a special achievement, and North has done it without a couple of its top guys available. Props to all the North Stars for showin' some grit and beating a couple pretty strong teams to advance.

Geneva is too good a program to feel that great about any loss, but looks to Sly like the Vikings have proven to everyone that their program remains rock solid, knockin' WWS around in the second half.

You can't dig that kinda hole against a great team, though. Shame Geneva didnt give itself a better opportunity to do something special by falling behind so big early.

Still, not many teams woulda had the you-know-what to make that game a fight after falling behind huge against a team that good. The Vikings are a special program.

Crazy to think the next time the Vikings take the field, they'll be an Upstate Eight team.

Speaking of crazy, that Marmion score is a puzzler. Cadets fans, what gives?

Marmion had been playing so well. To get smoked by a three-loss team is a shocker.

One team left. That makes Sly an unhappy camper, but one 5-yard completion from them Grens and it could be none.

The St. Charles North football program has never made it to the state quarterfinals. High time North changes that, and North has a prime chance to do that Friday against Elk Grove Village.

Can anyone tell Sly why North shouldn't be considered a threat to not only beat Elk Grove, but be a bona fide threat against anyone they play? It's a team that doesn't have many weakness, far as Sly can tell. Strong line play, good team speed, dangerous skill position players. It hasn't always been smooth for North this year, but why not think big, North Stars?

Pressure's off Geneva for a change. Sly thinks the Vikings play a very respectable game against Wheaton Warrenville ... might not be enough, but Sly would be surprised if Geneva lets this one get too far outta hand as long as they are sound defensively in their assignments and tackling, like they usually are. Geneva's QB is gonna have to be on his game as well, and a couple of those receivers have to make themselves dangerous. Pounding away all day won't cut it against Wheaton Warrenville.

Sly'd love to hear from some Marmion enthusiasts about the Cadets' chances up in McHenry Co. Any nerves about this game? A lot of people are already thinking about Marmion and Cary-Grove in the semis, but a lot of times the matchups people are most lookin' forward to fail to come about.

Speaking of which, Sly's a little bummed there's no Geneva-STCE volleyball matchup in the sectional final. Good luck to the Saints against York on Thursday, but it's a shame the Vikings couldn't hold up their end, especially with such a senior-heavy group.

Some surprises, some no-brainers in the first round of the playoffs.

Color Sly surprised that Kaneland had its clock cleaned by Sycamore tonight. A close loss, Sly could see, but to be picked apart by a team you beat ... makes you go hmmmm, and not in a happy way if you're a Knights fan. Is it time for Kaneland to re-examine what wins you playoff football games?

Sly's also surprised by the final score of the East-Hononegah game. Hononegah's a nice program, but it could be that the Saints started to wear down a little from playing two-way ball all season. Tough way to end a nice season.

While we're being Negative Nellies, two teams that ended last season in Champaign, Aurora Christian and St. Francis, are one-and-done. Hard to stay on that mountaintop, baby.

That other team that was in Champaign in 08, Geneva, crushed a Shepard team that dressed up for Halloween like a 7-2 football team. Regardless of the opponent, it had to be good for Geneva to win big and get a little confidence cookin' for next week at Wheaton Warrenville South. That game could be a bear, but the Vikings have the chance to make a huge statement.

Congrats to coach Gould's North Stars on a big win against South Elgin. This team was better than 6-3, and a couple playoff wins are well within the Stars' grasp, especially with a home game next week against a beatable Elk Grove team.

Sly can't believe North's Huxtable left the game injured. This about as star-crossed a year as you can have. Sure would be nice to see North at full strength for more than a quarter at a time but those backup backs have been playing their butts off all year and know how to do the job.

So we're down to Geneva, St. Charles North and Marmion, with North and Marmion having the best draws ahead for Round 2. Marmion's at Prairie Ridge after yet another CPL flameout.

Also, Sly wants to send along some congrats to some of the other success stories on an eventful Saturday, like Geneva, East and North volleyball, Marmion soccer and all the cross country kids who are headed for Peoria.

Way to represent, one and all.

Coach Sly is wondering how much to emotionally invest in these football playoffs.

Sly knows you're supposed to live in the present, so first-round wins should be enjoyed, but who around here has the team, and the draw, to make a major run at Champaign this year?

Anyone?

Geneva and St. Charles East are conference championship teams, but both teams would be looking at monster opponents in the second round ...  Geneva would probably play Wheaton Warrenville, East would probably play Glenbard West. Yikes, and doubles yikes.

St. Charles North probably has the best draw when it comes to the Tri-Cities teams but the North Stars haven't risen to the challenge too often against their top opponents. Then there's the question about all the moving parts on offense, and whether there's enough time to click and do something special. Sly wouldn't put it past them to at least win a couple.

This time of year, if you're a suburban team, you generally want to see a whole lot of "Chicagos" in front of your opponents' name. Health insurance debate notwithstanding, "the public option" is the one you want in the IHSA playoffs, so if Marmion can get by Huntley, there might be some runnin' room for the Cadets in 6A, at least until Cary-Grove comes into play in the semis.

Coach Sly is as curious about Kaneland as anyone. Playin' in 5A, you'd think the Knights have the football weaponry to make a major push, but it's also tough to win close games without much of a running game. If Kaneland can get past the Sycs, Sly thinks a potential second-round game against Hillcrest in the south burbs could be a great ballgame. The Knights better bring their track shoes if they make it to that one.

Enough of Sly's blather. Let's hear it, loud and proud! Playoff time, starting Friday night and continuing in earnest on Halloween!

Sly knows a thing or two about rematches, but he can't figure out why the IHSA has tapped into them, too.

Three conference re-dos in the first round? That's ridiculous, though there is a chance that two of those history repeaters – St. Francis and Kaneland in 5A – could meet in a pretty good "opposites attract" quarterfinal.

Seeing Geneva in 7A isn't surprising, and the Vikes have a good track record there under Coach Wiz. Not that these guys are looking past that one game at a time, but it's probably good for the underclassmen since next year brings a conference with bigger schools anyway. Next week, meanwhile, brings the unknown in Shepard. It'll be interesting to see how the boys in black and blue have game-planned.

Looks like Coach Gould can't escape South Elgin and Coach Fields can't escape Hononegah. Sly wonders if North would be playing at home if that Saturday thriller at Norris went the other way.

Can Kaneland keep Marckie Hayes bottled up? Is Marmion still for real? How will little Roberts fare under the big lights for Beebe's bunch? Sly wants to hear from you as we get the first week of the second season under way!

Geneva, Kaneland and Marmion gave up a combined 7 points on Friday night.

This time of year, you better know how to bring people to the ground, and these teams sure did tonight. Gives you a lot of leeway to misfire on offense, and none of these teams did a ton with the ball in Week 9. But ya know what, they all won, and they'd be more than happy for more of the same next week in the first round.

If Geneva and Marmion are both in 6A (and the Vikings sure hope they are), Coach Sly would love to see that matchup. He's not so sure Geneva would win that game ... the Cadets have been smokin'! Eight straight wins, including this latest win against Montini. Way to be coach Thorpe and Co.

Congrats also to Geneva on another WSC title. A little sad that you figured 3 points might be enough to win this one, but between Batavia's offense and Geneva's defense, turned out to be all the Vikings needed.

Sly can't wait for the battle of St. Chuck on Saturday, and he really, really can't wait for the playoffs pairings Saturday night. Forget pumping money into the local economy for a night. Cancel your date, and let's break down those playoffs matchups tomorrow night!

Playoff time is here, and you know what wins championships, right?

Starts with a D, Sly hears.