A year ago, Nolan Howe would hear an occasional “good job” from students and teachers regarding the Normal West High School football team. It’s not that way this season.
“A lot of staff and people inside the school are now, ‘How’s the game going to go this weekend?’ It shows that they care a lot more,” said Howe, senior linebacker and the Wildcats’ leading tackler. “I’ve had people ask if there’s going to be a fan bus this week. I have no idea if there is, but it shows that we’re doing something special.”
It has been a special season on both sides of Normal. Normal Community is 11-0 and the No. 1 seed in the Class 7A playoffs. Normal West is 10-1, losing only to NCHS, and seeded No. 2 in Class 6A. Both schools have advanced to the playoff quarterfinals.
“I don’t think there’s a whole lot of towns that are able to say that,” said West head coach Nathan Fincham. “Obviously we have a lot of JFL [Junior Football League] teams in this town so we have a lot of good programs with great traditions. Football is really good in Bloomington-Normal.”
Normal Community has a home game at 5 p.m. Saturday against No. 8 seed and defending 7A state champion, Chicago Brother Rice [9-2]. Normal West travels to face No. 6 seed Wheaton Warrenville South [8-3] at 2 p.m. Saturday.
“I think it’s great that both teams are really competitive this year,” Howe said. “Props to them. They whipped us [42-15 on Oct. 16] and they’re doing a great job. I’m just happy we’re doing our thing and they’re doing their thing.”
Bloomington and Central Catholic also made the playoffs this season. Previously, all five football-playing Bloomington-Normal schools have earned playoff berths in the same year.
This is Normal West’s second time in the quarterfinals, the other coming in 2018, and the first time both Unit 5 schools have reached the quarterfinals in the same season.
“It’s a special year for both of us,” said NCHS senior all-state receiver Luke Potts. “Both teams have had great years and we’ve been working really hard trying to put Central Illinois on the map.”
Potts and Ironmen star quarterback/linebacker Lucas Beaty played youth football for the Bloomington Cardinals. Among their teammates were Normal West running back Cody Muhlbauer, quarterback Chase Sennett, linebacker Mason Sweeney and lineman Travis Rhode.
“All of those guys are nice kids. I’ve grown up with them for sure,” Beaty said. “I’m always hoping for the best for Central Illinois. We don’t always get the credit we deserve. Any of the teams in town, I like to see us do well.”
Sennett is not surprised by Normal Community’s success. He had a good look at what was to come in his Bloomington Cardinals days.
“Growing up with them and seeing how they develop and what they do at a young age, you can tell, ‘That guy is going to be an athlete,’” Sennett said. “I remember playing with Lucas Beaty in JFL and he’s a very competitive dude, very athletic. He’s a go-getter. I knew he was going to be good, and Luke Potts also.”
Like Beaty and Potts, Normal Community head coach Jason Drengwitz hopes the success of NCHS and West boosts the profile of Central Illinois football.
“I think there are high quality players in Central Illinois,” he said. “Sometimes I believe we get overlooked. We’re definitely rooting for Normal West. I’m almost positive Nathan and those guys are rooting for us. Hopefully, we can both find a way.”
Next up for NCHS
Brother Rice, a member of the rugged Chicago Catholic League, lost 22-21 to Lincoln-Way East and 27-24 to Loyola Academy. Lincoln-Way East is 11-0 and Loyola 10-1.
“They’re arguably one of the top three or four teams in the state regardless of class,” Drengwitz said. “It’s a huge challenge for us, but it’s a great opportunity for our kids and our program and we get to play them at home.”
NCHS is coming off a wild 49-48 overtime win over Chicago Kenwood. Beaty was 12 of 16 passing for 158 yards, rushed for 133 yards and had 13 tackles. For the season, he has run for 670 yards and 13 touchdowns, passed for 1,576 yards and 19 TDs, and been in on 67 tackles.
“I can’t imagine how our players felt. I woke up Sunday morning sore and I’m like, ‘How am I sore?’” Drengwitz said. “I think it’s from being clenched up, and we got done late. It’s a quick turnaround. Sunday, you’re on to the next game and you’re watching film.”
Beaty was sore as well, but said, “Playing on both sides [offense and defense], I’m pretty sore after every game. I’d say these playoff games have been the most physical games I’ve been a part of. This was definitely the most intense, back and forth game I’ve ever been a part of.”
Beaty’s favorite target is Potts, who has caught 56 passes for 1,093 yards and 13 touchdowns. They have been teammates for as long as they’ve played football.
“The trust level is so high,” Potts said. “It’s just really fun to be with him out there. We’re a very talented team, pretty good on paper. But I’d say it’s the connection we have with our teammates and our staff. It’s really special and it’s just fun to be here at practice every day. That’s what makes it seem so good.”
Drengwitz said the Ironmen have improved each week, calling that a credit to the coaches on his staff, the players and leaders such as Beaty and Potts.
“As head coach, I don’t have to say a whole lot. Our captains have really pushed it,” Drengwitz said. “Good teams are coach driven, great teams are player driven. It’s been fun to see that happen this year.”
Beaty is intent on keeping it going.
“We can’t accept defeat. We’re a great team, they’re a great team,” he said. “We just have to focus up in practice and be mentally locked in and physically locked in all game.”
What’s ahead for West
Wheaton Warrenville South plays in the DuKane Conference. The Tigers lost to Lyons Township, 18-9, Geneva, 28-26, and Batavia, 27-24. They have posted lopsided playoff wins over Joliet Catholic [38-7] and Riverside-Brookfield [45-15].
“They’re big. We don’t have the size they do,” Fincham said. “They’re physical and they play in a tough conference. That’s going to be the challenge … matching the physicality and finding ways to attack them, hopefully using speed, which I feel like we have. We have to play our best game.”
Sennett said Warrenville South “reminds me a lot of [Normal] Community.”
“We can use that film and use that taste in our mouth,” he said. “Against Community we came out slow. We have to come out strong and bring it to them.”
With this year’s expanded playoff system, Normal West had a week off after losing to Normal Community in the regular-season finale. The Wildcats regrouped and have defeated Chatham Glenwood [51-34] and Pekin [33-21] in the playoffs.
“That one loss to Normal, especially being your rival, it hits hard. It kind of humbled ourselves and we got better during the bye week,” Sennett said. “We used that as motivation to come into the playoffs ready to go.”
Sennett, a junior, has completed 68 percent of his passes for 2,597 yards and 36 touchdowns. The run game has been fueled by senior Cody Muhlbauer with 1,420 yards and 15 TDs.
The Wildcats fell in the second round to Chicago Simeon last year. In previous seasons, they frequently ran into perennial power East St. Louis in the early rounds.
East St. Louis requested a bump up to 7A this year and is the No. 4 seed in that bracket.
“When you get on a run like this, you need a little bit of luck and I felt like our draw was not necessarily easy, but it wasn’t East St. Louis, right?” Fincham said. “I think mentally our players saw that and maybe were able to have the perspective of, ‘Hey, it’s anybody’s game at this point.’”
Howe was among those relieved to see East St. Louis move to 7A.
“Especially my senior year … we don’t have to deal with them at all,” he said. “I’m definitely happy about that.”
