OPRF flag football enters the IHSA playoffs as the No. 2 seed after sharing the West Suburban Conference Silver Division title with Lyons Township. A 33-13 home loss on Sept. 25 in the conference finale cost the Huskies an outright division crown.

The Huskies (10-5, 5-1 WSC Silver) led 13-7 at halftime before Lyons Township (10-2) scored 26 unanswered points in the second half. The Lions recorded five sacks and two interceptions over the final 24 minutes, the Wednesday Journal reported. OPRF and LT each finished 5-1 in conference play.

OPRF controlled the first half with an 86-yard scoring drive capped by quarterback Ionna Griffin's 21-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-1. Griffin maneuvered between and around four tacklers on the play. She later connected with Penny Morton on a 15-yard touchdown pass with eight seconds left in the second quarter to push the lead to 13-7.

Griffin and Anna Dore platooned at quarterback. On an earlier fourth-and-3 during that opening drive, Dore threw a lateral to Griffin, whose 6-yard pass to Lucy Avrut moved the ball to the 37-yard line.

The defense matched the offense early. KaiLee Robinson recorded a sack, Jenna Waisvisz and junior linebacker Kynnedi Alawode pulled flags for a loss, and Maya Davis and Alessandra Gerut broke up passes.

OPRF managed just one pull for loss in the second half.

LT's Taylor Hoffenberg turned a 1-yard slant into a 44-yard touchdown to open the second-half scoring and give the Lions a 14-13 lead. OPRF never recovered.

Geovanes said the loss exposed a schematic weakness and that opponents now have film showing the Huskies struggle against two-rusher pressure packages. He said the coaching staff needs to re-adjust its game plan before the postseason.

The Huskies now get a bye week before the OPRF Regional semifinals on Monday, Oct. 5. They sit behind top-seeded Kenwood, the same program OPRF upset 19-18 on Aug. 28. Junior running back Nora Partin, sidelined three weeks with a knee injury, is expected back along with multiple linebackers, according to Geovanes.

Alawode said the formula for a playoff run starts with discipline and trust. She pointed to OPRF's 18-7 win over defending state champion Maine South on Sept. 15 as proof the team can perform under pressure when players execute their assignments and rely on each other.