The OPRF Huskies will face their stiffest test of the season Friday when they travel to Frankfort to take on top-seeded Lincoln-Way East in the Class 8A playoffs.
Kickoff is set for 6:15 p.m. Oct. 30 at Lincoln-Way East, according to the Wednesday Journal and confirmed in playoff pairings published by the Chicago Tribune. The 33rd-seeded Huskies (5-5) drew the No. 1 seed Griffins (9-0) after OPRF routed East Aurora 58-7 on Oct. 23 in the opening round. Lincoln-Way East earned a bye that week.
The gap in seeding tells part of the story. The Griffins have outscored opponents 343-80 this season, according to Herald-News playoff coverage. After two close early-season wins over Brother Rice and Kankakee, Lincoln-Way East won its final seven games by at least 23 points, allowing just 45 points over that stretch, Shaw Local reported.
USA TODAY's Midwest region rankings slotted Lincoln-Way East at No. 13 heading into the postseason.
Coach Rob Zvonar has led the Griffins since the program's founding in 2001. Under Zvonar, Lincoln-Way East has won three state championships and earned three runner-up finishes, according to oakpark.com's recap of the opening-round win.
The Huskies aren't backing down. Running back Norlan Davis, who ran for 105 yards on seven carries against East Aurora, including a 57-yard touchdown, said after that game: "It's not about (Lincoln-Way East), it's about us. We're worried about us and what we're going to do to win the game."
Defensive lineman Connor Ganschow, who had three tackles in the opening round, echoed that confidence. "They're just another team," Ganschow said, "so we're just going to come out and play and do our best."
OPRF coach John Hoerster, now in his 16th year leading the program, called the playoff run a chance to face unfamiliar opponents. "Part of the fun thing about the playoffs is getting to a new place and playing a team we haven't seen before," Hoerster said after the East Aurora win.
The Huskies hadn't reached the postseason since 2018. This is the program's 19th overall playoff appearance and Hoerster's eighth, according to oakpark.com's earlier playoff bracket preview. The expanded IHSA format, which grew to 48 teams per class, opened the door for the 5-5 Huskies.
Shaw Local noted that OPRF leans heavily on running back Liam Smith, who scored 15 touchdowns during the regular season. Against East Aurora, quarterback Liam Brown connected with Cameron Minish-Murray for a 34-yard touchdown on the game's second offensive play, and the Huskies led 23-0 after one quarter.
The winner Friday advances to face either Von Steuben or Hinsdale Central, who play Saturday, Oct. 31, at noon.
