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Football previews.

Article Excerpt
CLASS 8A

No. 1 Fremd (10-0) at No. 5 Hinsdale Central (7-3)

When: 1 p.m. Saturday at Dickinson Field

Last week: Fremd d. No. 8 Lyons 39-10; Hinsdale Central d. No. 4 Bartlett 34-21

Playoff history: Fremd is trying to join the 1996 team as the only ones in school history to make the quarterfinals. Hinsdale Central is trying to make its fourth straight trip to the quarters and fifth in its history.

Outlook: Deciphering the Morse code will be crucial to Fremd winning a school-record 11th game. The defense led by LBs Joe Busse and Matt Casaletto, DL Ryan Diller and David Rice and S John Hnytka will take on a 6-4, 220-pound horse in senior QB Brett Morse (1,138 yards and 20 TDs rushing; 924 yards and 5 TDs passing), who leads the Hinsdale Central option attack. "He definitely makes the whole thing go," said Fremd coach Mike Donatucci. "They rotate in a lot of different people on offense ... and have a lot of athletes and their overall team speed is really good. The only thing that stays constant is No. 12. He'll carry the ball no matter who is in."... Paul Mancini (505 yards, 6 TDs) is the other running threat and Morse's top receiver is Dan Diorio (35 catches, 423 yards, 4 TDs). Morse went out with torn ligaments in his left (non-throwing) elbow in a 10-7 loss to Oak Park in Week 4 that started a 3-game losing streak. But the Red Devils have been rolling lately and have outscored opponents 84-10 in the first quarter. "I think we'll do well," said Hinsdale Central coach Tony Lombardi. "We will clearly be the underdog in this game, and we kind of like that." Lombardi was impressed with Fremd's multi-dimensional offense that saw QB Scott Tolzien (1,869 yards, 22 TDs, 5 INTs) throw the first 4 of his school-record 5 TDs to Robert Hoch (29 for 545 yards, 7 TDs), Jeff Koeneman (27-520, 6 TDs), Kyle Terry (24-409, 7 TDs) and Mike Lindeman (7-160, 2 TDs). And when...