A comprehensive Class 7A postseason bracket breakdown, evaluating seeds, quadrant matchups, and potential state championship contenders. Steve Soucie examines Glenbard West's draw, path through the bracket, and key first-round storylines. The analysis outlines potential path match-ups where Glenbard West's style and battle-tested WSC Silver schedule could produce postseason noise.

Glenbard West used a punishing ground attack and physical interior line play to establish early control against Lyons Township in a critical West Suburban Silver matchup. The Hilltoppers' offensive front dictated the tempo throughout, establishing long sustained scoring drives and keeping the opposing defense on the field. The defense complemented the rushing attack with timely stops in the second half to secure the conference win. Featuring: AJ Rayford

A breakdown of pivotal Week 8 matchups across the West Suburban Silver conference, highlighting Glenbard West's playoff positioning and late-season momentum. The article evaluates key individual matchups, line play efficiency, and postseason implications heading into the regular season finale. Coaches and analysts weigh in on how Glenbard West's physical style of play serves as a matchup test for conference rivals down the stretch.

Episode discussion covering Glenbard West's midseason turnaround, key roster developments, and potential playoff seedings in IHSA Class 7A. Analysts break down the Hilltoppers' remaining schedule and critical conference standings. The hosts detail how Glenbard West's defensive front and physical running game impact their status as a dangerous postseason contender.

York executed timely offensive plays and forced crucial fourth-quarter stops to edge Glenbard West in a tight West Suburban Silver showdown. Despite a hard-fought effort from the Hilltoppers, late turnovers and field position swung the game in York's favor. Glenbard West fought back late behind strong ground work but fell just short in the final minutes.

Glenbard West's defensive unit delivered a dominant performance, forcing multiple turnovers and holding the opposition to season-low offensive output in a key conference victory. The secondary contained deep passing plays while the front seven generated consistent pressure. The victory solidifies Glenbard West's standing in the West Suburban Silver race as the team enters the final stretch of the regular season.

AJ Rayford spearheaded a commanding performance as Glenbard West powered past rival Hinsdale Central in Week 6 WSC Silver action. Rayford set the tone early with explosive playmaking on offense, breaking loose for key touchdown runs that put the Hilltoppers in firm control. The Glenbard West defense locked down Hinsdale Central's scoring opportunities in the second half to close out an impressive rivalry victory. Featuring: AJ Rayford

In the Week 6 preview capsules, the Glenbard West Hilltoppers prepare for a matchup at Duchon Field against a surging Hinsdale South squad. The Hitters look to build on a strong ground game performance featuring Jaylen McMiller and Ace Harris, alongside a young defense stepping up under pressure. Featuring: Jaylen McMiller, Ace Harris

In the Week 6 EDGYTIM Chicagoland Top 30 rankings, Glenbard West holds the No. 17 spot with a 3-2 record as they prepare to face Hinsdale South. Analyst Edgytim highlights standout running back and defensive back Jaylen McMiller as an underrated performer following key contributions to the Hilltoppers' ground game and defensive unit. Featuring: Jaylen McMiller

Glenbard West secured a massive 37-16 victory over Lyons Twp., handing the Lions their first loss of the season behind a standout multi-phase performance from Jaylen McMiller. McMiller racked up 190 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, averaging over ten yards per carry with six runs of at least 10 yards. He also sealed the defensive effort by intercepting a pass in the end zone to thwart a red-zone comeback attempt, while adding seven tackles from his defensive back position. Featuring: Jaylen McMiller

Glenbard West prepares to bounce back against Lyons following a 24-14 loss to Downers Grove North. Keyante Johnson has emerged as a speedy big-play threat after logging a 77-yard touchdown run, while quarterback AJ Rayford continues to contribute as a dual threat with 159 passing yards and a 76-yard rushing touchdown. The team looks to get Ace Harris and Brady Johnson more involved alongside defensive leader Finn Sheeley. Featuring: Keyante Johnson, AJ Rayford, Ace Harris, Brady Johnson, Finn Sheeley

Led by strong play from senior offensive tackle Josiah Wallace and key scores from Ace Harris and Brady Johnson, Glenbard West rallied past Oak Park-River Forest for a 39-21 victory to open West Suburban Silver play at Duchon Field. Featuring: Josiah Wallace, Ace Harris, Brady Johnson, AJ Rayford

Ace Harris rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns to help lead Glenbard West to a 39-21 come-from-behind victory over Oak Park-River Forest in their West Suburban Silver opener. Brady Johnson added a receiving and rushing touchdown, while Griffin Glascott chipped in a special teams score on a blocked punt. Featuring: Ace Harris, Brady Johnson, Griffin Glascott, AJ Rayford, Keyante Johnson

Glenbard West checks in at No. 7 in the Daily Herald football expanded Top 20 following a hard-fought 36-35 opening loss to St. Rita. Despite mounting early-season injuries, standout efforts from key contributors kept the Hilltoppers right in the thick of the state's elite competition. Featuring: Keyante Johnson, A.J. Rayford, Bryce Ellens, Finn Sheeley

A photo gallery capturing action from Glenbard West's hard-fought matchup against St. Rita at Duchon Field, featuring images of key plays and player celebrations. Featuring: Ace Harris, Jack Busch, Finn Sheeley, AJ Rayford

St. Rita edged Glenbard West 36-35 in a thrilling contest at Duchon Field after converting a game-winning two-point conversion with 42 seconds left to play. Ace Harris scored four touchdowns for the Hitters, while AJ Rayford added a long touchdown run, but a potent St. Rita ground attack ultimately proved decisive. Featuring: Ace Harris, AJ Rayford, Jack Busch, Finn Sheeley

Glenbard West kicked off the 2026 season with a hard-fought 21-14 road victory over Lockport. Northwestern commit Brady Johnson starred with a spectacular touchdown grab and a key 36-yard reception that set up one of two touchdowns by Amari Harris. The Hilltoppers' defense stood tall under pressure, turning away two late Lockport possessions in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Featuring: Brady Johnson, Amari Harris, Ace Harris

Glenbard West kicked off the 2026 season with a hard-fought 21-14 road victory over Lockport. Northwestern commit Brady Johnson starred with a spectacular touchdown catch and a key 36-yard reception that set up one of two touchdowns by Amari Harris. The Hilltoppers' defense stood tall under pressure, turning away two late Lockport possessions in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Featuring: Brady Johnson, Amari Harris, Ace Harris

Photo gallery capturing the action from Glenbard West's season-opening nonconference battle against Lockport on the road. Featuring: Bryce Ellens, Ace Harris, Brady Johnson, Keyante Johnson, AJ Rayford, Griffin Glascott, Ryder Stroup

Glenbard West enters the 2026 season ranked at number 10 in the Chicagoland area. The Hitters are recognized for returning a strong core of talent as they prepare for their season opener against Lockport.

Glenbard West enters the 2026 campaign under coach Chad Hetlet, coming off a 9-2 season. The team prepares for a challenging nonconference start, beginning with a road game at Lockport followed by a matchup against St. Rita. Featuring: AJ Rayford

Glenbard West returns to the field under coach Chad Hetlet following a successful 9-2 season and a first-place finish in the West Suburban Silver Conference. The program highlights several key veterans for the upcoming campaign, including quarterback AJ Rayford and lineman Josiah Wallace. Featuring: AJ Rayford, Brady Johnson, Josiah Wallace, Ryder Stroup, Bryce Ellens

The Hitters head into the season looking to build on past postseason success with a revamped roster and high expectations in the West Suburban Silver. Featuring: AJ Rayford, Brady Johnson

Head coach Chad Hetlet enters a new campaign with high praise for dual-threat quarterback AJ Rayford as he enters his second year running the Hilltoppers offense. The dynamic attack is heavily supported by top-tier talent, including major Northwestern commits anchoring the line and skill positions. Featuring: AJ Rayford, Brady Johnson, Josiah Wallace

An in-depth look at Glenbard West's outlook, returning personnel, and key matchups as the team gears up for the fall kickoff under head coach Chad Hetlet. Featuring: AJ Rayford, Brady Johnson

Preseason power rankings analyze where Glenbard West slots in relative to state and conference heavyweights ahead of the 2026 campaign. Featuring: AJ Rayford

Glenbard West continues its tradition of scheduling elite opponents, opening their 2026 campaign against a tough Class 8A semifinalist from last season. Featuring: A.J. Rayford, Bryce Ellens, Brady Johnson, Josiah Wallace

2027 three-star offensive tackle Josiah Wallace from local pipeline Glen Ellyn (Ill.) Glenbard West recapped his latest official visit to Northwestern. The 6-foot-8, 300-pound standout originally committed to the Wildcats back on Feb. 11, but returned to campus to spend time with the coaching staff and solidify his position in the class.

Wallace remains one of the premier junior anchoring prospects in the state, holding multiple high-level Power 4 offers. His continued strong stance shuts down outside recruitment pressure as the program prepares for the upcoming fall stretch. Featuring: Josiah Wallace

Ohio State has officially extended an offer to Glenbard West 2027 tight end Brady Johnson, who has been committed to Northwestern since early February. The Buckeyes' interest marks a significant escalation in the recruitment of the 6-foot-3, 220-pound standout, who is the son of former Northwestern co-captain Rob Johnson. While Johnson remains committed to the Wildcats, he has indicated an openness to taking an official visit to Columbus. Featuring: Brady Johnson

Join the Glenbard West football community for the 16th Annual FORE the Hitters Golf Outing on June 19, 2026, at Village Links in Glen Ellyn. This signature event aims to raise $65,000 to benefit the football program and the Andrew Garwood Scholarship Foundation, featuring a day of golf, a silent auction, and a dinner party. We are actively seeking local business or family sponsors for holes and event packages. Sponsorships are vital to our success and provide a great way for the community to show their Hitter pride. Featuring: Coach Chad Hetlet

Highly touted Glenbard West offensive lineman Josiah Wallace discusses his decision to commit to Northwestern. Wallace cites the coaching staff and the program's academic prestige as primary factors in his choice to stay local for his collegiate career. Featuring: Josiah Wallace

Edgy Tim profiles 2027 offensive lineman Leo Apostolou, highlighting his massive frame and high-ceiling potential. Apostolou is expected to be a cornerstone of the Hitters' front line for the next two seasons as he prepares for the Big Ten level. Featuring: Leo Apostolou

Explosive athlete Jaylen McMiller is narrowing down his college choices with a series of spring visits. The Glenbard West star is drawing significant interest from Big Ten and MAC programs looking to utilize his versatility on both sides of the ball. Featuring: Jaylen McMiller

Former Glenbard West star Alec Pierce officially signed a life-changing new contract extension to stay with the Indianapolis Colts. Coming off a breakout 2025 season where he achieved a career-high 1,003 receiving yards and led the NFL in yards per catch (21.3) for the second consecutive year, Pierce emphasized his deep ties to the organization, his faith in the roster, and his unique mentorship under wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne as driving factors for his return. The 25-year-old former Hitter expressed hungry determination for the seasons ahead, stating he wants to focus on higher volume, critical situational catches, and helping the team achieve its ultimate goal of winning a championship rather than just maintaining his league-leading deep threat metrics. Featuring: Alec Pierce

Northwestern continues its recruitment of "Hitter Heritage" by securing commitments from two major 2027 offensive prospects. This double-commitment further solidifies the pipeline between Glen Ellyn and Evanston for elite line talent. Featuring: Josiah Wallace, Leo Apostolou

The Buffalo Bills officially finalized their 2026 assistant coaching staff under head coach Joe Brady, highlighting a major promotion for veteran assistant and former Glenbard West Hitter Rob Boras. Entering his 10th season with the organization, Boras has officially added Run Game Coordinator to his responsibilities alongside his continuing role as Tight Ends coach.

Boras originally joined Buffalo's staff in 2017 and has overseen massive production from the tight end position, including a franchise-record nine touchdowns from Dawson Knox in 2021 and a historic 73-catch rookie campaign from Dalton Kincaid in 2023. In his expanded coordinator role, the former Hitter will help spearhead a dominant Buffalo ground game that led the NFL in rushing yards during the 2025 season. Featuring: Rob Boras

The latest rankings update for the Class of 2027 sees several Hitters climbing the boards following a strong camp season. The "market correction" reflects the physical growth and improved technical skills of Glenbard West's underclassmen offensive core. Featuring: Leo Apostolou

Former Glenbard West standout kicker Marcello Diomede officially announced his transfer commitment to Ohio State after three seasons with Notre Dame. Diomede, who was ranked number 10 nationally among kickers in his high school recruiting class out of Glenbard West, joins the Buckeyes with two years of remaining eligibility to provide experienced depth and veteran competition to Columbus' special teams unit.

During his time in South Bend, Diomede primarily served as a kickoff specialist, appearing in 10 career games for the Fighting Irish. In the 2025 season, he handled kickoff duties across multiple contests, registering 16 kickoffs for 1,088 yards and 11 touchbacks while averaging nearly 65 yards per boot. Featuring: Marcello Diomede

Glenbard West junior tight end Brady Johnson announced his verbal commitment to Northwestern. He follows in the footsteps of his father, Rob Johnson, who was a standout lineman and co-captain for the Wildcats' 1995 Big Ten championship team. Featuring: Brady Johnson

Former Glenbard West star defensive back Mason Ellens transfers to the University of Miami to play for the Redhawks in the 2026 season. Ellens announced his decision to enter the NCAA transfer portal with four years of eligibility remaining. Ellens redshirted during his freshman season in Ames under head coach Matt Campbell, who recently accepted the head coaching position at Penn State.

The explosive three-star prospect out of the 2024 class originally chose Iowa State over prominent offers from several institutions, including Minnesota, Iowa, and Boston College. With deep experience as a multi-sport track athlete, defensive back, wide receiver, and dynamic kick returner for the Hitters, Ellens is expected to draw substantial attention from major programs nationwide as a versatile secondary addition. Featuring: Mason Ellens

Indianapolis Colts assistant offensive line coach and former Glenbard West star Chris Watt was selected to coach the offensive line for the American team at the 2026 Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Watt, who enters his third season as the team's assistant offensive line coach, brought his extensive NFL playing and collegiate coaching background to the premier college all-star game showcase.

Under Watt's guidance, the Colts' offensive line excelled during the 2025 season despite battling injuries, finishing with elite Pro Football Focus blocking grades of 74.6 in pass-blocking (second in the NFL) and 84.3 in run-blocking (tenth in the NFL). Featuring: Chris Watt

Former Glenbard West standout Chris Terek continues to make waves at Notre Dame. Now a junior, the 6-foot-5 lineman has become a fixture on the Irish front, appearing in every game during the 2025 season and helping lead one of the nation's most productive rushing attacks. Featuring: Chris Terek

The Hitters' postseason run came to a heartbreaking end in a hard-fought 19-7 defensive battle against Downers Grove North during the Class 7A second-round playoff game. Glenbard West struggled to find structural rhythm against a stellar Trojans defensive adjustments from their regular-season meeting.<br><br>A late fourth-quarter interception returned for a touchdown officially sealed the outcome, closing the book on a highly successful bounce-back season for head coach Chad Hetlet's squad.<br>Featuring: Staff

Glenbard West made an emphatic statement in their return to postseason football, dismantling Willowbrook 63-21 in the opening round of the IHSA Class 7A playoffs. The Hitters' offense operated at an unstoppable pace from the opening kickoff, orchestrating a historic first-half onslaught.<br><br>Head coach Chad Hetlet's squad exploded for eight touchdowns in the first half alone, completely overwhelming the Warriors and efficiently punching their ticket to the second round.<br>Featuring: Staff

In a classic West Suburban Silver slugfest, Glenbard West suffered its first blemish of the season in a tight 21-20 loss to York. The Hitters fought back valiantly, scoring a late touchdown to bring themselves within one point in the fourth quarter.<br><br>However, a blocked extra point in the final minutes proved to be the difference maker, snapping the Hitters' undefeated streak in an incredibly physical environment on the road.<br>Featuring: Staff

Behind a dominant ground performance from star running back Jamarcus Kelly, visiting Glenbard West ran past Hinsdale Central 44-20 to maintain their unblemished record. Kelly absolutely tore through the Red Devils' front line, racking up 196 rushing yards and finding the end zone four times.<br><br>The decisive road victory secures the Hitters' sixth win of the regular season, officially clinching a return to the IHSA state playoff bracket.<br>Featuring: Jamarcus Kelly

The Hitters extended their unblemished record to 5-0 for the first time since 2022 with a hard-fought victory against conference rival Lyons. The program continues its focused campaign to 'restore the honor' following a challenging 2024 season, firmly establishing themselves as frontrunners in the West Suburban Silver Division.<br><br>Running back Jamarcus Kelly provided a critical spark for the offense, celebrating an impactful touchdown contribution alongside offensive lineman Josiah Wallace to break open the Lions' defensive front.<br>Featuring: Jamarcus Kelly, Josiah Wallace

Quarterback AJ Rayford returned to action in spectacular fashion, engineering a dynamic offensive performance to lead the Hitters past conference rival Downers Grove North. Rayford's dual-threat capability extended plays and kept the Trojans' highly-rated defense off-balance all evening.<br><br>The victory proved critical in the tight West Suburban Silver race, establishing Glenbard West's passing game as a true vertical threat.<br>Featuring: AJ Rayford

Facing major early-season tests, the Glenbard West Hitters proved resilient. Trailing or tied late, backup senior quarterback Jack Walti stepped in for an injured AJ Rayford to deliver a game-winning 58-yard touchdown pass to Brady Johnson with 4:25 remaining, sealing a gritty 27-21 win over the Hilltoppers.<br><br>The defense stood tall in the final minutes, clamping down deep in their own territory by forcing a crucial fumble and mapping out a game-ending sack to secure the win and push the team to 2-0.<br>Featuring: Jack Walti, Brady Johnson, AJ Rayford, Scott Segebarth

The Hitters opened their 2025 campaign with a thrilling, dramatic finish against Batavia. Relying on big offensive chunk plays and a highly disciplined defensive front, Glenbard West managed to hold off the Bulldogs' physical rushing attack to secure a walk-off victory in the season opener.<br><br>The win set an energetic tone for a program focused on reclaiming its dominant standard after missing the postseason the previous year.<br>Featuring: Jamarcus Kelly