Loyola beat Palatine, 14-0, on Saturday...

...to set up a rematch with Maine South this weekend in Wilmette. (The Hawks eliminated the Ramblers, 21-14, in the semifinals last year in Park Ridge.)

Spencer Perry (above) carried the ball 26 times for Loyola, gaining 121 yards and scoring two touchdowns.

But the bigger story may have been the Rambler defense, which held Pirate quarterback Cody Bobbit and running back Jimmy Smearman to 51 yards rushing. Senior defensive end Mark Sullivan led the Loyola defense with eight tackles, including three sacks, as the Wilmette squad shut out a Palatine team that had averaged 35 points a game in the post-season.

 "It was hard to run the ball," Smearman said. "Their defensive line was all over us — nowhere to run."

Did you hear that, Maine South coach Dave Inserra?