The 7A final may be the most...

...evenly matched of all this year. I mean, how do you choose between two undefeated powers like Glenbard West and Lincoln-Way East? Not only did they not have any common opponents this year, but as far as I can tell, they've only played each other once in recent years (home team in CAPS):

2010: GLENBARD WEST 42, Lincoln-Way East 28

I saw each team play twice this year. The Griffins, above, dominated both their opponents, while the Hilltoppers had to overcome a 14-0 deficit at halftime to defeat the Red Devils in Hinsdale. (I only saw the second half of the Downers Grove North game, but that was enough; I don't think the Trojans had even one first down!)

Week Six: LINCOLN-WAY EAST 42, Bolingbrook 18.
Week Eleven: LINCOLN-WAY EAST 24, Providence 14

Week Four: Glenbard West 28, HINSDALE CENTRAL 23
Week Nine: GLENBARD WEST 26, Downers Grove North 0 (second half).

Lincoln-Way East outscored its opponents this year, 466-137, with victories over Montini, Homewood-Flossmoor and Benet. Glenbard West, for its part, outscored its opponents by a margin of 463-109, with key wins over Lyons, Wheaton North and Lake Zurich. Both schools, in fact, played really tough schedules.

The two head coaches, Rob Zvonar of Lincoln-Way East and Chad Hetlet of Glenbard West, have each been down to Champaign only once, with eerily similar results. The Griffins won the 8A championship back in 2005 over Maine South, 30-24, in double overtime. And the "Hitters" fell to Wheaton Warrenville South in the 2009 final by an almost identical score, 31-24, also in double overtime.

If nothing else, this should be one heck of a game. (Wouldn't it be spooky if the contest ended 30, or 31, to 24 in double overtime?)

I'm going to stick with Lincoln-Way East, however. I'm counting on quarterback Tom Fuessel to be the difference maker. I've been following him all season and am really looking forward to watching him play in his last high school game.

BOWG prediction: Lincoln-Way East 28, Glenbard West 24.