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South Beloit made a second-round playoff exit last year and went 0-9 as recently as 1999. But the 2002 Sobos enter Friday’s Class 1A title game against El Paso with a 12-1 record and some swagger on offense.

South Beloit has outscored its opponents 591-169 this season and, oddly enough, coach Drew Potthoff defers all the credit for his team’s success to another coach–Riverside-Brookfield’s Otto Zeman.

“We run a five-wide set with no backs and no huddle,” Potthoff said. “It’s Otto’s offense and a real tribute to him. A lot of coaches are secretive with their stuff, but he helped us with whatever we wanted. It’s been fun.”

Quarterback Jered Shipley has completed 221-of-386 passes for 3,632 yards and 41 TDs. When he’s not firing the ball to brothers Dujuan and Jazz Listenbee (1,520 receiving yards, 27 touchdowns combined), Shipley has run for nearly 600 yards and eight TDs.

“We can’t single out any one receiver, and we have to contain a quarterback that is as dangerous running as he is throwing,” El Paso coach Mike Souhrada said.

Unbeaten El Paso has also rolled over its opponents this year, but it suffered a setback in last week’s 12-10 semifinal victory over Cerro Gordo as both its first- and second-string quarterbacks left with injuries before halftime.

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Jesse Smith is out with a broken arm and backup Kyle Sigler is hobbled with a sprained ankle. Running back Isaac Hill will step under center to direct the Comets’ offense.

Derek Hunsinger remains El Paso’s mainstay. The 5-foot-10-inch, 185-pound fullback/linebacker, also a defending Class A state wrestling champ at 171, never leaves the field. He has rushed for 1,925 yards and 31 TDs and also leads El Paso with 142 tackles.

“He is a load,” South Beloit’s Potthoff said.

Probable starters

SOUTH BELOIT          POS.    EL PASO
OFFENSE
Jazz Listenbee      WR-TE     Kyle Sigler
Rich Rowlett          LT      Ian McWilliams
Justin Staver         LG      Mike Duncan
Brad Baker             C      Isaac Schmidt
Alan Klemett          RG      Andrew Gilliland
Brandon Severson      RT      Kyle Pfister
Brian Little        WR-TE     Chris Carr
Dujuan Listenbee    WR-RB     Joe Petta
Jared Shipley         QB      Jesse Smith
Jacob Dunkel        WR-RB     Isaac Hill
Joe Sager           WR-FB     Derek Hunsinger
DEFENSE
James Williams        DE      Mike Duncan
Justin Staver         DT      Kyle Pfister
Brad Berendes         DT      Andrew Gilliland
David Bennington      DE      Kyle Sigler
Chris Jones           LB      Derek Hunsinger
Jason Goldsworthy     LB      Joel Dudley
Brad Baker            LB      Jesse Smith
Brian Little        LB-DB     Isaac Hill
Joe Sager           CB-DB     Joe Petta
Jazz Listenbee      CB-DB     Chris Carr
Corey McClusky       S-DB     Matt Fogle