Downers Grove North shut out Proviso East 58-0 on Friday, Oct. 16, closing the regular season at 8-1. The result positions the Trojans for the No. 1 seed in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 7A playoffs.

The Trojans entered the West Suburban Conference crossover as heavy favorites against a Proviso East squad that had won once all year. DGN delivered, according to Shaw Local's Friday Night Drive, adding another shutout to a season built on defense.

Heading into Week 9, DGN's defense had allowed just 61 total points across eight games, according to Shaw Local's pregame preview. The unit put up another zero Friday night.

Shaw Local noted before the game that DGN could earn the top seed in Class 7A with a win. The Chicago Sun-Times kept the Trojans at No. 19 in its Super 25 rankings after the victory, listing them at 8-1.

Coach Joe Horeni's squad built its season on a ground-heavy attack led by junior running back Grant Georgas. Georgas rushed for 250 yards and three touchdowns in a shutout of Oak Park-River Forest earlier this season, according to the DGN Omega student newspaper. He added 93 yards and a score in the Week 8 win over Lyons Township that clinched the West Suburban Silver title, according to Shaw Local's preview.

Senior offensive tackle Tyler Engstler has anchored the line clearing those lanes. In a Sept. 29 Daily Herald feature, Horeni praised the three-year starter's role mentoring younger linemen: "He's been around a lot of good DGN football, played a lot of tough games and big moments."

Linebacker Jacoby Jostes moved to guard after a returning starter went down with a knee injury, and Engstler has helped him adjust, the Daily Herald reported.

The IHSA playoff pairings show airs Saturday, Oct. 17, at 9 p.m. on WCIU and the NFHS Network. This year's expanded format puts 48 teams in each class bracket, up from 32, according to Sports Illustrated. In Class 7A, the top 16 seeds receive an opening-round bye, with games beginning the weekend of Oct. 23-24, according to the Peoria Journal Star.

At 8-1, DGN is positioned to earn one of those byes and host at least one playoff game.

Across town, Downers Grove South capped its own strong regular season with a 47-7 rout of Morton. Forest Bates ran for four touchdowns, and Luke Potter returned a punt 54 yards for a score and added a pick-six, according to Shaw Local. The Mustangs finished 7-2 overall and 6-0 in conference play.