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Mayors, state representatives make friendly wagers on Sycamore-Boylan playoff game

SYCAMORE – Sycamore Mayor Curt Lang said he can’t wait for Saturday’s football game between the Sycamore Spartans and the Boylan Catholic Titans.

The Spartans (10-1) will travel to Rockford to play the Titans (11-0) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Boylan Catholic High School.

Lang made a friendly wager with Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara on social media.

If the Titans lose, McNamara has to wear a Sycamore Spartans jersey. If the Spartans lose, Lang has to wear a Boylan Catholic jersey. The losing mayor must share the photo of himself wearing the other’s jersey on social media.

Lang said he wanted to partake in the gamesmanship.

“It’s fun,” Lang said. “It’s exciting for the town. It’s another way to have fun with the town.”

Lang mentioned how he saw Jason O’Donnell, the Spartans’ junior linebacker, won the Friday Night Drive Team of the Week MVP belt.

O’Donnell amassed 18 tackles, a quarterback hurry and a half-sack in the Spartans’ 16-13 overtime win against the Montini Broncos. It was the first time the Spartans have defeated Montini in seven postseason games.

Another wager

To make the playoff game a little more interesting, Illinois Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, who serves the 70th District – which encompasses most of DeKalb County and parts of Boone and Kane counties, and Rep. Joe Sosnowski, R-Rockford, who serves the 69th District – portions of Winnebago and Boone counties, made a friendly wager Wednesday, and it’s all for charity, Keicher said.

“Yesterday, we were in session in Springfield,” Keicher said. “Rep. Sosnowski and I started talking and bragging about the success of our teams, who are in the playoffs.”

He said through the trash talking between the pair, Keicher said they figured they should have a wager that benefits food pantries, so the money could go to charity.

The duo agreed to match up to $500 in donations to the Rockford Rescue Mission should Boylan Catholic win or the Sycamore Food Pantry if Sycamore wins.

Keicher said the contribution he makes would be a minimum of $500.

“It’s for the hope that other people would put in more to support the food pantries in order to support their team,” Keicher said.

Both Keicher and Sosnowski encourage residents in Sycamore and Rockford to donate to a local food pantry of their choice during the Thanksgiving season, regardless of which team advances Saturday, according to a news release.

“Sycamore has had a tremendous season, and we’re exceptionally proud of them,” Keicher said. “Joe and I are both big supporters of our local food pantries, and this game is one way we’re helping to give back while encouraging others to do the same. Go Spartans!”

Keicher predicted the Spartans would play the Titans in a high-scoring duel and that the Spartans would emerge with a 49-30 win.

On Wednesday morning, Lang, wearing Spartans’ junior linebacker Hayden Beck’s No. 50 jersey, said he was leery of what a prediction would do to the team, but he feels good about the team’s chances.

“I’m happy to predict a victory for the Sycamore Spartans,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing Mayor McNamara wearing a Spartans jersey. Let’s say Sycamore wins, 21-14.”

Lang said the playoffs present the Spartans a tougher road than the regular season.

“Now you’re playing good teams,” he said. “It’s like the World Series. It’s getting harder and harder to win.”

Source: The Daily Chronicle

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