Week 17: Yeah, Finger Bowl 30 preview

 Dublin Brawlers (10-6) at Chicago Heights Mafia (11-5)

At Bloom Township High School

Playoff records: Herigodt 9-4; Goff 12-11

Head to head: Brawlers 44, Mafia 21, Week 1; Brawlers 64, Mafia 43, Week 11

The skinny:  This year's FB 30 features a matchup between Landry Division champ (Mafia) and runner-up (Brawlers).  ... The only previous meeting between Herigodt and Goff in a Finger Bowl came in No. 17 in 2010, won by Goff's Serkus Act 40-17. ... Can Mafia prevent a Brawlers sweep of the season series. Mafia may start as many as three DAL players owns the No. 2 offense in Finks League. ... Goff hopes to extend his record to five Finks League titles. Simo and M. Wilcox are next with three Finks titles each. Goff's last Finger Bowl championship was 2017. Goff now tops Miazga with his eighth FB appearance. ... Mafia isn't the only team reliant on single team players, the Brawlers are likely to start two players from Herigodt's favorite team, the Bucs. No Finger Bowl MVP has ever come from DAL or TB. The Brawlers own two FB titles (2008, 2020) and a third title would move them into Simo-M. Wilcox territory. 

Projected starters: Brawlers -- Purdy, McCaffrey, R. White, Evans, Metcalf, Sanders. Mafia -- Prescott, Montgomery, Edwards, Lamb, AJ Brown, Aubrey.

The pick: Brawlers 55, Mafia 50

Brawlers, Mafia advance to FB 30

Sanders kicks Brawlers into Finger Bowl

LOCKPORT, Ill. -- K Sanders MIA made five field goals, three from 50-plus yards, to score 26 Finks points for the Dublin Brawlers in a 69-36 victory over the Lockport Distillers in Week 16 of the semifinals. 

Sanders earned Player of the Week honors for the Brawlers (10-6), which also earned touchdowns from four other players, including WR Evans TB with two TDs and three yardage points. 

The Distillers (12-4) entered the playoffs with the league's best record and earned 18 points from QB J. Allen BUF. 

BRAWLERS (69)

QB Purdy SF  5

RB McCaffrey SF  11

RB R. White TB   6

WR Evans TB  15

WR Metcalf SEA  6

K Sanders MIA  26

DISTILLERS (36)

QB J. Allen BUF  18

RB Mostert MIA  6

RB Barkley NYG  11

WR Addison MIN zero

WR Rice KC  zero

K Lutz DEN   1

Edwards TD wins for Mafia

CHICAGO HEIGHTS -- RB Edwards BAL scored a touchdown in the final game of Week 16 to break a tie in the other semifinal of Finks League action. Chicago Heights Mafia defeated Boom Town Blue Jays 48-42 to advance to Finger Bowl 30.

Both teams were tied at 42 entering the Christmas Monday Night Football game, but Edwards delivered for Mafia (11-5). QB Prescott DAL and K Aubrey DAL scored 11 points each to lead Mafia.

The Jays (8-8) were led by RB Henry TEN and earned at least one TD from four different starters. 

JAYS (42)

QB Fields CHI  9

RB Taylor IND   6

RB Henry TEN  12

WR Moore CHI zero

WR St. Brown DET  11

K McPherson CIN  4

MAFIA (48)

QB Prescott DAL  11

RB Montgomery DET  6

RB Edwards BAL  6

WR Lamb DAL  11

WR AJ Brown PHI  3

K Aubrey DAL  11

Week 16: Semifinal previews

 Dublin Brawlers (9-6) at Lockport Distillers (12-3)

at Lockport Township High School

Playoff records: Herigodt 8-4; Cassidy 5-6-1

Head to head: Distillers 44, Brawlers 43, Week 4; Distillers 61, Brawlers 52, Week 7

The skinny: Can the Distillers beat the Brawlers for a third time this season? The Brawlers enter the semifinals with six consecutive wins. Their last loss was 44-19 to the Jays in Week 9. ... This matchup is a rematch of Finger Bowl 27 in 2020 when the Brawlers won 58-48. ... The Brawlers are in the Finks League playoffs for the fourth time in the last five years. ... The Distillers won eight of nine to start the season. ... The Distillers finished with the best record in Finks League this season and became the 13th team in league history to win 12 games in a season. No team has ever won 13 games. ... The Distillers hope to become the second team in three years to win a Finger Bowl after claiming the season's best record. Fantasy accomplished the feat in 2021. 

Projeected starters: Brawlers -- L. Jackson, McCaffrey, R. White, Metcalf, Evans, J. Sanders; Distillers -- J. Allen, Barkley, Mostert, Ty. Hill, G. Davis, McManus.

The pick: Distillers 55, Brawlers 45.

Boom Town Blue Jays (8-7) at Chicago Heights Mafia (10-5)

At Bloom Township High School, Chicago Heights

Playoff records: A. Quagliano 5-1; Goff 11-11

Head to head: Mafia 81, Jays 64, Week 10

The skinny: Mafia's 81 points in the regular season matchup against the Jays was the second highest total for a game this season in Finks League. Mafia scored 82 points in Week 8. ... This is a rematch of Finger Bowl 26 in 2019 won by the Jays, 74-19, over Goff's former Serkus Act franchise. That game was the most lopsided Finger Bowl in league history and the final game for Goff under the Serkus brand. ... Under the Mafia moniker, this is Goff's second playoff appearance. Mafia reached the playoffs in their first season in 2020 after relocating to Chicago Heights and finished fourth. ... The Jays are the only returning playoff team from last year's semifinalists. The Jays were the runner-up in 2022 after a one-point loss to daddy's Hurricanes in Finger Bowl 29. That was owner Anthony Quagliano's first career playoff loss. ... Cowboys fan Goff has been starting as many as three Dallas players during much of the second half of the Finks season.

Projected starters: Jays -- Fields, Henry, Conner, St. Brown, Moore, Dicker; Mafia -- Prescott, Montgomery, Edwards, Lamb, AJ Brown, Aubrey. 

The pick: Mafia 45, Jays 40.

Dah Commish's daughter

Quags asked about my daughter Anna playing for Hinsdale South's varsity girls basketball team. My sophomore guard has been getting some starts since some teammates were out over Thanksgiving weekend and my lock-down defender has been having much more fun than last year. I love the Globetrotter-inspired warmup pants for the Hornets (7-3). Quags suggested I send a picture to Finks Nation. 

With the cooperation of promoter Jim O'Boye, I was able to get Anna's team into the Kipp Hoopsfest at 4:15 p.m. Jan. 15 at Benet. Hinsdale South is playing Libertyville.