Pop quiz: you're facing an undefeated team that routinely scores upwards of 50 points a game. You're on their turf. Oh, and it's the second round of the playoffs. What do you do?
Answer: if you're Kelly Sears and the Macomb Bombers, you pretty much do the same thing you've been doing all along.
It might seem anti-climactic, but it has worked so far for Macomb. The Bombers (8-2) captured the Olympic Conference title in the regular season and bested Tolono Unity 28-21 in last week's opening round of IHSA 3A football. MHS has a six-game winning streak of its own to extend.
So, basically, if it isn't broke don't fix it. And with one postseason victory in the books for the Bombers, Illini West (10-0) is just another obstacle in the trek to the state title.
"Any time you get a playoff win, it narrows your chances down," Sears said. "You're one of the top 16 teams in the state and I think you might gain some respect by winning that first game."
Of course, the Chargers are also one of those 16 teams and with good reason. Illini West is led by Stefan Flynn, a prodigious back who has rushed for 921 yards and 18 touchdowns in 121 carries. Drake Schmudlach is almost as impressive with 13 touchdowns and 703 yards on just 60 carries.
Should Flynn or Schmudlach fail to produce results, there is still Michael Lafferty to worry about. Although Lafferty has been somewhat quiet in the quarterback position, he gets the job done, connecting 31 times for 682 yards and 12 touchdowns through the season.
"It's going to be tough," Sears said. "The thing is we're not very big up front, but our kids play a lot bigger than what they are. We're just going to try to take away their fullback and quarterback."
The Bombers will have to do that early, though. Illini West has averaged 51 points a game with the majority of them coming in the first half. The Chargers strike hard and they strike fast. And then they never relent, as evidenced by their 55-7 dismantling of Central/Southeastern last week.
Illini West head coach Jim Unruh hangs his hat on that bulldog mentality, but he also recognizes the weapons Macomb possess.
"Their skill positions as a whole are outstanding," Unruh said. "I think they've got a good, solid football team and that includes their quarterback, wide receivers and (Davis) Hendrickson in the backfield."
Hendrickson - who is actually committed to play baseball at the University of Illinois - has had an excellent senior season for the Bombers. He averages almost 10 yards a carry and has scored eight touchdowns on the ground for Macomb while amassing 730 yards in 84 carries.
Hendrickson and Austin Sears - Macomb's short-yardage bulldozer who has punched in a team-leading nine touchdowns - make the Bomber backfield one to be reckoned with. 
Macomb - which has averaged 25 points a game this year, about half of what Illini West regularly produces - will need Hendrickson and Sears to roll up the yards and the minutes in this pivotal game.
"One of the big keys is going to be ball control," Sears said. "One thing we've done well this year is sustain long drives. Sustaining drives of 60, 70 and 80 yards and eating up the clock is going to be a very big key for us."
 

The gates at Fuzz Berges Field for today's game between Macomb and Illini West will open at 11 a.m.
Per IHSA Terms and Conditions, admission is $5 per person.  Babies in arms are free.  Also, noisemakers are allowed except for horns and whistles.
Parking for Macomb fans will be east of the football field in the grassy area.  There will be a ticket gate open for Macomb fans on the east side of Fuzz Berges Field to enter.  Concessions will be served by the Illini West Booster Club.
 

Macomb (8-2) vs. Illini West (10-0)
WHEN: 1 p.m., today
WHERE: Fuzz Berges Field, Carthage
Records: Macomb 10-12 (7-4 in 3A), Illini West 1-1
Streaks: Macomb 8 years; Illini West 2 years
Notes: Illini West ranked No. 2 in Class 3A
             Macomb has six-game win streak
Radio: WKAI-FM (100.1), WMQZ-FM (104.1), WCAZ-AM (990)
On the web: radiomacomb.com/sports or wcazam990.com