Gianni Casurella does not need to be reminded that Oswego is the surprise participant in this Saturday’s Class 8A final.

Doubt is his fuel.

Casurella, Oswego’s 6-foot-2, 250-pound senior defensive tackle, recalled seeing a preseason projection that the Panthers – with just three starters back this season – would finish 3-6.

“And here we are,” Casurella said. “There was a fire in my soul every day from all those little comments.”

Casurella and bookend defensive tackle Andrew Shaw are two reasons why the Oswego defense has barely budged during this playoff run.

Oswego (11-2) plays three-time defending Class 7A champion Mount Carmel (13-0), bumped up to Class 8A this year, in the finale at 7 p.m. Saturday at Illinois State’s Hancock Stadium.

Oswego has yielded just one second-half sco

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