Football: Scouting Week 4, Northwest

By Marty Maciaszek

mmaciaszek@dailyherald.com

MID-SUBURBAN LEAGUE CROSSOVERS

Hersey (2-1) at Conant (3-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. today at Charles O. Feutz Field

Last week: Hersey lost to Barrington 28-19; Conant d. Buffalo Grove 47-14

Outlook: Conant is the last remaining unbeaten team in the MSL as it has already exceeded its win total of last year and has a shot at its best start since it won its first 5 games in 2003. Hersey was encouraged by staying with Barrington until the final minutes as both teams build toward reversing their winless division finishes of last year. “It’s a big game for us and for them as well,” said Conant coach Bill Modelski.

“They’re not too bad offensively and I’m pretty impressed with (QB Brad) Zaucha. They’re well-coached, they play hard and they’re going to be a handful.” Turnovers were the key for both teams last week as Conant’s versatile offensive crew of QB Matt Cullen, WR Tim Manczko and RBs Cordell Smith, Jacobi Sims and Kevin Otubu took advantage of seven BG miscues while Hersey was hurt by four giveaways. “In a lot of ways we showed a lot of good things,” said Hersey coach Dragan Teonic. “I think we could have played much better and we shot ourselves in the foot a bit.” A key for Hersey is avoiding more injuries as Erik Stoltzner was the latest player to hurt his knee last week. Hersey won last year’s meeting 34-7 in a series Conant leads 10-6.

Schaumburg (2-1) at Elk Grove (2-1)

When: 7:30 p.m. today at Robert Haskell Stadium

Last week: Schaumburg lost to Rolling Meadows 35-20; Elk Grove d. Fremd 24-18 (ot)

Outlook: Both teams have taken interesting paths to their 2-1 records in a rematch of one of last year’s best games in the MSL (Elk Grove’s 36-34 crossover win) and their first-round Class 7A playoff game (Schaumburg’s 38-21 win at Elk Grove). “Neither of us is the same team offensively — we’re just different,” said Elk Grove coach Brian Doll. “You watched the games last year and there were Division I players everywhere.” But there are still talented players on both sides as Elk Grove QB-LB-K Dejan Basara has gotten a boost from RB Stefan Skoneczka, who had 111 yards and 2 TDs rushing and receiving last week. Schaumburg leads the series 20-15.

Palatine (2-1) at Prospect (1-2)

When: 7:30 p.m. today at George Gattas Stadium

Last week: Palatine d. Wheeling 35-3; Prospect d. Hoffman Estates 55-7

Outlook: The only MSL crossover where both teams come in on a winning note — and in this case for Prospect’s Mike Sebestyen it was his first as a head coach. “I liked the improvement of the kids from Week 1 to Week 2 to Week 3,” Sebestyen said. “We were more consistent last week than we have been and that allowed us to have some success. Our defense is continuing to grow and it shows.” Sebestyen has been particularly happy with the play of LB Mike Etchingham, who has now moved to WR with the emergence of sophomore Jackson Wrede on the offensive line.

Austin Tixier, Andrew Hajek, Mike Mayerck and Mike Houghton have also been playing well but lost junior DT Colin Olson to a season-ending dislocated hip. The Knights will have to be at their best on both sides as Palatine’s defense continued to shine with Cam Kuksa returning one of his 2 INTs for a TD and the offense rolled up 399 yards as Sam Miller and Alex Nawrot combined for 154 rushing with John Serio out (ribs) and Ethan Olles threw for 176 yards and 2 TDs. Prospect won 41-27 last year in a series Palaitne leads 14-11-1.

Barrington (2-1) at Wheeling (1-2)

When: 7:30 p.m. today

Last week: Barrington d. Hersey 28-19; Wheeling lost to Palatine 35-3

Outlook: Barrington looks to continue rolling from its season-opening OT loss at Libertyville behind Chase Murdock and crew on offense and an opportunistic defense that got 4 turnovers last week. Coach Joe Sanchez also liked the response to a botched punt snap that set up an early lead for Hersey. “Our kids hung in there, were resilient and didn’t give in,” Sanchez said. Wheeling was held to 178 yards last week and has scored only 10 points in its two losses. Barrington’s 24-7 win last year was its eighth straight in a series it leads 19-9.

Buffalo Grove (1-2) at Fremd (1-2)

When: 7:30 p.m. today at Hale Hildebrandt Field

Last week: BG lost to Conant 47-14; Fremd lost to Elk Grove 24-18 (ot)

Outlook: A key game for one team looking to extend a streak of consecutive playoff berths (Fremd at 16) and the other looking to end a run without making the postseason (BG at seven). Fremd got its second straight 100-yard game from RB A.J. McGhee and it won the turnover battle 4-1 last week but couldn’t hold an 18-7 fourth-quarter lead. Turnovers doomed BG as it had seven giveaways and also had a blocked punt go for a TD. Fremd’s 26-14 win last year was its fourth straight in a series BG leads 17-14.

Rolling Meadows (2-1) at Hoffman (0-3)

When: 7:30 p.m. today at Dennis Garber Stadium

Last week: Meadows d. Schaumburg 35-20; Hoffman lost to Prospect 55-7

Outlook: For all of the offensive fireworks QB Jack Milas, WR Artie Checchin, Tyler Bobowski and Ryan Gundersen have provided, the big deal for Meadows was holding dangerous Schaumburg to 175 yards after giving up 500-plus yards the first two games. “We really challenged them and instilled in them that wasn’t Rolling Meadows football,” said Mustangs coach Matt Mishler. “Our defensive line stepped up and one of the things we’ve talked about was 11 hats to the ball and being relentless on defense.” Hoffman got within 21-7 last week on a TD run by Alex Proskey but was hurt again by turnovers as three upped its season total to 13. “They’re definitely better this year than they’ve been in the past,” Mishler said. Meadows’ 28-0 win last year was its sixth straight in a series it leads 16-14.

EAST SUBURBAN CATHOLIC

St. Viator (0-3, 0-3) at Joliet Cath. (3-0, 2-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. today at Joliet Memorial Stadium

Last week: St. Viator lost to Marist 35-0; Joliet Catholic d. Peoria Richwoods 63-34

Outlook: A St. Viator schedule filled with challenges now gets its biggest one against a team it has never beaten in 26 tries. Joliet Catholic is ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 5A by The Associated Press and may have the state’s most dynamic backfield in Northwestern-bound Malin Jones (372 yards) and junior Division I recruit Ty Isaac (666 yards, 8 TDs). Isaac ran for 273 yards and 3 TDs last week and Jones rushed for 242 and 4 TDs as the Hilltoppers broke away from a 28-28 halftime tie.

WEST SUBURBAN GOLD

Downers South (3-0, 1-0) at Leyden (0-3, 0-1)

When: 7:30 p.m. today at West Campus, Northlake

Last week: Downers Grove South d. Morton 56-0; Leyden lost to Addison Trail 14-7

Outlook: Leyden hung tough defensively last week but for the second straight week was held to less than 100 yards of offense. Now the Eagles get their toughest test as perennial West Suburban Gold power Downers South hasn’t allowed a point in its last 128 minutes and RB Josh Williams (713 yards, 9 TDs) has been unstoppable.

Williams ran for a career-high 336 yards in a season-opening 28-7 win over South Elgin and last week played less than two quarters but rushed for 182 yards and matched his career best of 6 TDs (four rushing, two receiving). QB A.J. Simoncelli is also a threat and the Mustangs, who are ranked seventh in Class 8A by The Associated Press, have Notre Dame-bound tight end Scott Daly. Leyden got big games last week from LB Nelson Lugo (14 tackles), Ivan Nevarez (8 tackles) and Adam Morrison (2 INTs) and will need them again.

CENTRAL SUBURBAN CROSSOVER

Maine West (0-3) at New Trier (2-1)

When: 7:30 p.m. today at West Campus, Northfield

Last week: Maine West lost to Niles West 14-6; New Trier d. Highland Park 37-13

Outlook: The defense has given Maine West a shot by allowing only 14 points in two of its losses but the offense hasn’t been able to get untracked with the only scores the last two weeks coming on runs by QB Jake Korbecki. But this figures to be the Warriors’ toughest test as New Trier has rebounded from a season-opening loss in the final minutes to Schaumburg. The Trevians have a multidimensional QB in Jack Nykaza (163 yards passing, 142 rushing last week), Devin Boehm has caught 14 passes for 199 yards the last two weeks and Daniel Olaniyan rushed for 99 yards against Highland Park.

NORTHEASTERN ATHLETIC

Mooseheart (3-0, 3-0) at Christian Liberty (0-3, 0-3)

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Last week: Mooseheart d. Rockford Christian Life 40-14; Christian Liberty lost to Hope Academy 61-0

Outlook: Christian Liberty is still looking to get in the win column and on the scoreboard as it has been outscored 136-0 in its first three games. Now it faces what could be the NAC’s surprise team in Mooseheart, which routed perennial power Alden-Hebron 48-7 in the opener and beat last year’s league runner-up last week. Mooseheart has plenty of weapons in QB Jon Hart, WR Noel Yarngo and RB Isaiah Brigman (94 yards, 2 TDs last week).