Football: Week 6 MVPs
Neuqua Valley junior tailback Nolan Dean and Hampshire defensive back Mason Fleury have earned Daily Herald MVP honors for their performances in Week 6 of the high school football season.
Dean rushed for 251 yards on just 12 carries with 3 tochdown in the Wildcats’ 65-28 victory over Metea Valley.
Fleury’s pick-6 was a key play in Hampshire’s 28-6 victory over Woodstock North.
Offensive players of the week:
Nolan Dean, Neuqua Valley: Averaging nearly 21 yards a carry, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound junior tailback helped Neuqua set a program points record in a 65-28 Upstate Eight Valley win over Metea Valley. Dean ran 12 times for 251 yards with touchdown runs of 2, 53 and 81 yards. His 43-yard run set up another Wildcats touchdown.
Jordan Glasgow, Marmion: The junior back paced Marmion’s 35-14 Suburban Christian Blue win over previously unbeaten two-time 3A state champ Aurora Christian. Glasgow began with a 63-yard touchdown run, added a 1-yard blast and conversion, and a 7-yard touchdown grab. He ran for 137 yards with 36 receiving.
Conor Simpson, Libertyville: Libertyville fans enjoyed Simpson’s show. The senior running back provided a spark for the Wildcats by scoring 4 touchdowns in their 42-15 win over Mundelein. He scored on TD runs of 75, 39 and 1 yards and also returned a punt 49 yards for a score. He rushed 18 times for 173 yards and also had 3 receptions.
Stacey Smith, Schaumburg: The senior standout had another game to remember in a season full of them. He rushed for 201 yards on 20 carries and scored on touchdown runs of 15, 30 and 75 yards as Schaumburg topped Conant 40-21 to remain unbeaten and in first place in the MSL West.
Josh Walker, Jacobs: This fleet-footed junior rushed for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns on 19 carries, and his final touch will go down in Jacobs football history. The game was tied with 5 seconds left when Jacobs quarterback Bret Mooney scrambled 26 yards to the Crystal Lake South 26-yard line. Trailing the play, Walker was in the right place at the right time when Mooney turned and threw a lateral pass in his direction to keep the play alive. Walker caught the ball and bolted for the opposite pylon, scoring the game-winning touchdown after time had expired to give Jacobs a 26-20 victory.
Defensive players of the week:
Mason Fleury, Hampshire: This 6-foot-1, 185-pound defensive back enjoyed a productive outing in Hampshire’s 42-12 victory over Woodstock North. The junior not only led the Whip-Purs with 9 solo tackles, he intercepted a third-quarter pass at the Thunder 33-yard line and returned it for a touchdown that staked Hampshire to a 28-6 lead.
Stephen Kemp, Geneva: Vikings coach Rob Wicinski had said interior line play would be most important against St. Charles East. This 5-foot-11, 205-pound sophomore followed through. At defensive tackle, Kemp tallied a team-high 10 tackles, with a sack, in Geneva’s 35-21 Upstate Eight River victory over the Saints.
Casey Kurinec, Prospect: The senior defensive back helped Prospect to its first win of the season with an all-around stingy game. He made 7 tackles, had 1 pass breakup and made the play of the game by intercepting a Wheeling pass deep in Knights territory in the game’s final moments to preserve a 10-7 Prospect win.
Joe Machalek, Wheaton Warrenville South: In the Tigers’ best defensive performance of the season, Machalek stood tall in a 14-7 DuPage Valley Conference victory over previously unbeaten Naperville Central. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound senior linebacker was everywhere while recording a game-high 17 tackles for the Tigers.
Kyle Thomas, Vernon Hills: North Chicago’s Arnold Shead is a Division I prospect. The senior quarterback couldn’t shed the Cougars’ junior outside linebacker, however. Thomas registered 10 tackles, including 2 for loss, in a 6-0 victory. It was the Cougars’ first shutout since a 51-0 win over Chicago Harlan in Round 1 of the 2010 state playoffs.