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Scouting Week 2 football in the Fox Valley

St. Charles East (0-1) at Jacobs (0-1)

When/where: today at 7:15 p.m. at Jacobs Athletic Field

Last year: St. Charles East 41, Jacobs 26

Last week: South Elgin 49, St. Charles East 14; Barrington 37, Jacobs 0

Outlook: Two teams stung by lopsided losses in Week 1 aim for better outcomes in this nonconference matchup. Jacobs takes on a 2013 Class 8A playoff participant for the second straight Friday. Last week, the Class 7A Golden Eagles could not stop the rampaging Broncos once the stampede began. "Things went sour and it was like the snowball rolling downhill," Jacobs coach Bill Mitz said. "But you have to be able to stop it, withstand and come back. We've had a very good week of practice. It's been enthusiastic and the kids are excited. We play good teams like Barrington to make us better. It makes you look at what you're doing, the mistakes you're making, and change things. We've looked ourselves in the mirror and we'll go from here." Offensively, Jacobs' 301 total yards included 109 rushing and 32 receiving by senior running back Josh Walker. Sophomore quarterback Chris Katrenick completed 14 of 30 attempts for 143 yards and 1 interception. The Jacobs defense allowed 431 yards against Barrington, but St. Charles East was burned even worse. South Elgin gained 508 yards (350 passing) and hung 49 points on the Saints, including 28 in the fourth quarter of what had been a one-touchdown game. Led by new coach William Farquhar, the Saints threw the ball 27 times last week but completed only 7 attempts for 38 yards with 3 interceptions. "Things went sour for them in the fourth quarter," Mitz said. "They carry some good receivers, the running back (Ramon) Lopez does a really good job and (offensive lineman Brennan) Bosch is a very talented kid. We'll be ready for the challenge and ready to play our game."

Next week: St. Charles East at Elgin (0-1); Whitney Young (0-1) at Jacobs

Cary-Grove (1-0) at Lake Zurich (1-0)

When/where: today at 7:30 p.m.

Last year: Lake Zurich 25, Cary-Grove 0

Last week: Cary-Grove 38, Wheaton North 28; Lake Zurich 10, Fremd 7

Outlook: Ever see one of those videos on YouTube where a cat sees its own reflection and begins hissing and growling? That about summarizes how the Cary-Grove coaching staff feels when watching film of Lake Zurich. "It's almost like looking at yourself in the mirror because, typically, they are very fast on defense, they have very disciplined players, they execute very well on offense and they have guys that can really break the game open, particularly their running back," Cary-Grove coach Brad Seaburg said. The Bears ran the ball 54 times for 133 yards in a hard-fought 10-7 victory at Fremd in Week 1, led by running back Zane Lodico's 94 yards on 27 carries. The 6-foot, 205-pound senior also caught the only touchdown of the game from junior quarterback Joey Lindstrom (6-3, 205), who completed 7 of 13 attempts for 97 yards. The Bears used their speed on defense last week to limit Fremd to 96 total yards, 84 on the ground. Seaburg said the Bears are always fast on defense, but their defensive line this season includes some bigger players than in the past, interspersed with some smaller, quicker linemen. Cary-Grove enters its first road game of the year ranked No. 1 in Class 7A. The Trojans began the season ranked No. 3, but losses last week by No. 1 Mt. Carmel and No. 2 Lincoln-Way East vaulted Cary-Grove to the top spot in the poll in the wake of its win over No. 10 Wheaton North. The Trojans rushed for 298 yards in the season opener, led by sophomore fullback Tyler Pennington (22 carries, 103 yards, 1 rushing TD, 1 receiving TD). Four players contributed at slot back, paced by senior Matt Sutherland, who rushed for 69 yards and touchdowns of 56 and 4 yards in 4 attempts. Senior Larkin Hanselmann carried 3 times for 22 yards and a 2-yard score. Seaburg said those backs thrived because the offensive line won the battle in the trenches. "I thought we got off the ball very well, executed our blocking assignments," he said. "But the thing that stands out most is we controlled the point of attack against Wheaton North. When we've been good, that's what we've been able to do. A lot of things didn't go our way against Lake Zurich last year, but one thing was they owned the line of scrimmage. They were faster, more aggressive and took it to us."

Next week: Cary-Grove at Grayslake North (0-1); Libertyville (1-0) at Lake Zurich

Elgin (0-1) at Huntley (1-0)

When/where: today at 7:15 p.m. at Huntley athletic field

Last year: Huntley 48, Elgin 16

Last week: Huntley 17, Bartlett 7; Dundee-Crown 36, Elgin 22

Outlook: This game was a mismatch last season due to Elgin's short roster, but a far-healthier Elgin program visits Huntley for the first time in school history. Last week, junior quarterback Terrance Miller-Allen, in less than a half of action, completed 10 of 14 attempts for 146 yards. Senior Dontrell Gaddy was responsible for 80 of those yards, thanks to 3 receptions in just one quarter at wideout. The Maroons will go with that lineup from the start this weekend. Elgin allowed a kickoff return to D-C's Kiwi Seals on the opening play of the game last week, but they basically played the Chargers even from that point forward. "Their quarterback looks like Michael Vick," Huntley coach John Hart said after watching film of Miller-Allen and the Maroons. "If something's not open, he can take off and make you look silly. They present a lot of touch matchups athletically. Like their coach has said accurately, they've got some kids who can take it to the house. If they don't give up that big play to start the game, they played Dundee straight up," Huntley got a win in the opener, but it was costly. Offensive left tackle Dominic Swanson, a 6-1, 245-pound junior who Hart called "one of our most talented players and a great leader," broke his leg in the Bartlett game and will miss the rest of the season. The Red Raiders played seven offensive linemen last week so Swanson's replacement is among that group, but the injury diminishes the unit's depth. To compete with Huntley, the Maroons have to clean up their Week 1 mistakes, which included missing 15 tackles and being flagged 18 times for 168 yards in penalties. "There were a lot of aggressive penalties, which is good, but we have to be smart," Elgin coach Kyle Rohde said. "We also had 2 bad fumbles that hurt us, and less turnovers has been a point of emphasis. Huntley's defensive line is the number one thing we have to neutralize." Elgin's offensive line showed a noticeable improvement over last season. Rohde said he issued four helmet stickers this week to offensive linemen who made pancake blocks. He said he issued one or two all last season. The line allowed only 1 sack in 30 pass attempts against Dundee-Crown.

Next week: Gary West (Ind.) at Huntley; St. Charles East (0-1) at Elgin

South Elgin (1-0) at Crystal Lake South (0-1)

When/where: today at 7:15 p.m. at Ken Bruhn Field

Series history: first meeting

Last week: South Elgin 49, St. Charles East 14; Marian Central 32, Crystal Lake South 0

Outlook: South Elgin coach Pat Pistorio, one of the bright, young offensive minds in the area, said he wasn't surprised that his versatile offense was able to gain 508 total yards (158 on the ground) in its first game. What pleasantly surprised him was coordinator Steve Szpejnowski's defense, which limited St. Charles East to 162 yards (49 passing). "That was the most impressive thing about that game," Pistorio said. "We have a tradition of good offense at South Elgin so I expect that out of us, but the defense really stood out. They were very aggressive and guys flew to the ball and took advantage of a lack of ball security by St. Charles East." Pistorio lauded the effort of his defensive linemen, including 6-foot-3, 235-pound senior Nick Wolotowsky (2 sacks), senior Kenton Bradley (6-1, 235), junior Zack Crosby (5-11, 195), and senior Matt Cravins (6-1, 310). Based on film, Pistorio said he doesn't expect to see as much blitzing by CL South linebackers as the Storm saw against St. Charles East, but he stressed to his team all week that this game boils down to which team wins the line of scrimmage, both offensively and defensively. "(CL South) brings a lot of ground and pound, like Bartlett used to do," Pistorio added. "We're familiar with that offense and looking forward to the challenge of seeing how physical our kids can be this week." The Gators are preparing to face the same type of multipronged offense they played last week against Marian Central. The CL South defense did well against the pass - they limited the Hurricanes to 122 yards and sacked the quarterback four times - but Marian was able to run the ball effectively with its big running backs. "I like how hard we played so we're continuing to focus on that," CL South coach Chuck Ahsmann said. "We played hard but we made some mental mistakes where we went to the wrong gaps. We're focusing on each guy doing 1/11th of the job. If we do that, we'll be in good shape. Against South Elgin it's a lot like last week, pick your poison because they can run the ball and throw it." Storm quarterback Hayden Nelson threw for 333 yards and 4 touchdowns on 21-of-29 passing in his debut as the starter. Meanwhile, junior running back Shawn Griffin rushed for 101 yards on 13 carries, highlighted by a 47-yard touchdown run.

Editor's note: As of press time Thursday, the possibility existed this game would be moved to South Elgin on Saturday. A court hearing was to be held Friday concerning the ongoing lawsuit surrounding Crystal Lake South's bleachers. Check dailyherald.com after 1 p.m. Friday for an update.

Next week: South Elgin at West Aurora (0-1); Crystal Lake South at Bloom Twp. (1-0)

Streamwood (0-1) at Dundee-Crown (1-0)

When/where: today at 7:30 p.m. at the D-C Bowl

Last year: Dundee-Crown 59, Streamwood 14

Last week: Hoffman Estates 42, Streamwood 25; Dundee-Crown 36, Elgin 22

Outlook: Due to a lightning postponement that pushed last week's opener to Saturday night, Dundee-Crown first-year coach Mike Steinhaus didn't have much time to enjoy his first win as head coach. "I put film on HUDL on Saturday night," he said of the website most area teams use to break down game film. "That's how I celebrated. We had to get to work." D-C's coach said his team didn't play as "technically sound" as it needed to and made some mistakes that needed to be addressed, but he said, "We'll get better. We're a good team." Senior running back Caleb Parson was "dinged up" in the win over Elgin, but he still managed to rush for 121 yards on 13 carries. Senior Brandon Brooks stepped in and gave the Chargers 85 yards in 13 attempts, including a 19-yard touchdown run, which perfectly complemented Malik Dunner's huge night: 170 yards and touchdown runs of 1, 54 and 4 yards. The D-C passing game was an eye-opener. Senior quarterback Jeff Atherton threw the ball 12 times, completing 5 passes for 50 yards. He was intercepted once. Though 50 yards passing may not seem excessive, it is noteworthy in that Dundee-Crown only threw for 177 yards in 10 games in 2013. "We're not going to see 10 (defenders) in the box like we did last year," Steinhaus said. Nevertheless, Streamwood is focused on slowing Dunner, Parson and Brooks. "Obviously, their backfield is tough with a great running back going to Ball State," Streamwood coach Mark Orszula said of Dunner. "They have great line in front of him that created a lot of holes. I liked the way our kids responded well after we fell behind last week. We got in a hole, but they fought back the whole time." Streamwood fell behind 21-0 against Hoffman Estates and was forced to throw the ball more than planned, though running back Tae Reetz was effective with 78 yards rushing on 8 carries and a touchdown reception for 57 yards from senior quarterback Max Draper. In his first start, Draper completed 28 of 42 attempts for 321 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was also intercepted twice, once in the red zone right before halftime with the Sabres trailing 28-13. The Chargers have respect for the improved strength of the Streamwood linemen they will face. "They're another team with a big, physical presence up front defensively, and skill-wise they are talented," Steinhaus said. "The most disciplined team will come out on top, which is how it usually is in high school football."

Next week: Geneva (1-0) at Streamwood; Dundee-Crown at Morris (0-1)

Bartlett (0-1) at Niles Notre Dame (1-0)

When/where: today at 7:30 p.m.

Last meeting: Niles Notre Dame 47, Bartlett 6

Last week: Huntley 17, Bartlett 7; Niles Notre Dame 34, Prairie Ridge 21

Outlook: Bartlett's defense was a strong point in the season opener. The Hawks played "well enough to win," defensively, coach Tom Meaney said. That unit limited Huntley to 278 total yards, 124 through the air, and scored 6 points on Zach Hayes' 36-yard fumble return. The clear problem for the Hawks in their season-opening loss was the inability to score despite gaining 425 total yards, 384 via the pass. "Mainly, we were getting good yardage on fist and second down, but our third-down conversion rate wasn't good," Meaney said."The offense played well, but we had issues. The receivers didn't catch balls when we needed them. We had too many drops or we turned it over in the red zone." Bartlett hopes for better results against the Dons, who graduated running back Chris James and his nearly 2,000 rushing yards to Pittsburgh. However, Notre Dame still has a potent offense. It took ND only 3 plays to tie Prairie Ridge after halftime last week. Later, senior running back Marcus Orlandi snapped a 21-21 tie with a 7-yard touchdown run with 1:39 to go. The Dons sealed that win moments later with an interception returned for a touchdown by Jake Barzowski. The offense is triggered by 6-foot-3 junior quarterback Tyler Tsagalis, who ran for a touchdown against PR. Running back Quentin Grays scored on runs of 12 and 4 yards, thanks to a sizable offensive line. "They're big up front on both sides of the line and they run a nice spread offense," Meaney said. "Their first-year quarterback is looking good. For us, it comes down to blocking and tackling and the play of both of our lines. We have to keep their (offensive) linemen off our linebackers and we have to track them down and make tackles." Bartlett quarterback Jordan Flint completed 29 of 47 attempts for 384 yards. He was intercepted twice, one coming on the final play of the game as time ran out. Bryce Petty had 8 catches for 111 yards and 6-foot-5 tight end Jason Hasenberg made 5 catches for 74 yards. However, the Hawks had trouble running the ball against a physical Huntley front seven. Nolan Bernat gained 40 yards on 12 carries and Tre Utley-Brown was limited to 5 totes for 11 yards.

Next week: Bartlett at Metea Valley (1-0); Benet Academy (1-0) at Niles Notre Dame

Vernon Hills (0-1) at Larkin (0-1)

When/where: today at 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Field

Last year: first meeting

Last week: DeKalb 33, Vernon Hills 14; McHenry 61, Larkin 12

Outlook: Don't judge the Royals based on the one-sided score in the opener, their new coach said this week. "The score looks much worse than it was," Dragan Teonic said after viewing the film. "We were never physically out of that football game. We weren't beaten up or pushed around. We just didn't play good, disciplined football. Defensively, we were continuously hurt by the same concept, a power lead. Our defensive ends, all four that played, continuously did the wrong thing. They were supposed to squeeze down and push the ball outside to our safety and linebacker. Instead, they flew outside and were undisciplined." Teonic said many of the problems are fixable, though the team remains inexperienced. Larkin's coach said he was pleased with the performance of players like junior defensive back Chevelle Clements, junior DeShawn Steward (44-yard touchdown run) and junior AJ Hunter (5 receptions, 86 yards). He also commended junior Elijah Hernandez, who in his first varsity start at quarterback completed 5 of 17 attempts for 86 yards without an interception. Vernon Hills is coming off a 3-6 season in 2013 and has a bevy of first-time starters playing for second-year coach Bill Bellecomo. The Cougars yielded 27 first-quarter points in a loss at DeKalb last Friday in a game delayed by lightning until 10 p.m. Andres Salazar caught a 17-yard touchdown, but they were burned by 169 rushing yards from DeKalb running back Dre Brown, including an 83-yard run. Larkin gains a key player in its attack with the return of top running back, Cameron Tomlin, who was not eligible in Week 1. He also plays in the defensive backfield, which helps a secondary filled with two-way players who grew tired in the second half against McHenry, leading to a 66-yard touchdown pass by the Warriors.

Next week: North Chicago (0-1) at Vernon Hills; Larkin at Batavia (0-1)

Chicago Clark (0-1) at St. Edward (1-0)

When/where: today at 7:15 p.m. at Greg True Field

Last year: first meeting

Last week: St. Edward 24, Genoa-Kingston 20; York 50, Clark 0

Outlook: St. Edward coach Mike Rolando pointed out several bright spots in last week's 4-point win in Genoa: senior linebackers Jack Tierney (15 tackles) and Chris Kelly (8 tackles, fumble recovery) played well inside; junior lineman Jake French made 7 tackles and recovered a fumble; and Danny Favela was a difference maker. The senior scored on a 39-yard punt return and, later, a 79-yard run that put his team ahead 24-14 early in the second half. He also made 6 tackles on defense. "From the middle of the summer on, Danny really committed himself and realized this is his last time to do this," Rolando said. "He's really made the most of it. I'd like to see more of that out of him this year." Lineman Kasey Cooke is expected to miss his second straight game with a shoulder injury, his coach said. Junior Michael Montes (8 tackles) stepped up in his place and "really stood out," according to Rolando, who added he also was pleased with the performance of freshman defensive back Savion Smith who made 3 tackles and defended 3 passes. The Green Wave won't let the final score of Class 3A Chicago Clark's season-opening loss at Class 8A York affect their preparation. "They could be dangerous. They have talent," Rolando said. "They just weren't firing all pistons against a team with almost 100 guys dressed. If they shore some things up, they could be tough. I'd like to see us work on establishing the running game. If we can get our blocking assignments right in the inside run game, we an continue to evolve the outside run game. And we'll continue to work on the passing game. We need to be more efficient taking care of the ball."

Next week: Riverside-Brookfield (1-0) at St. Edward; Clark at Sullivan (0-1);

Burlington Central (0-1) at Dixon (1-0)

When/where: today at 7 p.m.

Last year: Did not play

Last week: Hampshire 28, Burlington Central 18; Dixon 25, Monmouth-Roseville 0

Outlook: The Rockets played well last week, according to coach Rich Crabel. "We just made a couple of minor mistakes defensively that cost us some big plays in some crucial situations," he said. "But when you're playing against someone with that much talent, they make you pay for those little mistakes." Crabel and staff spent practice time on the basics of tackling and blocking this week after seeing results on film they didn't like. The good news for the Rockets is that running back Trevor Davison passed his concussion baseline test this week after missing the second half on Saturday. He sat out practices on Monday and Tuesday but is cleared to play this week, his coach said. Davison rushed for 53 yards on 8 carries before he left the game. "I expect him to play, but we'll play it by ear," Crabel said. 'I don't want anything reoccurring that might set him back further." Junior quarterback Robert Doubek saw mixed results in his first varsity start. He threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Brenden Bushy, but he was intercepted twice while completing 11 of 24 attempts for 146 yards. His top receivers were senior Ryan Anderson (3 rec., 109 yards) and Bushy (5-84). This matchup represents a reunion of sorts for Central fans and the head coaches. Dixon is guided by former Burlington Central coach Dave Smith, who led the Rockets to a 50-22 record and 4 playoff appearances in seven seasons from 1997-2003. Smith hired Crabel as Burlington Central's defensive coordinator in 1999 and they worked together for five years. Smith took over the struggling Dukes after they went 1-8 in 2010, but the program has failed to gain traction to this point. His Dixon teams have gone 6-22 through last week.

Next week: North Boone (1-0) at Burlington Central; Dixon at Rockford Lutheran (1-0)

Hampshire (1-0) at Grayslake North (0-1)

When/where: today at 7:15 p.m.

Last year: Grayslake North 42, Hampshire 14

Last week: Hampshire 28, Burlington Central 18; Lakes 37, Grayslake North 14

Outlook: Mike Brasile's first victory as Hampshire coach was bound to make the purple-clad faithful smile, particularly since it came against rival Burlington Central. The win allowed the new coach to celebrate on Saturday night with his wife, Heidi, their 15-month-old son, Levi, and his brother, Andrew, who was visiting from Seattle. Then it was right back to work, scheming a way to attack Grayslake North, which finished 7-3 overall last season and 5-1 in the Fox Division of the Fox Valley Conference, good for second place behind Crystal Lake Central. Hampshire finished third in the FVC Fox with a 4-2 mark. The Whip-Purs looked comfortable in Brasile's new spread offense once they got past the penalties that cost them 2 touchdowns early. Hampshire was flagged nine times for 93 yards but rushed for 203 yards and threw for 195. Senior Mason Fleury carried 20 times for 106 yards and junior Jake Manning finished with 72 yards, including a game-sealing, 24-yard scoring jaunt. Senior quarterback Nick Mohlman completed 13 of 17 passes for 195 yards. He threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Bennett and ran 5 yards for another score. The Hampshire defense limited Central to 3 touchdowns and 334 yards, 116 on the ground. That unit must be just as stout against the run this week, when they face Indiana-bound running back Titus Booker, who was hurt for a good portion of his junior season. A sprinter who qualified for the state track meet last spring, Booker was held last week to 19 yards on 10 carries. He also had 1 reception for 24 yards. Junior quarterback Merrick Gentile was responsible for most of the Knights' yardage. He completed 16 of 20 passes for 195 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Andrew Martineau. Gentile also carried 12 times for 71 yards and touchdown. "Grayslake North has been up near the top of the conference and that's something our kids want," Brasile said. "They are a big, strong, physical team with great speed at quarterback and tailback. Our personnel has gotten a lot better since the summer. We're not where we want to be as far as execution since last week was the first time the offense saw the light of day, but we're getting better."

Next week: Cary-Grove (1-0) at Grayslake North; Hampshire at Grayslake Central (0-1)

Westminster Christian (0-1, 0-1) at Mooseheart (0-1, 0-1)

When/where: Saturday at 6 p.m. at Mooseheart Stadium

Last year: Mooseheart 46, Westminster Christian 17

Last week: Kirkland-Hiawatha 18, Mooseheart 12; Luther North 54, Westminster Christian 30

Outlook: There's plenty of fight in the 2014 Warriors. Down 16-0 at halftime last week, Westminster Christian coach John Davis told his players if they could hold Luther North's running game in check to start the second half, they'd have a chance to score and get back in the game. Sure enough, the Warrior defense held twice and the offense cashed in on both opportunities to tie the game 16-16 in the third quarter. However, attrition took its toll on the roster of 22. With approximately 16 players available for the second half due to injuries, Westminster faded late against the Luther North running game. The Wildcats amassed 567 yards, all on the ground, and attempted only 2 passes, both for incompletions. "We knew going in we would be facing probably the best running team in our conference," Davis said. "Our goal was to control the ball and keep them off the field, which we did for the first eight minutes of the first quarter. But so many receivers going both ways can be a detriment. We'll have to keep rotating them when they're playing defense to give them breaks and try to keep them fresh. We don't want to see a repeat of last year. We could score 100 points, but it won't matter if the other team scores 200. The Westminster Christian offense didn't quite reach 100 points last week, but it performed well. Senior quarterback Max Tucker completed 28 of 38 attempts for 300 yards. He threw 4 touchdowns and was intercepted once. Sophomore running back Xavier Brown was held to 6 yards on 6 carries, but he led the team in receiving with 5 catches for 96 yards. Mooseheart led its opener 12-0 at the half in Kirkland, but Hiawatha scored a pair of second-half touchdowns, highlighted by a 17-yard interception return for a game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter. Hiawatha then threw a 10-yard pass in overtime to win it. Mooseheart was limited to 123 rushing yards in 32 attempts and 23 yards through the air on 3-of-14 passing.

Next week: Mooseheart at North Shore Country Day (0-1); Ottawa Marquette (0-1) at Westminster Christian

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