Scouting Tri-Cities Week 9 football games
By Dave Oberhelman
doberhelman@dailyherald.com
Aurora Central Catholic (5-3, 1-3)
at Wheaton Academy (5-3, 1-3)
Metro Suburban West Conference
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday.
Last year: Did not play.
Last week: Riverside-Brookfield 40, Aurora Central Catholic 28; Wheaton Academy 24, Fenton 14.
Outlook: Aurora Central Catholic probably needs a win to clinch a third straight playoff slot. It's questionable the Chargers get in with five wins due to the playoff-point tiebreaker, the total number of opponents' victories. The Eagles have 32 playoff points now, Wheaton Academy a more comfortable 35; last year's limit was a somewhat low 36. For the first time in awhile Aurora Central coach Brian Casey felt his boys were physically dominated by a big, strong Riverside-Brookfield line. That shouldn't happen this week against a Wheaton Academy line that's fast and athletic on both sides of the ball, which Casey prefers to face. His targets are Wheaton Academy running backs Camden Meade and Luis Ramos, though quarterback David Thrasher has a strong arm. Chargers quarterback Matt Rahn showed off his arm for 250 yards passing last week, but he led the team with 20 of only 48 total yards rushing. That's not the Chargers' game. “If we can run the ball I think we have a great chance to move on,” Casey said. “If we can't I think it puts a lot of pressure on a part of the game that's a little more difficult to execute.”
Glenbard East (3-5, 1-5)
at West Aurora (3-5, 3-3)
Upstate Eight Valley Conference
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Last year: Glenbard East 21, West Aurora 12.
Last week: Metea Valley 45, Glenbard East 27; West Aurora 62, East Aurora 14.
Outlook: Neither of these former DuPage Valley teams can be head over heels with how the season's gone considering a lack of playoff status. Still, after rushing for a team-record 486 yards last week West Aurora is on the verge of its first 4-win campaign since Nate Eimer's first year as head coach in 2011. Johnathon Doyle is completing a sparkling 66 percent of his passes, to four receivers each with at least 100 yards, and last week DaQuan Cross, Drake Spears and T.J. Jackson all ran for at least 100 yards. The Blackhawks are indeed playing good football, signified by Eimer's selection as Chicago Bears coach of the week following the Week 7 win over Waubonsie Valley. They'll need to be at their best against a Glenbard East team that behind quarterback Phil Abruzino, receiver Karon Keyes, tailback Dominic Wilberton and linebacker Mickey Farnham is explosive. The Rams are foiled by a minus-16 turnover margin with 19 turnovers the last four games. One thing's certain in what promises to be a crackerjack game — Glenbard East will not defer to kickoff with Cross and Spears back deep for the return.
Larkin (0-8, 0-6)
at Geneva (7-1, 5-1)
Upstate Eight River Conference
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Last year: Geneva 41, Larkin 34.
Last week: Elgin 31, Larkin 13; Batavia 26, Geneva 20.
Outlook: When one brings up the prospect of Geneva taking an opponent lightly coach Rob Wicinski brings up Larkin, which last season forced a track meet the Vikings eventually won 41-34. Nobody's taking nothing lightly at Geneva, not in the wake of the loss to nemesis Batavia. Depression followed but by midweek the Vikings were in “mad mode,” Wicinski said. “That's a good sign.” It's a bad sign for Larkin sophomore quarterback David Hibbler, who gets to deal with a steamed Geneva defensive front four of Matt Loberg, Steven Kemp, Thomas Alwin and Jack McCloughan. Even with Larkin's Cameron Tomlin running for 175 yards the Royals lost their 12th straight game. After an out-of-character, 5-interception game against Batavia by Geneva quarterback Daniel Santacaterina — 3 of which Wicinski said were “not close to his doing” — the senior returns to the business of extending plays and finding receivers Pace Temple, Mike Landi and Jack Wassel downfield. It's unlikely but Geneva still has a chance at a River co-championship. “We need to be sound, and we still need to have an edge,” Wicinski said.
Leo (4-4, 1-2)
at Aurora Christian (4-4, 1-2)
Chicago Catholic League White
Game time: 7 Friday.
Last year: Did not play.
Last week: St. Laurence 28, Leo 6; Marmion 56, Aurora Christian 0.
Outlook: Till the Marmion game Aurora Christian had never lost four in a row since the regime of Don and now David Beebe began in 2004. Should the Eagles lose a fifth straight they'd see their 12-year playoff streak snapped. A win, plus what should be at least 39 playoff points, looks good for a 13th straight spot. To get that win “would be very, very refreshing for this team,” David Beebe said. “And for the coaching staff.” A lot may hinge on the health of quarterback Austin Bray; when he went down with an injury against Marmion the Eagles essentially moved on to Week 9. Bray looks good for Leo, though fullback and linebacker Zach Bosek is questionable. Beebe said Leo quarterback Latrell Giles is an outstanding extender of plays, which puts pressure on Aurora Christian defensive backs Jeremiah Wright, Luke Solatka and Jake Richardson. Leo also has plenty of potential big plays to worry about between tailback Nick Edlund and receiver Jacolby Maxwell, who unofficially has 928 yards receiving. Jake Smith and the offensive line also figures to have a better time moving people than last week against Marmion.
Marmion (6-2, 2-1)
at Montini (5-3, 2-1)
Chicago Catholic League White
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Last year: Montini 27, Marmion 3.
Last week: Marmion 56, Aurora Christian 0; Montini 24, Fenwick 7.
Outlook: There will be a co-champion in the CCL Green, the winner of this game joining the winner of St. Francis-Fenwick. Marmion, which lost to Fenwick, could have the satisfaction of beating both St. Francis and Montini but the host Broncos have won the last four meetings. Rushing for 465 yards and 8 touchdowns last week, 130 yards by Nate Traxler, Marmion coach Dan Thorpe called his offensive line of Luke Juriga, Baylor Johnson, Tim Clohecy, Jeremy Daum and John Gauthier his players of the week. Aurora Christian does much one-platooning and Montini does not, so Marmion backs Traxler, Jordan Glasgow and Lucas Warren should meet hard-hitting Montini linebackers John Embrey and Terrell Johnson more often. Broncos coach Chris Andriano said the key is who can get on top and control the ball, which Marmion would gladly do in a methodical ground game mixed with the odd Rusty Joyce play-action pass. While Montini's passing game hasn't dominated of late, Chuck Norgle-to-Leon Thornton III remains a deadly combination. Broncos tailback Prince Walker ran for 210 yards, 2 touchdowns against Fenwick. Marmion's senior-based lineup shouldn't be that boggled by what Thorpe called “the emotion and aura of Montini football.”
Rochelle (3-5)
at Kaneland (3-5)
Northern Illinois Big XII crossover
Game time: 7:15 p.m. Friday.
Last year: Kaneland 49, Rochelle 20.
Last week: Sterling 21, Rochelle 6; Kaneland 58, LaSalle-Peru 6.
Outlook: These proud programs don't have a playoff berth to fight over but they've got each other in a rivalry game turned down a notch with Rochelle's move to the NIBXII West. If it's the Rochelle Hubs and coach Kevin Crandall it's a smashmouth Wing-T ground game, this season led by Cole White, Eddie Avila, Adam Ricketts and quarterback Kevin Christensen. Like Kaneland, Rochelle lost a close one to DeKalb, not as close to Yorkville and dominated LaSalle-Peru. Against Rochelle's blitzing 4-2 defense Kaneland coach Tom Fedderly looks for balanced offense. Last week, which saw LaSalle-Peru score on a kickoff return trailing 37-0, the yardage came more from Jake Marczuk throwing the ball for 183 yards. But the Knights also got running touchdowns by Marczuk and Alec Aurelio and by receivers Tyler Paulson and Connor Fedderly. Fedderly, who joined Isaac Swithers catching touchdown passes, is now up to 53 catches for 855 yards, 11 touchdowns. The Knights' playoff streak was snapped at six years, but the seniors still want to go out strong. “Our focus is just playing our best game,” said Tom Fedderly.
St. Charles East (3-5, 3-3)
at West Chicago (3-5, 2-4)
Upstate Eight River Conference
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Last year: Did not play.
Last week: St. Charles North 42, St. Charles East 0; Streamwood 28, West Chicago 8.
Outlook: In August it seemed probable this game would decide the playoffs for one if not both these teams. West Chicago's first-year head coach, Ted Monken, returns to where he coached from 2004-08, when he brought Saints coach Bryce Farquhar into the program. Monken has led the Wildcats to their most wins since 2004, and he's got a quarterback in Peyton Seidler who likes to get the ball outside to receiver Alex Mitchell, who has 9 touchdown receptions. These two teams are near polar opposites. Stop West Chicago's pass game and St. Charles East has a good chance at victory. While Saints sophomore quarterback Zach Mitchell continues to get acclimated to varsity the recipe for success continues to be running the ball with both Mitchell and Ramon Lopez. St. Charles North limited Lopez to 24 yards and that didn't work out. Saints linemen Eddie Harriett, Matt Doyle, Jack Sharkey and Zach Reyes will be challenged by a big West Chicago defensive front, but being seniors they will leave it all out there. “You want to be able to walk off that field knowing that you gave it everything you had,” Farquhar said.
St. Charles North (6-2, 4-2)
at Elgin (1-7, 1-5)
Upstate Eight River Conference
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Last year: St. Charles North 49, Elgin 0.
Last week: St. Charles North 42, St. Charles East 0; Elgin 31, Larkin 13 Central 7.
Outlook: Regardless of opponent, in preparation for their first playoff season since 2009 the North Stars' sights are on notching a seventh win to secure a better seed. “That's huge,” said St. Charles North coach Rob Pomazak. Last week's shutout improved the North Stars' defense to an average of 10.3 points allowed per game, leading the entire Upstate Eight Conference. Against the run, North Stars outside linebackers Jack Callaghan, Tyler Mettetal and Ben Theile will look to contain Elgin's Dontrell Gaddy. When Maroons quarterback Terrance Miller-Allen passes, he's got 6-foot-6 Elijah Bonds and 6-2 Jordan Smith going over people. Thus, a key will be putting on the pass rush, a North Stars specialty. Offensively the North Stars are in a nice groove where Dom Sidari and Eric Lins are sharing the load and quarterback Nathan Didier has an expanding stable of receivers including tight end Callaghan, Mettetal, Blake Kastein and Kyle Novotney — a great story since he and Didier competed for the quarterback spot. Despite Elgin's record, due to playoff ramifications Pomazak is calling this the “most important game of the season.”
Streamwood (3-5, 3-3)
at Batavia (7-1, 6-0)
Upstate Eight River Conference
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Last year: Batavia 56, Streamwood 14.
Last week: Streamwood 28, West Chicago 8; Batavia 26, Geneva 20.
Outlook: Coming off a win in “The Biggest Game of the Season,” decided essentially by 5 interceptions — 2 by Eddie Golden, and Josh Leonhard and Nick Bernabei picks each returned for touchdowns — the Bulldogs now have the outright River Division title on the line. Streamwood has size and skill, Batavia coach Dennis Piron rattling off many Sabres he's watching out for. Offensively the focus is quarterback Max Draper, a prototype-sized slinger whose favorite target is another senior, Noah Polich. The tandem has struck for 8 touchdowns. But as Piron said, Batavia is hard to match for pressuring the quarterback with players like Leonhard, Jake Birkhaug, Jake Hlava and Colin Thurston. Streamwood's 3-5 or 4-2 defenses load up size like 6-3, 340-pound Chance McCray, among four Sabres listed at least 300 pounds. Batavia linemen like Patrick Gamble have a wealth of experience pulling, so maybe the Bulldogs hit the perimeter with running backs Zach Garrett and Blake Crowder or throwing to Canaan Coffey. Either way after 3 turnovers against Geneva they look to improve offensively on the Bulldogs' senior night.
Burlington Central (5-3, 5-1) at Rockford Christian (0-8, 0-6)
When/where: today at 7 p.m.
Last year: Burlington Central 34, Rockford Christian 0
Last week: Johnsburg 7, Burlington Central 0; Marengo 42, Rockford Christian 13
Outlook: The Rockets aim for a sixth win for the first time since they finished 7-3 in 2011. A victory seems likely against the Royal Lions, who have been outscored 399-83. Still, no one wearing royal blue and white will take the host team lightly on its Senior Night. “We talked a lot to our kids about if you look at it on paper, it's a game we should win,” Central coach Rich Crabel said. “But their kids will come out and play hard in their last home game. It's important for us to get off to a good start.” Adam Skirmont, who started at quarterback the last two weeks, suffered a high-ankle sprain in the loss to Johnsburg. He finished the game but has been limited in practice since. Junior Robert Doubek, who started the first 6 games for the Rockets, is expected to get the start in Week 9. Doubek completed both of his pass attempts last week for 35 yards, upping his season totals to 758 yards and 4 touchdowns on 57-of-114 passing (50 pecent). He has thrown 5 interceptions. The Central offense averages 321.6 yards per game, with 1,545 of its 2.573 total yards coming via the ground game. Leading rusher Jason Berango returned last week on a limited basis from an ankle sprain suffered in Week 6 at Marengo. Berango touched the ball five times and was held to negative yardage. He leads Central with 597 yards and 9 touchdowns on 92 carries (6.5 avg.).
St. Francis (6-2, 2-1) vs. Fenwick (5-3, 2-1)Game time: 1 p.m. Saturday at Morton West in Berwyn.
The quick hit: St. Francis has run out hero after hero — quarterback Clint Bobowski, receiver Mike Shaw, defensive end Quinn Calcagno, defensive back Matt Hanson — but it's a team effort that's put the Spartans in position for a Chicago Catholic League Green co-title.