De La Salle hopes to spoil Montini's homecoming party
De La Salle (1-2, 1-0) at Montini (3-0, 0-0)Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
The quick hit: Several key De La Salle players transferred yet it beat Fenwick behind skill players Gerald Carter and Ronald Seals. The Meteors visit Duffy Field for Montini's homecoming and 50th anniversary party. Tackles Joe Spivak, Michael Ross will be waiting.
St. Francis (3-0) at Brother Rice (2-1)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Last week: St. Francis 53, Marmion 7; Loyola 28, Brother Rice 0.
Last year: Brother Rice 35, St. Francis 29.
Outlook: Despite falling to 2-2 after losing to last year's Chicago Catholic League Blue co-champion, this was where St. Francis really felt it was on to something special. A great passing attack gained 390 yards. Speaking of passing last week Peter Fassnacht completed 20 straight and 23 of 26 overall for 251 yards, 4 touchdowns. Michael Beach caught 8 passes for 110 yards to help set up 3 touchdown catches by tight end Tristan Bolin, 1 by back Will Purdom. Linebackers Brett Whelton and Greg Bogdanski combined for 17 solo tackles. Against a Brother Rice team St. Francis coach Mike Fitzgerald sees as one of the fastest St. Francis will face, the thrust is to make the Crusaders earn their points and keep junior receiver Ricky Smalley in front of the defense. Last season Smalley's 880 yards receiving set Brother Rice's season record. Quarterback Cam Miller and running back Clifton Taylor are off to fast starts. For what it's worth, in 2014 the Crusaders beat Loyola 16-13; this year they got shut out.
Providence (0-3) at Marmion (1-2)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Last week: St. Francis 53, Marmion 7; Mt. Carmel 13, Providence 0
Last year: Providence 37, Marmion 7
Outlook: The Cadets return home after a lopsided loss at St. Francis, the No. 3 team in Class 5A. "We told the kids three things after last week's game," Marmion coach Dan Thorpe said. "One, admit they kicked your fanny. Two, learn from it. And three, look forward from here. We want to prove we can still play well, play hard and play smart." The schedule gets no easier this week. Next up is Class 7A defending state champion Providence, which finds itself in a must-win situation after dropping its first three games to Joliet Catholic (35-13), Oswego (14-13) and Mt. Carmel (13-0). Those teams own a combined 8-1 record. The Celtics return five players on offense from their state-title team, including running back Richie Warfield. However, he left last week's game against Mt. Carmel and did not return. The Providence defense is led by returning all-state linebacker Brenden O'Hara. The senior registered 6 tackles and an interception last week against Mt. Carmel. They'll face an already thin Marmion roster of 28 players that has been further thinned by injury. Quarterback Johnny Tate, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound senior, will not play due to a high ankle sprain, Thorpe said. Likewise, two-way lineman Adam Prosser (6-2, 280) will miss his second straight game with a high ankle sprain suffered against Guerin (Ind.) on Sept. 5. "We're beat up with a lot of starters injured," Thorpe said, which is unfortunate because we only had 28 players to begin with."
Next week: St. Rita at Providence; Marmion will accept a forfeit from Chicago Legal Prep Charter
St. Ignatius (1-2) at Aurora Christian (3-0)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday
The quick hit: Aurora Christian aims to start 4-0 for the fifth straight season.
The Eagles defeated the Wolfpack last year in Chicago, 43-28. Senior Jeremiah Wright was a force on both sides of the ball last week against Lake Forest Academy. He rushed for 172 yards and 2 scores, forced a fumble, had 3 sacks and made a key second-half interception.