Week 5: Scouting the Northern Lake
Antioch Sequoits (4-0, 2-0) at Grayslake Central Rams (1-3, 1-1)
When: 7:15 p.m., Friday
Last week: Antioch def. Grant, 28-0; Grayslake Central def. Round Lake, 25-15.
Skinny: Grayslake Central is beaming with pride after getting its first win last week since the 2013 season. But the harsh reality is that the next task at hand is quite arduous. Antioch is the No. 1 team in the Northern Lake County Conference, the only undefeated team and the highest-scoring offense at 42.3 points per game. The Sequoits also got their first shutout of the season last week against Grant, allowing just 3 first downs and 96 total yards…Offensively, Antioch had two big ground-gainers last week. Hunter Price rushed for 74 yards and 2 touchdowns on 14 carries while Drew Porter had 81 yards on 17 carries…Grayslake Central, which has scored only 60 points on the season and nearly a third of those against Round Lake last week, again went to workhorse running back Mikey Andrews. He gained 96 yards on 22 carries and also scored 2 touchdowns…Grayslake Central's defense will be challenged against the high-scoring Sequoits. The Rams allow 32.3 points per game, second-most in the conference.
Lakes Eagles (2-2, 2-0) at Grant Bulldogs (1-3, 1-1)
When: 7:15 p.m., Friday
Last week: Lakes def. Wauconda, 34-14; Grant lost to Antioch, 28-0.
Skinny: Lakes is on the uptick, having won two straight games after opening the season with losses in both nonconference games. The Eagles are averaging about 33 points per game over their two wins, as opposed to 16 points per game over the losses...Grant's offensive numbers are stagnant. The Bulldogs are coming off an anemic effort against Antioch in which they were shutout, managed just 3 first downs and totaled just 96 yards…Grant has been without sophomore starting quarterback Matt McGraw the last two weeks while he has nursed a leg injury. He has been cleared to play and is looking to add balance to rushers Drew Walker, Kenyon Jones and Diego Ortiz…Lakes running back Cameron Ruiz, a Northwestern commit, is coming off a big game against Wauconda. He rolled up 214 yards and 3 touchdowns on just 13 carries. Quarterback Brandon Khan completed 8-of-9 passes for 126 yards. He also ran in a touchdown.
Grayslake North Knights (3-1, 1-1) at Round Lake Panthers (0-4, 0-2)
When: 7:15 p.m., Friday
Last week: Grayslake North def. North Chicago, 49-6; Round Lake lost to Grayslake Central, 25-15.
Skinny: Grayslake North and Round Lake are on opposite ends of the spectrum. The Knights have allowed just 69 points on the season, fewest in the Northern Lake County Conference, and now they are facing a Round Lake team that has scored only 30 points on the season, fewest in the conference. Meanwhile, Grayslake North is averaging 29.3 points per game, tied with North Chicago for second-most in the conference. Meanwhile, Round Lake is allowing 35 points per game, most in the conference…Grayslake North has tried to get the ball into the hands of running back Dami Oladunmoye as much as possible since he returned from an off-season injury and missed the first two games of the season…Round Lake rushed for 172 yards last week and most of it came from Alan Espinosa, who rolled up 132 yards on 21 carries.
North Chicago Warhawks (2-2, 1-1) at Wauconda Bulldogs (1-3, 0-2)
When: 7:15 p.m., Friday
Last week: North Chicago lost to Grayslake North, 49-6; Wauconda lost to Lakes, 34-14.
Skinny: Wauconda is in need of a win, having dropped three straight games. North Chicago is also coming off a loss, but had won its previous two games emphatically, both in shutouts (41-0 over Robeson, 43-0 over Round Lake)…North Chicago is not only scoring a lot of points (29.3 points per game, second-most in the Northern Lake County Conference), but the defense has been strong as well. The Warhawks are allowing 20 points per game, second fewest in the league…North Chicago quarterback Dyshawn Gales is a threat to pass or run with the ball and he has some fast receivers to target in Cordell Bailey and Ishaun Walker…Wauconda out-gained Lakes last week in rushing yards, 313-288, thanks to a big effort out of running back Jacob Bicknase, who rolled up 228 yards and a touchdown on 36 carries.