Most Valuable Player
Players of the Week
Week 8 Offensive MVP
Jimmy Garoppolo
Meadows coach Doug Millsaps said "we are as Jimmy goes" on Friday night. The Mustangs went on to clinch a share of the Mid-Suburban East title with 26-19 win over Buffalo Grove as the senior quarterback was 13-for-21 passing for 219 yards and 2 touchdowns and rushed 27 times for 120 yards and a TD.
Runner-up
Nick Campanella
The Broncos needed all the points they could get against Suburban Christian Conference crossover foe Wheaton Academy. The 205-pound Campanella complied in Montini’s 42-27 victory. The senior back caught 7 passes for 141 yards with touchdown grabs of 37, 55 and 22 yards. He added 25 yards rushing with a 3-yard touchdown run.
Runner-up
Alex Hembrey
The fleet-footed senior carried 18 times for 127 yards and scored on touchdown runs of 9, 28 and 10 yards to lead the Trojans to a 28-16 victory over rival Crystal Lake South in a showdown between unbeaten teams for the Valley Division title.
Runner-up
Michael Santacaterina
The senior running back told his teammates he’d see them in the end zone. Time and again he did in Geneva’s 27-24 overtime victory against Western Sun Conference foe Kaneland. The 6-foot, 205-pounder ran 23 times for 115 yards and touchdown runs of 7, 1, 6 and 2 yards, the last one in overtime. It was his second 4-touchdown game this season.
Runner-up
Joey Valdivia
Grayslake North’s lament: "Say it ain’t so, Joey." The sophomore running back crushed the spirits of his team’s crosstown rival, rushing for career bests of 194 yards and 4 touchdowns on 15 carries in a 28-0 win. He scored on runs of 24, 6, 66 and 1 yards, accounting for all of the Rams’ touchdowns.
Week 8 Defensive MVP
Sean Dunn
With a West Suburban Gold win over Hinsdale South hanging in the balance, as time expired Dunn snared an interception near the goal line and returned it 89 yards to preserve Willowbrook’s 7-0 victory. The senior defensive back also made 9 tackles, defended 2 passes and recovered a fumble on a kickoff following the game’s lone score.
Runner-up
Mike Crain
The senior defensive back made 3 tackles and added 2 assists, but his biggest play came in late in the first quarter, when Crain blocked a Thornwood punt and recovered it in the end zone to spur Bartlett to a 27-0 nonconference road win.
Runner-up
Gary Eppinger
Gary was very scary — scary good. The junior linebacker turned in a dominating defensive effort against Libertyville. He notched 12 tackles, including 2 sacks, forced a fumble and recovered one. His performance helped lift the Blue Devils to a 42-21 win that hiked their record to 7-1.
Runner-up
Josh Marchok
Marchok has grown up quickly in helping Schaumburg reach the postseason for the second straight year. The sophomore had 13 tackles with two stops for losses and two stops on fourth down as the Saxons improved to 5-3 with a 21-9 Mid-Suburban West win over Barrington.
Runner-up
Tyler Nutting
The senior defensive back’s late interception against Neuqua Valley, deep in St. Charles East territory, clinched the Saints’ second straight 7-3 victory and kept them a perfect 6-0 in the Upstate Eight Conference. Nutting also scored the game’s sole touchdown on a 27-yard catch, made 4 solo tackles and assisted on a fifth.
