Week 6: Scouting the Upstate Eight River
Batavia (5-0, 3-0) at Geneva (3-2, 2-1)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Burgess Field
Last year: Batavia 21, Geneva 7
Last week: Batavia 7, St. Charles East 0; Geneva 50, Larkin 24
Outlook: This is the 99th clash in a series dating back to 1913. It's been all Bulldogs of late. Batavia, ranked No. 5 in Class 7A, has won the last 6 meetings but Geneva still leads the all-time series 51-42-5. Batavia and St. Charles North remain undefeated in the Upstate Eight River with Geneva a game behind in the loss column. Batavia has been winning with fierce defense and a steady offense. The Bulldogs have shut out three of the five teams they've faced while limiting opposing ground games to 138 rushing yards combined. Offensively, the balanced attack averages 161 passing yards and 165 rushing yards. Senior quarterback Riley Cooper has completed 55 of 78 attempts (70.5 percent) for 714 yards and 10 touchdowns with 3 interceptions. Carries are divided between four backs: seniors Reggie Phillips (40 carries, 220 yards, 3 TD), Jeremiah Evers (39-178-2) and Elijah Green (18-78-2) and sophomore Art Taylor (21-163-2). Geneva counters with linebackers Dan Majewski (team-high 43 tackles) and Zach Pronenko (37 tackles). Geneva's Reilly Waldoch has become the team's featured ball carrier. Last week against Larkin the junior carried 23 times for 131 yards and 5 touchdowns. Overall, Waldoch has 66 totes for 292 yards and 8 touchdowns. Senior quarterback Bobby Murray has completed 70 of 103 passes (68 percent) for 989 yards and 9 touchdowns with 2 interceptions and has carried 35 times for 161 yards and a score. Leading receivers Ian Hanson (254 yards, TD) and Garret Sneed (286 yards, 2 TD) have 15 receptions apiece. Will the Vikings find the end zone against a defense that has allowed only 2 touchdowns in 20 quarters? “We're excited for the challenge, no doubt about it,” Geneva coach Rob Wicinski said. “We'll be as ready as we can be. We don't quite have the goods they do, but that's why they play the game. A couple of turnovers and big plays here and there in our favor and it could be interesting down the stretch.”
Next week: South Elgin (5-0) at Batavia; Geneva at Elgin (2-3)
St. Charles East (3-2) at Bartlett (1-4)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Millennium Field
Last year: St. Charles East 37, Bartlett 19
Last week: Batavia 7, St. Charles East 0; Prairie Ridge 63, Bartlett 7
Outlook: There's nothing wrong with St. Charles East. The Saints have dropped 2 straight to St. Charles North and Batavia by a total of 8 points, but they were competitive to the final play in both games so no alarm bells are sounding on Dunham Rd. A block in the back penalty here, a holding call there — they've led to nullified touchdown runs that might have changed outcomes. “There's been calls. It's just those small things have not gone our way this season and that's the way it bounces,” St. Charles East coach Bryce Farquhar said. “I think (Batavia) is a deep playoff team and we played the really well.” Saints quarterback Clayton Isbell gutted out a high-ankle sprain against Batavia. Though he wasn't effective as a rusher, he stretched the field vertically and kept the Bulldogs honest. Bartlett is a junior-heavy team trying to get better week by week. The Hawks were humbled last week by defending Class 6A state champion Prairie Ridge, one of the best teams in the state. Like St. Charles East, Prairie Ridge runs the triple option. Coach Eric Ilich said he's looking for a bounce-back game from his defense, led by senior safety Mark Repiscak and senior linebackers Collin Domanus and Cam Montriand. “When you play a tough team like Prairie Ridge you learn a lot of tough lessons,” Bartlett coach Eric Ilich said, “so we'll see how we respond against St. Charles East and see what we've learned.”
Next week: Larkin (2-3) at St. Charles East; Bartlett at East Aurora (0-5)
Elgin (2-3, 1-1) at St. Charles North (4-1, 2-0) Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday
The quick hit: Lucas Segobiano (25 receptions), Tyler Nubin and Tommy Nelson have combined to make 64 catches for 988 yards and 10 touchdowns for St. Charles North, ranked No. 9 in Class 7A. Elgin has won 2 games in a season for the first time since 2010, when Dave Bierman's Maroons went 6-4 and made the school's last playoff appearance.
Streamwood (0-5, 0-3) at Larkin (2-3, 0-2) Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Memorial Field
The quick hit: Larkin senior running back Kindrel Morris has rushed for 522 yards and 5 touchdowns — in the last two weeks alone. Streamwood scored its first points of the season in last week's 42-20 loss to Elgin. Larkin defeated Streamwood 34-14 last year.