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Week 9: Scouting the Upstate Eight River

St. Charles North (7-1, 4-1) at Batavia (7-1, 4-1)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Bulldog Field

Last year: Batavia 48, St. Charles North 28

Last week: St. Charles North 30, Geneva 3; Batavia 42, Larkin 28

Outlook: Coming into this season the five-time champion Bulldogs and upwardly mobile North Stars each hoped to enter this game undefeated with a chance to win the Upstate Eight River title. However, each lost to surging St. Charles East, which turned this into a battle for second place. "I think it's definitely important as far as playoff seeding, but as far as overall importance it's not for a conference championship so it loses a little bit of the weight to it," Pomazak said. The North Stars, ranked No. 4 in Class 7A, have not allowed a touchdown in 17 quarters. The last team to reach the end zone against them was St. Charles East in the third quarter of a Week 4 clash. They limit opponents to 183 total yards per game. Of the 43 points they've allowed this season, 28 came in their only loss to the rival Saints. Leading the way for the North Stars are senior middle linebackers Jack Wolf (7.9 tackles per game) and Chris Cotter (7.1) and senior lineman Trey Kellogg (7.3). Batavia, tied for sixth in the Class 7A rankings, counters with the area's biggest offensive line. That unit has cleared the way for 36.4 points and 387 yards per game. Junior quarterback Riley Cooper has completed 69 of 111 passes for 768 yards and 7 touchdowns with 3 interceptions. He shares quarterbacking duties with mobile senior Ben Weerts, who has rushed for 342 yards and 7 touchdowns in 72 attempts (4.8 avg.). "We just have to do what we do," Piron said. "They're big, but we're big, too. One thing we definitely have is size, particularly on the lines, especially the offensive line. That will be something different for them because they haven't had many matchups like that."

Geneva (3-5) at West Aurora (8-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Quick hit: A Blackhawks' win in this Upstate Eight crossover makes them 9-0 for the first time since coach Ken Zimmerman's team finished with the same record in 1948-49. Geneva has won at least 4 games every year since going 2-7 in 2003-04.

Streamwood (3-5, 1-4) at St. Charles East (8-0, 5-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Norris Stadium

Quick hit: The Saints, ranked No. 8 in Class 8A, already have a share of the Upstate Eight River title wrapped up, but they can win it outright by handling the Sabres. A 9-0 regular season would be St. Charles East's first since coach Buck Drach's 1998-99 team went 10-1.

Crystal Lake South (2-6) at West Chicago (1-7)Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.

The quick hit: In 2015 West Chicago had a total of 672 yards rushing. This season senior fullback Devonte Pascal has run for 683. That and Zach Stefan's touchdown passes to Alex VanDoren and Trey Lally give the Wildcats a little momentum entering their finale. This is the final game of Crystal Lake South coach Chuck Ahsmann's seven-year career, he told his team on Monday. Ahsmann enters with a career record of 42-28 with four playoff appearances to his credit.

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