Week 2: Cary-Grove's Skol, Round Lake's Cruz merit MVP acclaim

Cary-Grove senior Max Skol and Round Lake senior Kelvin Cruz have been named Daily Herald MVPs for their performances in Week 2 of the high school football season.

OFFENSE

Max Skol, Cary-Grove: This 5-foot-10, 185-pound fullback inflicted more punishment than he absorbed in Cary-Grove's 29-7 victory over McHenry. A free safety who is used to initiating contact, this senior used his aggressive rushing approach to net 256 yards, including touchdown runs of 13, 3 and 48 yards, on 20 carries to lead the Trojans to their first victory.

C.J. Griffin, West Chicago: The senior's 2-point conversion pass beat Elgin 28-26 in overtime to snap a five-game losing streak dating to 2016. A 6-2, 170-pound quarterback, running back and defensive back, Griffin ran for 111 yards with touchdown runs of 10 and 71 yards. He added 10 tackles and an interception on defense.

Joey Stutzman, Lake Zurich: After being held to 77 rushing yards in an Opening Night win over Fremd, the 5-foot-7, 170-pound senior running back displayed the skills that made him an all-area selection last year. He carried the ball 31 times for 207 yards and 3 touchdowns, as the Bears beat Montini 28-7 in their home opener.

Tom Trieb, Buffalo Grove: The junior running back was an all-around difference-maker in the Bison's 14-8 victory at Conant. He accounted for almost all of Buffalo Grove's rushing yardage, finishing with 10 carries for 143 yards. That total included a 45-yard TD run - and Trieb could have just as easily been a defensive choice this week, as he was in on 18 tackles.

DEFENSE

Kelvin Cruz, Round Lake: The 6-foot-4, 305-pound senior played a large role in helping the Panthers secure their first 2-0 start in 11 years. With the Panthers leading their home opener against Amundsen just 14-6 in the second quarter, Ethan Gomez tipped a pass and fellow defensive tackle Cruz intercepted the ball in the end zone for a Pick-6.

Drew Neville, Rolling Meadows: A three-year varsity starter, Neville certainly played like one in a 10-0 victory at Fremd. In addition to his 5 solo tackles and 3 assists, the senior defensive end had 1 sack, a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery to lead a Rolling Meadows defense with a penchant for big plays.

Kyle Schroeder, Waubonsie Valley: The three-year starting linebacker, a 6-foot, 185-pound senior, helped limit Glenbard North to 3.3 yards a carry in Waubonsie's 21-7 DuPage Valley Conference victory. Schroeder had a quarterback hurry and made 17 tackles, 14 of them solo stops, including 2 tackles for loss.

Tom Stuttle, Batavia: This 5-foot-11, 165-pound senior was named defensive player of the week and overall player of the week by his team for his two-way performance in a 24-10 victory over Libertyville. Not only did Stuttle catch a touchdown pass on offense, he made 2 interceptions from his cornerback position to help the Batavia defense hold the Wildcats to 175 total yards.