Week 6: Scouting the DuPage Valley
Glenbard North (3-2, 2-2) at Wheaton North (4-1, 3-1)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Last week: Glenbard North 20, Naperville North 7; Wheaton North 21, Lake Park 12.
Last year: Glenbard North 34, Wheaton North 7.
Outlook: Glenbard North coach Ryan Wilkens joked that these running teams could be done by 8:30. Last week Panthers junior tailback Mark Finley ran 46 times for 298 yards and a 41-yard touchdown, while quarterback Lee Rady passed and ran for scores. Finley's emergence allows Jayleen Fitzpatrick to focus at linebacker, bolstering defensive tackle Prince Goodlow and a unit that allows only 70 yards rushing on average. Glenbard North has been outscored 31-0 in the first quarter. Stopping the Panthers obviously means stopping Finley and the ground game, but that feeds into a defensive strength for the Falcons on the line with De'Quan Ramsey and Jacob Secrest. Wheaton North running back Sam Singleton is an underrated talent in the DVC who's rushed for 791 yards and 12 touchdowns. With junior running back Antowon Tolbert and quarterback Rhett Netzer adding another 458 rushing yards, Wheaton North averages 42 running plays a game. Singleton gets half of them.
Next week: Glenbard North at Lake Park; Neuqua Valley at Wheaton North.
Naperville North (4-1, 3-1) at Neuqua Valley (4-1, 3-1)
Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Last week: Glenbard North 20, Naperville North 7; Neuqua Valley 41, Thornwood 8.
Last year: Neuqua Valley 35, Naperville North 20.
Outlook: After a pair of remarkable comeback victories, the Huskies finally fell for the first time last week. They gave up a ton of rushing yards, but keep in mind the Huskies were without their two starting defensive tackles and linebacker Keith MacGregor. Naperville North plans to be healthier for this one. The offense had a rare off night in the loss, but quarterback Drake Davis and standout receivers Ryan Laurenzo and Nick Calcagno expect a big bounce-back performance. Neuqua hit winless Thornton for 417 yards of offense, quarterback Jake Eskoff completing 11 of 14 passes for 240 yards, 4 touchdowns. The Wildcats will try to control clock and have a back, Cameron Raupach, who can do that. Defensively, the goal is for ends Matt Quinn and Josh Krajacic to hold their outside lanes against the Huskies' scrambling Davis, and for defensive backs Josh Earl, Ryan Wheeler, Jake Wenz, Will Allen and Trevor Tesmond to lock on receivers and limit big plays.
Next week: Naperville North vs. Naperville Central; Neuqua Valley at Wheaton North.
Lake Park (2-3, 2-2) at Metea Valley (0-5, 0-5)Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
The quick hit: Lake Park quarterback Jackson Behles last week completed passes to seven receivers in the first half. Metea cornerback Amarian Wilborn intercepted Waubonsie Valley twice, helping Sam Barton kick 4 field goals, including a 42-yarder.
St. Edward, Ohio (5-0) at Naperville Central (5-0)Game time: 1 p.m. Saturday.
The quick hit: While Naperville Central deals with the Bombers' nationally ranked talent on both sides of the ball, St. Edward must contend with running back A.J. Deinhart, quarterback Payton Thorne, receiver Jayden Reed and the balanced Redhawks offense.
WW South (0-5, 0-5) at Waubonsie Valley (2-3, 2-3)Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
The quick hit: Tigers quarterback Zach Harris had one of his best games last week, throwing for 227 yards to six receivers. Waubonsie defensive backs Derric Lee and Nick Lamoso are ready. With Bryce Logan injured, tailback Nate Ashford's load increases.