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Scouting Week 2 football in DuPage County

Naperville North (0-1, 0-1) at DeKalb (1-0, 1-0)When: Saturday, 2 p.m.

2019 result: DeKalb 49, Naperville North 19.

Outlook: This isn't the same DeKalb program from two-decades plus ago that suffered loss after loss. The new-look Barbs are a premier team in the DuPage Valley Conference, opening up the season with a 58-21 rout over Metea Valley in Week 1. The Huskies' main order of business is keeping DeKalb senior quarterback Trenton Kyler under control. Kyler, a running and passing threat, accounted for 114 yards passing and 52 yards passing against the Mustangs. Led by an explosive running attack, the Barbs' offense can beat you many ways. The Huskies showed a lot of fight last week by battling back from a 29-8 deficit to Neuqua Valley in a 29-22 loss. The Huskies can't afford another slow start if they want to pull out the win over the talent-filled Barbs. After a sluggish beginning, Naperville North's two-quarterback system of Jonathan Bell and Aidan Gray played solid and sparked the comeback.

Metea Valley (0-1, 0-1) at Waubonsie V. (0-1, 0-1)When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.

2019: Waubonsie Valley 49, Metea Valley 38.

Outlook: Metea Valley is loaded with motivation for its second game of the season. The Mustangs dropped a 58-21 decision to DeKalb last week, and are looking to end a seven-game losing streak that extends to 2019. The good news is Metea Valley quarterback Logan Frederick made some memorable plays against the Barbs' solid defense, throwing for 252 yards. Wide receiver Jalen Johnson is a player to watch this season after becoming a coveted recruit in the offseason. Johnson is a big-play threat. He caught 11 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns against the Barbs. Waubonsie Valley has to limit the big-play ability of Johnson, which can be aided by several clock-killing drives. The Warriors suffered a 47-0 defeat to Naperville Central, but the Redhawks' defense is one of the best in the state, so this could be a good opportunity to get a better handle of their offense. Limiting turnovers and special teams could be a key factor in the DuPage Valley Conference game.

Marmion (0-0) at Naperville Central (1-0)When: Sunday 11 a.m.

2019 result: Did not play

Outlook: By kickoff time, both area teams will be ready to play after an up-and-down week. The Redhawks had their game against Neuqua Valley canceled, but managed to schedule the Cadets. The game was slated for Saturday before getting pushed to Sunday. Either way, it should be an interesting game between two contrasting styles. The Redhawks feature one of the best defenses in the state, with defensive lineman Patrick Grange and linebacker Shane Roth. They helped Waubonsie Valley scoreless last week to give coach Mike Stine his 100th career victory. The Cadets have yet to play this season, so look for them to come out fast and looking to establish the run, Stine said. "They're a traditionally good football program," Stine said. "We're expecting a physical hard-nosed game. We're excited to have a game to play."

Glenbard West (1-0, 1-0) at York (1-0, 1-0)When: Friday 7 p.m.

2019 result: Glenbard West 47, York 7.

Outlook: The Hilltoppers have owned this series, but that's not a big surprise considering the program's dominance in the state. York's defense showed vast improvement in their opening win against Hinsdale South. The Dukes played fast and gang-tackled and didn't allow any big momentum-building plays. The Hilltoppers are pretty simple on offense. They like to run the ball and mix in an occasional pass. It's an effective scheme specially with their group of vaunted running backs and powerful offensive linemen. York's defense faces a stiff test attempting to stop Glenbard West running back Jalen Moore and Samson Zander. The Dukes' best defense might be their offense. Senior running back Patrick Kastner is powerful and fast and showed the ability to chew up yards against the Hornets, running for 114 yards in limited play. The Dukes have to control the clock, move the chains and win the turnover battle if they want to knock off the Hilltoppers. "Glenbard West is the class of the conference for years," York coach Mike Fitzgerald said. "It's always a big challenge for us. Our kids are excited for that. They have a great program. We're excited for the opportunity to just play football, so to compete against a team like that is exciting."

Wheaton Warrenville S. (1-0, 1-0) at Glenbard N. (0-1, 0-1)When: Friday 5:30 p.m.

2019 result: Glenbard North 23, Wheaton Warrenville South 7.

Outlook: The Tigers opened the season off with a strong showing in an impressive 42-7 victory over Lake Park. Quarterback Parker Brown showed he was ready to jump right back into football after a stellar season on the basketball team. Brown and senior Kaleb Clousing were a strong duo against the Lancers, while the defense did a stellar job allowing just seven points. The Panthers closed out the 2019 with a memorable run, winning six of their final seven games, so the Tigers represent a key test whether they can build some momentum toward a winning season.

Other games:

DeLaSalle at Benet, 7 p.m.

Downers Grove South at Hinsdale South, 6 p.m.

Elgin at Glenbard East, 7:30 p.m.

Elmwood Park at IC Catholic Prep, 7:15 p.m.

Fenton at Larkin, 7:30 p.m.

Glenbard South at West Chicago, 7:30 p.m.

Hinsdale Central at Leyden, 6 p.m.

Montini at St. Rita, 7:30 p.m.

St. Francis at Wheaton Academy, 7:15 p.m.

Wheaton North at Lake Park, 5:30 p.m.

Willowbrook at Addison Trail, 6 p.m.

Metea Valley receiver Alex Cleveland goes up high for a ball behind DeKalb's Talen Tate during their game Saturday afternoon at DeKalb High School. Mark Busch/mbusch@shawmedia.com
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