Scouting Week 4 in the Fox Valley

Imm. Conception (1-2, 0-1) at St. Edward (0-3, 0-1)

When: 7:30 p.m. today at Greg True Field

Last week: Aurora Central Catholic 52, St. Edward 36;

Last year: Immaculate Conception 24, St. Edward 15; Marian Central 14, Immaculate Conception 0

Outlook: No one has lost faith on Locust Street. St. Edward tied the school's all-time losing streak with its 23rd straight defeat last week and remains winless this season. However, St. Edward has been competitive in every game and hopeful signs abound. The Green Wave lost its first two games by 7 combined points and led in the second half in Week 3 until breakdowns in the kicking game undercut the celebration plan. "Right now we're holding together and giving each other support," senior Matt Ardiente said at a team-bonding party Tuesday night. "We have goals and we hope to break this losing streak." IC put a scare last week into Marian Central, the top-ranked team in Class 5A. "They're a big, fast football team," said St. Edward junior linebacker/fullback Moises Quiroga. IC starting quarterback Kevin Koch missed the Marian Central game with a broken ankle and remains in a cast. Backup Will Cronin (5-8, 150) will again get the nod. He'll benefit from the presence of running back Jon Ellis (5-1, 210), who rushed for 85 yards on 21 carries last week. "We know we've got a good football team and that we can still win football games," said IC coach Bill Schmidt. "The game is played with 11 guys, not one guy. Some of the guys are going to have to step up and raise the level of their game." The Immaculate Conception defense will have to step up, too, in order to limit a St. Edward offensive attack averaging 36.7 points per game. Senior quarterback Ryan Gilbert has thrown for 225 yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions on 21-of-48 passing. The Wave has three dependable ball carriers in tailback Jimmy Mathisen (46 carries, 346 yards, 7 TDs), Ardiente (21-269-1) and Quiroga (40-249-3). "Aurora Central never stopped us," said St. Edward coach Mike Rolando said of his offense. "The only time our drives were stopped were by fumbles. We can fix those mistakes in practices."

Elgin (2-1) at South Elgin (1-2, 1-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. today at Millennium Field

Last week: Elgin 35, Kankakee 26; South Elgin 42, East Aurora 2

Last year: Elgin 44, South Elgin 20

Outlook: After beating East Aurora for the program's first victory, South Elgin now takes aim at U-46 rival Elgin, one of only two teams in the Upstate Eight with a winning record after three weeks (St. Charles East is also 2-1). The Maroons, likewise, are coming off a victory and sport a 2-1 record for the first time since 2005, when they beat Hoffman Estates in the opener and St. Charles North in Week 3. A win would lift Elgin to 3-1 for the first time since coach Barry Reade's 2001 squad opened the season 6-1. However, the Maroons weren't as sharp as they could have been last week and coach Tom Kim let his players know in no uncertain terms after the game that they must improve. "If we play the way we did last Friday coming into conference, we're not going to win," Kim said this week. "We have to play better and we're capable. It's not like we played to our maximum potential last week. We were very sloppy. I'm just happy the kids fought through it." This is the second meeting between the two schools. Elgin won the inaugural game 44-20 last year in the final game of the regular season for each team. The Maroons could easily be 3-0 if not for turnovers and special teams breakdowns during a 21-13 loss at West Aurora in Week 2. The Elgin offense revolves around prospect Kenny Williams. The senior ran for 200 yards and 2 touchdowns on 20 attempts last week in a 35-26 victory at Kankakee, raising his season totals to 330 yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground. The versatile, 6-foot-tall, 215-pound senior also has 3 receptions out of the backfield for 136 yards, 2 of which have gone for touchdowns. But as South Elgin coach Dale Schabert pointed out earlier this week, the defense can't focus solely on Williams or senior running backs Robert Hayes (13-90) and Terrell Walker (15-92) will make you pay. How South Elgin stands up to Williams and the rest of the Maroons' rushing attack will be key. "He's tough and pretty fast," Schabert said of Williams. "We saw some good backs from Marmion and Geneva but not at this level. He's a strong kid and his legs are always moving." South Elgin gained much-needed confidence from its first victory as a varsity program last week, a 42-2 drubbing of East Aurora. Quarterback Pete Scaffidi threw 5 touchdown passes, 2 each to Kevin Davis and Travis Eubanks, and another to senior Jordan Uveges, who made a beautiful one-handed catch and turned upfield for a touchdown. In three games Scaffidi has thrown for 563 yards and 8 touchdowns with just 2 interceptions. Senior running back Josh Kabala picked up 139 yards on the ground last week, giving him 214 yards and 1 touchdown in 51 attempts.

East Aurora (0-3, 0-1) at Larkin (1-2, 1-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. today at Memorial Field

Last week: Larkin 35, Bartlett 28; South Elgin 42, East Aurora 2

Last year: Did not play

Outlook: Due to creative scheduling within the 11-member Upstate Eight Conference, Larkin and East Aurora have not met on the football field since 2000, when coach Al Tamborelli's Tomcats beat Dale Schabert's Royals 35-26. Larkin's last win in the series was a 51-13 thumping in 1999. East Aurora is coming off a debilitating loss against South Elgin. The Tomcats have won 3 conference games in the last six seasons and seem destined for the bottom rung of the Upstate Eight Conference. Last week they couldn't stop South Elgin quarterback Pete Scaffidi, who threw for 201 yards and 5 touchdowns. Wait until they get a load of Larkin quarterback Cam Kinley. In three games in the spread offense, the senior has thrown for an astonishing 1,101 yards, 14 touchdowns and 5 interceptions on 61-of-101 passing (60.4 percent). "Our main thing was the lack of execution," Tomcats coach Bill Bryant said of the loss to South Elgin. " We forced only one punt during the game. Offensively, we moved the ball effectively, I thought, but if you can't force a couple of punts and get in a field position game, you're not going to win." Larkin doesn't play the field position game. The Royals strike quickly and ask questions later with the help of three big-play receivers: seniors Nick Bee (21 catches, 458 yards, 6 TDs), Jake Kane (16-287-4) and Ryan Shriver (16-243-3). The Royals aren't a physical team up front, which is why they spread the field and attack. But this is one week they might be able to run the ball. The Tomcats allowed 162 yards rushing against South Elgin. That could be a good sign for Larkin running back Dillon Smith, who has rushed 37 times for 170 yards and 1 score. "I would still like to get more balance in our offense," said Larkin coach Dave Bierman. "As much as we do a good job with our passing attack, I still think we need to control the clock more to keep the defense off the field." After giving up 66 and 75 points in its first two outings, the Larkin defense settled down a bit last week. "It's fundamentals," Bierman said. "They're improving every week."

Streamwood (0-3, 0-1) at St. Charles East (2-1, 1-0)

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

Last week: St. Charles North 34, Streamwood 7; St. Charles East 14, Waubonsie Valley 13

Last year: St. Charles East 27, Streamwood 13

Outlook: Streamwood senior backup Gabe Roman stepped in recently for injured starting quarterback Noel Rivera, who went down in Week 2 with an ankle injury in a loss to Dundee-Crown. Roman completed 12-of-23 passes for 99 yards last Friday against St. Charles North. Tailback Kevin Wohlhart (13 rushes, 43 yards last Friday) is a big presence in the Sabres backfield, and Dan Poierier (5-foot-7, 162 pounds) has been getting some touches as well. Saints quarterback Sam Gunther maintained possession last Friday after throwing 4 interceptions in Week 2. The Saints are 2-0 when he doesn't throw an interception. Gunther has completed 47-of-81 passes for 386 yards and 2 TDs. A week after the North Stars were able to run the ball well against the Sabres, look for Wes Allen (247 rushing yards, 4 TDs) to attack Streamwood the same way. Matt Hammer (23 catches, 192 yards) and Jake Krzeczowski (13 catches, 116 yards) have proven to be a nice tandem for Gunther to find and have enhanced Allen's ability to run. Defensively, the Saints enjoyed a couple big plays last week and have played extremely well in their first three games against top-notch competition. Eian O'Brien had a blocked field goal and Jake Leopardo an interception return for a touchdown in the win against Waubonsie Valley. Now the Saints face a Streamwood team that's reeling. "If someone told me in July that we'd be 2-1, I'd have been pleased with that," Saints coach Ted Monken said.

Lake Park (1-2, 0-1) at Bartlett (1-2, 0-1)

When: Noon Saturday at Millennium Field

Last week: Larkin 42, Bartlett 35; Neuqua Valley 21, Lake Park 0

Last year: Bartlett 19, Lake Park 7

Outlook: This interesting matchup pits two of the younger, up-and-coming teams in the Upstate Eight, both heavy with junior talent. The Hawks had trouble last week stopping Larkin quarterback Cam Kinley, who burned the Bartlett defense for 364 yards and 5 touchdowns. Lake Park beat winless Hoffman Estates 16-13 in the season opener but has since been outscored 59-13 by Naperville Central and Neuqua Valley since. Bartlett is a pass-first team this season behind junior quarterback Josh Hasenberg, who has completed 35-of-67 passes (52 percent) for 669 yards and 2 TDs, second in the area only to Kinley. His top targets have been junior receivers Alex VanNess (14 receptions, 274 yards, 1 touchdown) and Cory Brown (11-244-0). "We hope we can pass; that's what we're geared for," Bartlett coach Tom Meaney said. "(Running back Vinnie) Libreri is a good scat back for us, too, a good runner and talented." Libreri is the area's second-leading rusher through three weeks with 374 yards and 3 touchdowns on 48 carries. The Hawks will face a Lancers defense that features a linebacking corps of one sophomore (Ryan Gerts) and juniors Chris Buonavolanto, Will Kalish and Mike Bonhomme. Buonavolanto leads the team with 36 total tackles, Gerts is second with 31. "Gerts is 6-feet tall, 200 pounds and really tough for a sophomore," said Meaney, who appreciates good defense when he sees it. "And their safety (junior Nick) Wiley really smacks people. These are two good, young teams." Lake Park's double-wing offense is nothing new to the Hawks, who have seen the same sets or close variations thereof from Harlem, Elgin and St. Charles North in the last year. Lancers quarterback Larry Nawrot has thrown for 33 yards and 1 touchdown on 30-of-75 passing (40 percent) and has been intercepted four times. Nawrot is also Lake Park's leading rusher with 107 yards and a touchdown on 30 attempts. "We left the game on Larry's shoulders," Lake Park coach Andy Livingston said of last week's loss. "We don't want him to try to save our butts. We challenged the rest of the offense to step up." Bartlett will be without the services of senior defensive end Jon DeCoste, who is recovering from a concussion.

Rockford Lutheran (1-2) at Hampshire (2-1)

When: 7 p.m. today at Hampshire Athletic Field

Last week: North Boone 10, Rockford Lutheran 8; Hampshire 37, Genoa-Kingston 8

Last year: Hampshire 41, Rockford Lutheran 21

Outlook: Hampshire was manhandled last week by physical Genoa-Kingston (3-0). "It was a little disappointing, yes," Hampshire coach Dan Cavanaugh said of the thorough nature of the loss. "They just handed it to us. We knew coming in they were a good team, so we weren't surprised. Obviously, we thought going in we had a chance to win, but we didn't know they would be that much more physical than us." The Whip-Purs shift gears this week. Instead of a power running team like the Cogs, who piled up 328 rushing yards against the Hampshire defense, the Whips face a team that takes to the air to overcome its lack of physicality in the trenches. The Crusaders spread the field with four receivers and a lone back in the backfield. However, that spread offense, led by quarterback Jake Kohlar, managed just one touchdown against North Boone last week. Kohlar finished with 147 yards on 16-of-27 passing in the loss to North Boone. For perspective's sake, North Boone lost to Winnebago 49-0 in Week 1. Hampshire beat Winnebago 35-19 in Week 2. Despite Rockford Lutheran's lack of brawn, Cavanaugh remains wary of the Crusaders' quick-strike offense. "They throw the ball all over the place and they scare you to death because of how fast they can score," Cavanaugh said. "They still have a chance to be pretty good because they can do some real good things offensively. (Kohlar) is a nice player. They'll put him under center or in shotgun." Junior left guard Zach Crinigan is doubtful with a viral infection.

Dundee-Crown (1-2) at Prairie Ridge (3-0)

When: 7:45 p.m. today at Prairie Ridge Athletic Field

Last week: Prairie Ridge 38, McHenry 19; Crystal Lake Central 35, Dundee-Crown 28

Last year: Prairie Ridge 38, Dundee-Crown 14

Outlook: Prairie Ridge is ranked No. 7 in the Class 6A poll this week and they deserve that status, says this week's opposing coach. "They're very good," Chargers coach Mike Davis said. "They and Cary are the two best teams we've seen on film this year, though we haven't seen CL South yet. The quarterback (junior Bryan) Bradshaw is great, their back (Sam Campbell) is great. They have a big line that moves well and gets off the darn ball fast. If we don't come ready to play, we'll be in for an eye-opener." Likewise, the Wolves are impressed with the Chargers, who were tied with undefeated Crystal Lake Central at halftime last week before fading in the second half. "Their lines are much better than what they've been in the past," Wolves coach Chris Schremp said of D-C. "They've got some kids who will come out and hit you. They seem to have cut down quite a bit on the number of mistakes they've had. We're real leery of this team because every year they seem to come up and bite somebody who thinks they can just walk on the field and beat them." The Chargers' improved offensive line has provided holes for the running tandem of Matt Cutinello (47 rushes, 286 yards, 4 TDs) and Ian Salvatini (31-159-4). Improving junior quarterback Logan Kissack is also contributing. The first-year varsity QB has thrown for 189 yards and 2 scores on 16-of-30 passing (53 percent) without an interception. He can take a few lessons from the fundamentally sound Bradshaw. The junior has completed 28-of-47 attempts for 440 yards and 1 touchdown. "I haven't seen a high school player throw like him since I've been here," Davis said. Bradshaw's progression from his sophomore to junior seasons is a result of hard work. "Bryan isn't just better this year because he's a year older," Schremp explained. "It's because he works to get better. If he has a free minute he works on a fundamental drill or comes in and studies more film or throws passes to our tight ends and split ends. He's a hard worker."

Cary-Grove (2-1) at Huntley (1-2)

When: 7:45 p.m. today at Harmony Road Campus

Last week: Cary-Grove 63, Grayslake North 14; Woodstock 14, Huntley 0

Last year: Cary-Grove 43, Huntley 0

Outlook: Cary-Grove scored 63 unanswered points last week after giving up the first 14 points of the game to Grayslake North. Huntley didn't score a point against Woodstock. Therein lies the problem for the Red Raiders, who haven't beaten the Trojans since joining the Fox Valley Conference in 2002. In fact, Cary-Grove has beaten Huntley by a combined score of 194-14 in four meetings, including 3 shutouts, all of which means very little to Cary-Grove coach Bruce Kay. "The past is the past," Kay said. "Those guys graduated. If we could trade in those points for something of value we would." Two players of great value will be out of the lineup for the Trojans tonight. Senior lineman Will Yocius rolled an ankle and won't play. Senior fullback Nick Parfitt suffered a dislocated kneecap and underwent arthroscopic surgery on Wednesday. He'll miss this game and probably more. But the Trojans -- the No. 9 team in the Class 7A poll this week -- still have plenty of weapons in quarterback A.J. Hoger ( 37 carries, 200 yards, 4 touchdowns) and sophomore back Eric Chandler (55-336-3). C-G got a big lift last week from another speedy sophomore, Alex Hembrey, who regularly plays the important strong safety position in the Trojans' stack defense. With his team trailing by 14 points early, Hembrey returned a punt 70 yards to set up Cary-Grove's first score and made an interception to set up the tying touchdown. "We felt all along he possessed the quickness and the speed to make plays and has the athleticism to do so," Kay said. Huntley hasn't been able to force the ball into the end zone much this season. Quarterback Casey Popenfoose's has rushed for 191 yards on 46 carries and has scored 3 of the Red Raiders' 7 touchdowns. Running back Austin Drougas has amassed 219 yards and a touchdown on 26 totes.

Jacobs (1-2) at Grayslake Central (0-3)

When: 7:45 p.m. today at Grayslake Central

Last week: Johnsburg 28, Jacobs 20; Crystal Lake South 48, Grayslake Central 6

Last year: Jacobs 60, Grayslake Central 34

Outlook: Those 50-50 plays, the ones that could go either way in a given football game, didn't go Jacobs' way last week in a crossover loss to Johnsburg. "We've got to get out and execute better and make those close plays," said Jacobs coach Dean Schlueter. "We can do it and once we do, we'll be OK. We didn't play terrible. We were close. They just took advantage of those close plays." The Golden Eagles hope to fare better against the Rams, who were limited to 136 yards of total offense last week by Crystal Lake South. New coach Nick Goshe has started senior Greg Bey at quarterback, but Kevin O'Rourke can sub in on short notice with Bey moving to receiver. Bey has completed 16-of-31 pass attempts for 193 yards and 1 touchdown and has been intercepted twice. The Rams like to pressure offenses from different angles with different blitzers, which will present a challenge for first-year quarterback Kyle Magnuson, who has rushed 29 times for 192 yards and 1 touchdown. That defense will be charged with stopping the Fox Valley area's leading rusher, Darius Bowers. The senior has rushed for 539 yards and 7 touchdowns on 48 carries.

Crystal Lake South at (3-0) at Grayslake North (0-3)

When: 7:45 p.m. today at Grayslake North

Last week: Crystal Lake South 48, Grayslake Central 6; Cary-Grove 63, Grayslake North 14

Last year: Crystal Lake South 47, Grayslake North 0

Outlook: The Gators, ranked No. 3 in Class 7A this week, have everything clicking. "If we come out and play like last week, we'll be OK," CL South coach Jim Stuglis said. "Our No. 1 goal is to play our style of football. If (Grayslake North) can match it, hey, we'll have a great football game. But we don't want to play on anyone else's level. We're on a roll and we want to stay that way." The Gators struck a balance on offense last week, rushing for 243 yards and passing for 201 while the defense held Grayslake Central to 139 total yards. Senior quarterback Ian Ormseth threw for 170 yards and 3 touchdowns in the first half alone. Thomas Galloway subbed for sophomore running back Colin Masterson, who sat for disciplinary reasons. Galloway rushed for 81 yards and 3 touchdowns on 10 carries. Grayslake North scored the first 14 points last week against Cary-Grove, then surrendered 63 unanswered. But this game won't be about what Grayslake North is trying to do as much as the actions of powerful CL South, which has forced its will on three opponents. "We still have to work on some things," Stuglis said. "There are areas we need to improve on. We'd like to get everyone back from this game healthy, get some guys reps that aren't accustomed to getting them and fine tune the passing game." Senior linebacker Chris Reuter would play if this was a playoff game, but will likely rest his deep bone bruise for the second straight week.

Oregon (2-1) at Burlington Central (2-1)

When: 7:30 p.m. today at Rocket Hill

Last week: Oregon 40, Marengo 7; Central 20, Byron 14

Last year: Central 26, Oregon 22

Outlook: Central begins the first of a three-game homestand against an Oregon team that presents a similar offensive style. "They try and establish the run," said Central coach Aaron Wichman. "We're similar in that way." Central's defense has stepped things up against the run in successive wins against Sycamore and Byron. "Kaneland (Week 1) exploited us against the run," said Wichman. "I think Sycamore had a total of 70 yards and Byron had like 40 yards. We've done much better against the run the last two weeks. It's just been a matter of getting some of these guys having three games under their belt now. They know about the pace of the varsity game and what our expectations are." Wichman lauded the exploits of the defensive line in recent weeks. That group includes seniors Jordan Romano (DT), Bryan Bell (a three-year performer on the defensive line), Drew Halstead (DE), Wally Swenson (DE), Jason Shallcross (DT) and junior John Khamo (DT). Offensively, quarterback Dan Hagberg has received high marks for his work under center. "Dan Hagberg has done an excellent job of running the offense," said Wichman. "He's reading the option real well. And our offensive line knows their assignments and does a good job of executing the game plan." Central has had a different leading rusher each week (Greg Dickson, Hagberg and Jason Wagner). Tom Gast and Max Kling are also part of the Rockets' running attack. Dickson and Hagberg each have 4 TDs, while Wagner has 3. "We don't have to be one-dimensional," said Wichman. "We've got several different backs that are pretty good. Any one of them could run for 100 yards on a given night." Oregon continues to be a run-oriented team, but coach John Bothe said passing has factored into his team's offense more than it has in recent years. Junior Ryan McWethey starts for the Hawks, but senior Brandon Mead also has seen time at quarterback. Junior Nick Snyder is the team's leading rusher while fullback Brad Kaskavage provides speed from his fullback position. Oregon has won its last two games by a combined count of 73-13 against Marengo and North Boone, who were a combined 1-5 overall heading into Week 4. The Hawks dropped a 21-20 decision to Richmond in their season opener. "This will be our biggest test against the run," said Bothe. Both coaches agree this game is key in terms of momentum heading into the conference portion of the schedule next week. "We've got a little momentum started," said Wichman, "We've beaten two good teams in Sycamore and Byron and are going to face another good team here. We'd like to keep moving forward and keep building on this momentum."