Tough matchup for Antioch's Glashagel

Barely in his mid-30s, first-year Antioch coach Brian Glashagel is hardly old.

But he'll probably feel like it tonight as he coaches his team against Wauconda, which happens to be his former team.

Glashagel was an assistant coach at Wauconda before he took the Antioch job. He says it's surreal enough that he'll be coaching against his good friends on the Wauconda staff as well as some of his former players.

But what makes Glashagel really shake his head is when he stops to remember that some of those former players used to be his students as second and third graders.

While he was at Wauconda, Glashagel spent many years working as a physical education teacher and athletic director at Transfiguration, the Catholic elementary and middle school in town.

"It's always weird to think about how I knew some of those kids at Wauconda when they were that young," Glashagel said. "I've known some of those kids for a really long time now -- going all the way from elementary school to high school. It's going to be weird coaching against them."

Glashagel isn't complaining, though. He's made some lifelong friends from Wauconda, including some of the guys from the coaching staff.

"After our game last Friday (against Grant), I went down there (to Wauconda) to drop off my game film and I wound up staying there in the office talking to the coaches until like 1:30 in the morning. I've still got a lot of very good friends there and it's fun to see them."

Dues paid: They say what goes around comes around and Wauconda's offensive linemen are taking that to heart.

Three years ago, head coach Glen Kozlowski was starting an offensive line made up almost solely of underclassmen, including some freshmen.

The difference between how the unit functioned then and now is almost immeasurable.

Time has been very good to veteran linemen like Josh Collins, Nick Eiserman, Brandon Olejniczak, Tom Hopfauf, Charlie Balfour and Bret Collier.

They have consistently controlled the line of scrimmage during Wauconda's 3-0 start and have been the secret behind an offense that is potent on the ground as well as through the air.

"We took our thumps on the line back then, for sure," Kozlowski said. "But as those guys have gotten older and more experienced, they've gotten better and we've gotten better.

"We've got a great running backing Brad Wisniewski, but I know he'll tell you that his life has gotten a lot easier running behind such a experienced line."

Just for kicks: Perhaps Warren kicker Steve Fox is making up for lost time.

The senior missed the beginning of last season with a hip flexor injury. Now fully healthy, he's playing better than ever.

He knocked in 4 field goals for the Blue Devils in last week's 32-17 victory over Libertyville.

"He really had a nice game," Warren coach Dave Mohapp said of Fox. "His field goals were big for us and he did a nice job on his kickoffs. He was getting the ball in the end zone.

"As the evening went on, he seemed to get stronger."

Fox definitely has some leg strength.

He kicked a 47-yard field goal against Libertyville, but Mohapp says that's nothing. He's seen Fox kick a 57-yarder in practice before.

"He's got a good leg and he's very motivated to play in college," Mohapp said. "He's showing recruiters what he can do."

In the meantime, Mohapp is enjoying the view.

"It is so valuable at the high school level to have a kicker who can kick like (Fox) can," Mohapp said. "Offensively, we've been so inconsistent this year. When we drive down the field and aren't able to get a touchdown, we're still getting points for our effort."

Road warriors: Neither Warren nor Antioch has yet to play a home game.

Antioch, which lost a home game in the season opener due to a flooded field, will finally do so tonight. But the road trip continues for Warren with tonight's game at Lake Zurich.

The Blue Devils will have spent a total of four straight weeks on the road before closing out the season with four of their last five games at home.

"I'm almost used to being on the road now," Warren coach Dave Mohapp chuckled. "We talked at the beginning of the season about what a challenge it would be to be on the road like that. In a way, I think it's almost brought our team closer together. We've become the 'Road Warriors.' "

But not just for games, unfortunately.

To top it off, the Blue Devils have also been practicing away from home. Flooding from the storms a few weeks ago pushed Warren off its normal practices fields at the O'Plaine Road campus, and out of its locker room as well.

"We've been over on the soccer fields at the Almond Road campus," Mohapp said. "We haven't played games on our field and, other than one practice the week of the Libertyville game, we hadn't practiced there either.

"It's been a challenge, but everyone has handled it well."

Sensational soph: Greg Kennedy is poised to join the long list of highly talented running backs to come out of Warren.

Just a sophomore, he's got a lot going for him, but his best attribute might be something only he can see. His vision.

He found holes all over the field in racking up 111 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns against Libertyville last week. One of his touchdowns came on a 94-yard kickoff return.

"When I watch Greg, it's obvious that he's got a lot of ability," Warren coach Dave Mohapp said. "He's quick and he can move well. But he's got that vision that allows him to see openings and be very elusive.

"I also like the way he's very much a north/south runner. He doesn't spend a lot of time dancing, going from east to west. He's finds that hole, gets going north and south and is really able to be productive like that. That's what you like to see."

No let-up:ŒPlaying every down would be ideal for Ray Bryant, a running back and linebacker at Round Lake.

But since a wrist sprain that he suffered in a Week 2 victory over Maine East still occasionally bothers him, Bryant sometimes rotates out of the offense.

He's rushed for more than 480 yards already this season and his absence leaves the Panthers without their leading rusher.

A break for the defense? Hardly.

That's when sophomore Cameron Gillespie comes in.

He's rolled up 350 yards in three games and has combined with Bryant to score 11 touchdowns.

"Cameron has excellent speed and very good vision," Round Lake coach Doug Moss said. "It's great to be able to have someone like that to spell Ray.

"We're running the ball much better this year than we did last year."

Poor guy: It's been a hard-knocks season so far for Mundelein running back Jamal Ross.

His game last week was not uncommon. He rushed for only 29 yards against Round Lake, but probably should have had many more.

"I'm not kidding, literally every time Jamal breaks a big run, we've had it called back with some stupid penalty," Mundelein coach Dave Whitson said. "It's like he's getting robbed by his own teammates. He had one run last game where he went 50 yards, and it was called back after a kid made a clip 20 yards down field that had nothing to do with the play."

Whitson says that penalties have been a sore subject for the Mustangs all season. They had 10 against Round Lake.

"Jamal is a great back. When he touches the ball, he scares you with his speed," Whitson said. "He's handling this whole penalty thing pretty well, but as coaches, we're really pulling for him that the penalties stop following him so that he can have the game that he is really capable of."

Lookin' good:ŒAfter a tough loss to Morgan Park in the season opener, Carmel got back on track with a win against Libertyville in Week 2.

The Corsairs righted the ship even more in a win over Marian Catholic last week.

"In terms of offense, defense and special teams, we were at a very high level," Carmel coach Andy Bitto said. "I would even say that our win last week was our most complete win since the state championship season."

Carmel won the Class 6A state title in 2003.

In terms of Carmel's defense, Bitto pointed out that neither Libertyville nor Marian Catholic scored offensive touchdowns, and that no team this season has rushed for more than 100 yards on the Corsairs.

Against Marian Catholic, Carmel was also efficient offensively, scoring with confidence in the red zone. And the special teams was anchored by some impressive punting.

On average, Carmel pinned Marian Catholic inside its 25-yard line.