Football: Lake previews, Week 8
EAST SUBURBAN CATHOLIC
Carmel (6-1, 5-0) at St. Viator (4-3, 2-3)
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Where: At Forest View Educational Center
Last week: Carmel def. Nazareth, 34-12; St. Viator def. St. Joseph, 42-7.
Outlook: Carmel has rebounded quite nicely from its Week 1 loss to Morgan Park. So nicely, in fact, that a victory over St. Viator could set the stage for an epic showdown in Joliet next week with Joliet Catholic, which is also a sparkling 5-0 in East Suburban Catholic Conference action...But first things first. The Corsairs need to take care of one of their top rivals. And St. Viator, which defeated Carmel in overtime last year (43-42) will be no slouch. "I really feel like they out-coached us the last few years," Carmel coach Andy Bitto said of St. Viator, which won its first three games, but has lost three of its last four. "Offensively, they did some things that we weren't prepared for. We know that, as coaches, we need to be better prepared to take on St. Viator's challenges this year."...The biggest challenge the Lions will present is a prolific passing game that is keyed by a quarterback turned receiver. Eric Huber was St. Viator's starting quarterback the first five games but separated his shoulder and moved back to receiver, where he played last year. Huber had 150 yards receiving 2 weeks ago against Notre Dame and Viator coach Chris Kirkpatrick said junior Dan Faerber will stay at QB. "He's been doing fine," Kirkpatrick said. Viator has won the last three meetings and needs to win its last two to be assured of a playoff berth against a Carmel defense that is allowing just 12.6 points per game and less than 5 yards per pass. "Our defense has been really solid," Bitto said. "If you don't count the points our offense has given up, we're really only giving up 9 points per game."...Speaking of the offense, Carmel quarterback David Venegoni continues to cause headaches for defenses. He ran for 92 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Corsairs also got 2 touchdowns from Geoffery Fields, who tallied 138 yards on 18 carries. Mike Taylor added 82 yards on 7 carries and a touchdown. "They've been playing better defense," Kirkpatrick said. "(Venegoni) is really good. He can do both (Pass and run) and we've definitely got to stop him."
NORTH SUBURBAN LAKE
Lake Forest (5-2, 2-2) at Lake Zurich (6-1, 4-0)
When: 7:30 p.m., today
Last week: Lake Forest lost to Stevenson, 14-10; Lake Zurich def. Wauconda, 49-6.
Outlook: Lake Zurich tries to inch one more win closer to a perfect record in the North Suburban Conference Lake Division and the outright division title. The team that stands in its way this week is the team that once seemed most likely to challenge the Bears for division supremacy. But Lake Forest has had a rough two weeks. The Scouts were dealt their very first loss of the season two weeks ago when Warren came into their stadium and pulled off the upset. Then, last week, Lake Forest suffered another blow. This time, it was a last-second loss to Stevenson -- also at home. Now, instead of being in contention for the division title, the Scouts are sitting in fourth place behind Lake Zurich, Warren and Stevenson. But don't count the Scouts out. They've got plenty of weapons...Defensively, Lake Forest has given up only 62 points all season -- second only to Lake Zurich's 55. And on offense, the Scouts can chew up yards on the ground with Greg Friedman and Miles Smith. Head coach Chuck Spagnoli has rotated his quarterbacks all season -- going between senior James Borrasso and sophomore Thomas Rees from series to series. Their big (literally) target continues to be 6-foot-6 wide receiver Kevin Finney...Lake Zurich received good news this week. Running back/linebacker Jon Janus appears to be doing well after taking some punishing hits last week against Wauconda. Janus left the field in the second quarter after getting hit hard on the side of his right leg. He watched the rest of the game from the sideline propped up on crutches. Doctors, concerned about ligament damage, took X-rays, but they came back negative. After a few days of rehab, Janus was back at practice in pads on Wednesday. Just how much he will be used tonight is uncertain...The Bears will probably need him after doing fine without him last week. They cruised to victory by limiting Wauconda to just 6 first downs and 105 total yards.
Libertyville (4-3, 2-2) at Stevenson (4-3, 3-1)
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Last week: Libertyville def. Zion-Benton, 55-26; Stevenson def. Lake Forest, 14-10.
Outlook: It's the clash of the North Suburban Conference titans...who, interestingly enough, aren't quite at titan status this season. Both Stevenson and Libertyville will be fighting for their playoff lives in their annual grudge match. With four wins, each team needs to win out to qualify outright for the playoffs...Stevenson enters the game on a roll, having won four straight games. That includes last week's dramatic, last-minute win over Lake Forest. Wide receiver Dan Morales played a huge role in that game. Not only did he catch the winning touchdown, he rolled up 157 receiving yards on 7 catches...Quarterback Zach Wujcik completed 13-of-27 passes for 203 yards. "When Stevenson played North Chicago (two weeks ago), they ran the ball well, and last week, they threw the ball well," Libertyville coach Randy Kuceyeski said. "They've shown that both aspects of their offense can be really good. I think they're a little bit like us in that they probably haven't put the whole thing together yet." Stevenson has some quality runners in Mark Weisman, Kevin Moffat and Geoffrey Matthews, who has been hampered by injuries throughout the season. But the Patriots managed only 49 rushing yards last week...Libertyville also was more pass-oriented last week. Quarterback Tom Piazzi passed for a season-high 235 yards and 3 touchdowns. Sophomore Jim Zotto caught two of Piazzi's touchdown tosses. But perhaps Libertyville's biggest strengths are its defense and special teams. The Wildcats held Carmel and Lake Zurich, two of the better teams in the state, to 9 points apiece. Meanwhile, the foot of kicker Alvaro Castro has proven to be quite a weapon. Castro booted a school-record 47-yard field goal last week. "They make some really big plays on special teams," Stevenson coach Bill Mitz said of Libertyville. "And their defense is tough. They run hard to the ball and they've got a lot of good, hard hitters."
Mundelein (2-5, 0-4) at Zion-Benton (1-6, 0-5)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Last week: Mundelein lost to Warren 42-21; Zion-Benton lost to Libertyville 55-26
Outlook: Mundelein has been competitive the last two weeks against Libertyville and Warren but has nothing to show for it. Mundelein led Libertyville 10-0 but eventually lost on a last-second field goal. The Mustangs played Warren even for nearly the entire first half and enjoyed a brief lead in the third quarter. A bright spot in both losses for Mundelein was the play of running back Jamell Ross, who rushed for 132 yards against Libertyville and 147 and 2 touchdowns vs. Warren. The Mustangs will be seeking to snap a four-game losing streak against a Zion-Benton team that has dropped five in a row. The Zee-Bees' lone win came against Niles West (1-6). Zion-Benton has allowed 240 points, the most of any team in the North Suburban Conference.
NORTH SUBURBAN PRAIRIE
Vernon Hills (4-3, 3-1) at Antioch (3-4, 1-3)
When: 7:30 p.m., today
Last week: Vernon Hills def. North Chicago, 27-26; Antioch lost to Lakes, 27-26 (OT).
Outlook: With playoff implications on the line, this game should have the feel of, well, a playoff game. "This is it," Antioch coach Brian Glashagel said. "This is a big game. Both of us need to win." Of course, sitting at four wins, Vernon Hills has a little more wiggle room than Antioch. The Cougars could win just one of their last two games and still make the playoffs if they have enough points. But a loss for the Sequoits will automatically disqualify them from playoff consideration. "We know that we're a much better team that what our record is and I think a lot of coaches around the league would tell you that. But this is what it is and now we've got to win," Glashagel said. "I think our kids are ready for it though because they know what they are capable of and they've got a lot of confidence in themselves."...It helps that starting quarterback Matt Romani is back from an injury. He's battled lower back problems and he also suffered a high ankle sprain this season, but is finally back to feeling close to 100 percent. Combined with elusive running back Cameron White and sophomore Steve Lorenzini, Antioch is back to posing a dangerous three-pronged attack...Vernon Hills will try to parlay its dramatic win from last week into the late-season push it needs to qualify for the playoffs with six victories. The Cougars scored in the final two minutes of the game to edge out North Chicago. Once again, freshman wide receiver DaVaris Daniels came up big. He caught a 36-yard pass from quarterback James Hallendorff, who specializes in running the team's two-minute offense, to get the Cougars to the 15-yard line. Hallendorff then scored the winning touchdown three plays later. "I think our offense is playing pretty well right now," Vernon Hills coach Tony Monken said. "We've been putting together some nice drives and our line has been giving us a good push up front. Antioch is just like us. They run a similar offense and they've got some tough runners, especially Cameron White. This will be a battle. It will be two teams fighting for their playoff lives."
North Chicago (3-4, 2-2) at Grant (7-0, 5-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Last week: North Chicago lost to Vernon Hills 27-26; Grant d. Round Lake 49-18
Outlook: A Grant victory will not only keep the Bulldogs' perfect season intact but give them their first outright NSC Prairie Division title. Grant shared the crown with North Chicago in 2004. Grant also will be trying to avenge last season's 13-7 loss at North Chicago in which Marquise Miller scored both touchdowns for the home team. Miller returned an interception 60 yards for a score and caught a 7-yard TD pass. He's back for his junior season and having another all-conference campaign. North Chicago's offense also features running back Jimon Hill and quarterback DeShawn Chambliss. "They definitely have some playmakers," Grant coach Kurt Rous said. "We watched their game last week against Vernon Hills and they did some good things. That Marquise Miller is a scary receiver, and it seems like they're throwing a little more than they usually do. They throw to him a lot and we got to make sure we get him down right away." Grant continues to receive excellent play on offense from quarterback Pavel Zurkowski, running back Izzy Rodriguez, wingback Joe Loris, wide receiver Tom Bychowski and offensive linemen Chris Maxedon, Kevin Savage, Mike Bessette, Nick Fontaine and Eric Joern. The Bulldogs won't have linebacker Bud Staton tonight. He was ejected from the Round Lake game and, per IHSA rules, has to sit out one game.
Round Lake (1-6, 0-4) at Wauconda (5-2, 3-1)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Last week: Round Lake lost to Grant 49-18; Wauconda lost to Lake Zurich 49-6
Outlook: With a win tonight, Wauconda will clinch its first playoff berth since 1998 and first under coach Glen Kozlowski, who took over the team in 2002. That might take some sting out of the Bulldogs' 43-point loss to Lake Zurich, which was their worst defeat since a 70-0 drubbing at the hands of North Chicago in Week 9 of the 2003 season. Brad Wisniewski scored Wauconda's only touchdown against Lake Zurich. Wisniewski was limited to 53 rushing yards on 17 carries, but for the season the senior has rushed for 1,115 yards and 15 touchdowns. Round Lake also features a 1,000-yard rusher in Ray Bryant. The Panthers senior has gained 1,053 yards and scored 9 TDs. Round Lake has lost its last five games.
NSC CROSSOVER
Lakes (2-5, 1-4) at Warren (4-3, 4-1)
When: 7:30 p.m., today
Last week: Lakes def. Antioch, 27-26 (OT); Warren def. Mundelein, 42-21.
Outlook: Warren will be looking to bring a sky-high Lakes team, which beat its archrival in overtime last week, back down to reality. The Blue Devils certainly have capability. They've been playing their best football of the season lately, and have won four of their last five games. "Warren is a very athletic team," Lakes coach Luke Mertens said. "They're going to cause some match-up problems for us."...Offensively, Warren does the most damage on the ground with a trio of small but speedy running backs -- Greg Kennedy, Aaron Dahlke and Darrien Pitts. But the Blue Devils have also been expanding their passing game in recent weeks and it peaked last week with a 158-yard passing performance by quarterback Zach Shaw. He completed 11-of-16 passes. "He played his best game of the season," Warren coach Dave Mohapp said of Shaw. "He's throwing the ball really well right now, and his success is also relative to how well our offensive line is playing as well."...Lakes also has a potent quarterback. Randy Ratajczyk completed 11-of-16 passes for 192 yards last week against Antioch. He hit Josh Gaido for the game-winning touchdown in overtime. "Lakes is a good team," Mohapp said. "They do a lot of things to really challenge you. They run a really good spread offense and their quarterback is really good. What a strong arm that kid has. Against Antioch, he was throwing the ball 60 to 65 yards down field like it was no big deal."...One of Ratajczyk's favorite targets is receiver Kevin Guirand, who caught 6 passes for 129 yards last week.
FOX VALLEY FOX
Prairie Ridge (7-0, 3-0) at Grayslake Central (0-7, 0-3)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Last week: Prairie Ridge d. Huntley 35-6; Grayslake Central lost to Grayslake North 31-6
Outlook: Tough homecoming opponent for Grayslake Central. Prairie Ridge is ranked sixth in Class 6A in the Associated Press poll. While the Wolves are tied for first place with Johnsburg in the FVC Fox Division, they have dominated teams ever since eking out a 16-14 win over Cary-Grove in a conference crossover in Week 2. Prairie Ridge averages 38.4 points per game and yields only 11 per contest. Grayslake Central got its only touchdown against Grayslake North from Ryan Lund, who scored on a 60-yard run on the first snap from scrimmage. Running back Rich Smith had another strong game for the Rams, rushing for 93 yards. Grayslake Central has scored only 52 points.
Johnsburg (4-3, 3-0) at Grayslake North (1-6, 1-2)
When: 7:45 p.m. Friday
Last week: Johnsburg d. Crystal Lake Central 34-21; Grayslake North d. Grayslake Central 31-6
Outlook: So can Grayslake North make it two straight? The second-year Knights got their first win in school history last Friday night -- against their cross-town rival, no less. Their ever-improving offense rang up 31 points, their most productive outing in their young history. Stephan Kalina rushed for 121 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Robbie Nesbitt gained 130 yards (his third 100-yard rushing game of the season) and caught a 16-yard TD pass from quarterback Nick Harrington. Harrington also scored on a 1-yard keeper. Johnsburg, which features veteran quarterback Jerad Grundy and 6-7 sophomore C.J. Fiedorowicz, has won three straight and four of its last five.