Fox Valley football preview

Streamwood (0-2)

at St. Charles North (1-1)

Game time: 7:30 p.m. today. Last year: St. Charles North 34, Streamwood 7

Last week: Dundee-Crown 21, Streamwood 7; St. Charles North 26, McHenry 12

Players to watch: St. Charles North quarterback Nic Neari was involved in three touchdowns last week as he connected with Kyle Harmon on a 3-yard reception and also had a pair of runs for scores. Streamwood quarterback Noel Rivera is back for his senior season after missing the final seven games last year with a broken left foot. He completed 11 of 23 passes for 116 yards in last week's loss. The North Stars are already aware of junior Derrick King. Listed as a wide receiver, King rushed 22 times for 135 yards and a touchdown last Friday. North Stars linebackers Ben Dvorak, J.J. Weaver and Jake Juriga will look to make things chaotic for King and Rivera. Outlook: When you think of the No. 7 in football you probably think of a TD and a PAT or former NFL great John Elway. As for St. Charles North coach Mark Gould he's thinking of turnovers, as the North Stars have committed a blasphemous 7 of them already. Thankfully they were able to overcome such mistakes and win last week, but Gould knows that have to minimize such miscues if they hope to continue their winning ways tonight. Lastly, while on the subject of numbers, one should also note unlucky No. 13, which is the number of points the Sabres have only scored this season.

Bottom line: The Sabres, who have won just 3 times in the past 4 years, are steadily getting better under the tutelage of coach Cal Cummins. But as long as the North Stars can find a way of protecting the ball, they shouldn't have a problem in disposing the Sabres.

Geneva (2-0)

at Yorkville (1-1)

Game time: 7 p.m. today. Last year: Geneva 27, Yorkville 24

Last week: Geneva 34, St. Charles East 7; Yorkville 21, East Aurora 8

Players to watch: Geneva running back Michael Ratay has scored twice as many points (48) as Yorkville (21) through the first two weeks of the season. Yorkville quarterback Luke Parece threw a pair of touchdown passes, and Will Parker and Matt Steht combined for more than 100 yards rushing in last week's victory.

Outlook: This might not appear to be a very good matchup, but then again, the same was said last year when the Vikings survived quite a scare at Burgess Field. While the Foxes may have won last week, St. Francis crushed them 40-0 in the opener while the Vikings destroyed Dundee-Crown 49-7 and put an impressive thumping on St. Charles East last Friday. Still, after a 3-point victory last September over a senior-laden team, the Vikings won't take the Foxes lightly. "We know Yorkville will be a tough opponent and we remember last year," Geneva defensive back Sean Grady said. "They're a good team and we're not going to take anyone lightly. We're just taking it one game at a time." The Foxes are young. They graduated 17 of 22 starters from last year. "Playing Geneva is a whole different take than playing Wheaton St. Francis or East Aurora," Yorkville coach Jim Still said. "We're going to have to execute on a completely different level and have an incredible, nearly flawless game to give ourselves a chance. Young and inexperienced teams will typically make mistakes and this Geneva team is senior-dominated."

Bottom line: Sometimes an underdog upsets a favorite who is bigger, stronger and more talented by wanting it more. Then again, sometimes the favorite wants it just as badly. This should play more like a dress rehearsal for the Vikings' clash with Glenbard South next Friday.

Waubonsie Valley (0-2)

at St. Charles East (1-1)

Game time: 7:30 p.m. today.

Last year: St. Charles East 14, Waubonsie Valley 13

Last week: Prairie Ridge 27, Waubonsie Valley 24; Geneva 34, St. Charles East 7

Players to watch: Third-year quarterback Tyler Castro is the lone returning offensive starter from last year's co-Upstate Eight Conference champion. Working behind a new offensive line, Castro's most impressive target in the early going has been Scott Kuehn, who had a touchdown in Week 1 and 135 receiving yards last week. St. Charles East quarterback Tim Russell threw 3 devastating interceptions last week against Geneva; two were returned for a touchdowns and the other culminated in a touchdown drive. How's his confidence after a week of practice and will Dan White, who took a few snaps last Friday, get a chance to do so again? Running back Wes Allen has gotten off to a fine start in his senior year with 273 rushing yards on 49 carries. Defensively, free safety Jack Leopardo will look to duplicate his heroics from last year's clash with the Warriors in which he intercepted a Castro pass and raced in for a 45-yard touchdown.

Outlook: It's a whole new season now that the Upstate Eight Conference begins tonight and the co-champions from 2007 meet, with both coming off losses. While the Saints were punched in the mouth by the tune of a 34-7 score last week, they don't feel like it. "We feel like we gave it away," Saints coach Ted Monken said. "And at the end when your defense is out so much, those extra scores in the fourth just come because the defense is worn out." Uncharacteristically, the Saints gave away four touchdowns in last week's loss because of a fumble and three interceptions and they'll look to avoid such mistakes tonight against a Warriors team that's had some problems in the early going, especially in putting points on the scoreboard. "Well, we didn't take advantage of opportunities to score," Warriors coach Paul Murphy said after last week's loss. They haven't had much success on the ground, which bodes well for the Saints who limited Geneva standout Michael Ratay for the first half last week before he exploded for 99 second-half rushing yards.

Bottom line: Waubonsie Valley's youngsters are still getting acclimated to the varsity game so the Saints have the edge when it comes to experience. Wes Allen and the Saints' assertive O-line moved the ball consistently against an exceptional Geneva defense. The Saints should be able to control the clock; whether or not they can avoid costly turnovers remains to be seen.

Batavia (1-1)

at Glenbard South (1-1)

Game time: 7:30 p.m. today. Last year: Batavia 13, Glenbard South 6 Last week: Batavia 43, West Chicago 20; Glenbard South 34, Fenton 7

Players to watch: Raiders senior running back Curtis Ford rushed for 147 yards on just 9 carries last Friday and has 197 rushing yards this fall. Bai Kabba is back from the knee injury he sustained in Week 1 at St. Charles East. It should be very interesting to see how he responds as well as how the Bulldogs employ their backfield with Kyle Duhig (18 rushes, 130 yards) having filled in nicely the past two weeks and Ryan Webb also getting some carries. "It's so nice to have him back," Batavia coach Mike Gaspari said. "As things have evolved there's a dilemma in that we don't know if we have enough footballs to share with our team." Batavia senior quarterback Jordan Coffey had no touchdown passes through the first three games of the 2007 season, but he enters tonight's action with 7 through the first two games. He's completed 39 of 74 passes for 492 yards. "I've coached some pretty special quarterbacks and he managed last week's game as well as any quarterback I've coached," Gaspari said. "And that's saying a lot." Erich Zeddies had a career-best 4 touchdown receptions last week. He leads the area with 6 and has 15 receptions and 243 yards receiving overall.

Outlook: Special teams could be very special tonight for both teams, especially on kickoffs. Glenbard South's Nick Slezak had an 86-yard return for a touchdown last week. What makes it especially significant is the fact that the Bulldogs yielded a 90-yard score in their win over West Chicago. In addition, Kabba had an unforgettable 97-yard kickoff return score last fall against the Raiders. "Special teams will play a big part both in scoring possibilities and in field position," Raiders coach Dan Starkey said. "He (Kabba) hurt us last year and it's hard to duplicate the speed he has in practice so he's definitely someone we have to keep our eye on." Offensively, the Bulldogs have been outstanding with Duhig filling in admirably, Coffey throwing the ball well and the line doing its part. Now with Kabba back the Bulldogs have even more possibilities. "It took a couple of series at (St. Charles) East to find a rhythm," Gaspari said. "The guys upfront have worked extremely hard and I think we have a chance to have a really special year but a lot of it revolves around the offense and the defense continuing to develop each week." Defensive coordinator Dennis Piron had to be pleased with the strides made by the defense last week as the unit only yielded one touchdown but also succumbed to a fake punt. They'll look to stop Ford, quarterback Kevin Marshall and the rest of the Raiders who put 34 points on the scoreboard last week. "We still need to put something together offensively," Starkey said. "We're still working on getting our timing down and we're young and it's always tough to open (conference) with Batavia." The Bulldogs have dominated the Raiders recently, compiling an 11-1 record since 1996. Still, what's done is done and the focus is on the now. "They're as skilled as any team we'll play this year," Gaspari said. "They always have really good skilled athletes, are well coached, play hard and they're a tough place to go and play. If there's any shortcoming it's that they have to play a few of their guys both ways."

Bottom line: You can't stop him, you can only try to contain him. But what if that "him" is plural, as in Bulldogs named Coffey, Duhig, Kabba, Webb, Zeddies and others. Don't be surprised if the Raiders language turns a bit offensive as they try to slow Batavia skilled playmakers. But don't be surprised if Marshall's able to move the ball against the slowly maturing Batavia defense either.

Rchelle (2-0)

at Kaneland (1-1)

Game time: 7:30 p.m. today. Last year: Rochelle 35, Kaneland 24 Last week: Rochelle 30, Dixon 0; Marmion 22, Kaneland 15 Players to watch: Rochelle fullback Dan Ruppenthal (34 carries, 249 yards, 4 TDs) leads the Hubs offense. His role becomes all the more important with senior standout Devon Mancillas out with a knee injury sustained last week against Dixon. Ben Schwartz (20 carries, 187 yards, 3 TDs) and wingback Austin Gabriel (17 carries, 102 yards, TD), who replaces Mancillas, will be vital to the Hubs attacking the Knights defense tonight. The Hubs have a new quarterback this fall in Nate Eyster (9-of-14 passing, 128 yards). What makes the addition a major concern for the Knights is the fact that the Hubs believe he can do more with his arm then just hand the ball off. "We have much better skills then we've had the last three or four years here," Rochelle coach Kevin Crandall said. "So typically if we have the ability to throw the ball and spread it around we'll do it. If not we'll pack it in and make it a street fight. (Eyster) runs the option well and gives us a chance to spread it out a bit more." Kaneland quarterback Joe Camiliere has come along nicely after two games. He's been very efficient, completing 65 percent (45-of-69) of his pass attempts for 494 yards and 3 touchdowns. Whether it's running backs Tyler Suerth and Blake Serpa or the cluster of wide receivers, including Tyler Callaghan, Tyler Andrews, Hayden Johnson, Ryley Bailey and Blake Kendrick, the Knights will need some of their skilled players to step up against a stingy Rochelle defense.

Outlook: The 15 points Kaneland scored in its loss last weekend was its worst output since a 37-7 loss to Sycamore on Sept. 14, 2007. The Knights simply need to score more points to lessen the pressure on a defense which has played well in the opening two weeks. It won't be easy though as the Hubs are coming off a shutout. "We played much better defensively on Friday then we did the first week," Crandall said. "We still continue to make our share of mistakes but hopefully we'll be able to continue improving." Rochelle has a great deal of respect for the spread offense Kaneland employs, and after losing 54-51 in 2006 and yielding 24 points in a win last fall, the Hubs know the Knights can light up the scoreboard very quickly. "They do an outstanding job of developing that offense to take advantage of whatever you are doing defensively," Crandall said. "It's scary. You can play very good defense for 50 snaps and on those three other snaps they can score 21 points, so you just hold your breath the whole time you're on defense." The Knights defense will once again be challenged, this time in trying to stop the Hubs ground-heavy attack sprinkled with more passing than they've seen in prior clashes with the Hubs. The Hubs have scored 79 points and collected 862 yards of total offense through their first two games.

Bottom line: If they want to be among the top teams in conference and make the postseason, the Knights can't afford to lose games in which they give up only 22 points like they did last week. This is a huge challenge for the Knights and really a game they need to win at home to start conference play.

Rockford Christian Life (0-2) at Aurora Christian (2-0)

Game time: 7 p.m. today. Last year: Aurora Christian 55, Christian Life 0

Last week: Rockford Christian 19, Rockford Christian Life 12; Aurora Christian 10, Mendota 6

Outlook: This is the night Aurora Christian has been waiting for, since, well, Aurora Christian's football program began a decade ago. No more playing home games at West Aurora, East Aurora, Mooseheart or even Melrose Park. The Eagles open their brand new stadium, complete with all the bells and whistles that will make it a place to be not just for football fans but anyone who wants to come out and enjoy a night with friends and family. They will see an Aurora Christian offense that has struggled through the first two weeks look to break out in a big way against an undermanned Christian Life squad. Over 2,000 fans are expected.

Bottom line: This promises to be a special night at Aurora Christian. While the matchup doesn't appear to be competitive, it's still going to be a night nobody with the Eagles program soon forgets.

Naperville Central (2-0)

at West Aurora (2-0)

Game time: 7 p.m. today. Last year: Naperville Central 27, West Aurora 13

Last week: Naperville Central 28, Lake Park 20; West Aurora 41, Elgin 26

Players to watch: West Aurora's Markus Cocroft is coming off a career night against Elgin that saw him return a punt for a 76-yard touchdown, a kickoff 81 yards for a score and also catch a touchdown pass. Outlook: For the fifth straight year West Aurora enters DVC play with a 2-0 record, but for four straight seasons they've lost their conference opener. Big plays peppered West Aurora's wins, highlighted by Cocroft's kickoff and punt returns for touchdowns last week. Naperville Central's games have been closer than West Aurora's, but gritty determination to win may be a difference maker. Without starting running back Nick Kukuc because of an injury, last week Redhawks quarterback Nick Linne focused on the short passing game to move the chains. Linne completed 19 of 29 passes for 235 yards, and his go-to guy remains receiver Riley O'Toole. Six-foot-four, 220-pound tight end Cameron Brate also presents an interesting target to defend. Defensive lineman Mike Kraft again notched double-digit tackles with 12 and a sack.

Bottom line: When West Aurora gets to the end of the season and looks back at whether it was able to get over its 13-year drought and make the playoffs, it's winning games like this one that will be the difference.

Marmion (2-0)

at Marian (1-1)

Game time: 7:30 p.m. today. Last year: Marian 35, Marmion 0.

Last week: Marmion 22, Kaneland 15; Cary-Grove 38, Marian 17.

Outlook: While Marmion's defense was on its heels often in trying to solve Kaneland's passing attack, it was able to come up with the big plays when needed. Critical sacks were registered by senior linebacker Joe Weber and senior defensive end Juan Avila, who also scooped up the game-winning fumble recovery in the Cadets' end zone in the game's final minute. Mostly, the Cadets showed they can be quick to the ball, with linebacker John Koechly busting up sweeps and screen passes on numerous occasions. On a night when the ball was slipping through players' hands on a regular basis, defensive back Mike Carbonara came up big by intercepting a pass that went through the Kaneland receiver's hands, setting up Marmion's second touchdown.

Bottom line: This starts the Cadets' brutal stretch in the Suburban Catholic, with games following against Driscoll, Montini and St. Francis. It's important for the team's confidence to get off to a good start tonight.

Driscoll (2-0, 0-0) at St. Francis (2-0, 0-0)

Game time: 7 p.m. today.

Last year: Driscoll 50, St. Francis 21.

Last week: Driscoll 42, Morris 0; St. Francis 62, DeKalb 13.

Outlook: This is St. Francis' proving ground for its return to Suburban Catholic Conference prominence. Driscoll flexed its muscles in last week's lambasting of 5A Morris, in which quarterback Steven Schwabe was 13 of 19 passing for 306 yards and 5 touchdowns all in the first half. Driscoll allowed only 143 yards but St. Francis is quicker off, and to the ball. With a key to the game being both sides' tackling, Driscoll linebacker brothers Tom and Jake Randich will fly toward Spartans back Mark Kachmer, on an all-state start of 592 yards and 9 touchdowns. Containing Kachmer forces quarterback Jeff Reckards to do something. Alternately, Spartans coach Greg Purnell hopes Jason Lombardi, John Giovenco, Rick Ruhstorfer, Nate Olver and Joe Pfeiffer can pressure Schwabe so he can't just bomb away out of the shotgun to 6-foot-5 Austin Baker, Clay Cooper and X-factor Nick Campanella.

Aurora Central (0-2)

at Montini (2-0)

Game time: 1 p.m. Saturday. Last year: Montini 55, Aurora Central 20.

Last week: Harvard 42, Aurora Central 21; Montini 14, Benet 6.

Players to watch: Like Tom DiCristina, Aurora Central's Mike Adams is a talent. But Montini's quarterback gets more help. Watch for Broncos backs Brendan Shannon and Matt Sloan while tackle Bob Pinter hems Adams in. Bottom line: The Chargers were right with Harvard through three quarters last week. In the opener, they outplayed Mendota in the second half. Aurora Central will try to put a complete game together Saturday, and it will need to against another highly rated Montini squad.