Previews: Week 4 Lake County games
Lake Forest Scouts (2-1, 0-1) at Warren Blue Devils (2-1, 1-0)
When: 7:30 p.m.
Last week: Lake Forest lost to Stevenson 33-0; Warren def. Mundelein 35-6.
Outlook: Warren needs to remember the feeling it had entering last week's Mundelein game. The Blue Devils said their theme all week in practice was to make someone pay for their Week 2 loss to Maine South, and Mundelein was that "someone." Lake Forest will probably have the same chip on its shoulder after a demoralizing loss to Stevenson in which its high-powered passing offense was stopped in its tracks. Prior to the Stevenson game in which he passed for only 70 yards, Lake Forest quarterback Thomas Rees had been averaging about 300 passing yards per game. His main receiver is David Head - Warren's passing game looked good in the rain last week as quarterback Zach Shaw and receiver Ryan Maguire hooked up for 2 pretty touchdowns. Running back Tom Lindal rushed for 86 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Stevenson Patriots (1-2, 1-0) at Lake Zurich Bears (2-1, 1-0)
When: 7:30 p.m.
Last week: Stevenson def. Lake Forest 33-0; Lake Zurich def. Libertyville 17-7.
Outlook: Will the real Stevenson please stand up? The Patriots opened the season with 2 losses. The defeats came against quality opponents, but the Patriots also struggled. There was no struggle against Lake Forest last week. Stevenson looked in sync, even in a hard, driving rain. The rushing game was especially effective as Mark Weisman rushed for 4 touchdowns and 120 yards on 19 carries. The defense also shut out a Lake Forest offense that was averaging 35 points a game - Lake Zurich rebounded from a loss at Wheaton North by suffocating Libertyville's offense, which managed just 94 total yards. Bears quarterback Tanner Witt looked sharp, completing 12 of 21 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, teammate Andrew Maloney rushed for 101 yards on 15 carries.
Zion-Benton Zee-Bees (0-3, 0-0) at Libertyville Wildcats (0-3, 0-1)
When: 7:30 p.m.
Last week: Zion-Benton lost to Vernon Hills, 42-15; Libertyville lost to Lake Zurich, 17-7.
Outlook: The good news here is that one of these teams will finally leave a game happy. Both Zion-Benton and Libertyville have struggled so far this season with scoring - Zion-Benton allows too much of it and Libertyville can't get enough of it. Zion-Benton has given up 129 points already - most in the North Suburban Conference. Meanwhile, Libertyville has scored only 35 points - Running back Michael Braswell scored both of Zion-Benton's touchdowns last week - Libertyville's only score last week came off of a Lake Zurich miscue. The Wildcats got the ball at the Lake Zurich 19-yard line after the Bears muffed a punt and quarterback Matt Persin hit James Otto for an 8-yard touchdown pass.
Mundelein Mustangs (0-3, 0-1) at Antioch Sequoits (3-0, 1-0)
When: 7:30 p.m.
Last week: Mundelein lost to Warren 35-6; Antioch def. Round Lake 62-13.
Outlook: Antioch has rolled through the season, averaging 46.3 points per game. The Sequoits are getting it done on the ground - and in big chunks. Between their top three rushers last week against Round Lake, Antioch rolled up 440 yards on just 16 carries. DeVonte Miller went off for 181 yards and 3 touchdowns on 7 carries, while Cameron White finished with 160 yards and 3 touchdowns on 5 carries and Matt Romani added 99 yards and a touchdown on 4 carries - Mundelein is having trouble finding the end zone. The Mustangs have scored only 16 points so far this season - Mundelein managed just 52 yards of total offense last week against Warren.
Lakes Eagles (1-2, 0-1) at Grant Bulldogs (3-0, 1-0)
When: 7:30 p.m.
Last week: Lakes lost to Wauconda, 34-7; Grant def. North Chicago, 7-6.
Outlook: Grant can win big - as it did in its first two games, by an average of 31 points - and it can win ugly. Last week, the Bulldogs rallied from a 6-0 halftime deficit to eke out the win over North Chicago. Wide receiver Tom Bychowski continues to look solid for Grant. Last week, he scored the Bulldogs' only touchdown on a 47-yard pass from quarterback Izzy Rodriguez - After starting out the season with a victory over Grayslake North, Lakes has lost its last two games by an average of 21.5 points per game. Last week, Lakes committed 7 turnovers, which were converted into 26 points by Wauconda - Lakes' lone offensive highlight was an 85-yard touchdown pass from Justin Hotle (13 of 19 for 226 yards, 2 INT) to Jeremy Neuman (5 catches, 151 yards).
Wauconda Bulldogs (2-1, 1-0) at Round Lake Panthers (0-3, 0-1)
When: 7:30 p.m.
Last week: Wauconda def. Lakes 34-7; Round Lake lost to Antioch 62-13.
Outlook: Didn't Brad Wisniewski graduate from Wauconda last spring? Well, yes, he did, but who could blame Bulldog fans for thinking they were watching their old workhorse running back in action last week. Colin McKenzie put up Wisniewski-like numbers in a win over Lakes by rolling up 254 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns - Wauconda's defense was just as busy, forcing Lakes into 7 turnovers, which were promptly converted into 26 points for the Bulldogs - A win would go a long way for Round Lake, which has lost its three games by an average of more than 30 points per game. Matt Ortiz scored the Panthers' only touchdown last week - on a 48-yard run.
North Chicago Warhawks (1-2, 0-1) at Vernon Hills Cougars (3-0, 0-0)
When: 7:30 p.m.
Last week: North Chicago lost to Grant 7-6; Vernon Hills def. Zion-Benton 42-15.
Outlook: Points seem to be coming easily for Vernon Hills, which is averaging 38.6 points per game. The question is, what will give in this game? North Chicago has allowed a North Suburban Conference-low 28 points on the season - The Warhawks will have to be on their toes in this game as Vernon Hills proved to have all kinds of tricks up its sleeve last week against Zion-Benton. The Cougars made good on an onside kick to start the game and then came back on the ensuing kickoff with another onside kick, which they also recovered. Vernon Hills also used wide receiver DaVaris Daniels on a halfback pass that yielded a touchdown.
Benet Redwings (1-2, 1-0) at Carmel Corsairs (2-1, 0-1)
When: 7:30 p.m.
Last week: Benet def. St. Joseph, 35-0; Carmel lost to Marist, 21-8.
Outlook: Carmel looks for redemption after a tough loss last week in which Marist quarterback Mike Perrish picked apart the defense for 3 touchdowns. Carmel's lone bright spot was the play of Sean Madison, who has taken advantage of his increased role in the wake of Jackson Davenport's knee injury. Against Marist, Madison rolled up 165 yards on 29 carries. He also scored the Corsairs lone touchdown - Benet got a big win over St. Joseph on the strength of its passing game. Quarterback Jimmy Riley threw for 216 yards and 2 touchdowns, in spite of the rain and mud.
Grayslake Central Rams (0-3) at Dundee-Crown Chargers (2-1)
When: 7:45 p.m.
Last week: Grayslake Central lost to Cary-Grove 42-7; Dundee-Crown def. Grayslake North 27-9.
Outlook: Grayslake Central wasn't just beaten down by the elements last week. Cary-Grove put a pretty good hurt on the Rams, too, dominating the line of scrimmage and limiting them to just 24 rushing yards on the game. Meanwhile, the Grayslake Central defense didn't quite have the same effect. Cary-Grove rolled up 362 rushing yards - The Rams did have more success through the air as quarterback Kevin O'Rourke completed 9 of 19 passes for 98 yards despite having no rushing attack to keep the Cary-Grove defense honest. O'Rourke tossed a 41-yard touchdown to David Tajani for the Rams' only score - Dundee-Crown quarterback Logan Kissack scored 3 touchdowns last week against Grayslake North. Last week's victory gave Dundee-Crown its first plus-.500 record three games into a season since 2002.
Grayslake North Knights (0-3) at Woodstock Blue Streaks (2-1)
When: 7:45 p.m.
Last week: Grayslake North lost to Dundee-Crown 27-9; Woodstock def. Prairie Ridge 24-7.
Outlook: Grayslake North had leads throughout the first half of last week's loss to Dundee-Crown but could never close the door. The Knights, who scored their only touchdown on a 42-yard touchdown pass from Seth Foster to Brandon Schroth, will try to finish the job this time against a Woodstock team that is playing pretty good football. The Blue Streaks have won their last two games against two quality programs - Glenbrook North and Prairie Ridge - by an average of about 16 points per game and have allowed only 7 points in each of its three games. Offensively, Woodstock relies on veteran quarterback Derek Brown, a three-year starter. His favorite target is wide receiver Thomas Wilson, who scored all 3 of Woodstock's touchdowns last week.