Preview: Palatine at Conant

When: 7:30 p.m. today Feutz Field

Last week: Palatine d. Hersey 56-14; Conant d. Elk Grove 20-13

Outlook: Palatine coach Tyler Donnelly summed this one up nicely. "I told our kids it's going to be a Tylenol game," Donnelly said. "It'll be a headache game because it's going to be physical." But Palatine's high-powered offense presents plenty of headaches as it comes off its most points since it scored 63 in 1992 and is looking for its fourth straight 40-plus point game for the first time since 1996. Matt Rossi (838 yards passing, 7 TDs; 244 rushing, 5 TDs), RB Jack Hansen (321 yards, 7 TDs) and WRs Jose Munoz (23 catches, 441 yards, 4 TDs), Jamie Silveira and Mike Luschen present a formidable challenge. "Offensively every place you look they have pretty good skill kids," said Conant coach Bill Modelski. "The trick for us is to try to limit their big plays. We have to really make an effort to control the clock. That's going to be really huge." The Cougars will try to do it with QB Sean Smith (353 yards passing; 292 rushing, 3 TDs) and RB Kendall Lane (276 yards) on a Palatine defense that will be without MLB Ryan Cortez (back) and DL Brock Tenca (torn finger tendon) this week. "Bill does a good job of getting those kids ready to play," Donnelly said. "The last time we went over there they just kicked our rear ends (48-6)." But Palatine bounced back last year 21-0 to end a 9-game losing streak in a series Conant leads 17-12.