Scouting: Week 5 in Fox Valley

Preview: North Boone at Burlington Central

Big Northern Conference (East) North Boone (2-2) Burlington Central (0-4)

When: today at 7 p.m. at Rocket Hill

Last year: Burlington Central 46, North Boone 6

Last week: Oregon 20, Burlington Central 7; Genoa-Kingston 42, North Boone 9

Outlook: Burlington Central faces the improved Vikings, who have already matched their win total from a year ago. This could be the game when the Central offense breaks out. North Boone has allowed 114 points through 4 games, which could be good news for Central sophomore quarterback Tim Maroder. He rushed for 109 yards last week. The Rockets have given up 283 total yards per game and 101 points themselves, but the defense showed improvement last week against hard-nosed Oregon. The Rockets rushed for more yards, passed for more yards and dominated time of possession against the Hawks, but a missed tackle led to one big play and an onside kick returned for a touchdown with 17 seconds to play ended a comeback bid. The Rockets now have no room for error. They must sweep their 5 Big Northern-East games, beginning tonight, to reach the postseason. "The past is the past. Our record in conference is the same as everyone else's," Central coach Aaron Wichman said. "The biggest thing was just taking a lot of guys with inexperience and getting them experience and getting them used to playing together. And then getting used to the speed of varsity games and getting used to the effort it takes for four quarters to be competitive and successful. Everything from Week 1 until now was a learning process. But after 4 games we do have guys who have gotten a lot of reps in and guys who are used to playing with each other. Hopefully, that continues." The Rockets get stronger this week with the return of two starters from injuries. Sophomore outside linebacker Brandon Westergaard broke his arm in the Byron game two weeks ago but will play, wearing a soft cast. Safety Bobby Timm is back after missing three weeks with a knee injury. North Boone is led by sophomore twins Alex and Jon Albrecht. Alex, the quarterback, rushed for 149 yards last week in a lopsided loss to Genoa-Kingston, but was held to 6 completions in 13 attempts for 54 yards. Jon is his top receiving target. Last week's physical game against Oregon was a good tuneup for Central before the BNC-East opener. "Every game is going to be like that now in the Big Northern-East," Wichman said.

Preview: Hampshire at Richmond-Burton

Big Northern Conference (East) Hampshire (1-3) Richmond-Burton (1-3)

When: 7 p.m. today at R-B Athletic Complex

Last year: Richmond-Burton 28, Hampshire 27

Last week: Hampshire 20, Byron 6; Richmond-Burton 21, Winnebago 0

Outlook: Hampshire has been showing steady improvement over the past two weeks and hopes to continue the trend with a good showing against a tough Richmond-Burton squad. "This week will really tell us a lot about ourselves," Hampshire coach Dan Cavanaugh said. "They're probably the biggest team we've played, physically, and they run a similar offense but theirs is more a double-tight wing-T than ours. We're a little familiar with that, but it's going to be a physical matchup for us." A win tonight is key if Hampshire expects to compete for the Big Northern-East title. The Whip-Purs earned their first victory last week after 3 close losses by amassing 438 total yards and holding Byron to 168. Senior fullback Joe Moore rushed for 154 yards and junior Caleb Kendricks ran for 140 on 11 carries behind an offensive line that dominated the line of scrimmage. Kendricks has been a pleasant surprise. A transfer from Texas, he starts on the defensive line and alternates at running back with junior Ron Laramie. Like Hampshire, Richmond-Burton is coming off its first win of the season, thanks to solid play by its offensive line. Those blockers paved the way for Kenneth Riordan to rush for 61 yards and 2 touchdowns in the first half against Winnebago and for Justin Russell to run for 112 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown. R-B has beaten Hampshire each of the last three seasons.

Preview: Marian Central at St. Edward

Suburban Catholic Conference Marian Central (2-2, 1-1) St. Edward (3-1, 1-1)

When: today at 7 p.m. at Greg True Field

Last year: Marian Central 30, St. Edward 0

Last week: St. Edward 42, ACC 7; Immaculate Conception 14, Marian Central 7

Outlook: After getting shut out by Immaculate Conception two weeks ago, St. Edward bounced back last week with a convincing win at Aurora Central, just as the coaching staff had hoped. "The intensity and sense of urgency we expect were there for all four quarters," St. Edward coach Mike Rolando said. Now the Green Wave have a chance to elevate the program to another level. A homecoming victory over Marian Central, which is playing without injured Wisconsin-bound quarterback Jon Budmayr, would pull the Wave within 1 win of playoff qualification with 4 games to play. However, Marian remains a dangerous team despite some injuries and a thin roster. "They may not have the roster numbers, but the players they have are quality players like (lineman) Cody O'Neil," Rolando said. "There are no easy games in our conference. We're trying to get to a point where we compete with the best teams in the SCC, so to beat a team that has had as much success as Marian Catholic would be a big step for our program." The Wave got off to a hot start last week by jumping to a 20-0 lead at the half before tacking on 22 points in the third quarter. They'll face a Hurricanes offense that throws the ball well behind experienced backup Andy Stochl (597 yards). His main targets are Adam Olson (278 yards) and Adam Szudarski (183 yards).

Preview: South Elgin at T.F. South

Upstate Eight Conference South Elgin (1-3, 1-0) T.F. South (4-0)

When: today at 7:30 p.m.

Last year: T.F. South 21, South Elgin 7

Last week: South Elgin 42, Elgin 28; T.F. South 14, Rich South 8

Outlook: The Storm got the monkey off their back with their initial victory of the season last week at Elgin. "The win was good medicine," South Elgin coach Dale Schabert said. "Practices Monday and Tuesday were very physical. We saw them all grow up a little bit Friday night. I think they feel good about it, too. They've come out this week and really practiced hard. It's exciting to see. I think we may have taken a little step." Schabert was impressed with the toughness his players practiced with this week, which is how they'll have to play tonight against the undefeated Rebels in Lansing. T.F. South has outscored its opponents 103-45. South Elgin has been outscored 108-55, but the Storm showed signs of improvement last week against Elgin, particularly on offense. South Elgin rolled up 493 total yards and senior quarterback Pat Rae enjoyed his best day yet, completing 16-of-25 passes for 325 yards and 2 touchdowns to Josh Smith of 24 and 25 yards. Smith caught 8 balls for 145 yards and Phil Kawabata made 4 receptions for 49 yards. South Elgin is averaging 304.5 yards per game. The defense, however, is allowing 345.3 yards per game. That defense will be tested again tonight against the Rebels and running back Rob Gafford, who ran the ball 27 times for 111 yards and 2 touchdowns in last week's victory over Rich South. Getting to Lansing on a Friday afternoon will be half the fun for the Storm. The sophomores will leave at 2:30 p.m. and the varsity at 3 p.m. in order to beat traffic on the Tri-State Tollway for the 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

Preview: Neuqua Valley at Larkin

Upstate Eight Conference Neuqua Valley (1-3, 0-2) Larkin (2-2, 1-1)

When: today at 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Field

Last year: Neuqua Valley 56, Larkin 39

Last week: Larkin 38, East Aurora 20; Waubonsie Valley 28, Neuqua Valley 26

Outlook: Larkin evened its record last week with a win at East Aurora, but the Royals could take a quantum leap forward if they can knock off perennial league contender, Neuqua Valley, which has lost to Naperville North (41-19), Lake Park (20-7) and Waubonsie Valley this season. "If we come out on top this week, it would make a huge difference in our season and would be a big win for the program," Larkin coach Matt Gehrig said. The Wildcats are in the unusual position of having to win 4 of their last 5 games to qualify for a playoff spot, but they remain dangerous. Quarterback Alex Lincoln threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Conner Yearian to pull the Wildcats within 2 points of Waubonsie with 4:41 left in the fourth quarter last week. Running back Nate Pena carried 23 times for 181 yards and 2 touchdowns. However, the Neuqua defense surrendered 258 passing yards and 4 touchdowns last week. Larkin's offense revolves around an improving offensive line and four key athletes: quarterback Jeff Saurbaugh, who lined up late in last week's game as a receiver after he returned from leg cramps, speedy receivers Justin Kalusa and Yousef Salem, and running backs Brandon Cooks and Jalen Williams. Williams returns this week from a one-week suspension. Cooks ran for a 65-yard touchdown last week and Kalusa returned a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown. No one dressed in Royal blue is discounting the challenge presented by Neuqua Valley despite the Wildcats' 1-3 record. "They're definitely very good, no question about it," Gehrig said. "They have a lot of good players, and they're loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. They're still one of the top teams in the Upstate Eight."

Preview: East Aurora at Streamwood

Upstate Eight Conference East Aurora (1-3, 1-1) Streamwood (0-4, 0-2)

When: today at 7:30 p.m. at Millennium Field

Last year: Streamwood 19, East Aurora 14

Last week: St. Charles East 49, Streamwood 6; Larkin 38, East Aurora 20

Outlook: Streamwood is looking for its first win of the season on homecoming night against the Tomcats, who surprised South Elgin two weeks ago. The Sabres should be able to compete with East Aurora after taking it on the chin in back-to-back weeks from the St. Charles schools. Streamwood's only win each of the last two seasons came against the Tomcats. To beat East Aurora again, the Streamwood defense will have to give up less than the 361 yards and 39 points per game it surrenders on average, and the offense must have a breakout game. The Sabres have scored only 19 points this season and gain an average of 167 yards per game. After a lackluster effort two weeks ago against St. Charles North, Sabres coach Cal Cummins appreciated the way his players bounced back and fought to the end of last week's loss to the Saints. "We came out and played a much, much better game than the week before," Cummins said. "After about a quarter and a half of even ball against St. Charles North, we just totally collapsed. We challenged them to put a little pride back last week, and I thought they responded really well. We stayed after it and stayed focused. We were just outmatched from a physical standpoint." That won't be the case against the Tomcats, who aren't as deep or big as the Saints or North Stars. East Aurora running back Michael Turner is a tough runner, however. He rushed for 133 yards against South Elgin two weeks ago and for 103 last week vs. Larkin. "They have a couple of guys in the backfield who have speed and athleticism," Cummins said, "but I think this is a game we can be competitive in and it's homecoming, so it's a big game. Our players are looking to rebounding this week."

Preview: Elgin at Waubonsie Valley

Upstate Eight Conference Elgin (0-4, 0-1) Waubonsie Valley (1-3, 1-1)

When: today at 7:30 p.m.

Last year: Waubonsie Valley 38, Elgin 15

Last week: South Elgin 42, Elgin 28; Waubonsie Valley 28, Neuqua Valley 26

Outlook: Waubonsie Valley has relied more on the pass this season than the traditional option. The scheme worked out last week as Waubonsie quarterback Tyler Castro completed 20-of-29 passes for 258 yards and 4 touchdowns against rival Neuqua Valley. But it wouldn't be a shocker if the Warriors don't hand the ball off early and often to Nate Pena, who ran for 181 yards last week. Elgin has allowed 1,669 total yards in four games (417.3 avg.), including 1,145 yards rushing (286.3). Elgin has struggled with seven or eight Maroons playing on both sides of the ball, thus the plan this week is to rotate in some younger players who have shown improvement during the week. "We'll play some more people, especially in the first half," Elgin coach Dave Bierman said. "Maybe that will help us more in the second half. We have a lot of guys going both ways who never get a break at all, so we're going to try to see if these kids who have improved in practice can go a series or two and get some other kids off the field to get a drink and so we can talk to them." Elgin is still filling holes with only 2 starters back at their original positions from Last year: quarterback/safety Tom Roth and receiver/defensive back Jamal Cook. Roth has thrown for 699 yards and 6 touchdowns, but has been picked off 5 times. Cook is his favorite target with 12 receptions for 260 yards and 2 touchdowns. Cook also has 2 fumbles returns for touchdowns and a 99-yard kickoff return to his credit. The Maroons will face a formidable battle in the trenches tonight. "Waubonsie is very big and physical up front, so we have to make sure we're using leverage and technique because if you play high, it's going to be a long night," Bierman said.

Preview: St. Charles North at Bartlett

Upstate Eight Conference St. Charles North (3-1, 1-0) Bartlett (4-0, 2-0)

When: Saturday at noon at Millennium Field

Last year: Bartlett 36, St. Charles North 6

Last week: Bartlett 30, Lake Park 7; St. Charles North 42, T.F. North 0

Outlook: Of the five games remaining on Bartlett's regular-season schedule, Saturday's showdown at high noon might be the most important. The North Stars have blown out three straight opponents after a season-opening loss by 3 points to Cary-Grove, the No. 2-ranked team in Class 6A. St. Charles North quarterback Nick Neari might see limited action again as he did last week while nursing a sore shoulder, but Sean McGushin will get the start under center. In 2 games McGushin has completed 10-of-14 passes for 200 yards. Jordan Huxtable has rushed for 399 yards this season, 322 of those yards and 6 touchdowns came in the last two weeks against weaker defenses from Streamwood and T.F. North in blowout wins. The Hawks must also beware of senior receiver Jon DeMoss, arguably the best athlete at St. Charles North High School. He caught 4 balls last week, 2 for touchdowns, and totaled 90 yards receiving. "DeMoss is a great receiver, Huxtable is good and (running back Kyle) Harmon is a two-year starter and a good one," Bartlett coach Tom Meaney said. "They have a lot of skill kids back to go along with a good center and Jake Juriga is a real good linebacker. They have a lot of good players. We just have to hold onto the ball, make good decisions with it and, hopefully, get some takeaways." That's a safe bet: Bartlett leads the area with a plus-6 turnover margin. The balanced Bartlett offense has rushed for 560 yards and thrown for 700. The Hawks, ranked No. 5 in Class 8A this week and No. 4 in the Daily Herald Top 20, partly because their defense has held opponents to an average of 55.6 yards rushing per game. These two teams have only played once since the North Stars joined the league in 2001. Due to the rotating Upstate Eight Conference schedule, they won't face each other again until 2011.

Preview: Huntley at Grayslake North

Fox Valley Conference (Fox) Huntley (4-0) Grayslake North (0-4)

When: today at 7:45 p.m. at Harmony Road Campus Field

Last year: Huntley 48, Grayslake North 21

Last week: Huntley 36, Jacobs 0; Woodstock 42, Grayslake North 0

Outlook: The Red Raiders are on a roll, off to their best start since 2001. Despite only one full practice last week after the District 158 teachers strike was settled, Huntley came out and pummeled rival Jacobs like the team hadn't missed a beat. Huntley played a complete game last Friday, gaining 443 yards on offense and holding the Golden Eagles to 142 total yards. Huntley senior running back Jordan Neukirch gained 166 yards on 21 carries and scored 3 more touchdowns. He leads the area in rushing with 650 yards and in scoring with 10 touchdowns. He's averaging 9.7 yards per carry behind one of the area's best offensive lines. Wins this week and next against the winless Grayslake schools could set up key games in Weeks 7 and 8 against Crystal Lake Central and Prairie Ridge, respectively. The Red Raiders don't want to look that far ahead, but they shouldn't face much resistance between now and those key games. Grayslake North has been outscored 130-28 this season, whereas, Huntley has outscored its four opponents 144-41. Junior quarterback Brandon Luczak has completed 16-of-33 passes for 322 yards and 4 touchdowns against 4 interceptions. Grayslake North has only won once in 22 tries since the program's inception in 2006.

Preview: Cary-Grove at Jacobs

Fox Valley Conference (Valley) Cary-Grove (4-0) Jacobs (1-3)

When: today at 7:45 p.m. at Jacobs Athletic Field

Last year: Cary-Grove 21, Jacobs 14

Last week: Cary-Grove 35, Johnsburg 14; Huntley 36, Jacobs 0

Outlook: Cary-Grove can add to its streak of 28 straight conference wins with a victory in the Valley Division opener in Algonquin. The Trojans have steamrollered their last three opponents since they edged St. Charles North in the season opener. The triple option has been humming and the once-inexperienced defense now has some playing time under its belt and continues to show improvement. The Trojans are allowing 217 yards a game, but the offense is averaging 339 yards. On top of that, kicker Marcus Kerrigan and punter Matt Nelsen give the Trojans the advantage of good field position. "They're pretty sharp on both sides of the ball, and they're kicking game is very good," Jacobs coach Dean Schlueter said. "They're going on all cylinders from what we've seen. They're a good football team in all areas." Jacobs lost in disappointing fashion last week to Huntley, a game in which Schlueter said the team had breakdowns at positions that hadn't previously been problems. This week was spent addressing those issues. Don't expect Cary-Grove to take this one for granted, though. Last season Prairie Ridge beat Jacobs soundly the week before the Cary-Grove game, yet Jacobs recovered to give the Trojans one of their toughest tests of the season before falling by a touchdown. "They're a team that rebounds very well from losses," Cary-Grove coach Bruce Kay said. "We know they're going to play hard, good football. Sometimes turnovers have gotten in their way. For us it boils down to fundamentals." Cary-Grove has a plus-2 turnover rating while Jacobs sits at minus-2. Can the Golden Eagles give Cary-Grove a real test? "I think we can, I think we have that ability," Schlueter said. "We sure want to get them back on track and go in the right direction and execute better. We just fell apart with execution in some areas last week. We have to get back to doing the right things."

Preview: Woodstock at Dundee-Crown

Fox Valley Conference (Valley) Woodstock (3-1) Dundee-Crown (3-1)

When: today at 7:45 p.m. at the D-C Bowl

Last year: Woodstock 35, Dundee-Crown 7

Last week: Dundee-Crown 28, Grayslake Central 12; Woodstock 42, Grayslake North 0

Outlook: Surging with confidence after winning three straight games for the first time since 2000, the Chargers hope to parlay that attitude into a homecoming win that would put them on the playoff map. If the Chargers can knock off Woodstock and third-year starting quarterback Derek Brown, they'd take a gigantic step toward their first postseason appearance since 1994. "I told the guys that if we can play the way we can play, we can play with them," Dundee-Crown coach Mike Davis said. "They're good. They've only given up 20 points all year, and they have a very good quarterback in Brown. He's real good. They have a good defense. They're the best team without a doubt we've faced since Geneva (in Week 1). That being said, I think we can compete with them as long as we don't turn the ball over and make mistakes. Last week we had our best offensive game of the year. We didn't turn the ball over, we ran it, we threw it. We're going to have to do both again this week if we want to compete with these guys." Brown has thrown for 458 yards compared to 415 for D-C quarterback Logan Kissack. Whichever quarterback gets more protection could determine the outcome. The Chargers will have to be wary of Woodstock blitzes. If they do pick up the blitz, Kissack will have a chance to riddle the Blue Streak secondary with receivers Justin Strzelczyk (10 catches, 175 yards, 2 TDs) and Jeff Beck (5-90-2) and tight end Brendan Schumacher (8-58). Third-year varsity performer Ian Salvatini is another weapon for the Chargers. The senior has rushed for 407 yards and 2 touchdowns on 63 carries (6.5-yd avg.).

Preview: Crystal Lake South at McHenry

Fox Valley Conference (Valley) Crystal Lake South (3-1) McHenry (1-3)

When: today at 7:45 p.m. at McCracken Field

Last year: CL South 13, McHenry 7

Last week: CL South 31, Prairie Ridge 14; CL Central 41, McHenry 27

Outlook: McHenry is in a desperate situation. With 3 losses already and Cary-Grove still to play in Week 9, the Warriors will pull out all the stops to notch a win against CL South. Otherwise, any realistic hope of making the postseason for the 21st straight season will evaporate. "They have their backs against the wall, so they could come out in almost anything and play with a lot of emotion. If things start going well for them, they could build on that. So our goal is to weather the storm for the first five minutes, put some points on the board and get them second-guessing." The season has gone far better for the Gators, who have a new 3-3-5 defense and a sophomore quarterback helming the offense. Last week, they gave future opponents extra homework to do by demonstrating an ability to throw the ball, hardly the program's forte. With nine Prairie Ridge defenders in the box, Stuglis and staff elected to throw the ball instead, and quarterback Drew Ormseth finished with 239 yards passing and 3 touchdown strikes. "It was a little bit of a surprise to us that the kids reacted so well to that," Stuglis said. "And Drew grew up." Having confidence in the passing game will only help as the season progresses, but the Gators still prefer to run the ball with its three-headed monster of senior Derek Mortensen (57 carries, 319 yards, 3 TDs) and juniors Colin Masterson (38-319-3) and Kameron Scott (33-118-1). Masterson is averaging 8.4 yards per carry. Defensively, the Gators have to prepare for the kitchen sink. The Warriors sometimes line up in a spread formation and quarterback Ryan Michel has thrown for over 300 yards. But the Gators are more concerned with their own game and executing their assignments. "I think we're improving each week," Stuglis said. "If we can keep doing that, it's all you can ask for from an inexperienced team. They're starting to get experience and believe in themselves." CL South junior linebacker John Walsh is expected to return to action tonight after sitting out last week with an illness.