Scouting Week 6 in the Fox Valley

Elgin (0-5, 0-3) at Bartlett (5-0, 2-0)

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

Last year: Bartlett 38, Elgin 35

Last week: Bartlett 21, St. Charles North 7; Waubonsie Valley 46, Elgin 21

Outlook: Elgin's spread offense can give a defense headaches, but it might not pain a Bartlett defense that didn't allow a point last week against St. Charles North, which showed the same look. "We got a good taste of it last week, and it's kind of the same thing," said Bartlett coach Tom Meaney, whose Hawks are ranked No. 5 in Class 8A this week. "We have some things to work out. (Elgin) might be even faster. We have to contain (receivers Jamal) Cook and (Tim) Newcombe and contain the quarterback (Tom Roth) because he's slippery. We were watching some tape of him where he looks like Houdini, getting out of the way of hits and making positive yardage. They have three or four skill kids who are as good as anybody in the conference." Bartlett has more than its share of players who rank among the best in the Upstate Eight, too, which is why the Hawks are tied for first place in the conference with St. Charles East (4-1, 3-0). Outside linebackers Brandon Burck and Mike Crain had great games last week, according to Meaney. They contained the North Stars on the perimeter, filled against the run when the defensive front broke down and each picked off a pass. Free safety Steve Seemann nearly made 2 interceptions, but he sent notice to any receivers who test the middle of the field that they'll pay a price. He wobbled North Stars receiver Jon DeMoss on one hit, then knocked DeMoss out of the game with a good, hard tackle during a punt return. Bartlett's execution at the line of scrimmage has been a key to its success. "Obviously, they're a good ballclub, especially up front on both sides of the ball," said Elgin coach Dave Bierman, whose mentor, Dick Stephens, is an assistant coach at Bartlett this season. "They have an excellent linebacker corps, especially in the middle. We're still making improvements. Despite the score at Waubonsie, we had some defensive stops. It's the same thing, it's a matter of consistency. We just allowed too many big plays."

Streamwood (1-4, 1-2) at Larkin (2-3, 1-2)

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

Last year: Larkin 40, Streamwood 7

Last week: Streamwood 40, East Aurora 21; Neuqua Valley 38, Larkin 12

Outlook: Larkin is aiming for a happy homecoming night while Streamwood looks to make it 2 straight after snapping an 8-game losing streak last week. Larkin has won the last 5 games between these Upstate Eight Conference and District U-46 foes. Streamwood last defeated Larkin 22-13 in 2002. The Sabres rushed for a season-best 234 yards last week against East Aurora. Junior Wayne Holloway ran for 125 yards on 16 totes while senior Derrick King carried 25 times for 103 yards and 3 short touchdown runs. "Streamwood has some really good football players," Larkin coach Matt Gehrig said. "The two guys in the backfield are players and they have some defensive linemen who can get off the ball very quickly and aggressively. At times they play with a lot of intensity. I think they'll be up after a somewhat dominant win against East Aurora last week, and they'll be trying to build off that." Larkin has undergone a bit of a facelift offensively. The Royals are now playing primarily out of the shotgun in a spread formation, though a tight end remains part of the package. Receiver Justin Kalusa has moved to quarterback, which frees up Jeff Saurbaugh to play running back alongside junior Jalen Williams. Williams had 6 carries last week against Neuqua Valley for 80 yards. Streamwood only threw the ball 6 times last week, but that might change against a Larkin defense that surrendered 264 passing yards against Neuqua quarterback Alex Lincoln, who completed 19-of-26 attempts. The Sabres had renewed vigor in practice this week and hope to carry the momentum over to tonight's game. "I think we're in a position to play with them and try to put ourselves in position to get a win," Streamwood coach Cal Cummins said. "They certainly have some weapons, but looking at games we've played against common opponents I think we should be competitive."

St. Charles North (3-2, 1-1) at South Elgin (2-3, 1-1)

When: Saturday at noon at Millennium Field

Last year: St. Charles North 34, South Elgin 7

Last week: South Elgin 20, T.F. South 19; Bartlett 21, St. Charles North 7

Outlook: The North Stars had the last two meetings in this series in hand by the end of the first half, if not the first quarter, a fate surging South Elgin hopes to avoid against coach Mark Gould's North Stars. "Mark's teams are known for getting off the bus and being ready to play right away," South Elgin coach Dale Schabert said. "We have to be ready from the opening kick, be ready to play a physical game, and build some confidence early. If we turn the ball over the way we did last year, we'll be in trouble." In last year's meeting, the North Stars returned the opening kick to the South Elgin 30 and scored shortly thereafter. South Elgin was held to 25 yards of offense in the first quarter and trailed 27-0 at halftime. The Storm are on a two-game winning streak for the second time in their three-year history heading into their first true homecoming game. Quarterback Patrick Rae is rounding into form with 458 yards and 4 touchdowns in back-to-back wins. That's good news for receiver Josh Smith, who recently visited Purdue. In the last 2 games Smith caught 12 balls for 191 yards and 3 touchdowns. Brad Birchfield ran for 85 yards last week in the win at T.F. South. St. Charles North's Jordan Huxtable was held to 39 yards last week at Bartlett and receiver Jonathan DeMoss left the game with a hyperextended elbow. The North Stars rotate quarterbacks between Sean McGushin and Nic Neari, who each threw interceptions against Bartlett last week.

Dundee-Crown (3-2, 0-1) at Crystal Lake South (4-1, 1-0)

When: today at 7;45 p.m. at Ken Bruhn Field

Last year: Crystal Lake South 41, Dundee-Crown 7

Last week: Crystal Lake South 36, McHenry 0; Woodstock 31, Dundee-Crown 14

Outlook: CL South coach Jim Stuglis and staff have stressed to their players all week the danger of overlooking homecoming guest Dundee-Crown with the Cary-Grove showdown looming next Friday. In each of the previous two seasons, the Gators were 5-0 entering Week 6 before they suffered unexpected Valley Division losses to Jacobs. CL South would like to earn a win against the Chargers so they can enter the Cary-Grove game undefeated in the Valley for a change. "Hopefully, we've learned from our mistakes the past couple of years and can keep our kids focused as much as possible and get the job done Friday night," Stuglis said. Senior fullback Derek Mortensen has been a key to the Gators' success offensively. Not only does he average nearly 7 yards a carry, Mortensen lead blocks and has become such an adept pass protector that the coaching staff was able to change to blocking scheme along the offensive line. "He had really stepped up and made a huge impact for us," Stuglis said. A player who made an impact for Dundee-Crown last week was receiver Willy Larsen, who made 3 great catches, including a toe-dragging touchdown pass, in place of top D-C receiver Justin Strzelczyk, who left the game with an injury. Strzelczyk will not play against CL South and will be evaluated week to week. In his place Frank Negri will see more time at receiver and in the defensive secondary. The Chargers had a 3-game winning streak snapped against Woodstock last week because they couldn't protect the ball. "If we turn the ball over 4 times like we did against Woodstock, we don't have a prayer," Dundee-Crown coach Mike Davis said. "We'd better be prepared to play physically or it will be ugly. This is a typical Crystal Lake South team: big, fast, strong and they play physical. They're a very good team. We've had a decent week of practice. I don't think we've lost any confidence from what happened last week. We just have to move on and hopefully play well and make it competitive."

Jacobs (1-4, 0-1) at McHenry (1-4, 0-1)

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

Last year: McHenry 25, Jacobs 14

Last week: Cary-Grove 41, Jacobs 0; Crystal Lake South 36, McHenry 0

Outlook: One of these Valley Division teams will keep its playoff dream alive for another week with a victory, the loser will be eliminated from playoff contention. Each team won its respective season opener, then lost four straight. McHenry's streak of 20 straight playoff appearances is in jeopardy. The Warriors haven't won a game since they beat Larkin 18-7 on opening night. McHenry's defense couldn't stand up to the physicality of CL South's offense last week. Jacobs faced the same problem in a lopsided loss to Cary-Grove. The Golden Eagles are focusing on executing the basics in order to get back on track. "We've got to get back to doing some things right on a consistent basis," Jacobs coach Dean Schlueter said. "At times we do things very well, but other times we have breakdowns we shouldn't be having at this point in the year. We have to get those things fixed and execute the way we think we can on a consistent basis." The Golden Eagles are at their best when running the ball, an aspect of the offense that was stifled by Cary-Grove to the tune of 13 yards. One victory is all it might take for the offense to get rolling. "I believe in my kids," Schlueter said. "I don't think we've reached our potential by any stretch of the imagination, so we're going to keep on plugging away."

Woodstock (4-1, 1-0) at Cary-Grove (5-0, 1-0)

When: today at 7:45 p.m. at Al Bohrer Field

*Last year: Cary-Grove 27, Woodstock 7 (regular season); Cary-Grove 30, Woodstock 0 (first round Class 6A playoffs)

Last week: Cary-Grove 41, Jacobs 0; Woodstock 31, Dundee-Crown 14

Outlook: Woodstock has won four straight since a season-opening loss to Hoffman Estates (2-3), but the Blue Streaks step up in class this week when they tangle with the four-time defending league champs. Cary-Grove has won 29 straight conference games in the Fox Valley. Woodstock was the last conference team to defeat the Trojans during the regular season in October of 2003. These teams played twice last season and Cary dominated both meetings, including a first-round playoff victory. Woodstock is led by third-year quarterback Derek Brown, who has thrown for 674 yards (44-for-83) and 5 touchdowns with 5 interceptions. Senior running back Zac Johnson rushed for 133 yards and a touchdown last week in a win at Dundee-Crown. Woodstock committed 18 penalties last week. This group of Woodstock seniors won the Fox Valley Conference as freshmen. "Woodstock has a long tradition of kids who play good, hard football," Cary-Grove coach Bruce Kay said. "They have some skill out there." So do the Trojans, though Kay said junior running back/return man Alex Hembrey will rest his sprained ankle for one more week. Jake Underwood is returning punts in his absence. Hembrey is a difference-maker, but the Trojans will still have plenty of difference-makers on the field tonight. The offensive line is excelling, senior Jonas Mack has rushed for 392 yards and 5 touchdowns, quarterback Tyler Krebs has run for 266 yards and 4 touchdowns and Eric Chandler has rushed for 451 yards and 5 touchdowns. Chandler is coming off a big game against Jacobs in which he gained 231 yards and scored twice. But the bigger story at Cary of late has been the defense's rapid improvement. Defensive coordinator Don Sutherland's crew posted their first shutout last weekend. "I think our defense has improved a great deal each week," Kay said. "That has been our biggest improvement. Our kicking game is still solid and our punting has improved. Offensively, we're getting better. We're throwing and catching the ball better." The Trojans lost two players last week to non-contact injuries. Senior nose guard Nick Sarillo suffered ligament damage in his hip while pursuing the ball on kickoff coverage. No. 2 tight end, junior Kyle Just, hurt his knee trying to catch a pass.

Huntley (5-0, 1-0) at Grayslake Central (0-5, 0-1)

When: today at 7:45 p.m.

Last year: Huntley 40, Grayslake Central 0

Last week: Huntley 41, Grayslake North 0; Crystal Lake Central 46, Grayslake Central 0

Outlook: Though the Red Raiders enter this game without a loss and the Rams are winless, Huntley coach Steve Graves said Grayslake Central presents a threat that must be taken seriously. "They throw the ball extremely well, so we're trying to convince the kids it's not as simple as 0-5 vs. 5-0," Graves said. "It'd be awfully easy to go into practice and not prepare if we allowed it this week, but we feel our corners are untested to this point. When you're facing a throwing spread offensive team, it's a great equalizer. They don't have to beat us 11-on-11. All they have to do is stalemate us at four or five positions and then probe 1-on-1 in one area. They only have to be better than us in that 1-on-1 matchup, not necessarily 11 across the board." The Red Raiders enter this game on a 7-game winning streak, dating back to last season. All phases of Huntley's game have been working in tandem. The defense has posted 2 straight shutouts, the special teams have limited big plays and the offense continues to rack up the points. Huntley has outscored its opponents 185-51. The Rams have surrendered 195 points in 5 games. Huntley should hold an advantage on both sides of the line of scrimmage. The Red Raider pass rush will try to pressure Rams quarterback Kevin O'Rourke to take pressure off the secondary. The schedule amps up for Huntley the next two weeks against Crystal Lake Central (5-0) and Prairie Ridge (4-1), which is partly why Graves calls tonight's matchup with the Rams a "trap game," but another victory will seal the school's first playoff berth since 2001 and allow the Red Raiders to enjoy their dream season that much more. "This season has been kind of a surprise for us," Graves said. "These (seniors) were 5-4 their sophomore year, so we knew they had some potential. It's a hard thing to predict exactly, but they're just doing a fantastic job for us. We've been pleased every step of the way."

Burlington Central (1-4, 1-0) at Richmond-Burton (1-4, 0-1)

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

Last year: Burlington Central 15, Richmond-Burton 12

Last week: Burlington Central 41, North Boone 14; Hampshire 21, Richmond-Burton 11

Outlook: Central broke through for its first victory last week in convincing fashion. Every week is a playoff game for the Rockets, who would be eliminated from playoff contention with another loss. "We've talked about it because making the playoffs was one of our preseason goals," Burlington Central coach Aaron Wichman said. "We talked all last week about having a good week of practice to put us in position to have success on Friday night and we had success." The Rockets succeeded because they not only moved the chains, they finished off drives. They'll have to do the same thing against a Richmond-Burton defense that allows 20 points a game. The R-B offense has been its problem. R-B has scored just 63 points this season. The Central offense came alive last week with sophomore Tim Maroder and junior quarterback Tim Botsford sharing the quarterback duties. In his first action at the position this season, Botsford rushed for 35 yards on 4 carries and completed 4-of-4 pass attempts for 78 yards and 3 touchdowns, 2 of them to Jeremy Lee. Junior Kevin Kellish (6-foot-1) had 6 receptions for 64 yards and a score. Now the offense has to carry that momentum over in a tough road game against a division rival. "They're a tradition-rich team," Wichman said of R-B. "They have decent size on both sides of the ball and some good running backs we have to be aware of. This game is usually a low-scoring battle and I anticipate the same thing." Central linebacker Frank Wleklinski has helped solidify the Rockets defensively. The senior made 23 tackles two weeks ago in a loss to Oregon and Wichman said others have stepped up and followed his aggressive lead. Senior Dominic Genchi will miss this game due to a concussion.

Harvard (3-2, 1-0) at Hampshire (2-3, 1-0)

When: today at 7 p.m.

Last year: Harvard 26, Hampshire 13

Last week: Hampshire 21, Richmond-Burton 11; Harvard 40, Marengo 7

Outlook: This is a critical game in the Big Northern-East race. Hampshire has won 2 straight following an 0-3 start and has its running game back on track. The Whip-Purs ran last week for 198 yards, led by senior fullback Joe Moore's 120 yards on 21 carries. Harvard's 2 losses were against a pair of 5-0 teams: Big Foot (Wisc.) and Genoa-Kingston. The Hornets have righted the ship the last two weeks by outscoring Rockford Lutheran (1-4) and Marengo (1-4) by a combined score of 72-7. The Hornets graduated 15 players from last year's division title team. "We only start five seniors this year, so we're getting a little better each week," Harvard coach Tim Haak said. "Our goal is to see how much better we can get in practice every day and how much better we can get in the game this week. Hampshire is awfully good. They look physical and their fullback and tailback are as good as they come. We'll have to play on their side of the line of scrimmage if we can." Though the Hornets play a freshman at tight end and three sophomores, Hampshire remains on high alert. "Like Harvard teams of the past, they play tough defense, they're quick to the ball, they have a real balanced offense and they're very strong physically," Hampshire coach Dan Cavanaugh said. "We think we've been playing better as the weeks have gone on. I think our best football is still ahead of us."

Driscoll (4-1, 2-1) at St. Edward (3-2, 1-2)

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

Last year: Driscoll 42, St. Edward 16

Last week: Marian Central 28, St. Edward 7; Driscoll 28, Immaculate Conception 0

Outlook: After a credible performance in a loss to Marian Central, St. Edward welcomes the New York Yankees of Suburban Catholic Conference football to Elgin. Driscoll has won seven straight state titles, a record of success the St. Edward players must put out of their minds. "I think the boys think they can compete with anybody," St. Edward coach Mike Rolando said. "They feel like they're a good team now. We just need to go in with a little confidence expecting to win games instead of waiting for bad things to happen. I think they played Marian tough and this is a game, obviously, they can get up for. This is a great team coming in and it's another great opportunity to show that they've taken the program to another level. I think the kids are excited." The Wave will take the field without captain and two-way standout Moises Quiroga, who suffered a concussion in the Marian game. Junior outside linebacker Jordan Torres finished last week's game at middle linebacker in place of Quiroga. He'll get the start there again while Price Davis and Jon Godfrey split time at outside linebacker. Quiroga has rushed for 310 yards this year as a fullback. Torres will also pick up his slack at that position. Senior Jimmy Mathisen leads the Wave with 381 yards rushing in 61 attempts. Driscoll has the talent to make up for its mistakes. The Highlanders turned the ball over 4 times last week but the defense shut down IC's rushing attack to post a shutout nevertheless. Games against the physical Highlanders are usually decided in the trenches. "It's all going to come down to our line," Rolando said. "If they can play physical enough and deal with the athleticism of Driscoll's players, we'll be all right."