Three keys to these 2 conferences

Three key games this Friday have conference title implications in the Upstate Eight and Fox Valley Conferences.

Valley showdown: The Fox Valley Conference's best rivalry of this decade will be rejoined in Cary this Friday, when Crystal Lake South (5-1, 2-0) challenges Cary-Grove (6-0, 2-0) and its 30-game conference winning streak for first place in the Valley Divsion.

The teams have played nine times since 2000, including three clashes in the state playoffs since 2004. Cary-Grove has won 4-of-6 regular-season games, including the last 4, and 2-of-3 playoff meetings.

In 2004, the Trojans beat the Gators 34-0 in a Class 7A state quarterfinal on their way to a state runner-up finish.

The rivalry deepened in 2005. Cary-Grove beat CL South 28-20 during the regular season, but the Gators won the game that mattered by outlasting the Trojans 20-14 in a Class 6A state quarterfinal in Cary.

Cary-Grove avenged that loss in 2006 by topping CL South twice, including a 28-0 victory in the second round of the playoffs, and the Trojans dominated last year's regular-season meeting 54-0.

Cary-Grove has won four straight undefeated FVC titles, and was ranked No. 2 in the Class 6A Associated Press poll last week.

The Trojans outgained Woodstock 343 yards to 108 last Friday, but the offense was inconsistent in the red zone during a 14-0 victory.

"The defense is improving weekly, and the offense has flat-lined the last couple of weeks, so we're looking to improve in that area," Cary-Grove coach Bruce Kay said Monday. "I think it's just timing, key blocks being missed or execution at one point or another. We've been democratic; It hasn't just been one player."

Cary-Grove's triple-option offense could get a lift from the return of speedy junior Alex Hembrey, who was expected to practice Monday. The running back has missed three games due to the combination of a sprained ankle and sprained medial collateral ligament in his knee.

Fox Hunting: Huntley had high hopes for this season, but a 6-0 start was a best-case scenario not even the Red Raiders envisioned.

"The players have exceeded our expectations," Huntley coach Steve Graves said last week. "They've done everything we've asked and they've worked very hard to put themselves in a good position."

That position is atop the top of the Fox Division of the FVC heading into the season's final three games, which Huntley should find more challenging than its first six contests.

Huntley has outscored its six opponents 224-47, but those teams sport a combined record of 6-30 (Wauconda 3-3, Elmwood Park 0-6, McHenry 2-4, Jacobs 1-5, Grayslake North 0-6 and Grayslake Central 0-6).

The schedule gets meatier the next two weeks. The Red Raiders travel Friday to Crystal Lake Central (5-1, 1-1), then host Prairie Ridge (4-2, 2-0) the following week.

A Huntley win over CL Central, a team Prairie Ridge shut out 24-0 last week, would set up a huge game between PR and host Huntley in Week 8.

Upstate at stake: Bartlett is off to the best start in school history at 6-0 and remains the only unbeaten team in the Upstate Eight Conference at 4-0.

Ranked No. 5 in Class 8A and No. 4 in the Daily Herald Top 20, the Hawks travel to Naperville on Friday to face Neuqua Valley (3-3, 2-2).

Last Friday the Wildcats knocked St. Charles East (4-2, 3-1) out of a share of the UEC lead with a 49-41 victory in quadruple overtime.

Bartlett and Neuqua Valley have split 10 regular season meetings, but Bartlett holds a 1-game series edge, thanks to a 28-14 first-round playoff victory over the Wildcats in 2004.

Neuqua Valley has won the last 3 regular-season games, including a 24-23 victory last year.

A Bartlett victory at Neuqua would give the Hawks the opportunity to put the wraps on an undefeated conference title with a win in Week 9 at East Aurora (2-4, 1-2).

Next Saturday night Bartlett will have the spotlight to itself in a nonconference tilt against Thornton (6-0) at 6:30 p.m. at Millennium Field in Streamwood.

Hampsh-air: Hampshire football is known for running the ball, and this year's team is no exception.

After an 0-3 start, the Whip-Purs have rallied for 3 straight wins by sticking to a strong running game, led by tough senior fullback Joe Moore (401 yards) and complemented by backs James Goebbert, Caleb Kendrick and Ron Laramie.

But first-time senior quarterback Evan Brenner and wide receiver Bo Price proved against Harvard last Friday night that the Whips are anything but one-dimensional.

Brenner, who had thrown for 259 yards in Hampshire's first 5 games, threw for 178 yards on 10-for-15 passing, including 4 passes to Price for 104 yards. The team's deep threat, Price made a spectacular catch of a tipped ball near the sideline for a 27-yard gain that kept a Hampshire fourth-quarter drive cooking.

"We're not really used to doing that, but it had to be done," Brenner said of the air attack against Harvard. "We got into a few third-and-longs and Bo ran his routes good and I hit him on the fly."

Said Price: "The game plan every week is to slam the ball right down the defense's throat, and pass when we need to. We read it as we go along."

Hampshire is in sole possession of the Big Northern-East lead with games remaining against North Boone (3-3) at Burlington Central (1-5) and at Marengo (1-5).