Preview: Glenbard North (4-3, 3-2) at Naperville Central (5-2, 3-2)
Glenbard North (4-3, 3-2) at Naperville Central (5-2, 3-2)
DuPage Valley Conference
Game time: 7:30 p.m. today.
Last year: Naperville Central 35, Glenbard North 28.
Last week: Glenbard North 44, Glenbard East 17; Naperville Central 41, West Chicago 20.
Outlook: With more than enough playoff points, Glenbard North is all but guaranteed a playoff berth with a win. Naperville Central officially becomes a qualifier with a win. The Panthers came alive in the second half of last week's victory, sparked by wide receiver Mike Carev, who returned a kick 93 yards for a touchdown and caught a 38-yard touchdown pass from Evan Watkins. With another 90 rushing yards, Tyler Doll went over 1,000 for the season. Expect a big boost to the offense and defense with the return from injury of hard-hitting fullback and linebacker Jordan Brooks. Same with Naperville Central, which plans to get back defensive lineman Mike Kraft from a similar ankle injury. Since Russell Petty's return from injury two weeks ago, the Redhawks' ground came has become potent. He and Nick Kukuc combined for 230 of the team's nearly 300 rushing yards last week. Pretty scary stuff considering their already-established pass game with quarterback Nick Linne.