Scouting Geneva at Streamwood

Geneva (4-2, 4-0) at Streamwood (2-4, 0-3)

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

Last year: First meeting

Last week: St. Charles East 45, Streamwood 14; Geneva 40, Batavia 21

Streamwood Outlook: Geneva can clinch a tie for the River Division title in the Upstate Eight Conference with a victory over the short-handed Sabres. Streamwood junior Alex Morrow, the Fox Valley area's leading rusher with 750 yards and 5 touchdowns on 109 carries (6.9 avg.), will miss this game with an injury. "It doesn't look like he'll play," Sabres coach Cal Cummins said Wednesday. "We're getting ready as if he's not going to play." In Morrow's place would be senior Steve Sandoval (5-9, 170), who played tailback when he was a sophomore. "He's a pretty nifty runner, too," Cummins said. "He's played extremely well (at wide receiver/defensive back), and this year we gave him some reps in the backfield in case anything happened. He's a prototypical I-back." Geneva has won 4 straight since season-opening losses to Rock Island and Morgan Park. Cummins has some history against Geneva. In 2004, he was the coach at undefeated Freeport when Rob Wicinski's Geneva team scored twice in the last 17 seconds to win a Class 6A quarterfinal, 30-21. "It's kind of scary when you start breaking down film and looking at them now because a lot of what they ran then is still in there," Cummins said. "It's a typical Geneva team. They'll bring it at you with a few basic things they do and you'd better find a way to stop them." Cummins was referring to Geneva's off-tackle plays and counters and the Vikings' ability to switch between the spread and power-I formations.

Geneva Outlook: "Worrisome" was the word that kept escaping from the mouth of Geneva coach Rob Wicinski concerning the Sabres. Part of it was how the Vikings would approach an unfamiliar, sub-.500 foe after emotional games against St. Charles North and Batavia, with South Elgin ahead in Week 8. He was also troubled by the prospect of a scrappy defense, Streamwood quarterback Dalton Lundine, a lefty slinger who threw for 191 yards last week, and receiver Blake Holder. The latter reminds Wicinski of St. Charles North wideout Josh Mikes, who burned Geneva for 100 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns. Central to Streamwood's aim, though, is tailback Alex Morrow. He entered last week's game with 742 yards and left on crutches after the Sabres' second series with 750 yards and a twisted ankle. Wicinski is practicing for him, however. He's also prepping his team in the basics blocking, tackling, assignments. His continued emphasis is on the offensive line, and getting linebackers Tom Frederick, Vinnie Kraig, Austin Nobregas, Jake Powers, Nick Caruso and Connor Quinn working as a machine. Maybe that's just what you say after a dominant win over Batavia. Quinn ran for 148 more yards and a touchdown, fullback Joey Cella scored running and receiving, and for a second straight game Doug Berthold returned a kickoff for a touchdown. That improved the Vikings' record over Batavia to 50-38-5. But who's counting. Unfortunately, defensive backs Tom Oliveria (concussion) and Brendan Ramirez (knee) are now out. Against a Streamwood squad that has three linemen going both ways, Wicinski looks to keep the ball on the ground and work on those blocking assignments."We have to show some nice poise and some patience," the coach said.