Scouting Jacobs at Dundee-Crown

Jacobs (3-3, 0-2) at Dundee-Crown (0-6, 0-2)

When: 7:15 p.m. Friday at the D-C Bowl

Last year: Jacobs 37, Dundee-Crown 6

Last week: Crystal Lake 28, South at Jacobs 14; McHenry 57, Dundee-Crown 15

Outlook: District 300's annual rivalry game holds greater importance to Jacobs, which must win 2 of its last 3 games to become playoff eligible in coach Bill Mitz's first season. The Golden Eagles demonstrated another step forward last week, albeit in a loss. Jacobs was driving for the game-tying score against state-ranked CL South when a holding call helped sabotage the drive. Still, the team and coaching staff came away feeling good about the effort. "We felt as a staff after that game that we may have turned a corner a little bit more," Mitz said. "Gosh, it was a tough one. The kids are excited to play their rival. They'll be fired up for sure. We've got to go over there with the same intensity level we took the field with last Friday night." The Chargers have been enduring a tough year, which could get tougher if starting quarterback Tanner Kotlan (knee) can't play. He was sacked 5 times last week. Junior Tom McNally could get his first start at quarterback. D-C always plays its rival tough, regardless of records. "The kids know it's a rivalry so we don't have to stress it much," Chargers coach Mike Davis said. "I've just stressed to them that I want them to play hard for four quarters. If we win, great. If we lose, I want them to be able to say they played hard and gave Jacobs everything they wanted." Dundee-Crown leads the all-time series 16-11, but Jacobs has won the last 7 straight meetings.