Scouting Larkin at St. Charles North

Larkin (2-4, 1-2) at St. Charles North (2-4, 1-2)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Last year: St. Charles North 20, Larkin 7

Last week: Waubonsie Valley 56, Larkin 21; Elgin 26, St. Charles North 19

Larkin Outlook: Brent Cooks moved from the defensive secondary to running back last week and proved to be a revelation. The senior carried 29 times for 94 yards and 2 touchdowns in place of Shaquille Mosley, who was sidelined due to an ejection the previous week. Mosley returns to the lineup against the North Stars but will play at his customary spot in the secondary with Cooks remaining at tailback. "He's a good kid and he's come a long way," Larkin coach Mike Scianna said of Cooks. "He's really stepped up and shown us he wants to be a part of this. He's shown a lot of character. We'll also show some new wrinkles this week with a new fullback, which has looked good and we hope will work out for us." Larkin allows an average of 32.2 points per game; St. Charles North allows 42.2. If Cooks continues to emerge as a viable running back, it could open more space for the Kyle Newquist-Trevor Whitehead connection to operate. Newquist, a junior in his second season as a varsity starting quarterback, has completed 70-of-126 attempts a (55.6 percent) for 1,114 yards and 7 touchdowns (6 interceptions). Whitehead, a precise route runner with a knack for getting open, has made 49 receptions for 867 yards and 5 touchdowns. The senior averages 17.7 yards per catch. Miguel Villafane is Larkin's next-leading receiver with 7 catches for 142 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Royals and North Stars are both in must-win situations moving forward. One more loss would eliminate either team from playoff consideration. "We've been preaching that we still have a shot," Scianna said, "and that's what we're going for. We had our best week of practice in three weeks and the kids are enthusiastic." The North Stars have won 5 of 7 against the Royals since the series began in 2003.

St. Charles North Outlook: Two teams with their playoff backs to the wall compete in this Upstate Eight Conference, River division battle. Larkin is led by the amazing Trevor Whitehead, a receiver who last week caught 7 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown, albeit in a running-clock shellacking. Royals quarterback Kyle Newquist has completed 70 passes for 1,114 yards and 7 touchdowns this season; of those Whitehead has caught 49 passes for 867 yards and 5 touchdowns. And now, Whitehead is also playing a little cornerback and returning kicks another place where St. Charles North won't want to see him. About the worst thing the North Stars could do last week was to score which both Ben Hodges and Andrew Elliott did to give North a 13-0 lead over Elgin because then it meant Alex Pohl also had to kick off. Elgin scored on 2 kickoff returns as well as on a punt return, so the Maroons' measly output of 3 first downs hardly hurt them. Whatever offense they gained came through the air, which will give Larkin a further green light to employ the Newquist-Whitehead connection. A performance like last week's, on the back of a 35-34 loss to Geneva (in which the North Stars both scored on Dirk Schmitt's kickoff return and allowed Geneva to score on one) will make players like Schmitt and Jake Bergren just mad-dog mean. There will be hitting involved, as well as continued development in what already are solid rushing and passing games headed by quarterback Matt Shiltz.