Scouting Lake Forest at Vernon Hills

North Suburban crossover

Lake Forest (5-2) at Vernon Hills (7-0)

When: 7:30 p.m., today

Last week: Lake Forest def. Mundelein, 55-20; Vernon Hills def. Grant, 20-0.

Skinny: Vernon Hills puts its pair of streaks on the line again tonight, and this will be the toughest challenge to date for the Cougars, who haven't allowed a point and, consequently, haven't lost. Lake Forest, after all, is an NSC Lake Division team. "Any time we cross over with the big-school division, it's an uphill battle for us," said coach Tony Monken, whose Cougars clinched the NSC Prairie title last week. "We are the second-smallest school in the North Suburban, so the number of players in our program is way below the numbers in the programs of the Lake Division schools. Usually, the best approach for us when playing a crossover game is to try to sneak up on them and get them to look past you. But with Lake Forest wanting to get their sixth win to clinch a playoff spot, and everyone talking about 'the streak,' I don't think we're sneaking up on anybody." ... Lake Forest boasts junior RB Owen Williams, whose 5 TDs against Mundelein gave him 17 for the season. He's rushed for 835 yards and leads an offense that has produced 55-point efforts against Mundelein and Libertyville. The Scouts use two QBs in P.J. Carrolo (667 passing yds., 6 TDs) and Jordan Beck (448 passing yds., 5 TDs). "Offensively," Monken said, "they're the most balanced team we've seen." ... Vernon Hills' defensive standouts include LBs Dustin Rusch (team-high 40 tackles), Austin Miller (36 tackles, 9 for loss, 6.5 sacks) and Brian Palmer (36 tackles), DT Cedric Lyons (27 tackles), and DBs Grady Skeoch (4 interceptions), DaVaris Daniels (3 INTs) and Evan Spencer (2 INT returns for TDs). Monken said Spencer is expected to play after missing last week's game at Grant with an injury. "Vernon Hills has a great defense fast, well-disciplined, and very good players on each level of the defense," Lake Forest coach Chuck Spagnoli said. "It is obvious to see why they have been so successful. They play extremely hard and are very well-coached."