Week 2: Scouting the Upstate Eight Valley
Lockport (1-0) at South Elgin (1-0)
Nonconference
Game time: 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
Last year: Lockport 17, South Elgin 15
Last week: Lockport 14, Downers Grove North 0; South Elgin 47, Miami (Ransom Everglades) 0
Outlook: South Elgin lost a heartbreaker to the Porters last year. After Storm quarterback Nate Gomez rallied South Elgin from behind with two late touchdowns, Lockport drove to the 13-yard line and kicked a 31-yard field goal with 5.1 seconds left to win it. Gomez was one of three quarterbacks to play in last Saturday's opener in Orlando. Fla. He rushed 7 times for 68 yards and 3 touchdowns and returned 2 punts for touchdowns of 37 and 45 yards. Senior running back Pierre Toussaint carried 4 times for 32 yards and a touchdown and electric freshman speedster Davion Cherwin made his debut with 5 carries for 63 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown. Lockport sealed its shutout at Downers Grove North last week when defensive back Gabriel Amegatcher picked up a fumble and raced 95 yards for a touchdown with just over two minutes left. Running back Tavares Moore ran for 90-plus yards and a touchdown. "They have one of the better running backs we've seen the past few years," South Elgin coach Pat Pistorio said of Moore. "He's very shifty and he keeps his feet moving on contact. And their defensive line is very active and very athletic. We're trying to create some angles and put people in the right spots to match up with them."
Next week: Thornton (1-0) at Lockport; South Elgin at Glenbard East (0-1)
Elgin (1-0) at West Chicago (0-1)Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
The quick hit: Three times West Chicago got deep inside Wheaton Academy turf without scoring. It happens with eight first-time offensive starters. C.J. Griffin and Luke Seeman forced fumbles on defense, which hopes to return safety Jack Reynolds from injury.
St. Charles East (1-0) at Glenbard East (0-1)Game time: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
The quick hit: Glenbard East needs clean football; the Saints hit Rock Island with five scores in six possessions in a 41-7. The Rams led Lake Forest early, good games by tackle Ben Pham and defensive end Pat Lyons. Receiver Kenny Adams was huge. The Saints were burned for a 79-yarD trick
play by Rock Island but the defense otherwise held the Rocks to 157 yards in a 41-7 win. The Rams dropped a 38-23 decision to Lake Forest last week.
Waukegan (0-1) at West Aurora (1-0)Game time: 7 p.m. Friday
The quick hit: The Blackhawks won this nonconference matchup 40-2 last year. JaQuan Buchanan rushed for 161 yards and 4 touchdowns on only 11 carries in a 46-3 win at Yorkville last week. The Bulldogs are coming off a 15-0 loss to North Chicago
Lemont (0-1) at Bartlett (0-1)Game time: 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Millennium Field
The quick hit: Bartlett looks for its first points of the season in the wake of a 17-2 loss at Conant. Lemont wide receiver Austin Nagel is a threat to gain big yardage after the catch.