Scouting Week 5 in Lake County
NORTHERN LAKE COUNTY CONFERENCE
Antioch (3-1, 2-0) at Grant (4-0, 2-0)
When: 5 p.m., Friday
Last week: Antioch def. Wauconda, 41-7; Grant def. Grayslake Central, 32-14.
Last year: Antioch def. Grant, 42-7.
Outlook: Antioch coach Brian Glashagel, in his 13th season with the Sequoits, has exactly 15 reasons why he's thrilled that his grid guys get to travel for a first-place NLCC tilt with Grant. Antioch is 15-1 in regular-season road games since the start of the 2016 season, its lone loss (a 10-7 setback) having occurred at Lake Forest in Week 1 last month. Friday night's game in Fox Lake will be Antioch's fourth road contest in five weeks. “Our concentration is better on the road,” Glashagel said. “I'm glad Grant is 4-0, instead of 1-3 or 2-2. Friday night, in a hostile environment, it should be a good matchup, the place to be.” The rivalry was a thing — a big thing — back when the schools played in the old Prairie Division of the North Suburban Conference. “Eight, ten years ago, we certainly had some memorable battles,” Glashagel recalled. Third-year Grant coach Chris Robinson donned helmet and pads for his alma mater's Bulldogs, as a left guard and defensive tackle. Grant ran a triple option back then. Robinson brought the scheme back this fall. “It's a lot of fun to play, and it's a lot of fun to coach,” Robinson said. “We're running it again because it suits our personnel.” Grant outscored its first four foes by a combined 158-35, or an average score of 40-9; the average Antioch final result is 28-4. Granted, Grant's schedule has been easier than Antioch's through Week 4, but that means zip to Robinson. “The next game, to us, is important. Always has been. You know what else is important? The next play. Our kids don't dwell on the past.” Nobody will forget what Antioch junior quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis did to sully Wauconda's homecoming last week and fatten the Sequoits' NLCC record to 23-0 since the inception of the conference in 2016. The future Minnesota Gopher was quite the go-to ball carrier, rushing for 5 touchdowns and 133 yards in a 41-7 rout. The Sequoits received stout efforts on defense from senior linebackers Ryan Shaputis (1.5 sacks), Jackson DeVaughn and Ben Wilson and junior strong safety Ethan Holmes. “All of our guys on ‘D' love to fly around,” Glashagel said. Bulldogs senior QB Tyler Elfering rushed for a TD on the first play from scrimmage in Grant's 32-14 defeat of host Grayslake Central last week. Robinson's crew led 32-0 at the half. “Great blocking, right away,” Robinson said, adding all three phases (offense, defense and special teams) of his club contributed significantly in Grant's fourth win — one more than its victory total in '18. Two of Bulldogs junior center Anthony Karow's relatives played football for Grant in the 1960s, Robinson noted. “Anthony comes from good stock,” Robinson said of the 5-foot-9, 195-pounder. “But there's more to him than football. No. 1, he's a great person, a fantastic kid. He's a natural leader on the field, modest off it. He's a guy who considers the huddle his home.” Grant defeated Antioch 19-7 in a Class 6A first-round state playoff game in 2011. Antioch and Grant reached a 6A semifinal and a 6A quarterfinal, respectively, in 2008. A Grant win Friday would make the Bulldogs a playoff-eligible squad. Grant last earned a state playoff berth in 2012, when it thumped Lake View 59-0 in the first round (6A) and fell 30-13 to Crystal Lake Central in Round 2. The program competed in the postseason seven times in eight seasons from 2005-12. Robinson, on the Antioch-Grant rivalry: “It's an awesome one. Everybody loves to be a part of it. It's one that both teams handle with a lot of class. I've never been a fan of nasty, dirty, hate-filled rivalries. In this one, after the game's over, you'll see guys shaking hands.”
— Bill McLean
Round Lake (1-3, 0-2) at Grayslake Central (0-4, 0-2)
When: 4:30 p.m., Friday
Last week: Round Lake lost to North Chicago, 27-7; Grayslake Central lost to Grant, 32-14.
Last year: Grayslake Central def. Round Lake, 41-6.
Outlook: Round Lake QB Isaiah Nixon (202 passing yards, 175 rushing yards, 3 TDs) missed last Saturday's game against North Chicago with a concussion but is expected to play against Grayslake Central, which is still seeking its first win under first-year coach Mike Maloney. ... The game was originally scheduled to be played at Round Lake, but the Panthers' new stadium is not yet completed. ... Grayslake Central is allowing 36.5 points per game.
Grayslake North (1-3, 0-2) at North Chicago (1-3, 1-1)
When: 7 p.m., Friday
Last week: Grayslake North lost to Lakes, 20-7; North Chicago def. Round Lake, 27-6.
Last year: Grayslake North def. North Chicago, 26-18.
Outlook: Grayslake North is out to stop a three-game losing streak and needs to get its offense going, as the Knights have scored just 13 points during the stretch. Tony Hines scored their only TD against Lakes on a 4-yard run. RB Christian Johnson rushed 13 times for 109 yards, while QB Nick Fish was 10-of-15 passing for 75 yards. WR Joe Swanson had 6 receptions for 32 yards. ... North Chicago got its first win under first-year coach Wilton Hill against Round Lake last Saturday. RB Vondarious Gordon rushed for 198 yards on 22 carries, and QB Remorrian Gordon, who played for Round Lake last year, rushed for 3 TDs.
Wauconda (1-3, 1-1) at Lakes (3-1, 2-0)
When: 6 p.m., Friday
Last week: Wauconda lost to Antioch, 41-7; Lakes def. Grayslake North, 20-7.
Last year: Lakes def. Wauconda, 34-30.
Outlook: Due to expected inclement weather, Friday's kickoff has been moved up an hour to 6 p.m. Lakes has won three games in a row since a season-opening, 27-24 loss to Deerfield. Lakes DB Leighsean Triplett leads the area with 4 interceptions. ... Wauconda trailed Antioch 41-0 before scoring on a fourth-quarter pass from QB Nick Bulgarelli to WR Javerius McGuinn.
NORTH SUBURBAN CONFERENCE
Lake Forest (2-2, 1-1) at Warren (4-0, 2-0)
When: 7:30 p.m., Friday
Last week: Lake Forest lost to Lake Zurich, 39-7; Warren def. Libertyville, 34-0.
Last year: Warren def. Lake Forest, 24-10.
Outlook: Warren has opened defense of its NSC championship with a bang, outscoring Waukegan and Libertyville by a combined score of 90-0. Blue Devils WR/QB/RB Christian Phillips has scored 7 TDs (4 rushing, 3 receiving) in the last two weeks. Defensively, Warren, which has allowed just 12 points this season, got 4 sacks from DE Seamus Mellican. ... Notre Dame-bound DL Rylie Mills (ankle) has missed Lake Forest's last two games. The Scouts are averaging just 9.3 points per game.
Stevenson (2-2, 2-0) at Lake Zurich (2-2, 2-0)
When: 5 p.m., Friday
Last week: Stevenson def. Zion-Benton, 35-14; Lake Zurich def. Lake Forest, 39-7.
Last year: Lake Zurich def. Stevenson, 23-20.
Outlook: The game was originally scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start, but was moved up due to the expected inclement weather. Both teams have won two games in a row after starting 0-2. Against Zion-Benton last Friday, Stevenson's Liam Crawley made his first start at QB after Justin Hiller suffered a shoulder injury against Libertyville and completed 11 of 22 passes for 103 yards (1 TD, 1 INT). ... Lake Zurich QB Jack Moses had the best game of his three-year varsity career against Lake Forest last Friday, rushing for 220 yards and 3 TDs and passing for 143 yards and 2 TDs.
Mundelein (2-2, 1-1) at Zion-Benton (1-3, 0-2)
When: 4:45 p.m., Friday
Last week: Mundelein def. Waukegan, 29-14; Zion-Benton lost to Stevenson, 35-14.
Last year: Zion-Benton def. Mundelein, 36-9.
Outlook: Mundelein has matched its win total from each of the last three seasons but will finish out the campaign with five consecutive road games, after playing three of its first four at home. ... Zion-Benton went to the playoffs with 5 wins last season, but has only 1 victory through four weeks under first-year coach Cristo Garza. The Zee-Bees are allowing 37.5 points per game.
Libertyville (1-3, 0-2) at Waukegan (0-4, 0-2)
When: 1:30 p.m., Saturday
Last week: Libertyville lost to Warren, 34-0; Waukegan lost to Mundelein, 29-14.
Last year: Libertyville def. Waukegan, 49-6.
Outlook: Libertyville is looking to snap a three-game losing streak after starting the season with a 35-34 win over Carmel. Wildcats QB Blake Ellingson got banged up against Warren last week, as Dylan Drumke and Sam Paden (both of whom usually play wide receiver) went a combined 0-of-8 passing, but the junior is expected to play against Waukegan. ... Waukegan has been outscored 177-20 in losses to Grayslake North, Vernon Hills, Warren and Mundelein.
NONCONFERENCE
Carmel (1-3) at Providence Catholic (3-1)
When: 6 p.m., Friday
Last week: Carmel lost to St. Patrick, 32-31; Providence Catholic lost to Notre Dame, 28-7.
Last year: Teams did not play each other.
Outlook: This is another game that will kick off earlier than its originally scheduled start time. Carmel makes the trip to New Lenox having lost three games by a total of 7 points. ... Providence lost to Notre Dame last Friday in a battle of 3-0 teams. Before that game, the Celtics had outscored their opponents (Willowbrook, Morgan Park, Brother Rice) 90-37.
CENTRAL SUBURBAN LEAGUE NORTH
Niles North (2-2, 0-0) at Vernon Hills (3-1, 0-0)
When: 7:30 p.m., today
Last week: Niles North lost to Buffalo Grove, 51-29; Vernon Hills lost to Hoffman Estates, 34-12.
Last year: Teams did not play each other.
Outlook: It's the CSL North opener for two teams coming off losses. Vernon Hills' 47 points allowed are the fewest among teams in the division, while the Cougars' 134 points scored are the most. Vernon Hills RB Ryan Mann has rushed for 444 yards (6.1 average) and 9 TDs. QB Thomas Monken has passed for 711 yards (62 of 105) and 6 TDs.