Scouting Week 2 DuPage County football games
Lincoln-Way East (1-0) at Naperville Central (1-0)When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
2021 spring result: Did not play
Outlook: Naperville Central opened the season with an impressive 14-2 road win against Hinsdale Central. In a battle of unbeaten teams in the abridged spring season, the Redhawks relied on a dominating defense to record a big victory. One of the knocks on the Redhawks, who are No. 4 in this week's Class 8A rankings, entering their season was their defense, mainly because of heavy graduation losses. That defense faces an even tougher test against the Griffins, who captured the 2019 Class 8A state title with an undefeated record. The potential loss of running back Niko Gordon to an injury is a big blow for the Redhawks, but Tyler Dodd had a strong showing coming off the bench.
Lincoln-Way East enters the road game with a 21-game winning streak, with their last loss to Loyola on Nov. 17, 2018 in the state semifinals. Lincoln-Way East senior quarterback Brennan Stolarek made his varsity debut last week, leading the Griffins to a 35-20 win over Crete-Monee. The Griffins, No. 2 in the AP Class 8A poll, are full of first-time varsity starters, which could be a factor in the Redhawks' way with a large crowd expected.
Glenbard North (1-0) at Naperville North (1-0)When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
2021 spring result: Did not play
Outlook: Naperville North played a solid game in its opener, defeating Benet 35-13 to set the bar higher for the 2021 season. Senior running back Ethan Robert showed why he's considered one of the best players in the area, living up to that billing with 161 yards rushing and three touchdowns. With a solid offensive line leading the way, Robert is looking to add to his numbers - and his growing reputation - with another big performance. The Huskies showed a diverse attack in the opener, as junior quarterback Aidan Gray hooked up with sophomore wide receiver Luke Williams for a 77-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
Slowing down Robert remains the main task for Glenbard North's defense, which managed to hold Notre Dame's offense in check in the opener. The Panthers have carried over their momentum from a season-ending spring victory over Geneva into the fall season.
Neuqua Valley (1-0) at Wheaton Warrenville South (1-0)When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
2021 spring outcome: Did not play
Outlook: Neuqua Valley enters Week 2 ranked No. 6 in Class 8A following a memorable win over Oswego. The Wildcats hit a key stretch in their schedule, facing the Tigers in the first of three straight road games leading up to a Week 5 home clash against Naperville Central. Thus, Friday's game is even more important for the Wildcats to get off to a good start, especially with a tough battle against St. Mary's (Missouri) looming next week. Grant Larkin led the offense last week, showing off his versatility with 69 yards rushing and two touchdowns to go with four receptions for 63 yards.
The Tigers opened the Sean Norris era with a 42-28 win over Oak Park-River Forest. Norris praised the play of quarterback Matt Sommerdyke and his offensive line.
"Matt is a really good game manager," Norris said. "He's so smart and throws a nice deep ball. He got us in the right position and did a phenomenal job leading the offense."
Norris admitted the Wildcats represent another tough test in a key early season game.
"They run the ball very good and are well-coached," he said. "It should be a great game between two teams with some history."
Providence (1-0) at Wheaton North (1-0)When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
2021 spring result: Did not play
Outlook: Anytime you can put a 50-spot on the board, that's a good sign. The Falcons, ranked No. 4 in Class 7A, played a stellar all-around game in their opener, defeating Downers Grove South 50-0. Wheaton North junior wide receiver Karsten Libby showed off his skills with an impressive varsity debut, catching three passes for three touchdowns. The defense did a solid job, holding Downers Grove South to under 50 yards of total offense in the first half. The Celtics represent a tougher test after they recorded a 10-0 win over Willowbrook last week. The Celtics, ranked No. 4 in Class 5A, must find a way to slow down Wheaton North quarterback Mark Forcucci and running back Brayton Maske. Forcucci, a Holy Cross recruit, hurt Downers Grove South by spreading the ball around to a multitude of targets. He passed for four touchdowns in the first half.
This marks the final season in Providence coach Mark Coglianese's illustrious career that spans 35 years on the Celtics' staff, which has included nine state championships.
Waubonsie Valley (0-1) at St. Charles East (0-1)When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
2021 spring result: Did not play
Outlook: A battle of two teams coming off season opening losses, thus putting an even greater importance on this nonconference game. The Warriors made a few costly mistakes that can be expected in an opener in last week's defeat to Oswego East. In his first game back at Waubonsie Valley, running back Antonio Torres was a bright spot in the loss with his running and big-play ability.
St. Charles East never recovered from a slow start in dropping a 47-6 decision to Lemont in Week 1. The Saints hurt themselves with two turnovers, an area that must improve if they want any chance to knock off the Warriors. Nathan Hayes showed some promise at quarterback, scoring on a 12-yard run and passing for 104 yards.
Friday's gamesAddison Trail at Lyons, 7 p.m.
Benet at Moline, 7 p.m.
Christ the King at Wheaton Academy, 7:30 p.m.
Conant at Lake Park, 7:30 p.m.
Glenbard East at Elgin, 7:30 p.m.
Hinsdale South at Oak Park-River Forest, 7 p.m.
IC Catholic Prep at Marian, 7:15 p.m.
Larkin at Fenton, 7:30 p.m.
Lockport at Metea Valley, 7 p.m.
Montini at Sterling, 7 p.m.
Morton at York, 7 p.m.
Proviso East at Hinsdale Central, 7:30 p.m.
St. Francis at Juarez, 7:30 p.m.
West Chicago at Glenbard South, 7:30 p.m.
Westmont at Lisle, 7 p.m.
Willowbrook at Downers Grove North, 7 p.m.
Saturday's gameDowners Grove South at Glenbard West, 1:30 p.m.