Scouting Week 3 Fox football games
Bartlett (1-1, 1-1) at East Aurora (1-1, 1-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Bartlett won, 21-14, last year
About the Hawks: A pair of costly turnovers, including a sack and fumble inside their own 20-yard line, and 8 penalties for 83 yards proved too much to overcome during the Hawks' 21-14 overtime loss to West Chicago last weekend. Junior tailback Filip Szeszko scored a pair of touchdowns. Defensively, the Hawks must wrap up opposing ball carriers and not allow extra yardage after the initial hit.
About the Tomcats: East Aurora has some firepower, sparked by quarterback Amado Martinez and all-purpose standout Kenneth Cooley. Martinez tossed a 54-yard touchdown pass to Cooley, who also added a fumble recovery for a touchdown and a long punt return for a score during the Tomcats' 28-0 victory over Elgin last weekend. Jeremiah Brown, who had a 56-yard run against Elgin, is also a threat while Wade Gillespie anchors the secondary.
Fenton (0-2, 0-2) at South Elgin (2-0, 2-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: South Elgin won, 66-7, last year
About the Bison: Junior quarterback Nathan Stewart displayed elusiveness against Glenbard South's fierce pass rush last week. His favorite targets are receivers Maverick Murguia and Carmello Cruz.
About the Storm: Coming off a highly emotional 17-14 win over Glenbard East last weekend, South Elgin puts its 26-game conference winning streak on the line against Fenton. One day prior to the game against Glenbard East, an auto accident took the lives of two South Elgin students, leaving the players' emotions raw. "It was a very emotional week, and specifically day, for us last week," said Storm coach Dragan Teonic. "Any time you can beat a good Glenbard East team, it's special, and the way that our young men handled themselves and prepared throughout it all says a lot about them and our community. We addressed it (tragic accident) with our team last Thursday and again in pregame on Friday. Tears were shed and stronger bonds were formed. The players made a pact to honor those lives lost with their effort last Friday." Junior QB Jack Ginnan's 5-yard TD pass to junior Ishmael George with 11.1 seconds remaining proved to be the game-winner last week. George has scored 4 touchdowns in 2 games.
Elgin (1-1, 1-1) at Streamwood (0-2, 0-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Streamwood won, 40-28, last year
About the Maroons: Elgin looks to find some offense against the Sabres after being blanked by East Aurora, 28-0, last weekend. Junior quarterbacks Darin Ward, Nic Avina, and Aidan Didion have all gotten opportunities behind center in the Maroons' first two games. Junior tailback/defensive back Fabian Ramirez recorded a team-high 8 tackles and accounted for 49 all-purpose yards against the Tomcats. Elgin tries for a measure of revenge following last season's loss to the Sabres.
About the Sabres: Penalties and mistakes - including 4 second-half turnovers - plagued Streamwood in last weekend's 35-14 loss to Larkin. On the plus side, the Sabres rushed for more than 230 yards, led by Juan Cortes (89 yards) and Aden Strong (88 yards). Cortes scored on an 8-yard TD run, while senior tailback Taro Ishikawa added a 10-yard TD run against the Royals.
Glenbard South (2-0, 2-0) at Larkin (1-1, 1-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Glenbard South won, 56-21, last year
About the Raiders: Glenbard South can light up the scoreboard, evidenced by its back-to-back, 56-point outbursts in wins over East Aurora and Fenton. Senior quarterback Michael Champagne has completed 15 of 23 passes for 267 yards with 7 TDs and 0 interceptions, while Notre Dame-bound receiver/return man Cam Williams has accounted for 485 all-purpose yards and 4 TDs in 2 weeks. Defensively, the Raiders are led by Vontae Clark (3 sacks) and Tommy Burke (10 tackles). "The challenge this week is us and what we do," said Larkin coach Vincent Ray. "Respect to Glenbard South's team talent but I believe we have talent, too."
About the Royals: Ray recorded his first varsity football coaching triumph during last weekend's 35-14 win over Streamwood. The Royals forced 4 turnovers in that game, including an interception from senior cornerback Damani Cannon. Erick Myrick caught a pair of TD passes from quarterback Tizairian Johnson-Williams, while running back Jalen Miller added a pair of TDs, as the Royals shook off their Week 1 loss to Glenbard East. "As a program, we talk about letting what is in the past stay in the past," said Ray. "We had a good week of practice and hammered on assignments."
West Carroll (0-2) at Aurora Central Catholic (1-1)
When: 6 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Thunder: West Carroll has already played two of the state's top small schools - Lena-Winslow and Galena - and has been outscored 117-0. "West Carroll has seen great competition early on this season," said ACC coach Christian Rago. "They will be battle-tested and ready to go." The Thunder fields a youthful roster, led by sophomore quarterback Winter Harrington and juniors Raef Pickard-Schintgen and Austin Behrens.
About the Chargers: Senior quarterback Kevin Stanislo displayed his scrambling ability and precision during last week's 57-20 loss to East Peoria. "I was impressed by the fight in our boys," said Rago. "Even with key players out and having just five players on the sideline, they continued to battle. Defensively, we struggled with the fundamentals of tackling and getting lined up properly. We also had an unfortunate battle against injuries early in the game."
Romeoville (0-2) at West Aurora (2-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: West Aurora won, 35-0, last year
About the Spartans: Romeoville has dropped a pair of 21-14 decisions but possesses some game-breaking ability with quarterback Richard Conley and receivers Caron Johnson and Cameron Jurgens. Three of the Spartans' 4 touchdowns this season were scored in the fourth quarter.
About the Blackhawks: What have been the keys to the Blackhawks' 2-0 start? "I think our ability to run the football and stop the run (besides the first half against Bulls Prep), plus win the turnover battle, have been the keys so far," said Blackhawks coach Nate Eimer, who expects a challenge from Romeoville. "Romeoville has the best OL and DL that we have faced so far," said the coach. "They play two quarterbacks that can run, and we had issues with that in the first half last week. They're a good football team that does not want to fall to 0-3, so they're going to play with a ton of urgency. We need to match that urgency." West Aurora's offense features junior RB Michael Williams (5 TDs) and receiver Terrence Smith (127 yards, 2 TDs).
St. Francis (1-1) at St. Laurence (2-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Spartans: The Spartans' offense runs through veteran senior quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, who completed 16 of 19 passes for 266 yards and 4 touchdowns while also rushing for a TD in last week's 42-28 victory over Sterling. "It's huge having a guy like Alessio back there running the show," said Spartans coach Bob McMillen. "He's a 3-year starter, and in my eyes, the best quarterback in the state. It also helps to have a solid receiving corps around him. Ian (Willis), DeShaun (Williams), Zach (Washington) and Dario (Milivojevic) have all been around Alessio since youth ball, so they have that chemistry." The emergence of RB TyVonn Ransom also boosts the offense. Defensively, the Spartans must continue to improve. "There's only one key really, it's to play football and don't be robots," said the coach. "I believe the kids are so worried about making mistakes that it's slowing them down. We tell our players that if you're going to make a mistake, do it at 100 miles per hour." Dom Beres and Corin Greenwell anchor the defensive unit.
About the Vikings: After a 3-6 finish last year, St. Laurence is off to a 2-0 start. The Vikings walloped Von Steuben, 77-0, in their opener before winning by forfeit over Noble/Academy last week. Senior QB Evan Les directs the offense. "St. Laurence is a well-coached football team with some very good players," said McMillen. "The tough part is we don't have much tape on them. After what they did in Week 1 and having a forfeit in Week 2, it's hard to really break down what they can do. It's almost like going into a Week 1 game not really knowing your opponent, so we have to prepare for everything and anything."
St. Charles North (2-0, 0-0) at Wheaton North (1-1, 0-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: St. Charles North 22, Wheaton North 21 (2022)
About the North Stars: St. Charles North challenged itself with a rather ambitious nonconference schedule - and passed with flying colors. The North Stars followed up their notable Week 1 win over Palatine with a 30-14 win at Crete-Monee. Junior QB Ethan Plumb threw TD passes to Jake Mettetal and Jake Furtney, and ran for a score, and Joell Holloman also had a rushing TD. Plumb shared the varsity quarterback job over his first two years of high school, but appears to have come into his own by the looks of the first two games. He has plenty of playmakers including Mettetal, who had 12 catches for 177 yards and a 47-yard TD in the Week 1 game. The North Stars could see how they stack up in the DuKane quite soon, matchups with Wheaton North and Batavia the next two weeks.
About the Falcons: Wheaton North has been a rather sound, at times dominating defensive team in recent seasons, which made a 37-22 loss to Lockport last week a little jarring. Max Howser threw two TD passes to Matt Kuczaj and one to Rich Schilling in the loss. Aside from Wheaton North's 35-3 win over St. Charles North in 2021, the three other DuKane matchups between these two have been down to the wire close ones, including last season. This one seems to have the makings to follow that pattern.
Wheaton Warrenville South (1-1, 0-0) at Geneva (2-0, 0-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Geneva 35, Wheaton Warrenville South 11 (2022)
About the Tigers: WW South, which didn't exactly light up the scoreboard in its Week 1 win over Simeon, was shut out 13-0 at Lyons last week. The Tigers managed just 65 yards of offense in the first half and missed a 29-yard field goal in the second. Junior QB Luca Carbonaro passed for 154 yards, 114 in the second half. WW South sophomore Owen Yorke rushed for 70 yards starting in place of both injured Matt Crider and Max Schlegal. The Tigers' defense has been a sound constant through two games. It should get tested against a Geneva team with high-level playmakers.
About the Vikings: Geneva's revitalized program is off to a 2-0 start for the third consecutive season, picking up a quality 21-10 win at Lemont last Friday. Junior running back Michael Rumoro, who had a splashy 125-yard, three-TD varsity debut in Week 1, followed it up with two TDs at Lemont. Junior receiver Talyn Taylor also had a TD run. Taylor, the No. 3-ranked junior in Illinois, holds 21 offers including Alabama, Georgia, Michigan and Notre Dame. Senior QB Nate Stempowski is a second-year starter.
Batavia (1-1) at Lake Park (2-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 42-0 Batavia (2022)
About the Lancers: It's not something to just gloss over: Lake Park has won its first two games of the season for the first time in six years. That's fantastic momentum for a building program heading into conference play. Declan Fortuna, a four-year varsity stalwart, can make plays all over the field. Fortuna has averaged over 120 yards per game on the ground and is starting to gain steam in the passing game. Matt Rodriguez has emerged as a game-changer in special teams, and the Lancers have clamped down defensively.
About the Bulldogs: Batavia is a week removed from its huge nonconference game with Lincoln-Way East that came down to a two-point conversion in the final seconds. Ryan Boe turned in a phenomenal performance and was boosted by Charlie Whelpley's eight-catch game and a ferocious defense. Ben Fiegel might be the best linebacker in the conference and had 15 tackles last week to show for it. The Batavia secondary is still coming along, but this projects to be the beginning of the Bulldogs really taking off.
St. Charles East (0-2) at Glenbard North (0-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 41-24 GBN (2022)
About the Saints: St. Charles East has stumbled a bit in the first weeks of the season. The Saints suffered a big loss to open the year to Lincoln-Way Central and followed it up with a loss to Wheaton Academy last week. Wheaton Academy came out firing in the second half and didn't relinquish the lead after a Saints fumble on the second half opening kickoff. It's gut-check time for St. Charles East with no seemingly favorable matchups the rest of the season.
About the Panthers: Similar to the Saints, Glenbard North has also stumbled out of the gate with losses to Moline and Willowbrook.
Morris (2-0) at Kaneland (1-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Kaneland lost 32-24 at Morris last season.
About the Knights: Kaneland bounced back nicely from a Week 1 loss to Washington by rolling over Wauconda in Week 2. It looks as if the Knights can put up some points behind quarterback Troyer Carlson and receiver Aric Johnson. After giving up 21 straight points in the second half to fall to Washington, the defense clamped down on Wauconda last week, leaving the offense room to maneuver and put the game out of reach.
About Morris: Morris continues to storm through regular-season play, posting another huge offensive day in a Week 2 win over Joliet West. Morris hasn't really been pushed yet, as an offense led by quarterback Carter Button gets the team in a comfortable position quickly in most contests. AJ Zweeres also had a big night in the win over Joliet West, scoring on a pair of touchdown receptions and also snaring an interception on defense.
Leo (2-0) at Marmion (1-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 27-0 Marmion (2022)
About the Cadets: Marmion has six players with at least five carries through two weeks, so it points to the positional versatility on offense, at a minimum. Christian Favia and Jack Lesher take the cake so far to combine for 162 rushing yards and three touchdowns between them. Gavin Burt and Charlie Reynolds are getting it done defensively for them, combining for 18 tackles.
About the Lions: Leo improved to 2-0 for the first time in a decade after its 49-2 win over Walther Christian Academy.
Burlington Central (1-1, 1-1) at Crystal Lake South
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Central beat the Gators 24-20 in Week 5 last season.
About the Rockets: Central beat Dundee-Crown 41-6 last week. ... QB Jackson Alcorn, who started last season, had his finest varsity game as he completed 16 of 24 passes for 300 yards and five touchdowns. WR Brady Gilroy caught two of those scoring passes.
About the Gators: South lost to Prairie Ridge 38-14 last week. ... The Gators took a 14-0 lead against the Wolves as WRs Colton Hess, Michael Prokos and Sasha Summers all caught passes of 35 or more yards from QB Caden Casimino. ... Prokos (ankle) and WR Nolan Gorken (leg) both suffered injuries in the second half and did not return. ... Casimino threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns.
Jacobs (1-1, 1-1) at Huntley (2-0, 2-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Huntley defeated Jacobs 37-20 in Week 5 last season.
About the Golden Eagles: Jacobs beat Hampshire 28-7 in Week 2. ... RB Joey Scrivani ran for 56 yards and all four Eagles' touchdowns in the victory. ... RBs Caden DuMelle and T.O. Boddie both carried for 100 yards last week. DuMelle leads Jacobs with 160 rushing yards; Boddie has 147. ... The Eagles' defense, led by Scrivani and Paulie Rudolph at linebacker, has been excellent, allowing 263 total yards in two games and only 13 points total.
About the Red Raiders: Huntley defeated McHenry 35-6 last week. ... QB Braylon Bower (268) and RB Haiden Janke (210) lead the Red Raiders in rushing. Janke has scored three touchdowns in both of Huntley's games. ... The Raiders' win over Jacobs last season ultimately led to Huntley, Jacobs and Prairie Ridge sharing the FVC title three ways. ... The Red Raiders are one spot from being ranked in The Associated Press Class 8A poll.
McHenry (0-2, 0-2) at Cary-Grove (2-0, 2-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Cary-Grove defeated McHenry 18-0 in Week 4 last season.
About the Warriors: McHenry lost to Huntley 35-6 last week. ... The Warriors have struggled on offense and have six total points through two games, but junior RB Jacob Jones helped spark McHenry last week with 103 yards rushing and a 42-yard scoring run.
About the Trojans: C-G beat Crystal Lake Central 17-14 last week. ... RB Andrew Prio has big-play potential and has rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns in two games. ... FB Logan Abrams has 209 rushing yards. ... C-G is ranked No. 7 in The Associated Press Class 6A poll.
Crystal Lake Central (0-2, 0-2) at Dundee-Crown (0-2, 0-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Central defeated D-C 37-24 in Week 5 last season.
About the Tigers: Central lost to Cary-Grove 17-14 last week. ... The Tigers have suffered their two losses by a combined eight points. ... QB Jason Penza threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns last week. He has 559 passing yards for the season. ... WR George Dimopoulos has six catches and had a touchdown grab last week among his 88 receiving yards. ... WR Tommy Hammond leads the team with 15 receptions.
About the Chargers: D-C fell to Burlington Central 41-6 last week. ... WR Kali Freeman provided a highlight in last week's loss with a 93-yard touchdown reception. Freeman caught six passes from QB Zach Randl for 116 yards.
Prairie Ridge (2-0, 2-0) at Hampshire (1-1, 1-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Prairie Ridge defeated Hampshire 62-34 in Week 6 of last season.
About the Wolves: Prairie Ridge fell behind Crystal Lake South 14-0 last week, then rallied back for a 38-14 victory. ... FB Jack Finn rushed for 169 yards and two touchdowns. ... After managing 138 total yards in the season opener against Jacobs, the Wolves racked up 359 total yards last week. ... Prairie Ridge is No. 2 in the Class 5A poll.
About the Whip-Purs: Hampshire lost to Jacobs 28-7 last week. ... The Whip-Purs were tied with Jacobs 7-7 at halftime, but the Golden Eagles scored three touchdowns in the second half. ... RB Cole Klawikowski suffered an abdominal injury last week, and his availability was in question. Whips coach Shane Haak said they hoped to see more improvement with Klawikowski's injury through the week.