Scouting Week 9 Lake County football games
Lake County Playoff Ticker
In with guaranteed spot (6 or more wins): Warren, Lake Zurich, Stevenson, Antioch, Carmel, Wauconda
Win and become guaranteed (6 wins): Grant, Libertyville
Win and become playoff eligible (5 wins): Grayslake North, Mundelein
Stevenson (6-2, 4-2) at Libertyville (5-3, 3-3)
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Outlook: Our blue plate special of the week in Lake County. Libertyville needs a win to earn an automatic playoff berth with 6 wins, but already is playoff eligible. Stevenson needs to win to start getting into the home-playoff game conversation for next week. "Stevenson is a physical team that executes well and does not beat themselves," Libertyville coach Mike Jones said. "We must limit big plays on defense and not turn the ball over on offense." Blaise LaVista had 3 touchdown catches last week from quarterback Quinn Schambow. "I am most proud of this group by their resilience," Jones said. "They have lost close games, but they keep playing hard." Jones likes how Mason Strader and Jake Richter have conducted business in recent weeks. "Mason has been very consistent in the secondary. He's a steady influence," he said. "Jake has played well on the offensive and defensive lines. He had zero bad snaps in a downpour last week." Stevenson coach Brent Becker said a key for his team will be keeping an eye on Libertyville's Schambow. "Libertyville has an outstanding passing attack," he said. "We need to contain the QB and limit big plays. We need to have a balanced attack on offense and take care of the ball." Becker likes where his team is sitting heading into Week 9. "I am proud of our kids for some tough-fought wins in the last few weeks," he said. "I am proud of the effort they put in daily to be in a position to try to win our seventh game and earn a home playoff game." Becker gave a shout out to senior leaders Ethan Aghakhan, Armand Burris and Ben Owens. "Ethan, Armand and Ben have been excellent leaders for us this season on and off the field," he said.
Round Lake (0-8, 0-6) at Antioch (8-0, 6-0)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Antioch is looking for a perfect 9-0 regular season and can clinch the Northern Lake County Conference title outright with a win here. "For us, we need to continue to build on every week," Sequoits coach Brian Glashagel said. "We need to show up to work, just like any other week." Last week, junior running back Martin Cohen had 89 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns and returned a kickoff 65 yards for a touchdown. Senior Nick Day ran for 116 yards and 2 touchdowns. Senior Aidan VanAlstine had 95 yards rushing and 1 score. Senior defensive back Kellen Brawner had a 43-yard interception return for a touchdown. Through 8 weeks, Cohen has 1,178 yards rushing on 83 carries and 20 touchdowns. He's returned 2 kickoffs for touchdowns and also has 15 catches for 245 yards and 2 touchdowns. Day has 1,003 rushing yards on 140 carries and 21 touchdowns. Senior linebacker Chris Cook has 55 tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss. Antioch has turned the ball over on offense once this season, while its defense has scored 3 touchdowns. Sophomore defensive back Jack Bucar blocked a punt against Grayslake Central. VanAlstine was praised for his work in the Antioch backfield. "Aidan is the third back in our offense, and Cohen and Day are so elite," Glashagel explained. "He's quietly having a great season." And Glashagel likes how senior quarterback James Sheehan has played the entire season. "James is a great playcaller and the brains behind our offense," he pointed out.
Warren (6-2, 6-0) at Zion-Benton (1-7, 1-5)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Outlook: A Warren win does two things: Gives the Blue Devils the North Suburban title outright and gives it a good shot at hosting a home playoff game. "We have to clean up a bunch of the mistakes we made last week," Warren coach Bryan McNulty said. "We will need to play a cleaner game in regards to penalties. We will also need to be extremely competitive." Sophomore running back Aaron Stewart ran for 183 yards on 19 carriers and had 1 touchdown in last week's win. He's up to 1,254 yards on 165 carries with 12 touchdowns now. Warren's defense gave up 114 total yards last week. "This group is very resilient and tough," McNulty said. "After an 0-2 start, this group has really come together defensively." Junior defensive tackle Anthony Soto and junior fullback-defensive lineman Nate Brock were cited for excellence. "Anthony is the link to our team," McNulty said. "He is an all-day tough guy who sets the tone for our team. Nate is another tough guy for us. He doesn't say much, but is a key cog on both sides of the ball. Just an all-day tough kid."
Mundelein (4-4, 2-4) at Lake Forest (4-4, 2-3)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Outlook: A simple outcome here. The winner becomes playoff eligible with 5 wins. The losers hits the bricks and is eliminated. "Lake Forest is a good football team that needs a win to get in the playoffs," Mundelein coach Vince DeFrancesco said. "For us to be successful, we must play Mustang football. Over the last couple weeks, we've played with much more discipline. This needs to continue this week against Lake Forest. The best teams get better week to week. This group has continued challenging themselves and is playing their best football late in the season." DeFrancesco lauded the play of quarterback Danny McNelly this season. "Danny has done a great job leading our offense," he said. "He is a leader on and off the field, and currently is leading our offense in touchdowns." Mundelein also continues to get a boost defensively from Jake Junia. "Jake continues to play great defensively," DeFrancesco said. "He leads us in tackles and has stepped up in a big way on offense." Brandon Hansen was cited for excellence as well heading into the final regular-season game. "Brandon is playing like a three-year starter and leader of our team," the coach said. "He is playing his best football and dominating on the line of scrimmage."
Lakes (1-7, 1-5) at Grayslake Central (3-5, 3-3)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Outlook: The winner ends the season on a high note. Both teams have been eliminated from playoff contention. "Coach (Brent) Pearlman is a legendary coach who will have Grayslake Central prepared for what we do on offense and defense," Lakes coach Jason Ellerman said. Sophomore Rondelle Griffin has 774 rushing yards, while senior Prodive Matumona is leading the team in receiving yards with 443. Junior Zach Raffone and sophomore Dillian Davis lead Lakes in tackles, while Ellerman noted senior defensive lineman Drew Schmidt "has really stepped up to be the leader of a very young team," he said. "I'm proud of how our guys compete from the beginning to the end of the game. They never quit and are always battling."
North Chicago (2-6, 2-4) at Grant (5-3, 4-2)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Outlook: A big one here for Grant - a win guarantees them a spot in the playoffs. "North Chicago is a much improved team from a year ago," Grant coach Tim Norwood said. "They run an option-style offense so we will need to be disciplined on defense. On offense, we need to continue to take care of the ball and stay ahead of the chains." Sophomore quarterback Matthew Gipson was 12-for-14 for 203 yards and a score last week. Sophomore Tyler Zdon ran 17 times for 76 yards and scored 2 touchdowns. Sophomore Caiden Kriz had 3 catches for 72 yards, while junior Cam Houghton caught 3 passes for 70 yards. Gipson has thrown for 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Zdon is at 808 yards rushing on 136 carries and has 9 scores. Sophomore Max Hembrey has 11 catches for 314 yards and 3 touchdowns. "I am most proud of how we have bonded as teammates," Norwood said. "I am proud of our seniors for taking in the 10 sophomores who are up on varsity and teaching them what it takes to be a varsity football player." Norwood noted senior offensive lineman Mason Lancaster has played every position on the offensive line this season due to injuries. "Mason did a great job snapping last week on a muddy field at Lakes," he said. Senior captains Pryde Mendoza and Daymian Longtin also were lauded for their efforts and versatility on the field. "Pryde and Daymian are both senior captains who started on offense at the start of the year, but have moved to defense to help solidify what we are doing on that side of the ball. They have a great attitude and were willing to make the change to help the team."
Grayslake North (4-4, 3-3) at Wauconda (6-2, 5-1)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Grayslake North becomes playoff eligible with a win, while Wauconda looks to get a home playoff game stamped with a victory here in Week 9. "Grayslake North is going to give everything it has to become playoff eligible," Wauconda coach Chris Prostka said. "For us, we want to get to 7 wins, get a higher seed and hopefully get a home playoff game in round one. Both teams have a lot to play for and we expect an intense game." Last week, Logan Olsen threw 2 TD passes to John Kleich, while Zac Johnson ran for 74 yards and a TD. Cole Korycanek ran for 69 yards and a score. Brock Pfeiffer has 245 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns on the season and 1 interception. Zac Johnson has made 60 tackles with 2 tackles for loss. Conlan Rath has 50 tackles with 3 tackles for loss and a pick. Olsen has thrown for 654 yards, while Connor Vanselow has 800 all-purpose yards and 8 touchdowns. "We are proud of the resilience this group has shown," Prostka said. "We have battled back in a couple games to come from behind to win. Even after a loss, our team has remained focused and has gotten back on track quickly." This will be the first time in program history that a Bulldogs team has made the playoffs three years in a row. "It is always a great feeling to accomplish something for the first time," Prostka said.
Other Lake County Games
Waukegan (1-7, 0-6) at Lake Zurich (7-1, 5-1), 7 p.m.
Chicago St. Patrick (2-6, 1-1) at Carmel (7-1, 2-0), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Highland Park (5-3, 3-1) at Vernon Hills (3-5, 2-2), Friday, 6 p.m.