Scouting Week 4 DuPage County football games
Elmwood Park (0-3, 0-1) at Glenbard East (2-1, 0-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday.
Last matchup: First meeting.
About the Tigers: Junior quarterback Matthew Fritz threw for 229 yards in the Tigers’ 54-36 loss to Fenton last weekend. Joshua Jeffers is the Tigers’ top receiver.
About the Rams: Senior Amonte Cook has been a human highlight reel for the Rams this season. During last week’s 47-14 win over Bartlett, Cook caught 3 touchdown passes from quarterback Michael Nee, including a 79-yard reception in the flat.
Glenbard South (2-1, 1-0) at Fenton (3-0, 1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday.
Last matchup: Glenbard South won, 56-0, last season.
About the Raiders: Scoring touchdowns on their first 7 possessions, the Raiders displayed their big-strike prowess during last weekend’s 63-8 victory over West Chicago. Tailback Vontae Clark had 144 yards on 5 carries with 3 first-half touchdowns (42, 12, 73 yards), while quarterback Tommy Bauman was 5 for 5 for 84 yards and 3 TDs (Henry Riley, Anthony Baldauf, Isaiah Gray). Clark has scored 7 touchdowns in the last 2 games.
About the Bison: A year ago, the Bison dropped a 56-0 decision to Glenbard South on the way to an 0-9 season. Things have changed for the better in 2024. Led by 2-way standout Jack Tinajero, who recorded a pair of interceptions, including a 1-handed grab, during last weekend’s 54-36 win over Elmwood Park – improving Fenton’s record to 3-0. The Bison piled up 537 yards, including 363 on the ground.
West Chicago (2-1, 0-1) at Ridgewood (3-0, 1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday.
Last matchup: First meeting.
About the Wildcats: A week after rushing for a school-record 622 yards against Joliet Central, the Wildcats experienced quite the opposite during last weekend’s 63-8 loss to Glenbard South – the Raiders scored touchdowns on their first 7 possessions. Tommy Doyle gained 48 yards on 5 carries, while junior Adriano Rivera tallied the Wildcats’ lone touchdown.
About the Rebels: Sophomore quarterback Angelo Vitale is off to a fast start, having thrown for 559 yards and 9 touchdowns in his first 3 varsity games. Luke Melendez and Alex Hrabchak are Vitale’s favorite targets. Ivan Kohut added a kickoff return for a TD in Ridgewood’s 31-14 Week 3 win over R-B.
Lincoln-Way East (3-0) at Naperville North (2-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Griffins: Lincoln-Way East didn’t seem the least bit deterred by the fact they didn’t get the chance to play in Week 2 after its scheduled opponent elected to forfeit, immediately putting the pedal to the metal in overwhelming Stagg in Week 3. The Griffins found themselves on the right side of a 35-0 lead after one quarter. QB Jonas Williams has earned a lot of attention in guiding the Griffins’ robust offense, but perhaps the underestimated piece of the Griffins’ weaponry is a defensive unit that has the potential to suffocate opponents at a moment’s notice.
About the Huskies: Naperville North has had a pretty strong start to the season, with its only loss coming at the hands of longtime rival Naperville Central on a late field goal. QB Jacob Bell has been splendid for the Huskies and kept his wits about him late in the Week 3 win over Lincoln-Way Central, finding Plainfield East transfer Quinn Morris in the end zone for a fourth-down touchdown in overtime that helped secure them the win. That tandem and more will have to have arguably the best games of their seasons, however, in order to trade scores with Lincoln-Way East.
Metea Valley (1-2, 0-1) at Andrew (1-2, 0-2)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Last matchup: Andrew won, 31-10, last season.
About the Mustangs: Quarterback Jake MacLeod provided the Mustangs’ lone scoring highlight, tossing a 12-yard TD pass to Swaroop Bhaskar during last weekend’s 40-7 loss to Lincoln-Way West. MacLeod also connected with Dylan Liner for a 54-yard completion, while completing passes to Dominic Smith covering 31 and 20 yards, respectively.
About the Thunderbolts: Andrew slipped to 0-2 in the newly formed Southwest Valley Red following last weekend’s 31-14 loss to Naperville Central. The Thunderbolts’ 2 conference losses are to teams (Lincoln-Way West, Naperville Central) with a combined record of 6-0.
Neuqua Valley (0-3, 0-1) at Homewood-Flossmoor (2-1, 0-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday.
Last matchup: H-F won, 38-22, in 2019.
About the Wildcats: Neuqua Valley is off to its first 0-3 start since 2009. The Wildcats are averaging a little more than 10 points per game and have allowed 2 of their first 3 opponents to reach the 30-point mark. Ryan Mascari’s 64-yard interception return for a touchdown was a highlight in last weekend’s 41-14 loss to Lockport.
About the Vikings: A playoff team in 2023, the Vikings earned a pair of decisive victories over Bolingbrook (56-6) and Marian (35-0) before last weekend’s 63-34 loss to Sandburg. H-F gave up a bunch of big plays, including a 57-yard touchdown pass and an interception return for a TD. Tailback Michael Terrell, Jr. (159 yards, 3 TDs) and receiver Myles Ellis (122 yards) lead the H-F attack.
Stagg (2-1, 0-0) at Naperville Central (3-0, 1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday.
Last matchup: First meeting.
About the Chargers: Opening the season with back-to-back victories against Joliet Central and Oak Lawn, Stagg ran into an immovable force during last weekend’s 49-3 loss to defending Class 8A state runner-up Lincoln-Way East.
About the Redhawks: Tailback Aiden Clark continued his strong start with a 3-touchdown performance during the Redhawks’ 31-14 victory over Andrew last weekend. St. Francis transfer DeShaun Williams added a 34-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Sebastian Hayes, as the Redhawks earned their third consecutive win. Naperville Central is seeking its first 4-0 start since 2017.
Lockport (2-1) at Waubonsie Valley (2-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Porters: Despite missing multiple players to injury, Lockport still is managing to cobble together a solid product. The Porters are a whisper away from being 3-0 at this point and are in better shape heading into Southwest Valley Conference play than some expected. One of the players missing from the Week 3 win over Neuqua Valley was Johnny Wesolowski, who put together a huge game against Wheaton North in Week 2, but Tyler Pospisil did very well as his replacement, scoring Lockport’s first three touchdowns as it ran away from Neuqua Valley.
About the Warriors: After Waubonsie Valley shut out its first two opponents, Bradley-Bourbonnais turned the tables on the Warriors, as it limited them to scores either directly from special teams plays or indirectly from them. Waubonsie Valley leans heavily on WR/DB Joshua Tinney, and moving forward the Warriors are going to have to find a way to get more consistent and robust performances out of their offense as the schedule does them no favors over the final two-thirds of the season.
Geneva (3-0, 1-0) at Lake Park (2-1, 0-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Vikings: Geneva continued its hot start to the season in its conference opener with another 40-plus point performance with a 45-31 win over Wheaton Warrenville South, and will look to continue against a team it defeated 41-7 a season ago. QB Anthony Chahino continued his hot start with a career-high 309 passing yards in Week 3, with most of his yardage coming from RB Michael Rumoro (114 receiving yards) and WR Bennett Konkey (88 receiving yards). The performance showed the true versatility of the Vikings’ offense, especially with Georgia commit Talyn Taylor being limited to 28 yards on two receptions after being double-teamed throughout the night.
About the Lancers: After dominant showings in their first two games of the season, Lake Park saw a big regression in their 56-6 loss to Batavia in their conference opener. Their rushing offense, which accumulated 537 total yards in their first two games, only had 55 yards in their Week 3 loss, and their lone touchdown came from a pick-six by Dominic Patello. They’ll look to get back on track against a tough Vikings team.
St. Charles East (1-2, 1-0) at Wheaton North (2-1, 0-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Saints: St. Charles East snapped an eight-game losing streak in Week 3 with a 40-6 victory over Glenbard North, who was their only win a season ago. However, the Saints have looked like a completely different team offensively compared to last season. After putting up 101 points total last year, the Saints have already put up 97 points in its first three games, including two 40-point performances, which they haven’t done since 2018. QB JT Padron has been the main catalyst for the offense, but RB Xander Salazar had his first big week with 123 rush yards and three touchdowns against the Panthers.
About the Falcons: After winning their first two games by one point, Wheaton North couldn’t overcome an early scoring attack from St. Charles North and fell 31-14. Despite the score, the Falcons saw some big efforts offensively, with Max Serbick rushing for 104 yards and Tyler Kading leading all receivers with 123 receiving yards. The Falcons took the matchup 35-14 last season and are 5-0 against the Saints in conference play, with each of the last three being by more than two scores.
Wheaton Warrenville South (1-2, 0-1) at Glenbard North (2-1, 0-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Tigers: Credit to the Tigers for continuing to fight, but they need to stop digging themselves significant deficits. For the second consecutive week, WW South spotted its opponent a 21-point lead in the first half, Geneva a 31-10 halftime lead in an eventual 45-31 Vikings’ lead. Luca Carbonaro threw for 218 yards and ran for 69 with a 50-yard scramble for a TD. NIU recruit Amari Williams had nine catches for 125 yards and two TDs. A tough road is ahead for the Tigers, literally. After this one WW South is at St. Charles North and Wheaton North the following two weeks. WW South beat Glenbard North 41-0 last season.
About the Panthers: Glenbard North’s feel-good start – wins over Bartlett and Willowbrook the first two weeks on the heels of an 0-9 2023 season – received a bit of a buzzkill with last week’s 40-7 loss in the league opener against St. Charles East. The Panthers were out-gained 339-188 and further hurt their cause with four turnovers. For Glenbard North, getting back on track likely starts with establishing workhorse running back Donato Gatses, who scored three TDs in the Week 2 win over Willowbrook.
Glenbard West (0-3, 0-1) at Lyons (3-0, 1-0)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About the Hilltoppers: Glenbard West is in a tough, and unfamiliar position. A 42-7 loss to Downers Grove North last Friday dropped the Hilltoppers to 0-3 for the first time since 1999. Glenbard West hadn’t even lost three regular season games since 2007. The Hilltoppers have scored just seven points in each of their last two games with star running back Teyion Oriental sidelined with an apparent hand injury, and had just six first downs last week. JaMarcus Kelly has had Glenbard West’s lone TDs the last two weeks on long runs, last week a 70-yard TD in the fourth quarter. Kelly rushed for 98 yards on seven attempts and Dylan Vlach rushed for 66 yards on eight carries.
About the Lions: Lyons is 3-0 for the second time in three seasons after holding on for a 21-16 win over Hinsdale Central last week. Now the Lions aim for their first win over Glenbard West since 2016. Lyons running back Danny Carroll, who has gone over 100 yards in all three games, rushed for 125 yards and a TD on 18 carries last week. He complements a passing game with Dom Pisciotti throwing to Illinois State recruit Travis Stamm. While it hasn’t beaten Glenbard West in almost a decade, Lyons has played it close the last two years, including a 13-10 loss last season.
Downers Grove North (3-0, 1-0) at Proviso West (2-1, 0-1)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
About the Trojans: Downers Grove North has it all going right now. The Trojans turned in their third straight blowout win last Friday, 42-7 over Glenbard West. Downers Grove North has outscored its three opponents by a combined margin of 126-7. The Trojans’ defense gave up just six first downs last week, and Tavarez Edwards had a 37-yard interception return for a TD. On the offensive side Owen Lansu threw for 154 yards and three touchdown passes and James Lumpkin scored on a 36-yard TD.
About the Panthers: Proviso West, 0-9 last season, found daylight in the nonconference, wins over Von Steuben and Proviso East to start the year. But those two clubs are a combined 0-6 now, and Proviso West came back down to earth once it entered Silver play with a 49-0 loss to previously winless Oak Park-River Forest last week. A visit from Downers Grove North isn’t promising.
York (3-0, 0-0) at Oak Park-River Forest (1-2, 1-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
About the Dukes: York’s offense sure seems to have found something. After scoring 35 points in the first half at Plainfield North in Week 2, the Dukes exploded for 54 points last week in a 54-21 pounding of Downers Grove South. Senior QB Bruno Massel threw for 234 yards and three TDs and rushed for 70 yards and two TDs. First-year starting running back Henry Duda, meanwhile, is putting up huge numbers. He rushed for 169 yards and an 80-yard TD at Plainfield North, and had 235 yards and two more long TD runs last week. Junior lineman Jack Wahr led a York line that paved the way for the offense to top 300 yards rushing against Downers South. York beat OPRF 56-28 last season.
About the Huskies: OPRF’s lone win last season came against Proviso West, and a 49-0 win over the Panthers last Friday to open Silver play provided temporary relief. The Huskies’ offense, in particular, got on track, after being shut out by Fenwick and Morgan Park the first two weeks. Sophomore running back Liam Smith rushed for 118 yards and three touchdowns as OPRF snapped an eight-game losing streak dating back to last year. Junior quarterback Johnny Nelson threw three touchdown passes for the Huskies, who led 28-0 after one quarter and 49-0 at halftime.
Downers Grove South (1-2, 0-0) at Willowbrook (1-2, 1-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
About the Mustangs: Downers Grove South, two-time defending Gold champion, will look to get well in divisional play after a rough couple crossover games. The Mustangs gave up a combined 96 points the last two weeks in losses to Downers Grove North and York. Keon Maggitt Jr.’s 52-yard touchdown reception on a short pass was perhaps the Mustangs’ best highlight from Week 3. On the bright side, the remainder of Downers Grove South’s schedule is exclusively Gold opponents, and the Mustangs have won 17 consecutive divisional games dating back to 2021. They’ve also won the last two meetings with Willowbrook, 28-21 last year.
About the Warriors: Willowbrook, after an 0-2 start, earned a much-needed 39-28 win over district rival Addison Trail last week. Anthony Leo gained 173 of Willowbrook’s 309 rushing yards in the win. Aidan Kuehl went for 131 yards and four TDs on 27 carries. It’s early, but this matchup with Downers Grove South should go a long way toward determining the Gold champion. One of these teams has won the league title in every season since 2017.
Hinsdale South (2-1, 1-0) at Addison Trail (2-1, 0-1)
When: 6 p.m. Friday
About the Hornets: Hinsdale South’s offense, win or lose, is putting up big numbers through a third of the season. The Hornets are coming off a 38-0 win over Leyden and are averaging 35.3 points through three games. Leading the way is senior QB Langston Love. Love through three games has thrown for 623 yards, rushed for 119 yards and accounted for nine TDs. The Hornets will get a good idea if they can make a playoff run with their next three games – Gold matchups against Addison Trail, Willowbrook and Downers Grove South, all playoff teams last season. Hinsdale South beat Addison Trail 24-0 last season.
About the Blazers: A little bad news, good news for Addison Trail coming out of Week 3. The Blazers, after shutting out two nonconference opponents, were shredded for 309 rushing yards in the 39-28 loss to Willowbrook. But the final margin was much closer than most of Addison Trail’s games with Willowbrook the last decade, a sign of progress. Addison Trail QB Nico Dill threw for 197 yards and three TDs against Willowbrook, including an 80-yarder to Raja Corhn.
Morton (2-1) at Hinsdale Central (1-2)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
About the Mustangs: Morton, 1-8 last season, has already surpassed last year’s win total after beating Proviso East 40-6 last week. Hinsdale Central beat Morton 48-13 last season.
About the Red Devils: Tough 21-16 loss to Lyons last week, but the Red Devils showed great resolve in taking the Lions to the wire. Junior QB Riley Contreras threw for 175 yards and a TD to Kelan McInerney, and ran for a TD in the loss. McInerney comnmitted to Drake this week.
IC Catholic Prep (2-1, 0-0) at Nazareth (2-1, 0-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
About the Knights: IC Catholic Prep, after a Week 2 forfeit win, is coming off a 31-14 loss to St. Ignatius in the CCL/ESCC crossover, a game in which the Knights only trailed 18-14 going into the fourth quarter. Senior quarterback Will Bryk has completed 64% of his passes in two games on the field for 336 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He has also rushed for 70 yards and a TD. Junior Foley Calcagno is IC Catholic’s leading rusher with 99 yards and two TDs and is the team’s leading tackler with 28. Senior Dominik Hulak, a Notre Dame recruit, is another to watch rushing, receiving and on defense.
About the Roadrunners: Nazareth is coming off a 56-33 loss to Mount Carmel in a matchup between the defending champions in Class 5A and Class 7A. Nazareth senior QB Logan Malachuk completed 16 of 35 passes for 200 yards and five touchdowns in the loss. Jake Cestone had 111 yards receiving and three touchdowns. But the Roadrunners struggled to contain Mount Carmel’s explosive passing game, giving up five passes of 30-plus yards. Malachuk has thrown for 11 TDs over the last six quarters, spreading the wealth between James Penley, Trenton Walker and Cestone. IC Catholic beat Nazareth 36-34 last season.
Montini (2-1, 0-0) at Fenwick (2-1, 0-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
About the Broncos: Montini, after shutting out two nonconference opponents, dropped a 21-6 CCL/ESCC crossover at Marist last Friday. In the loss defensive end Nick Castaldo had 10 tackles, two of them for loss, linebacker Jeremiah Peterson had nine tackles, one for loss, a hurry and a pass breakup and defensive back Max Bell had seven tackles and a pass breakup. The Broncos have gone with a rotation at QB through three weeks, with Gaetano Carbonara throwing for 234 yards and two TDs and Israel Abrams 214 and three TDs. Three backs have double-digit carries, JoJo James the leading rusher with 123 yards, and Santino Florio has caught a team-best nine passes for 97 yards and two TDs.
About the Friars: Fenwick, like Montini, started 2-0, then dropped a tough 14-13 CCL/ESCC crossover at Joliet Catholic last Friday. Fenwick’s Josh Morgan scored on a 7-yard TD run with a minute left, but Jamen Williams’ conversion pass to Nate Marshall in the left corner of the end zone was knocked away. Williams completed 22 of 30 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown in the loss. Treston Smith had six catches and Raphiel Stewart five, with Stewart scoring Fenwick’s first touchdown on a 20-yard reception.
St. Viator (3-0, 0-0) at Benet (3-0, 0-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
About the Lions: St. Viator is 3-0 for the first time since the spring 2021 season after pulling away for a 34-7 win at Marmion last Friday. Senior QB Cooper Kmet, brother of Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet, has thrown for 422 yards and nine touchdowns while rushing for 124 yards and a TD. Dayvion Ellis has caught four TDs and rushed for one. Keaton Franzen has rushed for three TDs. The St. Viator defense has allowed just 13 points all season and should get a big test against a Benet offense putting up big points.
About the Redwings: Benet, like St. Viator, is one of five undefeated teams left in the CCL/ESCC after its 42-0 rout of De La Salle in Week 3. The Redwings are 3-0 for the first time since 2019, when they started 6-0 in the program’s last playoff appearance. An offense led by quarterback Ryan Kubacki has averaged 42 points over the first three games. Kubacki threw two TDs, Martin Radgowski ran for two TDs and Luke Doyle scored two TDs in the win over De La Salle.
St. Rita (2-1, 0-0) at St. Francis (3-0, 0-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Last matchup: St. Francis won, 31-28, last season.
About the Mustangs: St. Rita stunned Brother Rice, 14-7, last weekend on an 80-yard touchdown pass from Steven Armbruster (203 yards passing) to Walter Jones (5 catches, 99 yards) with 1:06 remaining. Linebackers Justin Buckner and Owen Lynch combined for 19 ½ tackles against Brother Rice.
About the Spartans: Coming off one of the school’s biggest victories in recent history – a 35-21 road win over 2-time defending Class 8A state champion Loyola Academy -- the Spartans take on another larger school with a strong tradition in St. Rita (7A state runner-up in 2019 and 2021). Junior quarterback Brady Palmer passed for 2 touchdowns and ran for 2 more against Loyola while tailback TyVonn Ransom added a TD run. “I was most proud of our resilience,” Spartans coach Bob McMillen after the Loyola win. “We asked the boys to play 48 minutes of mistake-free, physical football, and they did just that.” St. Francis may need another complete performance against St. Rita.
Wheaton Academy (2-1, 1-0) at Chicago Hope Academy (1-2, 1-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Last matchup: Hope Academy won, 30-29, last season.
About the Warriors: Two-way player London Leflore rushed for 60 yards and a pair of touchdowns while adding an interception during the Warriors’ 27-7 win over Chicago Christian last weekend. Quarterback Nathan Downey and linebacker Jeremy Johanik provide leadership for the Warriors, who prepare for their first road game of the season. Wheaton Academy will be out to avenge last year’s dramatic 30-29 loss to Hope.
About the Eagles: Don’t be fooled by the Eagles’ record. They opened with losses to Wilmington and Simeon – perennial powerful teams with a combined 5-1 record before handing Aurora Christian a rare home loss last weekend (22-9). Quarterback Ja’Quez Bailey and tailback Aaron Green had touchdown runs of 84 and 50 yards, respectively.
Westmont (1-1) at Fieldcrest Minonk (0-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday.
Last matchup: First meeting.
About the Sentinels: Following a rare bye week, Westmont senior quarterback Lucas Fears looks to pick up where he left off. Fears turned in a memorable performance, rushing for 365 yards on 33 carries with 5 touchdowns, completing 3 of 4 passes for 24 yards and a touchdown, and booting 4 extra points during the Sentinels’ 56-34 victory over Catalyst-Maria on Sept. 6.
About the Knights: Fieldcrest Minonk has been outscored by a 125-42 margin in its first 3 losses.
Lisle (0-3) at Coal City (3-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Lions: Lisle has had very little go right over the first three weeks of the season. Already short-handed by a small roster to start the season, the Lions have been outscored in three consecutive losses by a 138-14 margin.
About the Coalers: Coal City was dominant in its Week 3 win over Streator. The Coalers ran seven first-quarter plays, with four of them leading the touchdowns, and the Coalers added a special teams score in the quarter as it jumped out to a 35-0 advantage, eventually rolling to a 56-6 win. RB Landin Benson needed just nine carries to rack up over 150 yards.
– Joshua Welge, Joel Boenitz and Steve Soucie from Shaw Local News Network contributed to this story.