The Week 5 Expanded Top 20

Posted September 25, 2024 8:04 am

John Lemon

First and 10

1. Downers Grove North (4-0) Next opponent: vs. Oak Park

Comment: The Trojans are still looking for their first competitive game, and they didn’t find it last week in a 54-0 win over Proviso West. That makes it a 180-7 margin so far this year. Quarterback Owen Lansu needed only one quarter to go 6-for-7 for 112 yards and 4 TDs.

2. Barrington (4-0) Next opponent: Conant

Comment: Wins over Hersey and Maine South highlighted the Broncos’ undefeated nonconference record. They are averaging 49.5 points a game including 42 last week vs. Maine South as they put up 605 yards of offense led by QB Nick Peipert’s 400 yards passing and 4 TDs.

3. Cary-Grove (4-0) Next opponent: at Prairie Ridge

Comment: Cary-Grove won last year’s Class 6A state championship but didn’t win the FVC title. A loss in this matchup, their second straight in the series, helped decide that. It sure seems this game between the only unbeatens left in the FVC will decide the 2024 conference championship.

4. Batavia (4-0) Next opponent: at Wheaton North

Comment: The Bulldogs found themselves in a 14-3 halftime hole last week to St. Charles North. Twenty-four minutes later, they had a 45-21 win after an incredible second half that included 5 more rushing TDs for Nathan Whitwell, giving him 13 in 4 games with 803 yards.

5. York (4-0) Next opponent: vs. Hinsdale Central

Comment: The Red Devils should provide York its toughest test to date, coming in at 2-2 but the two losses by 11 points to Naperville Central and 5 to Lyons -- two teams a combined 8-0. Dukes QB Bruno Massel continued his strong play last week with two rushing and two passing scores.

6. Fremd (4-0) Next opponent: Hoffman Estates

Comment: Not many conferences will be more fun to follow than the MSL West, which starts play Friday night. Four of the six teams made it through nonconference action undefeated, including both of these. Future Big Ten players Johnny O’Brien, Fremd’s junior QB committed to Northwestern, and the Hawks’ Minnesota-bound Nate Cleveland are two big names to watch in this matchup.

7. Naperville Central (4-0) Next opponent: Lincoln-Way West

Comment: The Warriors are 3-1 with their loss last week 28-22 to Sandburg. Aiden Clark only needed a little more than a quarter to score 3 TDs in the Redhawks’ win last week. Sebastian Hayes completed all 6 of his passes, and coach Mike Ulreich likes how his team continues to get better.

Naperville Central’s Aiden Clark needed only one quarter to score three touchdowns in last week’s win. The Redhawks put their 4-0 record on the line this week vs. 3-1 Lincoln-Way West. Mark Busch/Shaw Local News Network

8. Geneva (4-0) Next opponent: Glenbard North

Comment: Georgia-bound wide receiver Talyn Taylor gave Lake Park fits last week, scoring on a 57-yard pass on the Vikings’ first play from scrimmage. QB Anthony Chahino found Taylor two more times for TDs in the opening quarter. Geneva has scored 215 points in four weeks.

9. St. Francis (3-1) Next opponent: Providence

Comment: Coach Bob McMillen said St. Rita flat-out outplayed them in a 31-13 win last week as the Spartans couldn’t carry over the momentum from a Week 3 win over Loyola. St. Francis will try to rebound vs. 2-2 Providence, who has lost close games to Wheaton North and Carmel.

10. St. Charles North (3-1) Next opponent: Wheaton Warrenville South

Comment: Things were going great for the North Stars last week at Batavia behind Joell Holloman’s two early touchdowns. Ethan Plumb’s 67-yard strike to Keaton Reinke put the North Stars up 21-17 in the third quarter, but Batavia blitzed them with a 28-0 run to end it. Now comes a dangerous Tigers team whose losses are to Geneva and Lyons, both 4-0 this year.

Second and 10

11. Palatine (3-1) Beat New Trier 27-3; at Schaumburg

12. Hersey (2-2) Beat Glenbrook S. 30-24; at Elk Grove

13. Libertyville (4-0) Beat Lake Zurich 29-7; at Mundelein

14. Maine South (1-3) Lost to Barrington 42-35; New Trier

15. Wheaton North (3-1) Beat St. Charles East 27-19; Batavia

16. Warren (2-2) Beat Waukegan 43-6; Zion-Benton

17. Hoffman Estates (4-0) Beat Vernon Hills 56-21; at Fremd

18. Benet (4-0) Beat St. Viator 23-16; at Mt. Carmel

19. Naperville North (2-2) Lost to Lincoln Way E. 49-17; at Lockport

20. West Aurora (4-0) Beat South Elgin 50-7; at Bartlett

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