The Expanded Football Top 20
First and 10
1. Fremd (4-0) Next opponent: at Conant
Comment: New Trier gave the Vikings their closest game so far last week, down just 14-10 midway through the third quarter. Then senior Marquan Brewster took over. He returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown, then caught touchdown passes of 42 and 15 yards to turn that tight game into a 35-16 victory. Conant has won two straight.
2. Maine South (3-1) Next opponent: Evanston
Comment: It would hard to be hotter than the Hawks, who have not just beat Warren, Palatine and Barrington the last three weeks, they have scored at least 41 points in each game and won by a combined 135-41. Maine South coach Dave Inserra called the Barrington win an “attention getter” as the Hawks begin Central Suburban South play vs. 1-3 Evanston.
3. Glenbard West (4-0) Next opponent: Lyons Township
Comment: Junior quarterback AJ Rayford returned last week from injury and threw for 172 yards and a touchdown, Bryce Ellens and Jamarcus Kelly both ran for two touchdowns, and the Hilltoppers continued their hot start by beating Downers Grove North. Now comes state-ranked Lyons, sure to be in a foul mood after losing to Hinsdale Central.
4. St. Charles North (4-0) Next opponent: Batavia
Comment: What happens in this game will go a long way towards deciding the DuKane Conference race, as it has for quite awhile now. The North Stars showed their big-play ability last week against Wheaton North, scoring on JT Pardon’s 74-yard pass to EJ Mondesir, Pardon’s 71-yard strike to Keaton Reinke and Carsen Durante’s 73-yard run.
5. Batavia (3-1) Next opponent: at St. Charles N.
Comment: The Bulldogs have won three straight since a last-second loss to Glenbard West in their opener. Their running game is proving difficult to slow. Last week both Henry Hahn and Preston Brummel went over 100 yards and combined for five touchdowns against Lake Park. Batavia beat the North Stars 45-21 last year, a game closer than the score indicates.
6. Downers Grove North (3-1)Next opponent: Proviso West
Comment: The Trojans have been battling without their injured senior QB and Minnesota recruit Owen Lansu, but they ran out of steam last week, falling behind Glenbard West 28-0 early in a 35-23 loss. Turnovers proved too much to overcome. They will look to get back on track against the 1-3 Panthers.
7. Montini (4-0) Next opponent: at Marmion
Comment: The Broncos continued their winning ways — now at 14 straight games going back to Week 4 of last season — but it wasn’t easy. Montini stopped a two-point conversion on the final play of a 31-29 win over Fenwick. Johnny Louise nailed a 41-yard field goal that ended up being critical. Payton Nelson had a huge pick-six just before halftime.
8. Prospect (3-1) Next opponent: at Buffalo Grove
Comment: Junior quarterback Jackson Cacini continued his breakout season for the Knights last week, completing 13 of 15 passes for 213 yards and 5 TDs in the first half of a 56-8 win over Maine West. Matthew Kaput had a huge game of his own for Buffalo Grove last week, scoring six touchdowns in a 42-20 win over Glenbrook North.
9. Barrington (3-1) Next opponent: Palatine
Comment: The Broncos became the latest Top 20 team — joining Warren and Palatine — to be throttled by Maine South, falling behind 41-7 in a 41-21 loss. There’s no time to dwell on that with MSL West play starting Saturday against the Pirates. Luke Tepas completed 21 of 27 passes for 295 yards in the loss last week.
10. Warren (3-1) Next opponent: at Zion-Benton
Comment: Warren’s defense is coming off a dominating shutout against 0-4 Waukegan, getting a 20-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Rocye Lopez and holding the Bulldogs to -36 yards. Carvel Hodges ran a kickoff back 61 yards for a touchdown, and Aaron Stewart added 204 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns to his eye-popping totals.
Second and 10
11. St. Francis 3-1 Beat St. Rita 17-10 / at Providence
12. York 3-1 Beat Leyden 56-0 / Oak Park-River Forest
13. Hinsdale Central 3-1 Beat Lyons T. 29-26 / at Downers South
14. Carmel 3-1 Beat St. Laurence 21-14 / at Marian
15. Stevenson 3-1 Beat Mundelein 21-7 / at Waukegan
16. Palatine 2-2 Lost to Glenbrook S. 28-7 / at Barrington
17. Hersey 2-2 Beat Niles West 56-0 / Wheeling
18. Hoffman Estates 4-0 Beat Evanston 24-7 / at Schaumburg
19. Lake Zurich 3-1 Beat Libertyville 27-9 / Lake Forest
20. Geneva 2-2 Beat WW South 28-7 / Lake Park