Scouting Week 5 Fox Valley football games
Aurora Central Catholic (3-1) at Catholic Central, Wis. (0-4)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Chargers: The Chargers’ 3-game winning streak ended following last Saturday’s 41-20 loss to Marquette Catholic in Alton. The 260-mile trip provided a few highlights for ACC – Trey Seifrid’s 62-yard touchdown run and 62-yard kick return, quarterback Grant Bohr’s 60-yard run and 11-yard touchdown pass to Brodie Curry. However, the Chargers’ defense allowed 394 rushing yards. Their task may be easier against a Catholic Central team that has generated just 6 points in 4 weeks.
About the Hilltoppers: Based in Burlington, Wis., Catholic Central has experienced a trying season. At 0-4, the Hilltoppers have been outscored 128-6 in the 3 games they played – they also lost a 2-0 forfeit to Kenosha St. Joseph in Week 3. Senior RB/LB Nate Robson leads the squad with a 123-yard rushing average, while collecting 10 tackles per game on the defensive side.
Bishop McNamara (4-0, 2-0) at Aurora Christian (3-1, 1-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Bishop McNamara won, 17-14, last season
About the Fightin’ Irish: The Fightin’ Irish offense has been unstoppable through the first 4 games. Bishop McNamara, which blanked Chicago Christian 75-0 last weekend, averages 57 points per game, led by 6-foot-3 senior quarterback Karter Krutsinger. A year ago, Bishop McNamara won a defensive-type game against Aurora Christian. The Fightin’ Irish need a win to stay with Hope Academy in the Chicagoland Christian.
About the Eagles: After allowing just 22 points over the first 3 games, the Eagles’ defense gave up several big plays during last weekend’s 61-44 loss to Hope Academy. Senior quarterback Asa Johnson, who has carved up defenses with his right arm, also averages 71 yards rushing. Sophomore RB-WR Jalen Callaway has become a playmaker for the Eagles, averaging 87 yards receiving and 42 yards rushing per contest. Callaway caught a 42-yard TD pass from Johnson against Hope. This week, the Eagles will face a defense that has already recorded 2 shutouts.
Wheaton Academy (2-2, 2-0) at St. Edward (1-3, 0-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Wheaton Academy won, 56-0, last season
About the Warriors: Wheaton Academy looks to remain unbeaten in the Chicagoland Christian against an improved St. Edward squad. The Warriors earned their second straight win, beating Marian Central Catholic, 42-28, last weekend. Senior tailback Tyler Jones ran for 183 yards on 12 carries with 4 touchdowns, while junior QB Colton Miller completed 11 of 17 passes for 193 yards and a TD. Junior 2-way standout Logan Oros caught 4 passes for 126 yards and a TD, while adding 9 tackles on defense. Elijah Cherry recorded a team-high 11 tackles against the Hurricanes.
About the Green Wave: Sophomore quarterback Jake Linkowski continues to improve for the Green Wave. Last week, he passed for 96 yards and a TD in the team’s 44-14 loss to Christ the King. Senior Zach Sauceda ran the ball 33 times for 113 yards and a touchdown, while adding 10 tackles against the Gladiators. Junior receiver Jivonni Leix caught 3 passes for 59 yards and a TD last weekend. Defensively, junior Connor Englum (13 tackles) and senior Luciano Mauro (8 tackles, sack) led the way against Christ the King.
Bartlett (1-3, 1-0) at West Aurora (2-2, 1-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: West Aurora won, 62-7, last season
About the Hawks: The Hawks snapped a 3-game skid with last weekend’s 28-7 victory over Streamwood. After allowing 110 points in losses to Glenbard North, Lake Park, and Glenbard East, the Hawks’ defense held the Sabres to 7 points during their first victory. On offense, tailback Isaac tallied a pair of touchdowns, while Joseph Caputo added a fourth-quarter score – part of the Hawks’ 274-yard effort on the ground.
About the Blackhawks: The Blackhawks’ 7-0 record in Upstate Eight West play over the past year-plus came to a half following last weekend’s wild 42-35 loss to South Elgin. Quarterback Mason Atkins accounted for 266 total yards of offense with a pair of touchdowns and a scoring run, while Lesroy Tittle added a TD run and TD reception. Defensively, Will Gray collected a team-high 13 tackles. However, the Blackhawks allowed 289 rushing yards – an area of concern preparing for Bartlett.
East Aurora (1-3, 0-2) at Elgin (2-2, 0-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Elgin won, 53-0, last season
About the Tomcats: Following last weekend’s gut-wrenching, 39-34 loss to Larkin, the Tomcats look for the split with the Elgin schools with a win over the Maroons. Tyrone Evans provided a bright spot for the Tomcats with a 90-yard kick return against Larkin. Trailing 33-21 in the second half, the Tomcats scored 13 unanswered points down the stretch, including a 29-yard field goal from Jovanni Perez that gave East Aurora a 34-33 lead with 28.6 seconds remaining – only to watch the Royals connect on a 48-yard TD pass with 11.4 seconds left.
About the Maroons: Since opening the season at 2-0, the Maroons have suffered back-to-back losses to West Aurora (49-16) and Riverside-Brookfield (51-0). Elgin’s defense allowed 176 yards passing and 3 touchdowns, plus 4 rushing scores against the Bulldogs. Sophomore Lamarin Powell leads the team with 97.7 yards rushing per game, while junior Anthony Foster averages 84.3 yards per contest. Junior Jayden Edgar Gray averages a team-high 54 receiving yards per game.
Larkin (1-3, 1-1) at Streamwood (1-3, 1-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Larkin won, 22-20, last season
About the Royals: Larkin aims for its second consecutive victory following last weekend’s dramatic 39-34 win over East Aurora decided in the final 11.4 seconds when quarterback Aden Mora connected with junior Antonio Ventura for the game-winning, 48-yard touchdown pass. A 40-yard kick return by Julius Yandell, Jr., to the Tomcats’ 48-yard line helped set up the go-ahead score. Mora tossed 3 touchdown passes against East Aurora, including a 42-yard strike to Elijah Walker, while adding a 40-yard TD run.
About the Sabres: The Sabres look to avenge last year’s 2-point loss to the Royals. Junior tailback Justin Brown accounted for the team’s only touchdown with a 1-yard run that tied the score at 7-7 midway through the second quarter last weekend against Bartlett. Streamwood’s defense allowed a late second-quarter touchdown and a pair of second-half scores during the loss to the Hawks. Streamwood searches for its first home win since beating Elmwood Park, 40-21, on Oct. 18 of 2024.
West Chicago (3-1, 1-1) at South Elgin (2-2, 2-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: South Elgin won, 38-21, last season
About the Wildcats: West Chicago topped the 60-point mark for the second time in 4 games during last weekend’s 66-20 victory over Ridgewood. Senior quarterback Carter Naranjo averages 186 rushing yards per game, and has accounted for 17 touchdowns – 14 rushing, 3 passing. Liam Zbierski, who averages 91 yards on the ground per contest, caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Naranjo against Ridgewood. The Wildcats’ defense, led by linebacker Roman Zolota, figures to be tested by a high-powered South Elgin attack.
About the Storm: Limited to 23 points in back-to-back losses to perennial powers Barrington and Batavia, South Elgin’s offense has erupted for 97 points in back-to-back victories over Larkin and West Aurora. Last weekend, the Storm held on to defeat the defending UEC West champion Blackhawks behind a 2-touchdown, 100-yard-plus rushing effort from Darrion Thurman. Colorado-bound Gavin Mueller rushed for a short-yardage touchdown, and caught a 26-yard TD pass from Carter McDonald, who also tossed an 11-yard scoring strike to Jeremiah Carrera. Frankie Macaluso enjoyed the defensive lineman’s dream, recording a pick-6 to start the scoring against South Elgin.
Montini (4-0) at Marmion Academy (3-1)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Montini won, 55-19, last season
About the Broncos: Off to a 4-0 start, the Broncos have won their share of close games, including last weekend’s 31-29 victory over Fenwick. Three of their 4 wins are by 4, 7, and 2 points, respectively. Junior QB Isreal Abrams has completed 66 percent of his passes for 903 yards with 8 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. His favorite targets include Damacio Ortegon (16 catches, 343 yards, 3 TDs), Isaac Alexander (16 catches, 114 yards), Nico Castaldo (16 catches, 193 yards, 3 TDs), and Luca Florio (9 catches, 201 yards, 2 TDs). Defensively, Santino Tenuta (55 tackles, 11 for losses), Laddie Asay (44 tackles, 14 for losses, 3 forced fumbles), and Payton Nelson (2 interceptions) lead the way.
About the Cadets: A year ago, first-year head coach Adam Guerra guided the Cadets to the Class 5A state playoffs following a 2-win campaign in 2023. This season, the Cadets are off to their second consecutive 3-1 start, led by sophomore QB Roy Magana, Jr., who threw 3 touchdown passes in their 48-14 victory over DeLaSalle last weekend. Colin McEniry caught 2 of those TD passes covering 28 and 29 yards, respectively. Marmion carries a 3-game winning streak into the CCL/ESCC crossover clash.
Batavia (3-1, 2-0) at St. Charles North (4-0, 2-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Bulldogs: Batavia showed once again that its season-opening loss to Glenbard West has not shaken the Bulldogs one bit, with the offense scoring six touchdowns in a 42-21 victory over Lake Park last weekend. The Bulldogs enter the game averaging 36.5 points a game, with a lot of it being thanks to the excellent play of the running back/fullback duo of Henry Hahn and Preston Brummel. The two had their best performance yet in Week 4, with the duo combining for 245 yards on the ground and five total touchdowns in the contest, putting them at 687 total rushing yards and 11 touchdowns so far. Those two might be the key for the Bulldogs, who used a dominant ground game to pull off a 45-21 victory over the North Stars last season. The defense has also started to warm up, with guys like linebackers Tony Minnec and Nick Jansey helping the team to nine tackles for loss in the win over the Lancers.
About the North Stars: The lone undefeated team remaining in the conference, St. Charles North extended its conference winning streak to seven games with a 34-12 victory over Wheaton North. JT Padron is coming off his best game under center for the North Stars, throwing for 326 yards and three touchdowns in the win, with all three of his throwing scores coming from 30 yards out or longer. Carsen Durante also recorded his third consecutive 100-yard rushing performance of the season, going 133 yards off of nine carries a week ago. The North Stars have eclipsed the 30-point mark in three of their first four games, with the only exception being their 10-7 victory over Geneva in Week 3.
Lake Park (2-2, 0-2) at Geneva (2-2, 1-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Lancers: Lake Park struggled to get the offense going in its 42-21 loss to Batavia, only putting up one touchdown in the first half before scoring twice with the game already decided. Despite the loss, senior linebacker Joey Michelini proved to be a thorn in the Bulldogs’ side, putting up nine tackles, two TFL and two sacks in the contest, consistently putting pressure on the pocket throughout the night.
About the Vikings: After struggling in each of the previous two weeks to put up multiple scores, Geneva doubled its touchdown production with a big 28-7 victory over Wheaton Warrenville South. Quarterback Ben Peterson threw for 228 yards and three scores in the contest, with 124 of those yards going to wide receiver Bennett Konkey. The Vikings also established their ability to draw out long drives in the contest, taking off 11:47 of the clock on a singular drive in the contest. The Vikings will look to get over .500 for the first time since Week 1 with a victory against the Lancers, a team they beat 63-13 a season ago.
St. Charles East (0-4, 0-2) at Wheaton North (2-2, 1-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Saints: St. Charles East’s rough stretch to start the season continued in Week 4, dropping to Glenbard North 42-13. The Saints had both of their touchdowns in the first half of the game, with quarterback Cruz Herrera finding wide receiver Gavin Matejko (three catches for 90 yards) for both scores. The Saints have now lost eight straight contests, with their last win being a 27-21 overtime victory over Lake Park in Week 5 of last season.
About the Falcons: Wheaton North, alternating wins and losses through four weeks, is coming off a 34-12 loss to St. Charles North. The Falcons couldn’t overcome being hit by a 24-point second quarter from the North Stars. Burke Neibch, in at QB for Wheaton North for injured starter Jacob Johnson, threw two TD passes to Tyler Kading, who had six catches for 66 yards. The Falcons have a tough closing stretch to their schedule, so a win here against 0-4 St. Charles East seems essential. Wheaton North beat St. Charles East 27-19 last year.
Morris (4-0, 1-0) at Kaneland (4-0, 1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About Morris: The defense notched its first shutout of the year in a 48-0 win against La Salle-Peru. It’s the latest in a strong line of defensive performances. They held Peoria to 28 points in a Week 3 win. The Lions are averaging almost 59 points per game in their other three contests, all wins. They allowed 14 points to a Mahomet-Seymour team that averaged more than 40 points in its other three games. And they held Wilmington to 20 in Week 1, and the Wildcats have scored at least 40 points in each of their three games since. Against L-P, Caeden Curran ran for 157 yards and four touchdowns. Brady Varner threw for a pair of touchdowns.
About the Knights: They’re putting up points in bunches, fresh off a 56-7 win against Ottawa. After scoring seven first-half points in a 35-7 win at DeKalb in Week 3 - their lowest offensive output of the season – they scored 35 points in the first quarter alone Friday. They only had 295 yards of offense in the win, including 85 rushing yards and two scores for Carter Grabowski. Brady Alstott had an interception on defense. Coach Michael Thorgesen said against the Morris defense, the plan is still the same – take whatever their opponents are willing to give. He also said the Knights are looking forward to this one. The Knights last beat Morris in 2018, 50-14 in Maple Park. A win would go a long way to securing the Knights’ first conference title since 2017, when they shared the Northern Illinois Big 12 East title with Morris and DeKalb. Their last outright league title was in 2012, according to IHSA records.
Burlington Central (3-1, 3-1) at Hampshire (1-3, 1-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Rockets: Burlington Central never led against Prairie Ridge last week, as it turned the ball over on its first two possessions. That led to a 14-0 deficit early in the second quarter en route to a 28-7 loss on homecoming. The Rockets, who were seeking their first 4-0 start in 21 years, now turn their attention to one of their longtime rivals in Hampshire, where head coach Brian Iossi was an assistant before coming to Central in 2018 as an assistant. Central’s offense has done a good job of controlling the line of scrimmage this season, but is averaging only 14.8 points a game. The Rockets have allowed 47 points, the fewest in the FVC. ... Central beat Hampshire 31-6 in Week 8 last year.
About the Whip-Purs: Hampshire has lost two straight games since beating Crystal Lake Central in Week 2 to snap a nine-game losing streak. The Whip-Purs got shut out for the first time last week, 24-0 to host Dundee-Crown. They had scored 76 points in their first three games. Hampshire has allowed 143 points, second most in the FVC.
Huntley (3-1, 3-1) at Jacobs (2-2, 2-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Red Raiders: Huntley has shown resiliency this season, overcoming a fourth-quarter deficit in Week 2 to beat Dundee-Crown in overtime and then almost erasing a 27-0 deficit against visiting Cary-Grove last week. The Raiders lost 34-27, despite the efforts of QB Malik Carter. The 6-5, 180-pound sophomore, who was making his second straight start, completed 17-of-23 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns, all to WR Kyle Ziebell (4 catches, 129 yards), a transfer from Harvest Christian. RB Chase Hojnacki (76 rushing yards) added a 3-yard TD run for the Raiders. Connor Wade had four receptions for 51 yards, and Michael Chan caught four passes for 64 yards. ... Huntley lost to Jacobs 26-15 in Week 3 last year.
About the Golden Eagles: Jacobs needed a win last week against McHenry after losing two straight, and the Golden Eagles got it. RB Caden DuMelle rushed for 195 yards and a TD in a 35-6 win on the road. Michael Cannady added 97 rushing yards and a TD on 16 carries. QB Austin Stennett, making his second start in a row in place of the injured Connor Goehring, threw a 15-yard TD pass to Jaylen Langley and scored on a 9-yard run. Justin Gonzalez had a 30-yard TD run. ... For the season, DuMelle has rushed for 500 yards (8.1 per carry) and four TDs. ... Goehring (shoulder) is expected to play Friday against Huntley.
Dundee-Crown (2-2, 2-2) at Crystal Lake South (1-3, 1-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Chargers: Dundee-Crown’s 24-0 win over visiting Hampshire last week was its first shutout since a 1-0, forfeit win over McHenry (whose school district was on strike) in Week 7 of the 2015 season. Before that, the Chargers’ last shutout was in 2001 against Grayslake, a 21-0 win in Week 3. Against Hampshire, Ryan Pierce and Ereyon Bailey had interceptions and Anthony Looze and Leon Metcalf recovered fumbles. Metcalf (eight carries, 75 yards) also had a 48-yard TD run. Kadin Malone rushed for 146 yards and a TD on 19 carries. ... D-C, which has won two games in a row for the first time since 2022, has allowed only 53 points and has scored 121 (30.3 a game). ... The Chargers opened last season by defeating Crystal Lake South 20-14 for one of its only two wins.
About the Gators: Crystal Lake South snapped a seven-game losing streak last week with a 34-7 win over host Crystal Lake Central. The Gators had scored only 14 points in their first three games but got two TD passes from QB Michael Silvius to WR Noa Franch (72 and 61 yards). Anthony Gountanis had a 100-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter to put the game away, while Silvius and Yeidan Ramirez had short TD runs. Franch had five receptions for 200 yards.
Crystal Lake Central (0-4, 0-4) at Cary-Grove (2-2, 2-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Tigers: Crystal Lake Central is coming off a 34-7 loss at home to Crystal Lake South, and the schedule only gets tougher for the Tigers over the final five weeks of the regular season. After Friday’s game at Cary-Grove, the Tigers play Jacobs, Prairie Ridge, Burlington Central and McHenry. Tyler Porter’s 12-yard run accounted for the Tigers’ only TD against Crystal Lake South. Porter rushed 12 times for 80 yards, while Abe Quinn, who had been out with an injury, carried 10 times for 79 yards. ... The Tigers have been outscored 174-29 this season.
About the Trojans: Cary-Grove has been rolling offensively ever since FB Logan Abrams returned to the offensive backfield after being slowed by a hamstring injury the first two weeks of the season. Abrams rushed for 239 yards and three TDs in a 34-27 win over Huntley last week after gaining 175 yards with a TD in C-G’s Week 3 win over McHenry. Sophomore QB Jackson Berndt, who had three rushing TDs and a TD pass against McHenry, missed the Huntley game because of illness. Freshman RB Ty Tenopir had 78 rushing yards, including a 13-yard TD.
--- Joe Aguilar, Joel Boenitz, Eddie Carifio and Josh Welge from Shaw Local News Network contributed to this preview