Scouting Week 5 Lake County football games

Antioch (3-1, 2-0) at Lakes (3-1, 2-0)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.; Lakes High School, Lake Villa

Last week: Antioch 70, Round Lake 12; Lakes 21, Grayslake Central 20

Last year: Antioch 41, Lakes 6

Scouting Antioch: Our Lake County Blue Plate Special of the Week features this important Northern Lake County Conference game where the winner will, at a minimum, be tied for the conference lead heading into Week 6. “We are looking to improve every week,” Antioch coach Brian Glashagel said. “We’re 3-1 and our only loss is to a tough Lake Zurich team. Our focus now is 3-1 Lakes. When you play your rival, it’s always a tough game.” Antioch averages 350 rushing yards per game. Gavin Stone has run for 539 yards, averages 12.5 yards per carry and has 8 touchdowns. Henry Lubkeman has 30 tackles, while Owen Shea has 22 tackles, 1 sack and 6 tackles for loss. Dominic Cabuyadao is second on the team in tackles with 24. In addition to Stone, Logan Lennon has run for 257 yards on 28 carries with 2 touchdowns and has caught 4 passes or 76 yards and a score. Jack Bucar, like Cabuyadao and Lennon, was cited as one of Antioch’s unsung heroes. He’s a 2-way player who has run for 208 yards and 2 scores and is a starting defensive back. “Jack doesn’t leave the field much for us,” Glashagel said.

Scouting Lakes: A win at home against Antioch would inch Lakes closer to being playoff eligible and would keep it in the thick of the league race. "I’m so happy for our seniors overcoming the adversity of the last 2 years,” Eagles coach Jason Ellerman said. “You can really see their grit on the field, grinding out the last 2 wins against Grant and Grayslake Central.” Ellerman likes how junior right tackle Jayce Figueroa has been playing. “Jayce has been very sold all season,” he said. “Junior inside linebacker Robbie Siebert plays inside linebacker and is second on the team in tackles and also has scored 2 touchdowns in Lakes’ goal line package. Senior Colin Murray, Ellerman noted, has stepped up big, playing left tackle and rotating at inside linebacker. Senior Dillan Davis has 38 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and an interception, while senior Will Mercure has racked up 288 receiving yards and scored 4 touchdowns, while registering 3 pass breakups on defense. Senior Ean Ankney has thrown for 687 yards with 9 touchdowns against only 2 interceptions.

Grant (3-1, 1-1) at Grayslake North (1-3, 1-1)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Last week: Grant 41, North Chicago 18; Wauconda 45, Grayslake North 13

Last year: Grayslake 58, Grant 57

Outlook: A suddenly crowded upper tier of the Northern Lake County Conference means little room for error as the calendar nears an October turn. “Our defense has been much improved and our offense continues to put up good numbers,” Grant coach Tim Norwood said. “We need to be more disciplined and eliminate the penalties that have been an issue for us. We will continue to work on the basic fundamentals that should be showing up in our film. This group gives great effort, but we need to be more disciplined as a team.” Senior wide receiver-defensive back Zach Collins is one of Grant’s leaders on defense, Norwood noted. He played corner last week due to injuries and also stepped in and played receiver. Senior nose guard Mikey Cronkrite also has excelled. “The nose guard doesn’t get a lot of stats or recognition, but Mikey has been solid for us up front and takes on double teams on a consistent basis,” Norwood said. Senior outside linebacker Kolton Selders, a 3-year starter, had a pick against North Chicago. “Kolton is very consistent and understands where he fits in our defense,” Norwood said. Matthew Gipson has thrown for 1,009 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Tyler Zdon has rushed for 360 yards (8.6 yards per carry) and 6 touchdowns. Doltyn Longtin has rushed for 321 yards (8.5 yards per carry) and 4 touchdowns, while Max Hembrey has 23 catches for 704 yards (30.6 yards per catch) and 7 touchdowns. Logan Myers has 47 tackles on defense, 5 tackles for loss, 1 sack and 1 interception. A win here would keep Grayslake North in the thick of things in the conference race. The Knights look to rebound after a loss to NLCC co-frontrunner Wauconda in Week 4. Followers of these 2 teams very likely still remember last year’s 58-57 North win a year ago.

Grayslake Central (1-3, 0-2) at North Chicago (1-3, 0-2)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Last week: Lakes 21, Grayslake Central 20; Grant 41, North Chicago 18

Last year: Grayslake Central 19, North Chicago 14

Outlook: Rams coach Brent Pearlman praised the play of Riley McNiece and Logan Nelson. “Riley continues to lead the defense with his play and attitude,” Pearlman said. “We have a young man on our team (Nelson) that any team in the state would be lucky to have. Logan is a senior and the type of player I have always valued at a very high level. He works his tail off, is willing to sacrifice, and always does what is best for our team. I have had the pleasure to coach for many years and I have always believed you don’t have to have great talent, but you definitely need to have great teammates. Logan is a perfect example of this.” Central junior running back Kenye Pendleton has run 33 times for 318 yards, while Bryce Carlson has caught 15 passes for 265 yards. Pearlman likes the versatility Eli Gillette has shown this season. “Eli has played multiple positions based on our team needs this year (quarterback, running back, receiver and defensive back) and has been a key player for us,” he said. Pearlman, whose team lost by a point to league co-leader Lakes last week, continues to see progress. “Offensively, we are able to move the ball but have not found a way to put points on the board when we need them,” he said. “The defensive is improving weekly and with the exception of a few moments in last week’s game, played well. We are still trying to find our way as a team. We have had some adverse situations which we haven’t responded well to and some where we responded exceptionally well. We are clearly learning, I just hope we can speed up the process.”

Wauconda (4-0, 2-0) at Round Lake (1-3, 0-2)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Last week: Wauconda 45, Grayslake North 13; Antioch 70, Round Lake 12

Last year: Wauconda 56, Round Lake 0

Scouting Wauconda: Some reasons why Wauconda is unbeaten (and the last remaining unbeaten team in the Daily Herald Lake County coverage area) heading into Week 5: The Bulldogs average 387 rushing yards per game and have 9 takeaways against only 1 turnover. The Bulldogs become playoff eligible with a win here. Jackson Rudolph has 668 total yards and 14 total touchdowns. Cole Korycanek has 459 total yards, 4 touchdowns and is averaging 13.3 yards per carry. Brody Rudolph has 4 touchdowns, 3 sacks, 6 tackles for loss and a forced fumble, while Jack Landmeier and Jaxson Miglans each have 2 picks. Coach Chris Prostka noted Rocco Garcia has returned from an injury and has given a boost in the kickoff, field goal and point-after attempt teams. Sophomore Austin Zuraski had 3 catches for 40 yards in last week’s win. “Austin quietly had a good game last week and is our leading receiver,” Prostka pointed out. “He has been a very good blocker in the run game as well.”

Scouting Round Lake: Through 4 games, the Panthers have 1,290 yards of total offense and 846 passing yards. “1,290 yards of total offense is a stat that stands out,” Round Lake coach Randi Dey said. “That’s something that hasn’t happened in this program for a full season in years, let alone 4 games.” Evan West has thrown for 845 yards and 6 touchdowns. Devon Powell has 361 yards and 2 touchdowns (22 receptions) and Marqus Reis has 13 receptions for 301 yards and 3 touchdowns. Senior defensive tackle Taron Barnes was cited for strong play as well, along with freshman left guard Ivan Alejandre and 2-way lineman Frank Milkie. “Taron takes a lot of punishment for the team and has been a leader on the interior line,” Dey said. “Ivan is a freshman who consistently grades the highest for us on the line. Frank goes both ways on the offensive and defensive lines. He has been our enforcer and has been keeping our young players motivated and honest.” Dey said through 4 games he likes the team’s growth and where it’s at so far. “I don’t like our win and loss record, but I can appreciate the good things happening in our games,” he said. “On offense, we’re driving the ball, but still lacking the ability to consistently finish red-zone trips. Defensively, we’re getting to the right spot more consistently, but our tackling isn’t where it needs to be.”

Carmel (3-1) at Marian Catholic (1-3)

When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Marian Catholic High School, Chicago Heights

Last week: Carmel 21, St. Laurence 14; Marian 35, Chicago Leo 14

Last year: Carmel 42, Marian Catholic 20

Outlook: In last week’s win against St. Laurence, Carmel quarterback Trae Taylor completed passes to 6 receivers on his way to a 20-for-25, 217-yard effort with 1 touchdown to Kyron Hart. Sophomore Jaquel Edmonds ran for 59 yards and a score, while Taylor also ran in a touchdown. Sophomore Greg Bess-Henning caught 4 passes for 66 yards and had 67 kickoff return yards. Defensively, Carmel had 3 interceptions with Jameer Miles logging 2 picks. Senior Nic Hopman had 9 tackles, while senior Kevin Murphy had 8 tackles, 1 sack and 1 interception. Isaac Henderson had 2 tackles for loss. Carmel had 5 tackles for loss as a team. Carmel has outscored its opponents 152-69. Marian Catholic (2-7 a year ago) has played 4 opponents with a combined 7-9 record. The Spartans lost their first 3 games of the season to St. Viator (22-19), downstate Morton (38-7) and DePaul College Prep (43-19).

Warren (3-1, 2-0) at Zion-Benton (3-1, 1-1)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Last week: Warren 51, Waukegan 0; Lake Forest 28, Zion 24

Last year: Warren 42, Zion 6

Outlook: The Zee-Bees started the season 3-0 and dropped a close 4-point game to Lake Forest last week. Zion last won 3 games in full seasons in 2019 and 2021 and hasn’t had a .500 or winning record since the 2018 team went 5-5 and made the Class 8A playoffs. “We need to be prepared for a war against Zion-Benton,” Warren coach Bryan McNulty said. “They are a very good team that does a lot well. They play exceptionally better at home so we will have to have a great week of practice.” Aaron Stewart has rushed for 990 yards on 119 carries with 15 touchdowns for the Blue Devils. Corvell Hodges has 20 catches for 164 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Javon Brisker has 32 tackles. McNulty also likes what senior wide receiver Simon Castillo and senior defensive lineman Mike LIngenfelser bring to the team. “Simon has been a great leader as has Mike,” he said.

Lake Forest (2-2, 1-1) at Lake Zurich (3-1, 2-0)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Last week: Lake Forest 28, Zion 24; Lake Zurich 27, Libertyville 9

Last year: Lake Zurich 17, Lake Forest 14

Outlook: Lake Zurich picked up a big North Suburban win last week against Libertyville. “Over the last 4 weeks, we have found ways to get better every week,” Lake Zurich coach Ron Planz said. “That has to continue if we are going to achieve our goals. We are going to have to get better this week because we are playing a disciplined, well-coached and aggressive Lake Forest team. They are going to come in here looking to take it to us, for sure.” Planz likes how Arturo Zarinana has been leading the Bears’ defense from his MIKE linebacker spot. “Arturo has been playing very smart, fast and physical,” he said. Planz also lauded the work the Lake Zurich scout team has put in. “I have to tip my hat to the guys who have been running our scout teams,” he said. “You want to talk about unsung heroes? It’s those guys. The effort they are giving us is making us better. We have been well prepared these last few weeks because of them.” Lake Zurich held Libertyville to 2-for-10 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth down last week. The Bears’ offense racked up 359 total yards (275 on the ground). Kaden Abrantes ran 23 times for 159 yards and a score, while Christopher Chang had 5 catches for 74 yards and a touchdown. Tyler Vuckovic nailed 23- and 29-yard field goals. Abrantes has now run for 357 yards and 3 touchdowns. Lake Zurich has 6 different players who have scored a rushing touchdown this season. Lake Forest holds wins against winless Deerfield and Zion-Benton (3-1) and lost games to Carmel Catholic (3-1) and Warren (3-1).

Mundelein (1-3, 0-2) at Libertyville (1-3, 0-2)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Last week: Stevenson 21, Mundelein 7; Lake Zurich 27, Libertyville 9

Last year: Libertyville 42, Mundelein 0

Outlook: Both teams will look to get back in the win column after Week 4 setbacks. Libertyville coach Tim Budge tipped his hat to Erich Walldorf and his play defensively. “Erich is having a great season so far on defense,” he said. “He’s the leader of our offense and is making tons of plays at inside linebacker.” Defensive lineman Kaden Butt also has played well. “Kaden is having a great season,” Budge said. “He’s very versatile and is making lots of plays.” Versatile senior linemen Carson Holmes, Myles Batesky and Sawyer Kopala, “lead our offensive line and also play some defensive line,” Budge said. In the Lake Zurich game, Butt had 10 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and caused a fumble. Reid Williams had 12 total tackles and 2 interceptions, while Walldorf had 8 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and 1 quarterback hurry. “We have some really good leadership on our team and have made some really nice improvements in the first 4 weeks,” Budge said. “We have shown some signs of really great things, but we are working on being consistent in our execution on both sides of the ball. I feel that our best football is still out in front of us and once we get a little more consistent in our execution, which I know we will, we will thrive as a team.” Three of Mundelein’s first 4 opponents this season have 3-1 records heading into Week 5 (Grant, Zion and Stevenson).

Stevenson (3-1, 2-0) at Waukegan (0-4, 0-2)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Last week: Stevenson 21, Mundelein 7; Warren 51, Waukegan 0

Last year: Stevenson 35, Waukegan 6

Outlook: Some highlights from Stevenson’s win against Mundelein: Aidan Crawley threw for 153 yards and a touchdown and also ran for 76 yards and 2 touchdowns. Zach Becker caught 3 passes for 71 yards and a score. Stevenson coach Brent Becker pointed out the Patriots’ defense forced 6 three-and-outs in the win. Anthony Adams had 5 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and 3 quarterback pressures, while Caden Schultz had 6 tackles and 2 tackles for loss. Braedon O’Hara had 8 tackles, as did Sunny Tsui (2 tackles for loss). Dangelo Washington had 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss and a sack. Caden An was 3-for-3 on point-after attempts. Through 4 games, Crawley has thrown for 593 yards and 4 touchdowns and has run for 367 yards and 4 scores. Brandon Hersh (11 catches, 199 yards, 1 TD), Dylan Fawcett (16 catches, 162 yards) and Becker (7 catches, 159 yards, 1 TD) lead the receiving unit for Stevenson. Adams has 9 tackles for loss, 6 QB pressures and 3 sacks through 4 games, while Washington has 4 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. John Concialdi has 2 interceptions.

Other Week 5 Lake County Games

Highland Park (2-2) at Vernon Hills (1-3), 7 p.m.