Scouting Week 1 in the Fox Valley

Hampshire (6-4) at St. Edward (4-5)

When: Today at 7 p.m. at Greg True Field

Last year: St. Edward 15, Hampshire 7

Outlook: The last two games in this series have been thrillers. St. Edward won a defensive struggle last season, while the Whip-Purs prevailed in a 46-41 shootout in 2007. Last year, the Green Wave held the Whips to 162 total yards. The Wave defense will be led by its linebackers: seniors Shane Finnane, Jordan Torres and Nathan Gaige. St. Edward wants to run first and foremost, but coach Mike Rolando promises a more balanced offense this season with the emergence of junior quarterback Ben Lehman. The two teams have much in common. "We're two similar teams, blue-collar teams that run misdirection, run the ball, pound it at you," Rolando said. "Both teams usually work the tight end into the action and throw the ball off play action. We're in a tough conference. If we're not successful in this game, we're probably not going to be successful in our conference. It's a critical game for us." Hampshire returns running backs Ron Laramie and Caleb Kendrick. Third-year starter Cooper Smith anchors the lines on both sides of the line of scrimmage. The Whip-Purs expect the same physicality from the Wave as last year. "We know they're going to line up and try to jam the ball down our throat," Hampshire coach Dan Cavanaugh said. "It was a great game last year. They beat us by a touchdown. We expect more of the same and we know what the challenge is going to be. We just have to be as physical as they are. It's really a good game. We're close to each other and some of the kids know each other. It's a good rivalry." The game will be broadcast live on the radio on WRMN-1410 AM and streamed live on the Web at www.wrmn1410.com with announcers Jeff Meyers and Kyle Bault.

Larkin (4-5) at McHenry (3-6)

When: Today at 7:30 p.m. at McCracken Field

Last year: McHenry 18, Larkin 7

Outlook: Had the Royals been able to overcome the Warriors in the season opener a year ago they would have been a playoff qualifier. McHenry ended up missing the playoffs last season for the first time in 20 years. They'll try to bounce back behind talented quarterback Thomas Rose. "They've always had big-play potential in the passing game," Larkin coach Matt Gehrig said. "What their offense is based on is basically the wing-T concept with a lot of misdirection. They like to pull their guards a lot and attack the edge with their quick backs. They play a physical style of running football. What makes them hard to prepare for is that out of that wing-T they can easily spread out into a spread formation and run a lot of similar concepts. The spread they run marries well off their base wing-T set, which gives them nice multiplicity. They can run a lot of the same plays conceptually out of multiple formations, which means our defense has to be very sound in how they align." Larkin senior defensive back Reid Ellis and the secondary will be tested. Senior Cody Schue (6-2, 290) is a disruptive force on the defensive line. Offensively, sophomore quarterback Kyle Newquist makes his varsity debut. Senior tailback Jalen Williams could flirt with 1,000 yards this season. "We're going to learn a lot about ourselves Week 1 at McHenry," Gehrig said. "They're going to have a very determined group coming off last season. We have to be completely prepared when we take the field and really give it our best shot."

Dundee-Crown (3-6 at Elgin (1-8)

When: today at 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Field

Last year: Did not play

Outlook: A new series begins between nearby schools with similar winning percentages over the past five seasons. Since 2004, D-C has gone 11-34 (.244); Elgin 12-33 (.266). Both programs hope the fair matchup will help its respective players get on the right track for a successful season. "It's a good game for both teams," D-C coach Mike Davis said. "It might not be the best-played ballgame in the area, but I think it will be a very competitive game. I think the schools are very similar with basically the same clientele going to both schools. I hope it's a good game. We really don't know much about them, and I don't know what they know about us." Elgin's strength should be overall team speed. The Maroons will rotate several running backs and defensive backs and attack with a more traditional offense than the spread formation they relied on last season. Dundee-Crown will play juniors at many positions, including quarterback, where Tanner Kotlan makes his first varsity start. D-C plans to unveil a new offensive scheme, Davis said, so Elgin must be prepared for anything. "Having never played them you don't really know what to expect," Elgin coach Dave Bierman said. "I think their philosophy is a lot like mine: they run things based on what they have offensively and defensively. Even if you have a history against a team you're never sure what they're going to come out in. Two key things are going to be limiting mistakes - off sides, hanging onto the ball - things that are sometimes more evident in first games than they are down the road. The other thing is we've shown our team as many formations as we can because you don't know what the other team is going to come out in."

Moline (4-5) at Jacobs (2-7)

When: Today at 7:15 p.m.

Last year: Jacobs 31, Moline 30, 3OT

Outlook: The Golden Eagles look to bounce back from a down season with a new-look option offense. Sophomore Jason Judson is expected to take the reins at quarterback in a run-heavy scheme. Last season Jacobs traveled to the Quad Cities and survived a triple-overtime thriller when the Maroons missed an extra point. Moline went on to win four games in the Western Big Six Conference but fell shy of the playoffs for the first time in five years. They are a young team overall, with 10 seniors on the roster, nine of whom will see playing time. A recent report in the Quad City Times said Moline coach Joel Ryser will switch to a spread offense this season, so the Golden Eagles will have to be ready for anything. "They have always been a power football team," Jacobs coach Dean Schlueter said. "Last year, they went to a shotgun formation in passing situations and moved the ball down the field quickly. They're very disciplined and a strong team. They're very stout on defense." Linebackers Ben Albano and Brandon Huckabone and defensive back Mike Stein lead the Jacobs defense.

Bartlett (12-1) at Hoffman Estates (2-7)

When: today at 7:30 p.m. at Dennis Garber Stadium

Last year: Did not play

Outlook: For the first time in school history, Bartlett does not open the season against nearby Glenbard North, a mutual decision between the schools, Bartlett coach Tom Meaney said. Nevertheless, Bartlett should feel right at home in this battle of the Hawks since this is the first game Hoffman Estates will play on its newly installed FieldTurf, the same surface Bartlett has played on for years at Millennium Field. Bartlett's strength on defense is at linebacker. Three-year starters Jim Crain and Mike Banks are athletic and fly to the ball. Senior linemen Joey Quartullo, Brian Polubinski and Eric Moreno have motors that don't stop. The secondary should get an immediate test against Hoffman's passing attack. "We don't know a lot about them, but we do know they open it up," Meaney said. "They'll come right at you, but they also have a spread offense, a lot of bubbles and jet sweeps where they hand it off to a receiver in motion. We don't think they have a lot of returning starters by looking at it, so they're kind of the same thing we are as far as experience. We think it'll be a good matchup, except we have to go over there." Bartlett sophomore quarterback A.J. Bilyeu makes his debut.

Hoffman returns its top three offensive performers of 2008: junior quarterback David Gutierrez, senior tailback Foyin Alade and slotback Shammar McFarland. However, Gutierrez will miss this game with a broken bone in his foot. McFarland led Hoffman in scoring in last year.

Burlington Central (2-7) at Kaneland (5-5)

When: Today at 7:30

Last year: Kaneland 31, Burlington Central 7

Outlook: This is the sixth straight season these Kane County schools square off in the season opener. Kaneland holds a 4-1 advantage in the series, thanks in large part to its spread passing offense, which has proved prolific against Central defenses. The Rockets have dropped the last four meetings by a combined score of 170-75. "The thing with Kaneland and the offense they run, it just makes it hard to prepare for them in Week 1," Rockets coach Aaron Wichman said. "Offensively, they've had all summer to work on their timing and everything that goes with it. At the same time it gives us a realistic look at what kind of team we have because we're tested right away. I think they would throw every down if they could. They've been very successful with it." Kaneland return lots of talent, headed by junior quarterback Joe Camiliere. He completed 17-of-25 attempts for 228 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Central defense last year. Receivers Taylor Andrews and Blake Serpa are also back in the fold. Both caught TDs from Camiliere in last year's opener. Central will start junior quarterback Tim Maroder, a third-year varsity performer with great speed. Four of his offensive linemen return, headed by third-year starter Tim Seyller. Maroder will be tested by a Kaneland defense that returns starters at seven of 11 positions.

CL Central (7-3) at Cary-Grove (11-1)

When: Today at 7:15 p.m. at Al Bohrer Field

Last: First meeting since 2005

Outlook: These District 155 schools have not met on the football field since 2005 due to the blind draw used to determine Fox Valley Conference crossover matchups. Nevertheless, the Cary-Grove coaching staff has a handle on what to expect from the Tigers, who reached the playoffs last season and finished with a 7-3 record under coach Jon McLaughlin. "They're a power team, a very physical team, and they play tough football," Cary-Grove coach Bruce Kay said. "Of course, all we have is what we can see from film that we were able to obtain last year, but we know they won games and we got a look at them in the playoffs. They've gained a lot of confidence. It's not the same team we saw four years ago. Their kids work hard and their coaches do a good job." CL Central held teams to an average of 14 points a game last season. That average will get a stiff test from a loaded Cary-Grove offense that returns four seniors in the option backfield: quarterback Tyler Krebs, area leading returning rusher Eric Chandler (1,204 yards, 17 TDs), speed back Alex Hembrey and experienced Steve Hapanovich. The Trojans have won five straight season openers. The Tigers have won their last two openers against Streamwood, but the Trojans will provide a more difficult challenge.

Wauconda (4-5) at Huntley (9-2)

When: Today at 7:15 p.m. at Harmony Road Campus

Last year: Huntley 35, Wauconda 14

Outlook: Huntley begins it quest for a second consecutive playoff berth against the Bulldogs, who enter the season with a new coach and a new offense. Defensive coordinator Dave Mills takes over for former coach, ex-Chicago Bear Glen Kozlowski. Mills, a Utah native, has instituted a spread option offense popularized by University of Florida coach Urban Meyer, who previously coached at the University of Utah. "He comes from that BYU-Utah type of coaching, where they like to put the ball in the air a lot more," Huntley coach Steve Graves said of Mills. "I would seriously doubt their tailback will carry the ball 42 times a game like they did last year. We don't think we're going to see that. We think they'll be more of a skill-type offense, but we don't really know what to expect. That's made us better prepared for everyone, so I think that's made us better overall." Mills said shifty junior quarterback Brian Kent has a great arm, which will make the offense more versatile than the run-oriented attack of a year ago. He'll be protected by a ig offensive line, topped by seniors Jesus Moreno (275 pounds) and Cody Smith (255). Huntley junior Tyler Lycos has been taking reps at quarterback and will likely start for the Red Raiders, while returning senior quarterback Brandon Luczak moves to the defensive secondary. It will be interesting to see where powerful senior Marcus Popenfoose lines up. Graves said the veteran tight end could line up at any of five positions depending on the situation, including the offensive backfield. If so, the 6-foot-2, 245-pounder could be a load to bring down.

Grant (8-4) at CL South (10-3)

When: today at 7:45 p.m. at Ken Bruhn Field

Last year: Did not play

Outlook: CL South's history of playing tough nonconference games continues. Grant reached the Class 6A quarterfinals last season, but lost a lot of talent, including all but one offensive lineman: 6-foot-3, 265-pound senior Travis Stefanowski. "It's a good challenge for us," Gators coach Jim Stuglis said. "They're coming off a good year when they beat Huntley (in a second-round playoff game), which we felt was a real good team, so they obviously know how to play defense. And they know how to be physical. That's what Huntley reported to us. So that will be a test for us right away, for guys who are inexperienced to have to go into that type of game right off the bat. They have their quarterback and fullback coming back, and that's two quality positions. It'll be a test for us. Not that we'd want it any other way. We want these good tests in nonconference games to see where we're at and what we have to work on." Grant's quarterback is Justin Cokefair. The returning fullback is Dan Hourihan, who topped the 1,000-yard plateau last year and scored 11 touchdowns. They will face a CL South defense led by senior linebacker J.D. Barchard, nose Sam McCole and safety Alex Macaulay, all of whom were key players on a 3-3-5 defense that got better and better as last season progressed, culminating in a berth in the Class 7A state semifinals.

Marmion (3-6) at South Elgin (3-6)

When: Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Millennium Field

Last year: Marmion 33, South Elgin 7

Outlook: South Elgin is a program on the rise with the influx of a talented junior class that went 16-2 at the lower levels of the Upstate Eight Conference. For the Storm to prove this will indeed be breakthrough season - one that could possibly end in its first playoff appearance - the fourth-year program must win nonconference games like this. Marmion has won the last three meetings in this series by a combined score of 126-53. "The first game is huge for everybody," South Elgin coach Dale Schabert said. "You work hard in the off-season, the spring and the summer and you want to get that win you've worked so hard for. The first time we played them it was pretty close. The second time around we had a bad night, caught by a lot of turnovers. Last year it started as a pretty close game, then they moved the ball all over the place. We were able to move the ball a lot, but 2 big turnovers killed us." South Elgin lost middle linebacker Sean Kolber to injury three plays into last year's contest. He returns this season to lead a defense that should stiffen against the run, thanks to a trio of talented junior linebackers flanking him. Marmion has its share of up-and-coming talent as well. It's junior class won the Suburban Catholic Conference last season while the hard luck varsity was losing by 2 points to Class 5A state champion St. Francis and by 2 points to Class 2A state champion Immaculate Conception. The Cadets return running back Matt Pircon (9.1 yards per carry), fullback Bobby Winkel and defensive tackle Ryan Lovelace (6-5, 290). However, Lovelace is expected to miss this game as he continues to recover from a broken foot. "They'll mix it up," Schabert said of the Marmion offense. "One play will be misdirection wing-T, the next play they could line up five-wide in shotgun. They show you a lot of different formations."