Playoffs? Yes, we're talking playoffs

It's a little hard to believe, especially considering the temperatures we've been enjoying lately, but there's only two more games left of the high school football regular season.

Two more games for teams to either perfect their play as they prepare for the postseason, clinch a playoff berth with another win or two, or simply try and gain a head start on the 2011 campaign by taking a look at some underclassmen.

Here's what our local teams are looking forward to the next two weeks:

Already in

Kaneland (7-0): Judging from their first seven games, it will take a strong defense to slow down the Knights.Averaging nearly 43 points per game, Kaneland is off to a 7-0 start and has clinched a playoff spot for the 16th time in the last 17 years.Third-year starting quarterback Joe Camiliere has the ability to beat you with his arm of his legs, and he's got a stable of weapons to choose from RB Blake Serpa, RB/WR Taylor Andrews, WR/TE Tyler Callaghan and WR Quinn Buschbacher.A youthful offensive line, which includes a freshman (Alex Snyder) and sophomore (Nick Sharp), and a solid defensive interior, anchored by senior Jimmy Boyle, has the Knights in position to make a lengthy postseason run.While it's true that their first seven foes currently have losing records, don't worry about the Knights being fully tested with upcoming games against unbeaten Sycamore and Morris (5-2).Marmion (7-0): The Cadets have adopted the motto, #8220;Humble, Focused, and Hungry, this season.I'll add stingy to the list.Through their first seven games, the Cadets have allowed just 46 points less than a touchdown per contest.Only one opponent (Aurora Christian) has reached double figures against coach Dan Thorpe's team.Ryan Glasgow, Mike Eberth and Blake Mickey have strengthened the defensive line, while T.J, Lally, Nick Scoliere, Mike Carbonara and Rob Voirin bolster the linebacking/secondary.Lally may be the area's top two-way player, as he also is a standout tailback.The Cadets appear to have all the ingredients to make a deep playoff run strong defense, a ball-control offense, and solid special teams.Mammoth tackles Jake Winkel (6-3, 275) and Graham Glasgow (6-7, 295) have opened holes for Lally, Scoliere, Garret Becker, Jordan Meyer and Mitch Loehmann.Meanwhile, left-footed kicker A.J. Friedman has already booted a 47-yard field goal (vs. Marian Central Catholic) and a 72-yard punt (vs. St. Francis).#8220;That's a great football team, Aurora Christian coach Don Beebe said after a Week 6 loss to the Cadets. #8220;They are going to be hard to beat in Class 6A.Geneva (5-2): After opening the season with back-to-back losses, the Vikings found themselves trailing St. Charles East 20-10 heading into the fourth quarter of their Week Upstate Eight Conference River Division debut.Four games and one furious fourth-quarter rally later, the Vikings now own a 5-2 mark and have clinched their seventh consecutive state playoff berth.Coach Rob Wicinski's squad may have saved its season thanks to that 20-point fourth quarter in its 30-20 comeback win over the Saints.Junior Matt Williams, who played wide receiver last season, has settled in at quarterback, as evidenced by his 4-TD effort (2 passing, 2 rushing) in last Friday's 48-7 win over Streamwood.Armed with power (FB/LB Connor Quinn), and speed (RB Joe Cella, DB-KR Doug Berthold), the Vikings have averaged 37.4 points during their winning streak.On the bubbleAurora Christian (4-3): Coach Don Beebe's Eagles will advance to the state playoffs (based on 39 playoff points) for the ninth straight time if they can split one of their two remaining games.But that won't necessarily be easy, considering they'll face Immaculate Conception (5-2) and St. Francis (4-3) to close out the regular season.Junior QB Anthony Maddie (1,575 yards, 17 TDs, 9 interceptions) has plenty of receiving targets, including sophomore Chad Beebe, Andrew Cassara, Brandon Mayes, Grayson Roberts and C.J. Schutt.Playing in the rugged Suburban Christian Blue, the Eagles will be battle-tested for the Class 3A playoffs should they qualify.Batavia (4-3); Perhaps the most improved team in the area, the Bulldogs are also likely one win away from reaching the state playoffs. That would be a great accomplishment for a team that went 2-7 in 2009.Junior QB Noel Gaspari has thrown 9 TD passes to 5 different receivers David Peskind (3), Joe Sortino (3), Cole Gardner, Ben Fornek and Evan Zeddies and he also has scored 3 rushing TDs.The Bulldogs also have a potential two-way star in 6-3, 235-pound junior FB/DE Alec Lyons.St. Charles North (3-4): It has been quite a bumpy ride for the North Stars this season after their Class 7A state quarterfinal appearance in 2009.After losing all 11 defensive starters to graduation, the North Stars also lost QB Jake Bergren to a broken hand before the 2010 season even kicked off.However, Matt Shiltz has stepped in admirably (17 TD passes) as STC North's signal-caller, flanked by WR Josh Mikes and RBs Ben Hodges and Dirk Schmitt.Bergren returned to the field three weeks ago and has been used both on offense (WR-RB) and defense (DB). If the North Stars can continue to improve defensively, they just might secure their ninth straight postseason berth.But they'll need wins over Batavia and cross-town rival St. Charles East.West Aurora (3-4): The Blackhawks possess a great deal of young talent, led by junior QB Josh Campbell, junior RB Tyson Lassiter, junior WR Preston Felker, and sophomore WR Cole Childs, to go with senior leaders Nate Zinzer and Marcus Waller.Coach Buck Drach's squad needs two victories to reach postseason play for the first time since 1994.But it will take a Herculean effort since West Aurora must face top-ranked 7A foe Wheaton Warrenville South (7-0) Oct. 22.Playing for prideSt. Charles East (2-5): For the first time since the school split more than a decade ago, it's possible that a St. Charles team will be denied a playoff berth.One thing is certain St. Charles East will not be returning to the playoffs in 2010 after beginning the season with a 5-game losing streak.While the Saints have received valuable senior leadership from RB Mike Brown, WR Kevin Russell, TE-DE Andrew Carrano and WR-RB-DB Zach Zajicek, the future belongs to a group of talented underclassmen that includes juniors Jake Sheley, Dom Bucaro, Tim Leibforth, Clay Ammarell, Kyle Lanthier, Charlie Fisher, Jake Mazanke, Danny Muzzalupo, and sophomores Joe Hoscheit, Mike Eyre and Jacob Bruce.Aurora Central Catholic (2-5): It may not sound like much, but first-year head coach Brian Casey has guided the Chargers to two wins one more than they had the previous two seasons combined.Junior RBs Kyle Clechenko and Marcus Jefferson provide hope for the future, and ACC could still reach the 4-win plateau (remaining games vs. St. Francis and Guerin).The Chargers' last 4-win season came in 2001. Their last 3-win campaign was in 2002.You can reach Craig Brueske at csb4k@hotmail.com 20241464Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.comSt. Charles NorthÂ’s Matt Shiltz.