Schaumburg, Elk Grove gear up for Thursday showdown

A short week already has Mid-Suburban League football coaches working overtime for Thursday's games.

And the 6:30 p.m. crossover featuring two of the league's most dynamic performers when Elk Grove (2-1) and Nick Meyer visit Schaumburg (3-0) and Shepard Little is also cutting into the sleep time of both coaches.

Meyer is 45-for-83 passing for an area-best 669 yards with 7 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. The senior also has rushed for 318 yards and 4 TDs.

"Meyer is more impressive every time I watch him," said Schaumburg coach Mark Stilling, whose team is atop The Associated Press Class 8A state poll for the second straight week. "He makes good decisions and makes you pay for every mistake.

"If you don't execute and break down he's going to find your misstep and punish you for it."

Elk Grove coach Brian Doll said last week was Meyer's "best game defensively as a high school player" with his number of open-field tackles and tipped and knocked down passes.

Meyer, linebacker Joey Bishoff and the aggressive Grenadiers will need to be at the top of their game with Little (area-best 683 rushing yards, 7 TDs) and quarterback Mark Iannotti (30-for-39, 306 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs).

"Without a doubt, we've all been spending a couple of extra hours trying to figure out this offense," Doll said. "They look pretty special.

"It's a pretty good group of kids led by two special athletes and that's as good as it gets."

It also isn't a show of just a couple of players between two teams that start their drive toward division titles next week. Doll said Schaumburg's defensive line led by the relentless Joe Zolper may be the best he's seen of the nine teams he's watched on film.

"He's a man against some big boys," Doll said with a laugh.

Elk Grove has plenty of threats beyond Meyer and Bishoff in Eddie Stahl, Mike Wary and Eddie Solorio.

"(Bishoff) stands out, but I don't think they lose much throwing the ball to any of their other guys," Stilling said.

Another dynamic duel: Another showcase of some of the MSL's top athletes will be in Thursday's crossover of 2-1 teams when Prospect visits Palatine.

Prospect has the dangerous running duo of Peter Bonahoom (434 yards, 5 TDs) and quarterback Steve Dazzo (385 yards, 4 TDs).

"They do a great job with ball fakes and their line is very athletic and really quick," said Palatine coach Tyler Donnelly.

Palatine counters with quarterback Cody Bobbit (38-for-57 passing, 395 yards, 4 TDs; 209 yards rushing, 5 TDs) and running back-linebacker Jim Smearman (341 yards, 3 TDs).

"Offensively they just do so much," said Prospect coach Brent Pearlman. "It's a good time for a game like this."

Unfamiliar position: Buffalo Grove coach Jim Farrell knows his team isn't hosting a typical 0-3 team in Fremd on Thursday.

"They've had great opportunities in all three games and they're a few plays away from being 3-0," said Farrell, a 1993 Fremd graduate.

But a traditional staple of success for a Fremd program with 15 straight playoff berths has been part of its downfall this year with a minus-8 turnover ratio.

"We're not that far off," said Fremd coach Mike Donatucci. "When you look on film there are good chunks of film that say we're a good team.

"But we're playing not to lose instead of to win. We're looking over our shoulder and saying this could happen and that could happen. We have to cut loose."

Donatucci is encouraged by the hardworking nature of his senior class. Ohio State-bound Brian Bobek returned last week from injury and was impressive in his move to guard. Donatucci said Northwestern-bound Jack Konopka "has been doing everything we ask of him" in a variety of offensive roles.

Korab back for St. Viator: St. Viator will get a boost with senior quarterback Cameron Korab returning from an ankle injury for Friday's East Suburban Catholic Conference visit by Nazareth to Forest View.

Korab was 17-for-24 passing for 300 yards with 3 TDs before he was hurt in Week 2 against Dunbar. Viator hasn't scored since he went out and lost 39-0 last week at Carmel.

"We just couldn't get anything going," said Viator coach Chris Kirkpatrick. "Cameron's not like Michael Vick back there, but he knows how to run our offense better."

Kirkpatrick said defensive lineman Anthony Pensa is still debating about trying to play after blowing out an ACL in his knee. Linebacker Marcus Niro (shoulder) has been cleared to play.

"With the injury he has it will be tough, but I give him credit for trying it," Kirkpatrick said.

Crossover score card: The West leads the East 7-5 going into Thursday's final round of MSL crossovers.