Scouting Wauconda at Stillman Valley

Wauconda (1-0) at Stillman Valley (1-0)

When: 7 p.m., today

Last week: Wauconda def. Huntley, 44-34; Stillman Valley def. Evansville (Wis.), 46-12

Outlook: Wauconda coach Dave Mills says that after charting 98 percent attendance during weight room hours over the summer, his team showed what it was made of by getting a hard-fought win over Huntley last week. The Bulldogs have the chance to show a whole lot more today. The Bulldogs' Week 2 task is no easy one. On the road, against a defending state champion. Stillman Valley went 14-0 last season and won the Class 3A championship by defeating Tolono Unity, 52-22. "It's going to be a great environment and really fun," Mills said. "It's going to be fun to see the energy of small-town football, where everyone in the town is at the football game on Friday night. It's like Texas down there. They've won four state titles in 11 years. They've got a great program and tradition there."-Stillman Valley also still has a lot of the same personnel from last year. Mills says that 11 of 22 starters are back for the option-loving team, including fullback Adam Cox, quarterback Dane Green and halfback Nate Bond. "They are a very talented team again this year," Mills said. "They take a lot of pride in their football program and we are really looking forward to the challenge."-The challenge for Stillman Valley will be to stop a determined Wauconda team that took a 30-14 lead into halftime after falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter last week. The Bulldogs scored 23 second-quarter points. Quarterback Brian Kent had a spectacular night once the offense got on track. He ran for 167 yards on 18 carries, threw for 229 yards on 12-of-19 attempts and scored 5 touchdowns. Kent's big target was senior wide receiver Brandon Dorsey, who caught 5 passes for 106 yards.