Strange to see Geneva, St. Charles East both at 0-2

As the majority of our local football teams await this weekend's conference openers, here are some of my observations through the first two weeks of the season:

• Geneva and St. Charles East are both 0-2 as they prepare for Friday's first matchup as conference foes since the days of the Little Seven Conference. While both teams have played tough nonconference opponents, it still seems strange to see them without a victory heading into Week 3 - especially considering that Geneva hasn't lost more than two games since 2005 (finished 7-4) and has compiled a 44-6 mark the last four years, and St. Charles East has finished with just 3 losses in each of the last five years.

Collectively, the two squads own a 94-30 record over the past five seasons and have qualified for postseason play in each of those years. But they'll have to get hot in a hurry to keep their streaks alive.

• A year ago, Geneva edged St. Charles East 13-6 in Mike Fields' debut as Saints head coach. Fields, a former Vikings assistant coach, will get an opportunity Friday night to return to Geneva's Burgess Field.

"From a personal standpoint, it's hard to put into words because I spent 10 years of my life at Geneva," said Fields. "I met my wife working there. It's a wonderful community and school."

Geneva coach Rob Wicinski also looks forward to the conference meeting.

"Now it means something even more," said Wicinski. "I think it's (conference change) a real plus for everybody. I see it as nothing but a positive. I know all of the boosters are happy about this."

• If the Saints win Friday night, they'll undoubtedly be excited but I doubt they'll stage a victory march back to school like they did in the 1970s when St. Charles High School was located at the current Thompson Middle School site.

• St. Charles North's offense can air it out, evidenced by quarterback Matt Shiltz's team-record 7 touchdown passes for 383 yards during last week's 62-49 road win over McHenry. Senior wide receiver Josh Mikes, gifted with great hands and a college-type build, caught 4 of Shiltz' TD tosses against McHenry and finished with 6 receptions for 212 yards.

• North Stars coach Mark Gould may be faced with a difficult decision if/when last year's starting QB, Jake Bergren, returns from a broken hand. Shiltz has thrown 9 TD passes in his first two games as a starter.

• St. Charles North athletic director Dan Dolney might want to make sure the scoreboard lights are in working order prior to Friday night's home opener against Neuqua Valley, considering that a total of 176 points have been scored in the North Stars' first two contests.

• With junior quarterback Noel Gaspari back at the helm, Batavia's passing game appears to be vastly improved. Gaspari has completed 57 percent of his passes (28 of 49) for 367 yards, with TD passes to Joe Sortino and David Peskind.

At 5-feet-8, Peskind is the smallest of the Bulldogs' receivers, who includes 6-4 sophomore Zach Strittmatter, 6-2 junior Evan Zeddies and 6-2, 195-pound senior Sortino - one of the Bulldogs' few three-sport varsity athletes (football, basketball, baseball) a year ago.

• Injuries are a part of the game, but it wasn't easy to watch when St. Charles East backup QB Dean Bowen suffered a broken arm after being tackled on a fourth-quarter run last week against Naperville North. As doctors and trainers attended to Bowen near the sidelines, the look on the faces of the Saints' coaching staff said it all - some had to look away.

"He's a great kid who has worked so hard to here," said Saints coach Mike Fields. "He was fighting with Charlie (Fisher) for the quarterback job every week."

With Fisher also limping noticeably in the second half against Naperville North, the Saints soon may have to go to option C.

• Congratulations to first-year Aurora Central Catholic coach Brian Casey, whose Chargers won their first home game in nearly four years with last Friday's 19-7 victory over Marengo. That span totaled 1,448 days between homefield wins.

Victories of any kind have been rare for the Chargers, who equaled their win total from the past two seasons (1-17 in 2008-09) last weekend. ACC hasn't won more than two games since the Chargers went 3-6 in 2002.

When was the Chargers' last winning campaign?

That came in 1997 when they finished 6-4 and qualified for the Class 3A playoffs.

• Aurora Christian, Kaneland, West Aurora and Marmion are off to the area's best starts as all three squads are 2-0. While quarterbacks Anthony Maddie and Joe Camiliere have led the way for the Eagles and Knights, respectively, the Cadets' defense has been the story, having allowed just 13 points in its first two games.

• You may contact Craig Brueske at csb4k@hotmail.com.