Game of the Week

The 2009 high school football season is well under way and after a few setbacks--the sideline death of Curie's Quaashi Chandler and the game ending brawl between North Chicago and Simeon--things are as normal as one could hope for.

A big congrats to head coach Bert Kooi and his boys in Minooka for their 21-14 victory over one time Minooka head coach Mike Briscoe and his team at Plainfield South.

With that big win, maybe the attention of some has been caught and the Indians might sneak into a Top 25 sometime soon. But they'll have to keep at it. Friday night will determine if they can stay at it when they go to Oswego East, even though East hasn't won a game yet this season and has only scored twenty points this year, while allowing 32+ in each of its games.

Prediction:

Minooka 42, Oswego East 7--Minooka QB Mitch Brozovich runs for 117 yds and 2 scores while collecting 247 yards and a touchdown through the air.

Game of the Week

After two weeks of football, there has been so much action to watch and read about. Be it from Lake Forest's Tommy Rees turning in that 526 yd. passing performance last week, the death of Curie player Quaashi A. Chandler or the ridiculous fights at the Simeon vs. North Chicago and the Niles West vs. Niles North games.

But no matter what we are feeling as humans, be it happiness or pain, we have to move on.

And tonight, everybody will be trying to do that.

There is much talk that the Game of the Week will be played between (15) Joliet Catholic and (19) Nazareth or (14) Providence and (17) Loyola. Can JCA turn around after the loss to the Celtics last week? Will the Celtics keep their motors running against Loyola this week? It doesn't matter. The Game of the Week will be played between (6) Hinsdale Central at (8) Glenbard West.

Both schools have great QB's in John Whitelaw (Hinsdale Central) and Tyler Warden so watch for both to have big yards via land and air.

Pick: Glenbard West 24, Hinsdale Central 22

Rest now, Quaashi A. Chandler.

Friday night, a young man was taken from each of us on the sidelines in Bolingbrook.

Quaashi Chandler, running back/defensive back for Curie, collapsed with 41 seconds left in the game and was given immediate emergency attention before being taken to Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital. And as his teammates and opponents for the evening shook hands after the game, Chandler died at the hospital.

What a horrible thing to witness. A young man with his entire life to live, playing a game that he presumably loved, with his best friends and he is taken away for all to witness.

My heart and prayers are with this young mans family and friends.