Round 2 Big Ones

Round 2 started for most teams in the state last Friday or Saturday after winning their Round 1 games. There were some expected losses, a few surprises and even a court order to allow one team to play the game. Oh what a week. In just about 24-hours, Dunbar and Harper will kick-off this weekends games and I have a few I'd love to see.

First off, the battle in Wheaton.

(4)Wheaton North pays a visit to (1)WW South at 7 p.m. Saturday. The second meeting of the two squads, beside bragging rights, means more to all then the first time around. WW South beat North 42-12 earlier this season, thanks in part to the 4 turnovers committed by North QB Reece Butler. Butler, however, likes the pressure placed on him by himself to rectify the situation. Will Butler's numbers (1,847 yards, 17 tds) stand fast against the Tiger defense anchored by 6'3 lineman Will Davis and his 7.5 sacks? Only time will tell.

The Encore Performance of The Battle of Ridge Road.

(3)Minooka travels to (2)Plainfield South Saturday night at 6 to try to bring home the road sign they lost earlier this season. With a defense reminding me of a certain team that will go unnamed as of late, I see Minooka bringing the glory back home where it belongs. If Max Brozovich, Jake Residori and Alex Hamilton play as whole hearted as they did last week against Quincy (all three had blocked punts) I don't see a problem. Has Coach Kooi given his Indians what they need to know about Coach Briscoe's spread offense to stop their blatantly quick game? We'll find out Saturday.

Game of the Week

Somebody, either they or them, is going to bed tonight knowing that their undefeated season is now over. It was a good run, boys, strap it on again, the second season starts in two weeks. Maybe you have no idea who I'm talking about? Only the undefeated Glenbard North and WW South teams who will be smashing heads tonight at 7:30. Both teams are well coached and both teams are fast. Should be a real barn burner tonight. But lets not forget about Kaneland and Sycamore. Both without a loss. Both battling for the first ever Northern Illinois Big 12 East championship trophy. Maple park will be all the buzz Friday night.

Will the Mid-Suburban East championship be decided tonight when Prospect lines up against Elk Grove at 7:30? Both teams are 6-1 and still undefeated in conference play.

Will the streak continue tonight? We'll find out sometime after 7:30 tonight when Vernon Hills defends their home turf against Lake Forest. In case you didn't know, Vernon Hills is 7-0 and has yet to allow any team they've played this year score a single point. They've outscored their opponents 310-0. But tonight they're playing a team that averages 36 points a game. Stay tuned Batfans.

What's Going Down in Week 5

After having a look around, and noticing all the good, the bad and the ugly (I'll be nice and name no teams...of course, you all know who you are), I am reminded what this week really is. Beside Week 5 of the Twenty-Ten Football Season, it is the week in which a team is going to the playoffs or not starts to be noticed. For example:

Checking out? If Providence loses this week, they're done for the year. Without a victory yet this season, and in one of, if not THE toughest conference in the state, with Rita and Mount Carmel still on their schedule, if the Celtics lose this week, like I've already said, their season is over. Will their streak of 20 straight seasons in the playoffs come to an end this weekend?

My opinion? The Celtics are done.

Who's the bigger boy? Naperville North's Matt LaCosse or WW South's Reilly O'Toole? We'll find out Friday night when the two funky QB's match up. Will it be the sly running ability of LaCosse or the air assault of O'Toole that leads a team to victory Friday night?

NN or WW? I'm a bit hesitant, but I'm pulling for LaCosse to trump O'Toole and notch WW South from the Top Spot of the polls.

Who's gonna stay at the top? Minooka travels to knock heads with Plainfield South Friday night. Both are 4-0 and resting atop the Southwest Prairie leader board. Can Bert Kooi's Indians stay perfect while facing ex-Minooka head coach Mike Briscoe's Cougars?

Well? It's like running into an ex-girlfriend at the movie shop. She looks good, is doing damn well and you're forced to remember you left her behind for a more attractive model. Minooka by 21.

Can they keep up the Monsters of the Midway like persona they've had all season? Antioch (4-0) visits Vernon Hills (4-0) at 7:30 Friday night. Antioch is averaging 42 points a contest. Vernon Hills has yet to allow a single point in four games. What's gonna go down?

Vernon Hills finally allows points, but still come out with the W by 21.

The Big Games

The day that every football player in his teens dreams about has arrived. The Big Game. The one where you leave it all on the field. The one that memories are made. It's time to crown the State Champion. If these games play out anything close to the barn burners last weekend, the entire state of Illinois is in for a few treats this weekend. Lets see....

Friday, November 27

4A

[7]Metamora 41, [8]Geneseo 7
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Saturday, November 28

5A

[12]Montini 29, [6]Joliet Catholic 28

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6A

[1]Cary-Grove 34, [2]Providence 17
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7A

[2]WW South 31, [1]Glenbard West 24---2 OT
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8A

[1]Maine South 41, [4]Marist 17

Game of the Week

So, it's Week 8 and it's pretty much determined who it is that will be playing in the playoffs at the end of the month. What class these teams will actually land is yet to be determined, but, that never really has mattered to me. If a team is good enough to get to the dance, it doesn't matter who they're dancing with, all they need to do is dance. If you didn't pick up on it, the dance is the playoffs.

This coming weekend will be big, with explosive game after explosive game.

Somebody's door to a beautiful, undefeated season will be closed this weekend when
(22)Crystal Lake South goes to (19)Cary-Grove Friday night to battle at 7:15.

(9)Glenbard North plays host and hopes to derail (3)WW South Friday night at 7:30.

Two of the L-W schools will do the dance Friday as well as (25)L-W Central hosts (10)L-W East at 7 o'clock.

Dan Sharp's boys at (13)Joliet Catholic go to (21)Marian Catholic to try and better their playoff spot.

And a newby to Steve Tucker's Top 25, (20)Glenbrook South will try to upset (1)Maine South Saturday at 1:30 in the afternoon.

But then there is the game that matters most to me, and since this is my blog, I can admit this game to the list; Minooka at Oswego, 7 p.m. Friday.

With a win, 5-2 Minooka will lock up a spot in the dance. With a loss, they'll have to really step it up for their season ender. Oswego, also 5-2, is sitting in the same boat as the Indians. If the Panthers win, they're in, with a loss, they've got to step it up as well.

Predictions:

Cary-Grove 28, Crystal Lake South 26
Glenbard North 37, WW South 21
L-W East 39, L-W Central 12
Joliet Catholic 56, Marian Catholic 38
Maine South 35, Glenbrook South 32
Minooka 49, Oswego 37

Game of the Week

This was a tough decesion to make with Joliet Catholic cruising East down Rt. 30 to play against Providence in the "Two Power House Football Programs From The Joliet Area Bowl" this Friday, considering the two schools have stockpiled 22 state titles between them, but The Game of the Week will be played at Maine South as the #2 Hawks play host to #1 WW South at 7:30. Get there early people, it's going to be tough finding a seat.

WEEK 1 IS OVA!!!

So, the first week of high school football is complete and for the most part, the games played out pretty much as many believed they would. But there were a few early season upsets. But upsets make you stronger.

A very big congrats to the Robeson defense, who allowed just 13 yards of offense during their 40-6 man handling of Julian. Dion Grace led the attack with eight tackles and three sacks while freshman Devaughn Gaultney picked up a sack and a fumble recovery. The Robeson "D" also stopped the Julian "O" 15 times behind the line of scrimmage.

In Robbie Gould like fashion, Joliet Catholic kicker Robbie Cranmer kicked a 35-yarder that split the uprights, with no clicks left on the clock, to win the game against Carmel 19-16. Congrats for not loosing your cool like I would have, Robbie, and missed the ball as I tried to kick it.

And to wrap it up, another congrats goes to the boys over at Maine East who have finally ended that horrible 39-game loosing streak they've been riding since 2004 by beating Schurz 19-9. Their last win, 22-0, came October 3, 2004 against Niles North. Feels real nice doesn't it boys?