WEEK 9 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

The Blue Demons, travel to Highland Park in search of Win No.1 against the Giants.

The Hawks look to wrap up another, unbeaten CSL South championship, against the winless Wolves. QB Jack Lochner (500 passing yards, 4TD) leads the Niles West attack.

Cole Dow (900 passing yards 7TD), will look for the area’s top receiver, junior Danny Lazic (549 receiving yards 5TD), in what the Hawks hope will be a tune-up, for a Class 8A First-Round, playoff game on October 26, at Wilson Field. Senior Danny Wolf, leads the Hawk ground attack with 373 yards and five touchdowns. LBs Jimmy Bartell and Luke Preston, lead the Hawk defense.

It’s a must-win-game for JCA coach Jake Jaworski and his Hilltoppers at the No. 2 Dons Friday night. Joliet Catholic’s Keenan Hailey (1,434 rushing yards, 108 points) and Notre Dame’s Ty Gavin (958 rushing yards, 120 points), lead the area in rushing yardage (Hailey) and points scored (Gavin).

Gavin injured an ankle after rushing for 50 yards and a touchdown in the Dons’ 21-7 at Carmel. Standout Don LB, Anthony Ranallo moved to FB and broke 60 and 14-yard, fourth quarter, touchdowns, to lead ND past the Corsairs.  Sophomore QB, Anthony Sayles rushed for over 120 yards, including an 88-yard scamper, that set up Ranallo’s, second touchdown.

Joliet Catholic fullback, Nick Iannantone, has rumbled for 647 yards and has scored six touchdowns, for the Hilltoppers. “Hailey’s Comet”, will have to shine bright over Niles, for JCA to make the playoffs.

Before a LIVE ME-TV 2 audience and an expected huge crowd, at Benedictine University, the Redwings look to derail Marist’s East Suburban Catholic Conference Championship trip to Lisle. With a victory, the RedHawks would wrap up an outright ESCC crown. A Redwing win could create a three-way tie, atop the ESCC, with Marist, Nazareth and Notre Dame.

The RedHawks are led by their dual-threat QB Mikey Markett. Markett, has thrown for over 1,700 yards, with a dozen touchdown passes. Markett, has also ran for 650 yards and 10 touchdowns. The fleet-footed WR, Jayden Thompson, has over 700 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, for the RedHawks. RB Billy Skalitzky, has ran for over 400 yards with eight touchdowns and hauled in over 500 pass receiving yards with three touchdowns.

Junior QB Colin Gillespie, leads the Redwing attack, throwing for 1,125 yards with eight touchdown passes. 6-foot-6 Niko Kaspryzcki, is Gillespie’s favorite receiver, with over 400 yards and three touchdowns. The Redwing ground attack, is led by senior RBs, Ben Hickey (591 yards, 8TD) and Mike Wymer (453 yards, six touchdowns).

Lisle (8-0) at Coal City (7-1) Friday 7
In the unofficial Interstate 8 Conference Championship game pits the I-8 Small Champion Lions of Lisle at the I-8 Large Champions from Coal City. The Coalers are led by their sixth-in-the-state rated defense, which allows a miniscule 5.4 points-per-game. Juniors DE Brady Crawford and DB Dan Jezic lead the Coaler “D”. Crawford leads the team with five sacks and 9 tackles for loss, among his 45 tackles. Jezic is the leading tackler for Coal City, with 54, 12 for losses and four sacks.

Jezic, is the Coalers leading rusher, with 563 yards and four touchdowns. Senior Connor Skubic, chips in with 453 yards and three touchdowns. Three-sports Coal City star, junior QB, Payton Hutchings, has thrown for 725 yards with seven touchdown passes. Sophomore Asa Cooper, is Hutchins’ favorite receiver, with 281 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

The Lions are led by their senior QB/DB/PK, Jay McGrath. McGrath, has thrown for 999 yards and seven touchdowns. 6-foot-5 Jake Kowal (330 yards, 3TD) and the recently, returned, “Demo” Kellie (284 yards 3TD), are McGrath’s favorite receivers. Dylan Laue is the leading ground-gainer for the Lions with 332 yards and five touchdowns. McGrath has rushed for 247 yards and seven touchdowns. McGrath is currently fifth in the area in scoring with 73 points.

MARK   Lisle 7 Coal City 6

The seven-time, defending SPC champion Panthers, from Oswego, invade “The South Side” looking for their eighth, consecutive, SPC championship. QB Noah Parker, has thrown for 1,362 yards with 14 touchdowns, with only two interceptions. The fleet-footed Panther WR, James Fomby, is Parker’s favorite receiver. Fomby, has hauled in 36  catches for 720 yards and nine touchdowns. WR 
Jack Lemke, has 17 catches for 420 yards and three touchdowns. James Coleman, takes care of the Panther ground attack, having run for 813 yards and 16 touchdowns. The Panther defense, is currently tied for 10th in the state(6.3ppg) and is led LB Kendall Aguirre.

The vaunted Cougar “D” looks to send the Panthers, back to Oswego, with their first defeat of the season and an SPC title share, with the Cougars. Senior LB Connor Hall, leads a Cougar defense that allows 10 points-per-game. LB Jake Kendall and DE Adriel  Montemayor, add support troops for the Cougs. S Matt Fuller anchors the Cougar secondary.

South’s QB Cody Dieball (454 rushing yards, 8TD), is back from a broken foot injury. Cougar leading rusher, Tod Bell (570 yards, 9TD) has emerged as another weapon, in the Cougar backfield. Look out for RB Julian Donahue, who ran all over Plainfield North, last week. 

The Indians, look for their seventh, consecutive win, to close out the 2018 regular season. Oswego East’s defense, is currently ranked fourth in the state, allowing just 4.8 points-per-game. Oswego East DB Justin Clark, anchors the “Big Bad” Wolves defense. Clark is also QB Brad Fern’s favorite receiver.

The Indians counter, with the area’s top passer, junior Seth Lehr, who has thrown for 1,170 yards and 12 touchdowns. Lehr has also ran for seven more touchdowns.  Senior WR, Braden Vercler (283 yards 3TD), is Lehr’s favorite receiver, along with junior WR Steven Gonzales (264 yards, 3TD). Junior Noah Ellens,  is the Indians leading rusher, with 530 yards and six touchdowns.

“Sack Master” junior LB Jake Shipla, is the Indians leading tackler and has 11 quarterback sacks. in 2018. 

The two Plainfield school’s, battle for bragging rights on Plainfield’s North Side. Ben Mazurkiewicz (1,060 yards,6TD) closes out his

Bengal career. WRs Nick Smith (390 yards, 6TD) and Javen Mays (330 yards 2TD), are Mazurkiewicz’s, favorite receiver.

Tiger junior QB Eben Heine (753 yards 9 TD), will look for favorite, receiver Marcellus Moore (298 yards 3TD). Nate Simpson (307 yards) leads the Tigers’ ground attack. 

West QB Alfonso Sanchez, leads the Tigers into “The Battle of Joliet”, at Central. Sanchez has thrown for 734 yards and seven touchdowns. Sanchez will look for his favorite receiver in senior Kevon Dorris. Dorris has hauled in an area’s second best, 509 receiving yards and six touchdowns. WR Dougals Dobbs Jr., has hauled in four touchdown passes and over 300 receiving yards, on the season, for the Tigers.

Steelmen senior QB Jared King, leads Central with 840 yards passing and seven touchdown passes, King has also ran for six touchdowns, on the season. WR Andrew Murphy is King’s favorite receiver with 273 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

“The Ville” led by junior QB Zach Gibson, heads to Ft. Beggs Drive, in Plainfield, to face, QB Nick Barner and the host Wildcats. Barner has throw for 855 yards and six touchdowns. WR Reece Lillie (314 yards 6TD) and Joey Kasmarsky (331 yards 2TD), are Barner’s, favorite receivers.

Before a CN100 LIVE television audience and a crowd in excess of 6,000, two of the top school’s in Illinois will battle for a SWSC championship. A Lincoln-Way East win, will give the Griffins another outright SWSC crown. A Raider win, will probably lead to a three-way tie atop the SWSC, with the Griffins, Homewood-Flossmoor (7-1, 5-1) and The Brook.

The defending Class 8A State Champion Grifffins, who have won 22 consecutive games, are led by senior QB Jack Baltz. Blatz has thrown for over 1,650 yards and has thrown 21 touchdown passes. WRs, Jackson Ritter (600 yards 10 TD) and Matt Judd (400 yards 5 TD) are Blatz’s favorite receivers. Junior RB Devon Williams, leads the Griffins’ ground attack with 734 yards and 11 touchdowns. And then there is junior AJ Henning, who led the Griffins to the 2017 Class 8A State Championship. Henning, has battled injuries all season but will be ready, on Friday. The Griffin offense averages 47.9 ppg, which ranks sixth, in Illinois.

The Raiders, are led by their “Dynamic Duo” in the backfield, senior RBs, Quentin Pringle and Anthony Williams Jr. Pringle has ran for 904 yards and 15 touchdowns on the season. Williams’ Jr. has rushed for 761 yards and 14 touchdowns. Williams Jr. is also the main target for Raider junior QB Devyn Suggs (544 passing yards 3TD). Beware of Raider senior WR Antonio King, who is the Raiders’ return specialist as well as Suggs No. 2 receiver. 

The mighty, undefeated and state-ranked Warriors of Willowbrook, stand in the way of a Mustang WSC Gold co-championship and an IHSA Class 8A Playoff berth. Junior QB Sam Tumilty, leads the Warriors with 1,422 yards passing and 18 touchdown passes. Tumilty, leads all of the Warrior ball carriers with 900 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. WR DeAndre Holliday (417 yards 5TD) and Big Bro senior,Scotty Tumilty 408 yards 6TD), are Sam’s favorite receivers.

After getting totally shutdown by archrival Downers Grove North, last week, Mustang junior QB Jayden Lambert, looks to rebound against the mighty Warriors. Lambert has thrown for 406 yards and six touchdowns and ran for 367 more yards and five touchdowns. WR Vinnie Provenzano, has hauled in 392 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

After taking care of business against archrival, Downers Grove South, last week, the Trojans travel to Elmhurst, in search of an IHSA Playoff berth. Junior QB  Drew Cassens, has rushed for an area’s, fourth best, 874 yards and nine touchdowns. WR Henry Gates, has emerged as Cassens favorite receiver. Cassens has thrown for 506 yards and three touchdowns.

The Dukes use two QBs, seniors Dan Dunn and Joe Javorek. Dunn has thrown for 595 yards and six touchdowns, while Javorek, has passed for 584 yards and nine touchdowns. Senior WR Mike Perdote, leads Duke receivers with 224 yards and four touchdown catches. Junior Nick Conroy (454 yards, TD) and Kevon Robinson (384 yards 4TD), lead the Dukes’ ground game.

With a win over the Rockets, the Sentinels can wrap up a IHSA  Class 3A Playoff berth. Sophomore QB Gavin Carr (461 yards 5TD) leads the Sentinel attack. Leading Sentinel receiver, junior Mike Thompson, has hauled in 391 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

SEASON             Drake 111-18 .860  Mark 99-28 .780

  1. Decatur St. Teresa      8-0    55.7ppg

  2. East St. Louis              6-2    51.2ppg

  3. Carthage                     8-0     49.5ppg

  4. Rolling Meadows        8-0     49.3ppg

  5. Carlinville                    8-0     48.8ppg

  6. Lincoln-Way East        8-0     47.9ppg
7. Gibson City                 8-0     47.9ppg

  8. SHG                            6-2     47.7ppg

  9. Monticello                    8-0     47.0ppg

10. Bishop McNamara      7-1     46.9ppg

  1. Gibson City                 8-0       3.0ppg

  2. Princeville                   8-0       4.2ppg

      Ottawa Marquette       8-0       4.2ppg
4. Richards                     8-0       4.8ppg

      Oswego East              7-1       4.8ppg

  6. Coal City                    7-1        5.4ppg

  7. Montini                       8-0        5.7ppg

  8. Warren                       7-1        5.8ppg

  9. West Aurora               7-1        6.0ppg

10. Oswego                      8-0        6.3ppg

      Hillcrest                      8-0        6.3ppg

  1.Lincoln-Way East             8-0

  2.Maine South                    7-1
  3.Marist                                7-1

  4.Oswego                            8-0

  5.H-F                                   7-1
  6.Bolingbrook                    7-1
  7.Naperville Central            6-2
8.Warren                             7-1

  9.Glenbard West                 6-2

10.Hinsdale Central              6-2

11.Oswego East                   7-1

12.Oak Park                         6-2
13.Neuqua Valley                 5-3

14.Edwardsville                    5-3

16.West Aurora                    7-1

  1. Batavia                         8-0

  2. Brother Rice                 8-0

  3. East St. Louis               6-2

  4. Nazareth                       7-1

 5.  Mount Carmel               7-1

  6. Simeon                         8-0

  7. Hononegah                   8-0

  8. Normal                          7-1

  9. Glenbard  East             8-0

10. St. Charles North         6-2

  1. Cary-Grove                 8-0

  2. Richards                     8-0

  3. Willowbrook                8-0

  4. Phillips                        6-2
5. Glenwood                   8-0

  6. Prairie Ridge               6-2

  7. Niles Notre Dame      7-1

  8. Normal West               7-1

  9. DeKalb                        7-1

10. Providence                  5-3

  1. Byron                         8-0
2. Bishop McNamara     7-1

  3.Carlinville                    8-0

  4.Monticello                   8-0

  5.Farmington                 8-0

  6.Williamsville               7-1

  8.Beardstown              7-1
9 West Frankfort           7-1
10.Paris                         8-0