Football Notes: Andre Wiggins, Oswego East look to shake up Oswego's crosstown streak

Andre Wiggins gets what’s at stake.

Wiggins, an Oswego East senior defensive end, has been going to crosstown games since he was in grade school. His older brother, Tahj Oliver, played in the game before him.

Oswego, of course, has won all 13 meetings with its sister school, a fact not lost on either side.

“Honestly, it would mean a lot to me to beat them,” Wiggins said. “They’re our rivals, they have the huge streak; if we were to win, we would have a chance to be conference champs. It’d be nice to raise the banner for once.”

This could be the most anticipated matchup between the two programs, both 6-0. They stand alone atop the Southwest Prairie Conference.

Oswego East’s defense has five shutouts. Wiggins is a big reason for that success.

“He has allowed guys like Charlie Caruso and Adam Green and Nick Boissiere and Stone Gorman to run around and make plays,” said Wolves coach Tyson LeBlanc, “because he is taking on blocks. That being said, he’s made plays himself.”

He’s also come a long way.

Wiggins started out at Oswego East at linebacker, but moved to defensive end sophomore year. He was mostly a scout team defensive lineman as a junior, playing across Kyle Eberly. That experience helped form his talent and skills.

“Coming into my junior year, I was more raw talent and not much of a person that had technique,” Wiggins said. “I had to fine-tune my skills.”

“Every year it seems like we have a defensive lineman that explodes in the offseason, and Andre is no different,” LeBlanc said. “As a head coach, that commitment is something you’re proud of.”

Wiggins understands the challenge ahead. He knows Oswego’s playmakers in a potent offense by name and number, checking off guys like Fomby and Coleman.

“We have to limit the big plays,” Wiggins said.

He knows a few guys even better, guys like left tackle Cole Kiesewetter that he once played with, but will line up across Friday.

“Definitely I’ll see a lot of him,” Wiggins said. “We don’t talk a lot, but we know. It will be a good matchup.”

Stakes high for Sandwich-Plano

As significant as the Oswego-Oswego East matchup is, the stakes could be even higher in another rivalry game further west down Route 34.

Sandwich (3-3) and Plano (3-3) enter their 99th meeting each needing at least two wins to be playoff-eligible. It’s the first time since 2006 the two teams have come in with the same record, and that matchup was in Week 2.

“Both teams are on the bubble for the playoffs,” Plano coach Brad Kunz said. “It’s definitely a big game from that aspect, a big game with the rivalry and a big game because they’ve been playing each other since they were 5 years old. The biggest thing for us is minimizing the size of it.”

Easier said than done, particular on Plano’s homecoming week. The Reapers do seem to be picking up steam, 3-1 over the last four weeks.

“We’re starting to figure out our identity,” Kunz said. “We just have to be who we are.”

A third rivalry game this weekend also carries plenty of significance, with Yorkville hosting Kaneland in a matchup of 5-1 teams.

Playoff projections

Football bracket guru and Shaw Media's own Steve Soucie has released his updated playoff projections.

In Class 8A, Soucie has ninth-seeded Oswego East hosting 24th-seeded Waubonsie Valley and fifth-seeded Oswego hosting 28th-seeded Minooka. In 7A Soucie has 27th-seeded Yorkville playing at sixth-seeded Willowbrook.

Of course, still three weeks to go.