Northwest Herald area preview capsules for Week 5 of the 2023 season

FOX VALLEY CONFERENCE

Prairie Ridge (4-0, 4-0) at Cary-Grove (4-0, 4-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday.

Last matchup: Prairie Ridge won 27-16 in Week 5 last season.

About the Wolves: Prairie Ridge beat Huntley 27-14 last week. … The Wolves are No. 1 in The Associated Press Class 5A poll and are 16-2 since last season. … FB Jack Finn is third on the area rushing list with 470 yards. QB Joey Vanderwiel has run for 211 yards. … Prairie Ridge’s defense has allowed only 40 points for the season and only 12 in the second half. Those 12 points came against Hampshire after the Wolves had a 43-0 lead. … Prairie Ridge won Class 6A state titles in 2016 and 2017 and played in championhip games in 2019 and 2022.

About the Trojans: C-G defeated Jacobs 27-14 last week. … The Trojans are No. 5 in Class 6A and have allowed 53 points on defense, second in the FVC to Prairie Ridge. … Sophomore FB Logan Abrams is second in area rushing with 485 yards, while RB Andrew Prio is C-G’s most explosive player. Prio has 300 rushing yards and averages 13.0 per carry. With his two receptions, both for touchdowns, Prio has seven touchdowns in 25 touches from scrimmage. … QB Peyton Seaburg has four completions for the season, all of which have gone for touchdowns. … The Trojans won the 6A state championship games in 2018 and 2021.

FRiday Night Drive pick: Prairie Ridge

Crystal Lake Central (2-2, 2-2) at Crystal Lake South (2-2, 2-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday.

Last matchup: Crystal Lake South defeated Central 50-22 in Week 6 last season.

About the Tigers: Central beat Burlington Central 25-10 last week. … QB Jason Penza has 1,103 passing yards after last week’s 290-yard game. WRs Tommy Hammond (21), George Dimopoulos (18) and Carter Kelley (12) lead the way. … RB Griffin Buehler is fifth in the area with 395 yards rushing. … Central lost to Huntley and C-G to start the season before beating Dundee-Crown and Burlington Central.

About the Gators: South defeated Hampshire 38-28 last week. … RB Jake Christensen doubled his rushing total in last week’s game with 163 yards and three TDs. … QB Caden Casimino is third in the area with 802 yards passing and has completed 61.8% of his throws. … WR Colton Hess has 21 receptions and five TDs, RB AJ Demirov has 22 grabs.

FND pick: Crystal Lake Central

McHenry (0-4, 0-4) at Burlington Central (2-2, 2-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday.

Last matchup: McHenry beat Central 28-13 in Week 9 last season.

About the Warriors: McHenry lost to Dundee-Crown 13-7 last week. … The Warriors got a boost for their offense when sophomore QB Ethan Dietmeyer returned to the lineup. Dietmeyer suffered a broken finger in the opener and missed two games. He ran 12 times for 87 yards last week and RB Jacob Jones had 19 carries for 98 yards. … McHenry’s win over Central in Week 9 last season left the Rockets out of the Class 5A playoffs and the teams tied for fifth in the FVC.

About the Rockets: Central fell to Crystal Lake Central 25-10 last week. … QB Ryder Bergemann, playing in place of injured Jackson Alcorn, threw for 160 yards, but left the game late with an ankle injury. After the game, Rockets coach Brian Iossi thought Bergemann would be able to come back. … RB Joey Kowall (335 yards rushing) also was injured in that game, but Iossi said his absence was more precautionary for the rest of the season. … WRs Michael Person (16 receptions), Brady Gilroy (15) and Caden West (11) are Bergemann’s top targets.

FND pick: Central

Jacobs (1-3, 1-3) at Dundee-Crown (1-3, 1-3)

When: 7 p.m. Friday.

Last matchup: Jacobs beat D-C 37-7 last season in Week 9.

About the Golden Eagles: Jacobs lost to Cary-Grove 27-14 last week. … While the Eagles’ margin for error has diminshed, they are through with the FVC’s top three teams (C-G, Prairie Ridge and Huntley, which are a combined 11-1). … Sophomore RB Caden DuMelle leads Jacobs with 287 rushing yards. … TE Grant Stec (Wisconsin) has 10 of his 12 catches in the last two games.

About the Chargers: D-C beat McHenry 13-7 last week. … RB Kadin Malone had a big game last week with nine carries for 90 yards and both Chargers’ touchdowns. … RB Terrion Spencer had 83 yards rushing and 43 receiving last week. … D-C is missing WR Kali Freeman, who had TD catches in the first three games, with a leg injury.

FND pick: Jacobs

Hampshire (1-3, 1-3) at Huntley (3-1, 3-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday.

Last matchup: Huntley defeated Hampshire 35-0 in Week 7 last season.

About the Whip-Purs: Hampshire lost to Crystal Lake South 38-28 last week. … RB Cole Klawikowski carried 20 times for 103 yards and a touchdown and also had five catches for 109 yards and two scores. Those were Klawikowski’s first receptions for the season. … QB Luke Lacke has 564 yards passing, which is fifth in the area.

About the Red Raiders: Huntley lost to Prairie Ridge 27-14 last week. … The Raiders had cracked the Class 8A poll at No. 9 before their loss last week. … QB Braylon Bower is 26 of 31 passing over the last two games. He was 11 of 11 against Jacobs in Week 3, then hit on his first nine passes last week. … RB Haiden Janke has 364 yards and an area-best 10 rushing touchdowns.

FND pick: Huntley

CHICAGOLAND CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE

Marian Central (2-2, 2-0) at Christ the King (3-1, 1-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday.

Last matchup: The teams have not played before.

About the Hurricanes: Marian beat Chicago Christian 49-34 last week. … The Hurricanes have put up big offensive numbers all season, led by QB Cale McThenia, who is completing 72.3% of his passes for 1,599 yards and has 18 touchdowns. … WRs Christian Bentancur and Rylan Dolter are tied for the area lead in receptions with 31. Bentancur needs 30 more receptions to reach 200 for his career. He has area-bests of 664 yards and 10 touchdowns and had three 200-yard receiving games. … RB Quinn Brady is tied for third in the area with 22 catches.

About the Gladiators: Christ the King lost to Bishop McNamara 26-12 last week. … The Gladiators have wins over Walther Christian, Elmwood Park and St. Edward in the first three weeks. … RB Jayden Sajous leads Christ the King with 417 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He also has two receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns. … QB Jalon Bea is the Gladiators’ other top running threat with 194 yards and five touchdowns.

FND pick: Marian Central

KISHWAUKEE RIVER/INTERSTATE BLUE DIVISION

Harvard (0-4, 0-1) at Marengo (2-2, 1-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday.

Last matchup: Marengo beat Harvard 43-10 in Week 5 last season.

About the Hornets: Harvard lost to Rochelle 49-6 last week. … The Hornets have struggled to produce offense and have 24 total points in four games. … Harvard has lost 15 consecutive games, dating back to Week 7 in 2021, a 29-24 win over Sandwich. … This is 104th meeting in McHenry County’s oldest rivalry, which started in 1922. The Hornets lead, 63-36-4, but have not beaten Marengo since 2013. … Before that, Harvard won 12 in a row in that series, the longest streak ever in the rivalry.

About the Indians: Marengo beat Johnsburg 25-18 last week. … RB Isaac Anthony leads the Indians with 331 rushing yards. … QB David Lopez has thrown for 328 yards. He scored the game-winner last week on a 7-yard run with 1:53 remaining. … WR-DB Alten Bergbreiter suffered a scary neck injury late last week and was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. Bergbreiter was released Sunday and is recovering at home, expected to make a full recovery.

FND pick: Marengo

Johnsburg (2-2, 0-2) at Sandwich (3-1, 1-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday.

Last matchup: Johnbsurg beat the Indians 35-0 in Week 6 of the 2021 season.

About the Skyhawks: Johnsburg lost to Marengo 25-18 last week. … RB Brett Centnarowicz had 79 yards and a touchdown last week. QB A.J. Bravieri rushed for 57 yards and two touchdowns. … The Skyhawks started 2-0 with wins over Woodstock North and Reed-Custer, but have scored only 18 points in their last two games.

About the Indians: Sandwich lost to Richmond-Burton 49-7 last week. … RB Simeion Harris leads the Indians with 617 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He had 10 carries for 99 yards against R-B. … RBs Nick Michalek (350) and Parker Anderson (207) are the other top runners. … Sandwich did not have a team because of low numbers last year, but is off to a strong start and trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

FND pick: Sandwich

Richmond-Burton (4-0, 2-0) at Plano (2-2, 0-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday.

Last matchup: R-B defeated Plano 49-6 in Week 5 last season.

About the Rockets: R-B beat Sandwich 49-7 last week for its 27th consecutive KRC or KRC/I-8 Blue victory. … R-B is No. 4 in the Class 4A poll. … FB Braxtin Nellessen leads the area in rushing with 493 yards and has eight touchdowns. … The Rockets get their big plays from RB Jack Martens (218 yards, 16.8-yard average, four TDs) and WR Max Loveall (10 catches, 20 yards, three TDs). … The Rockets are 58-5 under Mike Noll, who is in his sixth season at R-B.

About the Reapers: Plano lost to last week. … RB Waleed Johnson leads the Reapers with 587 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He also has a team-best seven receptions for 137 yards and two TDs. … RB Andrew Cox is next with 239 rushing yards.

FND pick: Richmond-Burton

KISHWAUKEE RIVER/INTERSTATE WHITE DIVISION

Woodstock (0-4, 0-2) at Woodstock North (1-3, 0-2)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Last matchup: Woodstock defeated North 27-20 in Week 5 last season.

About the Blue Streaks: Woodstock lost to Kaneland 42-0 last week. … RBs Landen Stoltz (204) and Max Miller (183) lead the Blue Streaks on offense. … The Streaks have struggled to put points on the board, all their 21 points for the season came in their 23-21 Week 2 loss to Marengo. … The opponents Woodstock lost to are a combined 9-3 and Sycamore is ranked No. 2 in Class 5A.

About the Thunder: North lost to Morris 49-7 last week. … The Thunder played opponents close in earlier losses to Johnsburg (25-12) and LaSalle-Peru (35-24). … QB Landan Creighton leads the team with 256 rushing yards and has thrown for 241 yards and five touchdowns. … WR Max Dennison has nine receptions and four touchdowns. Last week’s game was the first in which he did not catch a scoring pass.

FND pick: Woodstock North

ILLINOIS 8-MAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

Orangeville (1-3) at Alden-Hebron (2-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday.

Last matchup: Alden-Hebron beat Orangeville 42-36 in Week 7 last season.

About the Broncos: Orangeville lost to Milledgeville 50-24 last week. … The Broncos have one common opponent with A-H. They beat Ashton-Franklin Center 46-12 in the opener and the Gians lost to A-FC 34-33 in Week 2. … Orangeville has three consecutive losses, to Polo, River Ridge and Milledgeville.

About the Giants: A-H beat Galva 53-6 last week. … RB Wyatt Armbrust had a big game and jumped to fourth in area rushing at 418 yards, along with eight touchdowns. … QB Ben Vole has run for 218 yards and thrown for 412, with eight TDs.

FND pick: Alden-Hebron