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FOX VALLEY CONFERENCE
Cary-Grove (12-2, 7-2 last season) at Burlington Central (4-5, 4-5)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Trojans: C-G won the Class 6A state championship – the program’s fourth state title overall and third since 2018 – with a 23-20 win over East St. Louis last November. … Fullback Logan Abrams returns after leading Northwest Herald-area players with 1,590 rushing yards and 26 TDs. The Trojans return six offensive starters and three on defense. … QB Peyton Seaburg, who ran for 747 yards and six scores, is back under center for the Trojans. He was 16-of-17 passing for 340 yards, 11 touchdowns and one INT last season. … Lucas Burton returns at center, along with OL Jack Hissong, TE Luca Vivaldelli and RB Holden Boone.
About the Rockets: Central has gone 4-5 in back-to-back seasons, last year almost reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2014. The Rockets’ last winning season was in 2017. … QB Jackson Alcorn returns for his third year on varsity. ... LJ Kerr (20 catches, 239 yards) and Caden West (22 catches, 466 yards, four TDs), both three-year starters, also return. … Central lost seven defensive starters to graduation. … “We look fast and physical across the board, and I’m excited to see some young guys step up,” coach Brian Iossi said.
Friday Night Drive pick: Cary-Grove
Prairie Ridge (9-1, 9-0) at Jacobs (6-4, 6-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Wolves: Prairie Ridge won the FVC title with a perfect record and then lost to eventual Class 5A state champion Nazareth Academy in the first round of the playoffs. … Mike Frericks takes over as head coach for Chris Schremp, who finished with 187 wins at the school. Frericks, a 2009 Crystal Lake South grad, played at NCAA Division II Sioux Falls. … RB Luke Vanderwiel (561 rushing yards, eight touchdowns last season) will get a lot of work out of the backfield, and Jack Finn (950 yards, 11 touchdowns) will be the team’s starting fullback. … Jace Kranig returns at linebacker after leading the Wolves with 72 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks. … Gavin Tinch and Walter Pollack will anchor a strong Wolves defense that allowed an FVC-low 11.6 points and 129 yards a game.
About the Golden Eagles: Jacobs qualified for the Class 7A playoffs for the third straight year. The Eagles lost to Prairie Ridge 6-0 in last year’s opener. … Jacobs will rely on a strong run game, led by FB Caden DuMelle. As a sophomore, he was fourth in the area last year with 1,277 rushing yards and 12 TDs. RB T.O. Boddie had 696 yards and six scores. … LB-S Luke Gormsen is the “general” of the defense, Jacobs coach Brian Zimmerman said. P.J. Barnes will play multiple key roles, including at tight end, running back and defensive end.
FND pick: Prairie Ridge
Huntley (9-2, 8-1) at Crystal Lake Central (5-5, 5-4)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Red Raiders: Huntley qualified for the Class 8A postseason in back-to-back years under coach Mike Naymola and was runner-up to FVC champion Prairie Ridge. Senior QB Braylon Bower is the area’s returning leader in passing after completing 128 of 178 passes for 1,467 yards and 16 TDs, also adding 638 yards and six scores on the ground. … Huntley graduated one of the area’s top RBs in Haiden Janke (1,369 yards, 22 TDs). … Zach Rysavy will be one of the team’s top receiving options. … “The competition we saw this summer better prepared us for the season than any other summer I’ve been around for,” Naymola said.
About the Tigers: Central returned to the playoffs after a 2-7 finish in 2022, losing its Class 6A first-round game to Lake Zurich. ... The Tigers no longer have QB Jason Penza (2,052 yards, 21 TDs) and WR George Dimopoulos (42 catches, 774 yards, seven TDs). Also gone is leading rusher Griffin Buehler (853 yards, eight TDs). … WR Carter Kelley had 24 catches for 347 yards. … Tommy McNeil, a two-way player on the line, enters his fourth year on varsity and last season helped lead the FVC’s best passing offense. … Central coach Dirk Stanger said the team has to replace about 90% of its offensive production lost to graduation.
FND pick: Huntley
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Crystal Lake South (3-6, 3-6) at Dundee-Crown (1-8, 1-8)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Gators: South missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017 and suffered some big losses to graduation – 17 starters overall. The Gators will have to replace QB Caden Casimino, who was second in the area with 2,101 passing yards and 17 TDs. … Senior AJ Demirov, a basketball standout, will be used in a variety of ways to utilize his athleticism, Gators coach Rob Fontana said. … A giant loss on defense was DL Andy Burburija, who earned Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 6A All-State honors with 92 tackles, six sacks and 22 tackles for losses.
About the Chargers: D-C is coming off a 1-8 season, with its lone win over McHenry in Week 4. D-C last went to the playoffs in 2013 and has reached four wins once since 2018. … The Chargers bring back seven players on defense with varsity experience. Graduate Zach Randl was among the FVC’s top passing leaders last year with 1,355 yards and 12 touchdowns. … RB Terrion Spencer led the team with 497 rushing yards.
FND pick: Crystal Lake South
Hampshire (2-7, 2-7) at McHenry (0-9, 0-9)
When: 7:15 p.m. Friday
About the Whip-Purs: Hampshire went 2-7 last season, with its two wins against McHenry (34-0) and Dundee-Crown (23-20). … RB Cole Klawikowski was fifth in the area in rushing with 1,118 yards and 11 touchdowns. He added 166 receiving yards and three TDs. … WR Ari Fivelson was the team’s top receiver with 28 catches for 377 yards and two scores.
About the Warriors: McHenry is coming off of an 0-9 season after going 4-5 in 2022. … RB-LB Jacob Jones ran for a team-high 454 yards and four TDs last year. … The Warriors return five offensive linemen in Chase Miller, Eli Guardyak, Cayden Behrendt, Aiden Ramirez and Joseph Saavedra. … “Our kids are hungry and have grown in maturity toward the expectations of varsity football and what it takes to compete in the FVC,” McHenry coach Jeff Schroeder said.
FND pick: Hampshire
NONCONFERENCE
Johnsburg (3-6) at Wilmot (Wis.) (2-7)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Skyhawks: The Skyhawks fell short of getting back to the playoffs in 2023. … Johnsburg started 2-0, with wins over Woodstock North and Reed-Custer, but lost its next six before winning its finale over Harvard 32-28. … Johnsburg will debut its new athletic facilities and artificial turf field Week 2 against Mundelein. … OL-DL CJ Amaechi had 54 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles, and will lead the defense. … QB AJ Bravieri threw for 858 yards, three TDs and nine INTs. He ran for 232 yards and four TDs. … RB-DL Brett Centnarowicz led the team in rushing with 493 yards and four TDs.
About the Panthers: Wilmot already has one game under its belt in Wisconsin, beating Bradford/Reuther 24-21 last week. Johnsburg is the only opponent from Illinois that Wilmot will face this year. The Panthers averaged 15.2 points a game last year.
FND pick: Johnsburg
Woodstock (3-6) at Rochelle (7-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Blue Streaks: The Blue Streaks improved by one win in 2023 as they look to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2009. ... Woodstock’s biggest losses to graduation were OL-LB Andrew Ryan and OL-DL Tyler Moon, both three-year varsity players. They also graduated leading rusher Max Miller (657 yards, four TDs). Landen Stoltz had 463 rushing yards and three TDs. ... Caden Thompson, a junior, returns at QB for the second year after throwing for 669 yards and four TDs. ... Charlie Walrod led the team with 10 catches and 141 yards.
About the Hubs: The Hubs return a talented roster from last year’s Class 5A playoff team, which includes 10 starters back on both sides of the ball and 10 players. ... RB-FS Grant Gensler was an Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 5A All-State honorable mention last fall, while G-DT Kaiden Morris is a three-time all-conference player who was named Kishwaukee River Linemen of the Year last season.
FND pick: Rochelle
Evergreen Park (6-4) at Marengo (4-5)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
About the Mustangs: Evergreen Park has qualified for the playoffs every year since 2018 (not counting the COVID-19-shortened season. Overall, the Mustangs have been to the postseason nine out of the past 12 seasons.
About the Indians: The Indians made the Class 4A playoffs in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022 but fell one win short last year, beating Sandwich 38-31 in Week 8 and falling to Plano 48-21 in the regular-season finale. … Marengo lost to Evergreen Park 20-14 last year. … QB David Lopez returns after totaling 1,179 yards (828 passing, 351 rushing) with 11 touchdowns. Lopez threw only two INTs in over 120 attempts and completed 64.3% of his throws. … RB-LB Connor Sacco recorded 62 tackles, six tackles for loss and three sacks. RB-LB Brady Kentgen had 42 tackles, two tackles for loss and one interception.
FND pick: Marengo
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Woodstock North (2-7) at Elmwood Park (2-7)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Thunder: Woodstock North had a one-win improvement in 2023, defeating Harvard 48-3 and crosstown rival Woodstock 14-7. ... North will look to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2017 and 2018. … RB-FS Max Dennison returns as the team’s primary RB. ... QB-LB Parker Halihan was one of the team’s top rushers last season with 267 yards and two TDs.
About the Tigers: Elmwood Park is junior heavy and returns plenty of varsity experience. QB Matthew Fritz and WR Jairus Ponce will lead the offense, and LB Trinidad Lopez will lead the defense. Elmwood Park started 0-6 last season.
FND pick: Woodstock North
Richmond-Burton (7-3) at Marian Central (4-5)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Rockets: The Rockets have been to the Class 4A playoffs for 16 straight seasons, winning a state title in 2019. The Rockets were upset by St. Viator last year in the first round – R-B’s first time being one-and-done in the playoffs since 2016. ... R-B lost its top runner in fullback Braxtin Nellessen (1,116 yards, 13 TDs) and its second-leading rusher in Jack Martens (522 yards, nine TDs). The team also graduated QB in JT Groh (765 yards, 13 TDs) and No. 1 receiver in Max Loveall (22 catches, 364 yards). … The Rockets will be younger than in past seasons, with eight or nine sophomores starting or competing for playing time, coach Mike Noll said. ... OL-DL Logan Garcia and TE-DL Ryan Wisniewski are three-year varsity players, and DL AJ Horcher will be a big strength of the defense.
About the Hurricanes: The Hurricanes will look a lot different without Christian Betancur catching passes. Betancur, who finished a spectacular career with 231 receptions, fifth on the IHSA all-time list, is now a freshman at Clemson. Marian finished a win shy of playoff eligibility for the third time in the past five full seasons. ... The Hurricanes must also replace Betancur’s quarterback, Cale McThenia, now at Northern Iowa. Marian returns four of five offensive linemen, as well as five starters on defense. Justin Jakubowicz, entering his third year as starting left tackle, senior right tackle Eddie Gilmore, sophomore guard George Kordopitoulas and junior Matt Conlon make up the biggest offensive line third-year head coach Kirwan has had at Marian.
FND pick: Richmond-Burton
Harvard (0-9) at Lisle (2-7)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Hornets: The Hornets went 0-9 for the second year in a row, with their last win Oct. 8, 2021, against Sandwich (29-24). Harvard came close to picking up its first win in two years in Week 9, falling 32-28 to to Johnsburg. … QB Adam Cooke, a senior, started eight games last year, throwing for 593 yards, three TDs and eight INTs. ... Cooke’s top receiver is senior Danny Rosas, along with Christian Mercado and Landon Crone. … Coach Brad Swanson said the defense has put a big emphasis on pursuit and tackling this summer. Last year, Harvard allowed 38.3 points a game.
About the Lions: The Lions finished 2-7 a year ago and were 1-6 in the Illinois Central Eight. … Last season, which saw Lisle lose seven in a row bookended by a Week 1 win over Harvard and Week 9 upset of Reed-Custer, was the first time since 2017 the Lions had missed the postseason.
FND pick: Lisle
ILLINOIS 8-MAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
Alden-Hebron (3-6) at Orangeville (5-5)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About the Giants: John Lalor is back after resigning as coach after the 2019 season. Lalor, a 1980 A-H grad, turned the program around in his previous 17-year stint, going 103-67 and making the playoffs 12 times in 13 seasons from 2003 to 2015. The team graduated QB Ben Vole, who led the Giants in rushing just ahead of current senior RB/LB Wyatt Armbrust (447 yards on 48 carries and eight TDs). Armburst and Zach Lillie, who also plays OL, are three-year starters at LB.
About the Broncos: Orangeville dropped its first-round playoff game to Milledgeville 56-8 and defeated Alden-Hebron 53-36 in a high-scoring Week 5 game. The Broncos averaged 31 points a game on offense and allowed 35.1 points on defense.
FND pick: Orangeville