:quality(70):focal(1096x585:1106x595)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/WB42KB44HZDYFNJ3BXJK7KXFTQ.jpg)
Southwest Valley Red
Andrew (1-0) at Lincoln-Way West (1-0)
When: 6:30 p.m. Friday
About the Thunderbolts: Andrew breezed to a win over Thornwood in the season opener, an absolute must considering how difficult the T-Bolts schedule will become over the next few weeks. Offensive lineman Michael McDonough, who has drawn college interest from several prominent midwest Division I schools, provides a great anchor in the trenches.
About the Warriors: Lincoln-Way West had almost no difficulty breezing to a Week 1 victory over Blue Island Eisenhower, getting a strong effort from Jahan Abubaker out of the backfield. This team might be capable of putting up substantial numbers offensively, not only with continued sound efforts out of the backfield from Abubaker, but also because they have several gamebreakers in their receiving group. The defense isn’t a slouch either, as seven returning starters provide the base, including Northwestern-bound linebacker Josh Veldman.
FND Pick: Lincoln-Way West
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/XOQLKZ5N5NHCRNBTUU7JRIQB2E.JPG)
Nonconference
Wheaton North (1-0) at Lockport (1-0)
When: 6 p.m. Friday
About the Falcons: Wheaton North pulled out a dramatic win over Providence in Week 1 when two-way performer Shane Diericx bowled his way into the end zone on a fourth-down final play of the game. The Falcons likely would prefer less drama this week, but there might not be a way to avoid it as a relatively inexperienced Wheaton North squad continues to grow into its roles.
About the Porters: Whatever works seems to be the early-season philosophy for Lockport. They went old-school in grinding out a season-opening win over Plainfield North. RB Johnny Wesolowski got a heavy workload in a Lockport offense that is largely rebuilt. Wesolowski didn’t seem to mind, though, racking up nearly 200 yards rushing and netting all four Porters touchdowns. Lockport’s defense had to withstand a second-half surge from Plainfield North’s passing game, but DL John Sherrod was able to squelch a potential game-tying touchdown drive in the final minutes with a sack.
Friday Night Drive Pick: Wheaton North
Morris (1-0) at Joliet West (1-0)
When: 6:30 p.m. Friday
About Morris: Morris lost some substantial pieces from last year’s successful team, and for a while it looked as if its replacements for them were struggling to fill those shoes during its Week 1 matchup with Coal City. But the second-half effort showed Morris might have what it needs to be another menace for 4A/5A teams to deal with over the course of the campaign. Junior quarterback Brady Varner ended up throwing for almost 300 yards, while wide receiver Jack Wheeler got nearly 200 yards of those passing efforts.
About the Tigers: Joliet West might be looking for a little revenge in this one, as this opponent netted Joliet West its only regular-season loss last year. The Tigers have had to replace a lot from graduation, but the transition seemed to go pretty well during a comfortable victory over Shepard in Week 1. Joliet West still has some very quality defensive anchors such as linebacker Micah McNair and defensive lineman KeShawn Wiiley who will look to rein Morris in.
FND Pick: Morris
West Chicago (1-0) at Joliet Central (0-1)
When: 6:30 p.m. Friday
About the Wildcats: West Chicago advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 2002 last year, and with a large contingent of returners from that crew returning, has its sights set on doing more this year and a possible Upstate Eight Conference title. QB Carter Naranjo has the comfort of four returning offensive linemen to pave the way, and also has do-it-all offensive threat Tommy Doyle to throw to in a pinch.
About the Steelmen: Joliet Central surged early its its season opener against Stagg but couldn’t sustain that surge in the second half, as it allowed the Chargers to run away in the final three quarters. The loss is discouraging for the Steelmen, but more progress was shown. Although it remains true the Steelmen haven’t collected a win since 2019, they seem to be getting closer to finding a way to breaking that string of losses.
FND Pick: West Chicago
Coal City (1-0) at Canton (0-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Coalers: Coal City hung around for a while in its season opener against Morris, but eventually the defense could fence in the potent Morris offense no longer. The Coalers likely will have a better run of things this week, as they have controlled the series between these teams, a nonconference relationship that will end after this matchup. RB Landin Benson is still the centerpiece of the Coal City offensive attack, and he should have plenty of opportunities to show that is the case.
About the Little Giants: Canton is in a transition period and has a new head coach as the Giants slowly try to rebuild a program that has struggled to compete in a solid football conference (Mid-Illini) where they are the smallest school. Canton used to be a playoff regular, but since a string of nine playoff appearances in 12 seasons from 1994 until 2005 the Little Giants have been back to the dance only twice (2014, 2016).
FND Pick: Coal City
DeKalb (0-1) at Plainfield South (1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Barbs: DeKalb fell just short of forcing an overtime period in its rivalry matchup with Sycamore at Northern Illinois University, but even though the Barbs took the loss, it seems likely this team will be capable of bouncing back quickly. Eighteen returning starters anchor the squad, as returning quarterback Cole Latimer gets protection from a seasoned offensive line.
About the Cougars: Plainfield South ground out a win in Week 1, using a solitary field goal and a defensive shutout to capture a 3-0 triumph over Yorkville. Like DeKalb, Plainfield South has an experienced roster, but still needs to find some offensive cohesiveness in order to contend with some of the more daunting foes on the Plainfield South schedule over the next few weeks.
FND Pick: DeKalb
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/G7KCVKV5CZGYBET72CKB7JOXBY.JPG)
Joliet Catholic (1-0) at Oswego (1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Hilltoppers: Joliet Catholic had little trouble dispatching Iowa City in its Week 1 opener, getting ample scoring from both sides of the ball. The Hilltoppers used a punishing running game, amassing more than 300 yards on the ground to set the tone, while the defense forced multiple turnovers and was relentless in pressuring the quarterback, including a 2½-sack performance from Ian Campbell.
About the Panthers: It looked like Oswego might be biting off more than it could chew by scheduling the powerful Hilltoppers in a nonconference matchup. But the Panthers showed in a Week 1 dismantling of Neuqua Valley that they might be up for the task. LB Carson Cooney anchors a defensive unit that largely returned its starters and allowed only 70 points last season. QB Brett Connolly also seems to have a good hold on what the offense expects from him throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for another against Neuqua Valley.
FND Pick: Joliet Catholic
Lemont (0-1) at Geneva (1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About Lemont: Lemont has played a rigorous nonconference slate for several seasons, but this might be one of the most difficult versions it has undertaken. Libertyville overwhelmed Lemont in Week 1, and it appears things won’t get any easier in Week 2 against a good Geneva team. Lemont is still working in some new players at critical position, and the learning curve will have to be swift to get things on track before South Suburban Conference play begins, usually where Lemont thrives.
About the Vikings: Geneva has drawn a lot of attention recently for being the home to Georgia-bound wide receiver Talyn Taylor, but he’s far from the only weapon on the Vikings’ roster. Geneva piled up an astonishing six touchdowns in the first quarter and probably could have named the score in rolling to a 63-0 victory over Larkin in Week 1. The nature of the game led to the starters playing only that first quarter, but starting QB Tony Chahino still managed to go 6 for 7 for 164 yards and four touchdowns.
FND Pick: Geneva
Lincoln-Way Central (1-0) at Providence (0-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Knights: Lincoln-Way Central captured a wild victory in Week 1 with its win over St. Charles East and goes into this nonconference matchup hopeful that offensive effort can be duplicated against the Celtics. However, the defense needs to put the clamps down a lot better if the Knights want to get back to the version of football that allowed them to reach the second round of the playoffs last season. That team banked on holding opponents more in check than simply trying to outscore them.
About the Celtics: Providence suffered a heartbreaking loss to Wheaton North in Week 1, where the Celtics surrendered the decisive touchdown on fourth down on the final play of the game. The Celtics need to quickly regroup in this one, because its CCL/ESCC Conference schedule is absolutely no joke. Providence appeared to establish a key cog in its running attack in the loss, however, as CJ Hill rushed for 100-plus yards and two touchdowns.
FND Pick: Providence
Neuqua Valley (0-1) at Minooka (1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Wildcats: There wasn’t much to write home about for Neuqua Valley in its season-opening loss to Oswego. The Wildcats mustered fewer than 40 yards rushing in the contest, and while QB Kiet Truong threw for 200 yards, Neuqua managed only one second-half scoring drive. There’s plenty of reason to believe that effort could be just a misstep, however, as Neuqua Valley’s got enough experienced players to bounce back.
About the Indians: For the second consecutive season, Minooka had absolutely no problem getting past Rock Island in Week 1, scoring 35 consecutive points to break an early 7-7 tie. Minooka hopes that’s the only immediate history that repeats itself. The Indians dropped a low-scoring affair at the hands of Neuqua Valley last season. It looks like Minooka has a bit more offensive firepower at its disposal this time around, as QB Zane Caves had a strong debut.
FND Pick: Minooka
Plainfield Central (0-1) at Metea Valley (0-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Wildcats: Plainfield Central scuffled in its first game of the Robby Carriger era at the school, falling to Waukegan, a team that went 1-8 a year ago. The Wildcats need to try to right the ship quickly. After this nonconference game, the slate tightens considerably, and the offensive productivity will need to escalate in kind.
About the Mustangs: Metea Valley dropped its season opener but already shows progress over last year’s team, which finished 0-9 including a loss to Plainfield Central in Week 2. Like Plainfield Central, Metea Valley’s schedule gets much more difficult from here, as the newly formed Southwest Valley Conference provides very few breathers.
FND Pick: Metea Valley
Plainfield East (0-1) at Waubonsie Valley (1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Bengals: Plainfield East ran into a buzz saw against Bradley-Bourbonnais in its season opener, and once again the Bengals appear to be having some problems on the defensive side of the football. The Bengals allowed nearly 40 points a game to opponents last season, but had hoped the second-half momentum acquired by the team in 2023 would carry over to 2024. So far, that doesn’t appear to be the case.
About the Warriors: The Adam Pucylowski era at Waubonsie Valley opened with aplomb as the Warriors stymied Oswego East at almost every turn to claim a shutout victory. Waubonsie Valley created turnovers in the contest, and two of them led indirectly to scoring drives for the Warriors. Defense looks to be the team’s calling card under Pucylowski, which would be a welcome change for Waubonsie, which surrendered 27 or more points to opponents in six of its final seven games last season.
FND Pick: Waubonsie Valley
Romeoville (1-0) at Tinley Park (1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Spartans: Romeoville copped a win in its season opener for the first time since 2013 with the win over Oak Lawn Community. It also marked the first time in a full regular season a Romeoville victory came over an opponent other than Joliet Central. The Spartans need only one more check mark in the win column to make it their best regular season since 2017, and the momentum gained from the season-opening victory might put them in a better mind frame to compete in what looks to be a wide open Southwest Prairie East.
About the Titans: Tinley Park already has made the stride forward that Romeoville is hoping to. The Titans – a combined 1-17 over the 2021 and 2022 campaigns before bouncing back for a 5-5 record in 2023 that came with a playoff appearance – appear to have kept that momentum going, rolling Thornridge 50-0 in the season opener.
FND Pick: Tinley Park
Wilmington (1-0) at Sandwich (0-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Wildcats: Wilmington has some notable pieces back from last year’s Class 2A state championship team, and it appears the Wildcats are looking to simply roll it back to what worked last year. It was certainly an effective floor plan in Week 1, where Kyle Farrell and Ryan Kettmann each rushed for 100 yards and the Wilmington offense only bothered to attempt one pass (incomplete) and gained nearly 8 yards per offensive play in a comfortable win over Hope Academy.
About the Indians: Sandwich, a surprise Class 4A quarterfinalist last season after not fielding a varsity program in 2022, didn’t have problems putting points on the board in its Week 1 contest. Neither did its opponent, Manteno, as the Panthers ran away in the second half for a 54-32 final. Avoiding an 0-2 mark to start the season will require an immense evolution on the defensive side of the football between Weeks 1 and 2.
FND Pick: Wilmington
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/5VAARMSRGVHU5L4SURWRRVEIDA.JPG)
York (1-0) at Plainfield North (0-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Dukes: York underwent an offseason coaching change after Mike Fitzgerald left the school to take the job at Marist. Fitzgerald had led a resurgence in York football over the past few seasons, but it appears so far that new coach Donald Gelsomino, is using much the same blueprint. Although Glenbrook South scored first in their Week 1 matchup, York eventually wore down the opposition, and the defense solidified to secure a relatively easy win.
About the Tigers: Plainfield North expects to lean on its defense, but it was shell-shocked a bit by Lockport in Week 1 as the Porters scored two early touchdowns. The Tigers did manage to regroup, but were not able to climb all the way back, as a fourth-quarter drive was stymied by a sack in Lockport territory. QB Justus Byrd eventually found his groove, throwing for three touchdowns, and does have a standout at WR to deploy in Omar Coleman.
FND Pick: York
Bolingbrook (0-1) at Hinsdale Central (0-1)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
About the Raiders: Bolingbrook started out fine against Homewood-Flossmoor in Week 1, but as the game progressed things got out of hand for the Raiders in a lopsided loss. The Raiders clearly have some things to shore up as they prepare to transition to the Southwest Prairie Conference. Most of the returning players for Bolingbrook are on the defensive side of the ball, most notably CJ Jones, a Cincinnati commit, so things seem more logically shored up there.
About the Red Devils: Hinsdale Central has missed the playoffs the last two seasons, a string it certainly doesn’t want to extend to three. In that sense, it’s almost a must that the Red Devils get back to the .500 mark before entering a rigorous West Suburban Conference schedule. To do that, Hinsdale Central will lean heavily on an experienced offensive line that is anchored by junior Gene Riordan, who holds offers from multiple Division I schools.
FND Pick: Hinsdale Central
Lincoln-Way East (2-0) 1, Specialty Fit 0
About the forfeit: Lincoln-Way East will receive a forfeit victory in Week 2 and will not play a game. The Griffins were scheduled to play Specialty Fit (Florida) in the East St. Louis Jamboree, but Specialty Fit elected to not take the trip and is forfeiting the contest.
Dwight (1-0) at St. Edward (0-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Dwight 40, St. Edward 14 (2023)
About the Trojans: Dwight overwhelmed Dakota in Week 1, as its experienced roster sets its sights on qualifying for the playoffs in consecutive seasons since the 1983 and 1984 seasons. Dwight has nearly an entire roster of players who are expected to contribute on both sides of the ball led by senior Dylan Crouch, who scored nine touchdowns last season to lead the Trojans.
About the Green Wave: After a 20-8 loss to Aurora Central Catholic, St. Edward has dropped 10 consecutive games, with its last win coming in the last week of the 2022 season. The Green Wave strung together seven playoff appearances over an 11-year stretch from 2009 to 2019, but have had a hard time competing in recent seasons.
FND Pick: Dwight
Lisle (0-1) at Seneca (1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Lions: Lisle has a bit of a thin roster, and that showed during a Week 1 loss to Harvard where the Lions were in the game in the first half before Harvard ran away in the second half for a lopsided victory. Lisle’s predicament has led to a host of players being forced into double duty.
About the Fighting Irish: Seneca picked up where it left off last season, piling up almost 400 rushing yards in a Week 1 win over Tremont. It also distributed that offense amongst numerous players, as Brody Rademacher, Cameron Shirley, Nick Grant and Gunner Varland each rushed for at least 50 yards. Seneca’s special teams were also on point, running back two kicks for scores.
FND Pick: Seneca
Peotone (1-0) at Marengo (1-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
About the Blue Devils: As expected, Peotone had little trouble getting past Noble/Muchin, a team in one of the lower-rung Chicago Public League Conferences, in Week 1. Peotone’s ground game should set the pace for the team this season. Chase Rivera anchors a running attack that should be solid, while the Blue Devils defense has proven to be stingy in past seasons, and the hope is that Peotone will have enough depth so it doesn’t have to play too many players heavily on both sides of the ball.
About the Indians: Marengo ground out a season-opening win against Evergreen Park, doing most of its damage on the ground. Gavin Baros scored a pair of touchdowns for the Indians, while QB David Lopez had the other score. Lopez is a viable run/pass threat for Marengo, which has multiple returners on the offensive and defensive lines and, like Peotone, will try to take control up front.
FND Pick: Peotone
Reed-Custer (0-1) at Harvard (1-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
About the Comets: Reed-Custer struggled on offense but still managed to stay in its Week 1 game with El Paso-Gridley until the Trojans broke off a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. Reed-Custer typically leans on being able to run the football, but barely mustered 30 yards of offense via that route in the loss. Reed-Custer’s run defense surrendered nearly 200 yards rushing to El Paso Gridley’s Aaden Adams, so the Comets will need to tighten up that area moving forward.
About the Hornets: Harvard exploded in the second half to end up flattening Lisle in Week 1. Leading just 14-7, the Hornets scored four unanswered second half touchdowns to runaway for the win. QB Adam Cooke played a part in four of Harvard’s touchdowns (three rushing, one passing) as the Hornets. Harvard snapped a 20-game losing streak with the victory and the program hasn’t made a playoff appearance since 2013, so if the Hornets could get a win they’d be off to their best start in some time.
FND Pick: Harvard