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Southwest Valley Blue
Lincoln-Way East (5-0, 2-0) at Neuqua Valley (1-4, 0-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Griffins: Lincoln-Way East continued to flex absolute dominance, although the Week 5 win over Homewood-Flossmoor took a little bit longer to materialize. The Griffins and Vikings were tied at 7 in the first half before East scored 41 unanswered points to earn its fourth consecutive on-field runaway win. QB Jonas Williams threw six touchdown passes in the victory, as he moved past the 80 career touchdown pass milestone and into the top 20 in state history as only a junior. Williams is starting to establish a rapport with his receiving group, as both Talan White and Keagan Ruane are reliable and consistent targets.
About the Wildcats: Neuqua Valley got in the win column for the first time in Week 5, beating DeKalb, and by far put together its best offensive performance of the season. Most of that offensive surge was provided by junior RB Andrew Barkley, who scored four touchdowns in the victory over the Barbs and put the game on ice with a 81-yard touchdown to cement the victory. The win also led to a better defensive outing from the Wildcats, who had surrendered 30-plus points in all but one of their games.
Friday Night Drive pick: Lincoln-Way East
Southwest Valley crossover
Naperville Central (5-0) at Lockport (3-2)
When: 6 p.m. Friday
About the Redhawks: Naperville Central reached 5-0 for the first time since 2017, surviving a defensive scuffle with Lincoln-Way West in Week 5 to get there. The Redhawks seem OK in that scenario, as the they have allowed more than two touchdowns to only one opponent. Naperville Central’s offense has been consistently fueled by RB Aiden Clark. The Redhawks’ balance on offense has given opponents’ defensive fronts fits all season.
About the Porters: Lockport appeared to be on the way to implementing the same blueprint that has worked for it in recent seasons in a Week 5 matchup with Naperville North: Play great defense and scratch and claw out enough points for a win. But after holding the Huskies scoreless in the first half, Lockport promptly gave up 31 second-half points, and the injury-riddled Porters limped to the finish line in a 31-20 loss. RB Tyler Pospisil scored two touchdowns, as the Porters seem to have landed on a reliable source in the running game.
FND pick: Naperville Central
Naperville North (3-2) at Lincoln-Way West (3-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Huskies: Naperville North’s two losses have come against teams that are undefeated, and the Huskies will be playing the fifth of its first six games this season against teams with a winning record Friday. In fact, all but two of Naperville North’s opponents this season have winning records thus far. QB Jacob Bell is having a standout season for Naperville North. The offense put things together for 31 second-half points in a win over Lockport.
About the Warriors: Lincoln-Way West has hit a bit of an offensive lull after a strong start to the season. The Warriors scored 40-plus points in the first three games of the season but hit a wall in Week 5, managing just seven points in a loss to Naperville Central. The pieces are there for the Warriors to rebound, but the remaining schedule features four above-.500 teams, so there’s not a lot of time for the regroup to happen.
FND pick: Naperville North
Sandburg (4-1) at Lincoln-Way Central (3-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Eagles: Since a Week 1 loss to St. Rita, few teams are playing better football than Sandburg. The Eagles breezed to a 53-12 victory over Metea Valley in Week 5. Sandburg has scored nearly 200 points in the four games since the St. Rita loss, a setback that is looking better and better comparatively after St. Rita continues to stack wins. QB Anthony Shelton has been a dynamo for the Eagles this season, and he’ll look to continue that magic against a Lincoln-Way Central defense that has been much improved.
About the Knights: Lincoln-Way Central appeared to have a problem on defense after allowing 40 points to St. Charles East in Week 1. But the Knights have made dramatic improvements, accented by the fact they’ve held back-to-back opponents (DeKalb and Bradley-Bourbonnais) to six-point efforts.
FND pick: Sandburg
Southwest Prairie West
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Oswego (5-0, 1-0) at Bolingbrook (3-2, 1-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Panthers: Oswego has used defense to carry it to some pretty impressive wins, but it wasn’t performing up to the gold standard in the first half in a Week 5 matchup with Plainfield North. Then halftime adjustments seemed to take hold, as both the offense and defense joined together for a much better effort, and the Panthers kept their record spotless. A pair of key two-way players – RB/LB Carson Cooney and WR/DB Jeremiah Cain – came up with key plays for Oswego in the win.
About the Raiders: Bolingbrook has now pivoted above the .500 mark after an 0-2 start. The Raiders have shown an affinity for strong defense over the past few games, creating key turnovers and holding their last three opponents to a combined 25 points. Sophomore RB TJ Bell has quickly evolved into a potent threat for the Raiders out of the backfield.
FND pick: Oswego
Yorkville (2-3, 0-1) at Minooka (5-0, 1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Foxes: The early-season offensive woes of Yorkville crept back into the equation as the Foxes mustered just six points in a Week 5 loss to Bolingbrook, the third time this season Yorkville has been held to fewer than 10 points. Despite the loss, QB Jack Beetham continues to show solid progress under center for Yorkville, throwing for nearly 200 yards.
About the Indians: Minooka has blended close calls with runaway victories this season, but in either circumstance the Indians have gotten pretty consistent play from the defense. No opponent has scored more than 14 points, an attribute that came in handy in Week 5 when the offense didn’t produce as prolific of numbers as it has in most of its games as it scratched out a 17-7 win over Oswego East.
FND pick: Minooka
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Plainfield North (2-3, 0-1) at Oswego East (2-3, 0-1)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
About the Tigers: Plainfield North might be one of the more deceptive 2-3 teams in the state, considering the losses have come to teams that now have a combined 13-2 record. The Tigers have gotten steady defensive play, and while the offense hasn’t been very prolific as of yet, QB Justus Byrd seems to be progressing each week. WRs Omar Coleman and Amiel Clark could make things happen over the second half of the season.
About the Wolves: Oswego East’s defense has been stellar, allowing fewer than 10 points per game, but that standout defense has been married to some serious offensive struggles and a record below .500 as they’ve taken three losses in games they’ve allowed 14 points or fewer. QB Nico Vallaci has posted solid numbers in most of the Wolves’ games this season, but red-zone opportunities haven’t been cashed in with points nearly enough.
FND pick: Plainfield North
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Southwest Prairie East
Joliet West (2-3, 1-0) at Plainfield South (3-2, 1-0)
When: 6:30 p.m. Friday
About the Tigers: Joliet West was more than happy to return to SPC East Division play, rolling to a win over district rival Joliet Central in Week 5. The Tigers swept through divisional play last season and are hoping it could be a rinse-and-repeat situation for them after its run through nonconference play didn’t illicit the results the Tigers were hoping for. QB Antoine Brooks seems to be taking some major strides, and the defense anchored by LB Micah McNair is fully capable of getting the stops the Tigers need.
About the Cougars: Plainfield South appears to have put itself in position to make a run at the SPC East title, and this Week 6 encounter seems to be a pivotal one in that quest. The Cougars have been all over the map offensively this season but are at their best when QB Cody Hogan is able to help Plainfield South find an early groove, as he did in a comfortable Week 5 win over Romeoville.
FND pick: Joliet West
Joliet Central (0-5, 0-1) at Plainfield East (1-4, 1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Steelmen: Joliet Central had another rough go of it in Week 5, taking a lopsided loss to Joliet West in the district rivalry matchup. Perhaps the most upsetting trend in Steelmen camp is that the offensive faucet has seemed to have shut off. After scoring 48 points in the first two weeks of the season, Joliet Central has managed just 19 points in the three games since. But if the opportunity is going to come for Joliet Central the last four weeks of the season to win a game for the first time since 2019, the best opportunities may be in the coming weeks when three of its last four opponents have a combined record of 2-13.
About the Bengals: Plainfield East finally broke through into the win column in Week 5, besting Plainfield Central. The biggest reason the Bengals were able to do that was a considerable amount of clamping down on the defensive side of the ball. After allowing 173 points in their first four games of the season, they limited the Wildcats to six points in the Week 5 win. Also rather significantly, the Bengals broke the seal on the scoreboard for the first time in three weeks.
FND pick: Plainfield East
Plainfield Central (0-5, 0-1) at Romeoville (1-4, 0-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Wildcats: The momentum isn’t building in a positive direction for Plainfield Central. The Wildcats scored in single digits for the fourth time this season in a Week 5 loss to Plainfield East. There’s simply got to be some sort of offensive infusion for Plainfield Central moving forward, even if the schedule softens a little bit down the stretch.
About the Spartans: Romeoville was within striking distance of upending Plainfield South in Week 5 but couldn’t get clutch second-half plays. The Spartans appear to be bridging the gap between some of the other teams in the SPC East but still are looking for what could be characterized as a breakout victory.
FND pick: Romeoville
CCL/ESCC crossover
Providence (3-2, 1-0) at Marist (4-1, 0-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Celtics: Providence received a sliver of hope in the final moments of its Week 5 contest against St. Francis and seized the moment. An odd delay of game penalty on St. Francis when it was in victory formation gave Providence one last chance to secure a victory, and the Celtics scored on the final play with a AJ Rayford-to-Jayden Mikulski touchdown pass as time expired to give the Celtics a thrilling win. The victory may prove pivotal to Providence’s playoff hopes, considering three of the Celtics’ last four opponents are Marist, Loyola and Joliet Catholic.
About the Redhawks: Marist was yet another team that had its Week 5 fate decided late in the contest. Like Providence, Marist found a way to squeeze out a win over IC Catholic. The Knights had fourth-and-goal trailing by a score late in the game, but the Redhawks got a big stop and secured their fourth win. RB John McAuliffe had a monster game in the IC Catholic win, powering his way to five touchdowns.
FND pick: Marist
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Joliet Catholic (3-2, 1-0) at Niles Notre Dame (2-3, 0-1)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
About the Hilltoppers: Joliet Catholic wasn’t able to capitalize as well as it would have liked in the red zone in Week 5, and those points left on the table came back to bite them in a loss to Nazareth. JCA was forced to settle for field goals on two first-half possessions and had a touchdown called back because of a penalty. Not getting the maximum points out of those efforts led to Nazareth netting a fourth-quarter touchdown, the difference. RB Larry Stringham continues to put together strong efforts for the Hilltoppers.
About the Dons: Niles Notre Dame has had a cruel run in official Chicago Catholic League contests (one of Notre Dame’s two wins against St. Patrick was considered a nonconference game). Since starting CCL/ESCC play in Week 3, the Dons haven’t scored a single point. The defense has been somewhat solid in those losses, but obviously with no points that effort isn’t garnering the attention it likely deserves.
FND pick: Joliet Catholic
Interstate 8
Morris (4-1, 2-0) at Rochelle (4-1, 1-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About Morris: Morris brought the hammer down early against previously undefeated Kaneland, claiming a 28-0 lead early in the second quarter. Morris ended up scoring 50 points for the third consecutive game, and it’s clear opponents have to be ready for a varied offensive attack where the scoring source could come from any number of players. In Week 5, WR Ethan Mumbrue and RB Caeden Curran took turns in the spotlight.
About the Hubs: Rochelle rebounded nicely from its first loss of the season in Week 4 to Sycamore, as it stacked up about 450 rushing yards in taking care of La Salle-Peru. RB Grant Gensler had over 200 yards on the ground and needed just 14 carries to do so. Obviously, the Hubs would like to use that same smash-mouth running game to take Morris to task, but that’s a lot easier said than done.
FND pick: Morris
South Suburban Blue
Lemont (3-2, 3-0) at Bremen (0-5, 0-2)
When: 6 p.m. Friday
About Lemont: Things have turned in a positive direction for Lemont after a rough start to the nonconference season. Lemont was 0-2 after losses to Libertyville and Geneva (both currently 5-0), but since has regrouped nicely, and after knocking off previously undefeated T.F. North in Week 5, Lemont now has pretty firm control of the South Suburban Blue race.
About the Braves: Bremen was a playoff team last season, but things have clearly regressed in the Braves’ program. Bremen lost 46-20 to Hillcrest in Week 5, but this probably should be seen as a sign of progress, considering the Braves managed only 30 points in their first four games of the year.
FND pick: Lemont
Illinois Central Eight
Herscher (3-2, 2-1) at Wilmington (5-0, 3-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Tigers: Herscher won’t likely get a lot of time to enjoy its last-second win over Streator in Week 5 because the Tigers’ schedule is back loaded with top-flight opponents, starting with the kingpin of the Illinois Central Eight, Wilmington. QB Tanner Jones is a good run/pass threat, but he and the rest of the Tigers will have to play at the absolute top of their game to have any chance of keeping this game close.
About the Wildcats: Wilmington put together yet another dominating performance, running the ball for well over 300 yards at over a 9-yard clip per attempt. It was one of the few times this season it took until the second half to get the running clock rolling, but it wasn’t because of the errors of the defense, which allowed only Reed-Custer three first downs.
FND pick: Wilmington
Peotone (3-2, 1-2) at Manteno (5-0, 3-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Blue Devils: Peotone survived the meatiest part of its schedule (back-to-back contests against conference dynamos Wilmington and Coal City), and although they didn’t get a win in either of those contests the Blue Devils certainly made a good accounting of themselves in a 27-13 loss to Coal City. RB Chase Rivera continues to be a battering ram for Peotone.
About the Panthers: It has been a banner season for Manteno, which has clinched playoff eligibility for the first time since 2019. But the Panthers have their eyes on a bit more, and the first step to doing that would be picking off their former cooperative program partner – Manteno broke off as an independent program in 2001.
FND pick: Peotone
Reed-Custer (0-5, 0-3) at Coal City (4-1, 3-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Comets: Reed-Custer obviously had some difficulty dealing with Wilmington. The stat sheet shows some encouraging signs for the Comets, but nearly half of Reed-Custer’s offensive production came on one play, a 73-yard touchdown from Jeremy Eggleston in the fourth quarter of a game they trailed 41-0. This is another difficult challenge.
About the Coalers: Coal City had to do some work to shake off a pesky Peotone team in Week 5, but the Coalers have a game changer in RB Landin Benson, who made sure the Coalers wouldn’t suffer an Illinois Central Eight loss with a 213-yard effort. The defense continues to be an unsung hero for the squad, as the Coalers have given up just 25 points over their past four games.
FND pick: Coal City
Chicagoland Prairie
Dwight/GSW (3-2, 0-1) at Seneca (5-0, 1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Trojans: Dwight initially was lined up to accept a forfeit victory over Walther Christian in Week 5, but instead the Trojans signed on to take on Maroa-Forsyth, the top-ranked team in the Class 2A Associated Press poll. It didn’t go particularly well for Dwight, as Maroa-Forsyth scored on its first five possessions and rolled to the win, but it says something about how far Dwight has come recently that it felt comfortable enough about where it is in the playoff chase that it could take on this sort of challenge.
About the Fighting Irish: There were some schools of thought that Seneca might take a step back because of the fact that a strong senior class left the program via graduation. There really haven’t been any signs of that, however, as the Fighting Irish flattened Aurora Central Catholic in Week 5. Seneca hasn’t really been forced into a competitive game so far this year. The closest anyone has come is 21 points (Tremont in Week 1).
FND pick: Seneca