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DuKane Conference
Geneva (7-0 overall, 5-0 conference) at St. Charles East (2-5, 2-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Vikings: Geneva is one of 39 playoff eligible teams across the state to be undefeated through the first seven weeks, but the Vikings definitely had to earn that honor in Week 7 against Wheaton North. The game saw the Vikings trail in the second half for the first time all season on two separate occasions, but a huge stop on defense in the red zone on the Falcons’ final offensive drive ended the threat. Despite the offense not having as much production as it had in the first six weeks, WR and Georgia commit Talyn Taylor still managed a big game with six receptions for 162 yards (98 of which came from his first two catches) and a touchdown from 59 yards out. He’s now up to 785 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns on the season, and will be looking to pass the 1,000-yard and 15-score mark in the coming weeks, and maybe even against St. Charles East barring a monster performance.
About the Saints: St. Charles East hasn’t been playing at full strength over the past couple of weeks, and it didn’t get much better last week against Batavia. Starting QB JT Padron has been out for the past two games due to injury, and they also lost backup starter Peyton Faidley. DB Sean Keegan stepped in as an emergency quarterback in the game, and even managed a 72-yard rushing score, so he may get the call back under center if Padron were to miss another game. RB Xander Salazar also missed out on last week’s contest, which proved to be a significant blow to a rush game that had performed well up to that point.
Friday Night Drive Pick: Geneva
Wheaton Warrenville South (4-3, 3-2) at Batavia (6-1, 4-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Tigers: WW South is coming off of a much-needed win over Lake Park in Week 7, which reduced the pressure on the Tigers in terms of reaching the playoffs for the second straight season. While the QB-WR combo of Luca Carbonaro and NIU commit Amari Williams has been the main focus of the Tigers’ offense throughout the season, RB Owen Yorke had his chance to shine once again with 279 all-purpose yards and two rushing scores in the game. The combined record of the opponents the Tigers have lost to this season is an astounding 20-1, with the lone loss being St. Charles North’s Week 4 loss to Batavia. Their losses have been close, with Lyons and North only winning by one score, as well as the Tigers being the only team to score 30 points off of Geneva so far.
About the Bulldogs: After losing to Geneva in Week 6, which snapped a 10-game winning streak against conference opponents and a 13-game winning streak against the Vikings, Batavia came back in a big way with a 56-7 victory over St. Charles East. On offense, the rushing game bounced back with 254 yards last week, with QB Bodi Anderson setting the pace with an 80-yard score to start the game. RB Nathan Whitwell also managed to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards on the season last week, while also adding two scores to give him 17 on the season. The defense also shined with 13 tackles for loss in the game, which marks the fifth time they’ve had over 10 in a game this season. The Bulldogs also welcomed back DB Josh Kahley, who led the team in interceptions last season. His return will be a big boost in an already solid secondary as they face off against an offense that has not been afraid to attack teams through the air this season.
FND Pick: Batavia
Lake Park (3-4, 1-4) at St. Charles North (6-1, 4-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Lancers: The Lancers find themselves in a situation where they likely need to win out in order to have a shot to secure a spot in the playoffs after losing 27-14 to WW South in Week 7. QB George Tzamouranis will be looking for a rebound performance after throwing three interceptions. Also looking to potentially bounce back is WR Niko Menos, who only managed a single catch after a three-touchdown performance against Glenbard North the week prior.
About the North Stars: Following its Week 4 loss on the road against Batavia, St. Charles North has rattled off three straight wins to clinch a playoff bid for the third consecutive season. Part of the recent success the North Stars have been having is from the stellar play of quarterback Ethan Plumb. In his last three games, the four-year starter has averaged 278 yards through the air while also scoring 12 total touchdowns (10 passing, 2 rushing). He’s also been finding wide receiver Keaton Reinke consistently in those games, as the two have connected 26 times for 397 yards and five scores, bringing his season total to 787 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns. A win this week also secures a shot at their second DuKane Conference in three seasons in a matchup against Geneva.
FND Pick: St. Charles North
Fox Valley Conference
Hampshire (1-6, 1-6) at Burlington Central (5-2, 5-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Rockets: Burlington Central rebounded from its home loss against Jacobs in Week 6 with an impressive 52-21 road win against Prairie Ridge, which entered the game with only one loss and 57 points allowed all season. It was the most points Central has scored since Week 6 in 2017 (55-16 win over Woodstock). QB Jackson Alcorn threw for a team-record 469 yards and six TDs on 24-of-34 passing. Central called 22 straight passing plays to end the first half after spotting Prairie Ridge an early lead and went into the break up 28-14. Rocco Boss had a team-record 207 yards on seven catches with two TDs. ... The win all but officially locked up a playoff berth for the Rockets, who have not been to the postseason since 2014. Burlington Central, Prairie Ridge and Jacobs are tied for second in the FVC, two games back of undefeated Cary-Grove. Burlington Central had not beaten Prairie Ridge since it joined the FVC in 2019.
About the Whip-Purs: Hampshire’s 21-16 loss on homecoming to Dundee-Crown last week ran its losing streak to six. With Dundee-Crown and McHenry winning last week, the Whip-Purs are in sole possession of last place in the FVC. They have, however, scored more points (103) than three other teams in the conference. FB Cole Klawikowski, making his season debut, ran for 150 yards on 20 carries against D-C.
FND pick: Burlington Central
— Joe Aguilar
Interstate 8
Kaneland (4-3, 1-3) at La Salle-Peru (3-4, 1-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Knights: The first four games and the most recent three games couldn’t be more different for Kaneland. The Knights started 4-0, not allowing more than 20 points in a game, and that was in a 49-20 win against Ottawa in which the Pirates scored after the running clock. But the Knights have lost 50-10 to Morris, 35-7 to Sycamore and 52-24 to Rochelle last week. They can strengthen their playoff position by virtually securing a spot with a win this week, extra pivotal given a trip to Belleville for Althoff Catholic (7-0) lurking in Week 9. Carter Grabowski has been all over the field for the Knights, leading with 51 tackles (three for a loss) and two interceptions. He’s also carried the ball 97 times for 458 yards and four touchdowns to lead the team’s ground attack.
About the Cavaliers: La Salle-Peru is coming off a 28-13 loss to Sycamore. The Cavaliers had not scored in four straight meetings against the Spartans but ended the drought with two fourth-quarter touchdowns – an 18-yard pass from Marion Persich to Landon Zellers and a 28-yard interception return by Reegan Kellett. Perisch has completed 80 of 148 passes for 1,042 yards and eight TDs with four interceptions. The Cavaliers have lost three in a row to Kaneland, including a 42-7 loss last fall. L-P, with 33 playoff points, needs at least one win in the last two weeks to have a shot at the playoffs.
FND pick: Kaneland
— Eddie Carifio
CCL/ESCC crossover
Marmion (4-3) at Marist (6-1)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
About the Cadets: In the battle between CCL/ESCC teams with first-year head coaches and teams with strong senior leadership, Marmion will come in as the underdogs in the contest. The Cadets will be looking to recover after giving up over 500 yards of offense in a 40-6 loss to IC Catholic in Week 7. The Cadets are currently teetering on the line for a spot in the playoffs, and while their Week 9 matchup against Leo is a more than favorable matchup for Marmion, an extra win against a team like Marist certainly wouldn’t hurt their chances.
About the RedHawks: After snapping a seven-year playoff streak with a 4-5 record last season, Marist has turned it around in their first season under new head coach Mike Fitzgerald. And it’s really shown with big wins over programs like Brother Rice, Providence and IC Catholic, so far this year. Their lone loss came in double overtime, falling one point short of defeating Joliet Catholic in Week 4. While the RedHawks have already secured their spot in the Class 8A playoffs, Fitzgerald says that he wants to stay consistent with his approach and ride out what’s been working for them through the end of the season.
FND Pick: Marist
DePaul College Prep (6-1) at St. Francis (5-2)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
About the Spartans: St. Francis earned its second consecutive victory last weekend, holding off Marian Catholic, 38-27. Junior quarterback Brady Palmer tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Zach Washington as part of a 233-yard game. The Spartans also amassed 196 rushing yards, paced by Tivias Caldwell and Seth Valeri.
About the Rams: Quarterback Fernando Rodriguez has thrown 15 touchdown passes this season. His favorite targets are receivers Braden Peevy (95.6-yard average, 6 touchdowns) and Matthew Osterman (60.7-yard average). Senior tailback Nick Martinez leads the Rams with 8 touchdowns and a 104-yard average.
FND Pick: St. Francis
— Craig Brueske, Daily Herald Media Group
Chicagoland Christian
Aurora Christian (5-2, 3-2) at Wheaton Academy (6-1, 5-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Eagles: Win or lose, this is a game that should help prepare the Eagles for the Class 1A state playoffs considering that Wheaton Academy owns a 6-1 mark and advanced to the 4A state semifinals a year ago. Last week, junior quarterback Asa Johnson threw for 329 yards and 4 touchdowns in the Eagles’ 34-27 road victory over Marian Central Catholic. Jonan Miceli is Johnson’s favorite target, while Vinny Delgado, Nolan Robertson, Cole McCall, and Chris Fielding offer offensive versatility. Since their 17-14 Week 5 loss to Bishop McNamara, the Eagles have scored 89 points the past 2 games.
About the Warriors: The Warriors have reeled off 6 straight wins after their 19-17 season-opening loss to state-ranked Houston Second Baptist (Texas). Last weekend, Wheaton Academy downed Christ the King, 56-8, behind quarterback Nathan Downey (4 touchdown passes) and tailback Brandon Kiebles (104 yards, 2 TDs). Downey connected with 4 different receivers for touchdowns – Zach Moravec, Charlie Coniaris, Gino Spinelli, and Diyonnes King. Defensively, London Leflore and King led the team with 7 tackles each, and both players recovered fumbles. The Warriors’ defense features 11 senior starters – and it’s Senior Night on Friday. “This is a special group of seniors who are dedicated to their craft,” said Warriors coach Jim Johanik. “There’s a sense of urgency with this group given how much senior leadership we have and how few remaining days these guys have left in their high school football careers. As the regular season concludes, the duration of their playing days is dictated by how well they come together in the playoffs. We have two regular-season games left to prepare for that run.”
FND Pick: Wheaton Academy
— Craig Brueske, Daily Herald Media Group
Nonconference
Aurora Central Catholic (3-4) at Walworth Big Foot (WI) (1-7)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Chargers: Grant Bohr led the Chargers to 180 total yards during last weekend’s 47-14 loss to Marquette Catholic. While the Chargers’ defense held Marquette to minus-5 yards passing, the Wisconsin squad finished with 415 yards rushing.
About the Chiefs: After opening the season with a 7-6 win over Whitewater, Big Foot has dropped 7 straight, including last weekend’s 47-7 loss to Lake Mills. This is the Chiefs’ regular-season finale.
FND Pick: Aurora Central Catholic
— Craig Brueske, Daily Herald Media Group