Week 8 Area Football Game Previews

Compiled by Drake Skleba

The Blue Demons, take on Vernon Hills’ QB,Derek Jerrel (1,905 yards, 13 TD) and the Cougars, Friday night

DRAKE   Vernon Hills 49 Maine East 14
MARK  Vernon Hills 35 Maine East 21

The Hawks look to  wrap-up their 18th consecutive, CSL South championship, against the only school to beat the Hawks, in that time frame, the Trevians of New Trier. October 7, 2016, at Wilson Field. New Trier 27 Maine South 21. The Trevians, ended a 77-game, Maine South, CSL South winning streak, a little over two years ago.

Hawk QB, Cole Dow (748 passing yards, 6TD) leads the Hawk attack. WR Danny Lazic (492 receiving yards, 4TD), who leads the area in reception yardage, is Cole’s favorite receiver. WR/DB Ryan Kilburg (381 reception yardage, 4TD), is another outstanding Hawk receiver. Senior RB Danny Wolf (306 yards, 5TD), leads the Hawks’ ground attack.

DE Jon Halverson, LBs Jimmy Bartell,,Anthony Preston and Kilburg, lead the Hawk “D”.

The Trevians, are led by junior RBs, Brian Sitzer and Donovan Perkins. Sitzer, just returned from a Week 2 injury and has scored eight touchdowns and rushed for over 400 yards, on the season. Sitzer hooked up with Trevian QB, Carson Ochsenhirt, on a 70-yard scoring strike, in the Trevians 35-28 win over Evanston. Perkins had a 70-yard jaunt to the end zone, for six, against Evanston.

WR/DB Carson Kosanovich, had two key interceptions against Evanston’s standout, QB Ben Tarpey (1,380 passing yards, 23 TD)

DRAKE Maine South 31 New Trier 17
MARK  Maine South 38  New Trier 14

Niles North (1-6, 0-3) at Niles West (0-7, 0-3) Friday 7

“The Battle of Skokie” will take place as the West Wolves, led by QB Jack Lochner, take on the North Vikings.

DRAKE  Niles North 35 Niles West 34

Ty Gavin and the Dons, take the road trip to Mundelein, on Friday, to face the Corsairs. Gavin, leads the area with 114 points and is No. 2 in the area, with his 908 rushing yards. Junior Julian Schurr, has scored eight touchdowns and rushed for 494 yards. Sophomore QB Anthony Sayles, has thrown for 519 yards and four touchdowns.

Senior QB Colin Gillespie, leads the Redwings on the road trip to Woodstock, to face Patsy Ricciardi and the Hurricanes.. Ricciardi leads the Hurricanes, with 723 passing yards and nine touchdowns. Bryce Radcliffe, is Ricciardi’s favorite target, hauling in 426 yards receiving and six touchdowns. Luke Rogers, handles the Corsairs’ ground game, rushing for 642 yards with three touchdowns.

Gillespie, has thrown for 1,014 yards with six touchdowns, for the Redwings. 6-foot-6 Nico Kasprzycki, is third in the area with 399 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Ben Hickey, has rushed for 488 yards and seven touchdowns, to lead the Redwing ground attack. Standout DE Jack Benish, leads the Redwing defense

Keenan Hailey aka “Hailey’s Comet” leads the Hilltoppers to La Grange Park, to face an angry-bunch of Roadrunners. Beep! Beep! After being knocked out of the ranks of the undefeated and out of first place, in the ESCC, in last week’s 32-14 loss to Marist. the Roadrunners will look to take out their frustrations on the Hilltoppers.

Hailey has rushed for an area-best 1,346 yards with 15 touchdowns. FB Nick Iannantone, chips in with 620 yards and six touchdowns, after scoring four touchdowns, against Marian Catholic.

Nazareth sophomore QB JJ McCarthy. The super-soph, has thrown for 1,613 yards and 21 touchdowns. WRs Diamond Evans (634 yards, nine TD) and Mike Love (604 yards 10 TD) are McCarthy’s favorite receivers.

AP Class 3A  No. 7 Lisle
After scoring all 23 points, in Lisle’s 23-20 victory at Streator last week, Lion QB Jay McGrath, leads the Lions against the Indians. McGrath, has thrown for an area’s third best with 903 yards with eight touchdowns. McGrath’s 71 points scored, ranks fifth in the area. 6-foot-5 senior WR Jakub Kowal (340 receiving yards 3TD), is McGrath’s favorite receiver. RB Dylan Laue, leads the Lion ground attack with 254 yards and five touchdowns.

Another edition of “The Plainfield Civil War” ensues on Friday, as the game is a must-win for the host Tigers. Sophomore Nate Simpson, had his coming-out party, running for 162 yards and two touchdowns, in the Tigers 34-14 win, over Joliet Central. 4X Track State Champion, Marcellus Moore,also rushed for over 100 yards against JC. Baseball State Champion Greg Budig, returns at quarterback for the Tigers .

The Cougars vaunted “D”, led by Connor Hall, Jake Kendall and Adriel Montemayor, received some help last week from the Cougs’ offense. Led by four touchdowns and 158 yards rushing from RB Tod Bell, the Cougars routed Plainfield East 41-6. Bell, is currently seventh in the area with 548 rushing yards and fifth in the area in scoring, with 54 points. Sophomore QB Nick Schultz, has been a huge plus for the Cougar offense.

The Week 7 Team of the Week travels to Joliet’s west side, to take on Kevon Dorris and the Tigers. The Tigers need to win out to make the playoffs. West QB Alfonso Sanchez, has thrown for 535 yards and four touchdowns. Sanchez, also has four rushing touchdowns on the campaign. Dorris is second in the area pass receiving, with 408 yards and six touchdowns.

The Indians are led by the area leader in passing yards, junior QB Seth Lehr. Lehr has thrown for 1,046 yards and has thrown 11 touchdown passes, which also leads the area. Braden Vercler (239 receiving yards, TD), Steven Gonzales (234 receiving yards, 2TD)

and Connor Etzkorn (3 touchdown catches) are Lehr’s favorite receivers. Junior Noah Ellens, leads the Indians’ ground attack, with 534 yards and six touchdowns. “Sack Master” Jake Shipla, leads the Indian defense with 51 tackles and nine QB sacks.

Plainfield East (2-5, 2-5) at Romeoville (0-7, 0-7) Friday 7
“Big Ben” Mazurkiewicz (890 passing yards 5TD) leads the Bengals to “The Ville”. Nick Smith (310 yards 4TD) and Javen Mays (260 yards 2TD) are Mazurkiewicz’s, favorite receivers. The Spartans are led by QB Donovan DeHoyas (409 passing yards 2TD) and QB/WR Zach Gibson (219 receiving yards 2TD)

The Wildcats travel to Oswego, to take on the Big Bad Wolves of Oswego East. After getting thumped 32-0, by their crosstown rivals from Oswego, last week, expect the hosts to be in a nasty mood. The Wolves defense, gave up five touchdowns against Oswego after giving up just one touchdown, in their first six games.

Central junior QB Nick Barner,has quietly put up big numbers, throwing the ball,for the Wildcats. Barner, is fifth in the area with 804 passing yards and six touchdowns. WRs Joey Kasmarsky (311 receiving yards 2TD) and Reece Lillie (294 receiving yards 6TD), are Barner’s favorite targets. Lillie has hauled in four touchdown passes, in the last three games.

Brett Boyter’s Steelmen,hope to catch the No. 4-ranked Panthers on a let-down after pounding archrival Oswego East 32-0 last week. QB Noah Parker has thrown for 1,311 yards and 14 TDs. WR James Fomby, is Parker’s favorite receiver, hauling in 34 passes for 677 yards and nine touchdowns. RB Charles Coleman leads the Panther running attack with 738 yards and 13 touchdowns.

The Steelmen are led by their senior QB  Jared King. King, has thrown for 758 yards and seven touchdowns, King has also, rushed for over 200 yards, with five rushing touchdowns. WR Andrew Murphy, is King’s favorite receiver, with 273 receiving yards and three touchdown catches.

The Raiders can’t look ahead to top-ranked, Lincoln-Way East (7-0, 5-0), next week in Frankfort. Quentin Pringle and Anthony Williams Jr., have ran over everybody, except highly-ranked H-F. Pringle has rushed for 723 yards and 12 touchdowns and Williams Jr. has 647 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. Williams Jr.is third in the area in scoring, with 80 points. Pringle is third with 74 points. QB Devyn Suggs, has thrown for 429 yards and has three touchdown passes.

The Porters and junior QB, Marcos Voulgaris, take the three-hour bus ride to Peoria, on Friday. Voulgaris is ninth in the area, with 606 passing yards and two TD. RB Austin Hubert, leads the Porter running game, with 380 yards and one touchdown. Malik Malhouf, is Voulgaris’ favorite receiver,with 252 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

MARK  Notre Dame 38 Lockport 10

DGN junior QB Drew Cassens,leads the Trojans into the 2018 District #99 Crosstown Classic, against the hated-Mustangs of DGS. Cassens has rushed for 732 yards, which is third in the area and has scored eight touchdowns. Cassens, has also thrown for 472 yards and two touchdowns. Cassens, favorite receiver is Jack Degeorgio, with 248 yards and both touchdown catches.

Mustang junior QB Jayden Lambert, torched the Leyden secondary last week, for 266 yards and four touchdowns, in the Mustangs 35-7 WSC Gold victory. Lambert has thrown for 398 yards and six touchdowns. Lambert, is also the Mustangs’ leading rusher with 367 yards and five touchdowns. Sophomore Devean Washington,is a dual threat at running back.

Senior WR Vinnie Provenzano, has hauled in six touchdown passes and 392 receiving yards, which ranks fourth in the area.

MARK  South 35 North 28

Sentinel sophomore QB Gavin Carr (368 passing yards 5TD),will look for favorite receiver,Mike Thompson (333 receiving yardage, 5TD) at winless Warren. Warren,Illinois ,is located on the Illinois-Wisconsin border. The Sentinels, must win Friday and at home against Burlington Central (2-6),next Friday, to make the playoffs.

DRAKE Westmont 42 Warren 21

MARK Westmont 17 Warren 10

Week 7 Picks  Drake 16-0 1.000; Mark 13-2 .866

  1. Decatur St. Teresa  7-0 55.0 ppg

  2. Rolling Meadows     7-0 50.8ppg

  3. Carlinville                 7-0 49.6ppg

  4. Byron                       7-0 49.0ppg
5. Carthage                  7-0 48.8ppg

  6. Prairie Ridge            6-1 48.4ppg

  7. SHG                         5-2 47.8ppg

  8. East St. Louis          5-2  47.3ppg

  9. Hersey                     7-0 47.0ppg

10. Monticello                7-0 46.7ppg

TOP 10 DEFENSE
  1. Gibson City              7-0 2.7ppg
  2. Princeville                7-0 3.9ppg

  3. Marquette                7-0  4.7ppg

  4. Montini                     7-0  5.0ppg

  5. L-W East                  7-0  5.4ppg

      Richards                  7-0  5.4 ppg

  7. Oswego East           6-1  5..6ppg

  8. Hillcrest                    7-0  6.3ppg

  9. Richmond Burton     6-1  6.9ppg

10. Coal City                  6-1  7.0ppg

  1. L-W East                 7-0

  3. Marist                      6-1

  4. Oswego                   7-0

  5. H-F                          6-1

  6. Glenbard West        6-1
 7. Bolingbrook           6-1

  8. Naperville Central   5-2

  9. Stevenson               6-1

10. Hinsdale Central     5-2

CLASS 7A
1. Batavia                  7-0

  2. Brother Rice          7-0

  3. East St. Louis        6-1
4. Mount Carmel        6-1

      Nazareth                6-1

  6. Simeon                  7-0

  7. Hononegah            7-0

  8. Normal                   6-1

  9.. Belleville West      6-1

10. St. Charles North   6-1

  1. Cary-Grove            7-0

      Richards                7-0

  3. Willowbrook           7-0

  4. Prairie Ridge          6-1

  5. Phillips                   5-2

  6. Glenwood              7-0

  8. Normal West          6-1

  9. DeKalb                   6-1

10. Providence             5-2

CLASS 5A
 1. Washington            7-0
2. Montini                    7-0

  3. Sterling                   7-0

  4. Hillcrest                  7-0

  5. Highland                 7-0

  6. Antioch                   7-0

      Metamora               7-0

  8. Decatur MacArthur 5-2
9. Carbondale             6-1
 10. Payton                   7-0

  1. Byron                      7-0
2. Bishop McNamara  6-1
3. Carlinville                7-0

  4. Monticello               7-0

  5. Farmington             7-0

  6. Williamsville            6-1
  7. Lisle                       7-0

  8. Monmouth              6-1

  9. Beardstown            6-1

10. West Frankfort       6-1