Scouting Lake County football games for Week 9
Scouting Lake County football games for Week 9
Warren (7-1) at Round Lake (0-8)
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Last week: Warren def. Stevenson, 50-25; Round Lake lost to Lakes, 34-13.
Outlook: Warren completed a 6-0 run through the North Suburban Lake Division last Friday night, so now the Blue Devils will simply be looking to go into the playoffs healthy and with 8 wins. They should get the victory tonight in this North Suburban crossover against a Panthers team that likely will finish winless in their first season under head coach John Coursey. Warren sophomore running back Tom Lindal needs 93 rushing yards for 1,000. The Panthers boast a good sophomore back too in John Strickland (574 rushing yards, 7 touchdowns). Another bright spot for Round Lake this season? The Panthers have scored at least 1 touchdown in each of their eight games. ... Warren has won six straight games since losing to Maine South in Week 2. ... Blue Devils linebacker Aaron Montgomery's 2 interceptions against Stevenson - one which he returned for a touchdown - gave him 6 for the season.
- Joe Aguilar
Lake Zurich (5-3, 3-2) at Zion-Benton (0-8, 0-5)
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Last week: Lake Zurich def. Grant 31-0; Zion-Benton lost to Lake Forest 35-26.
Outlook: Lake Zurich's second shutout in three games last week all but officially locked up a seventh straight playoff berth for the defending Class 7A state champions. The Bears have 37 playoff points heading into tonight's North Suburban Lake Division finale and are guaranteed two more. They face a Z-B team that has allowed an NSC Lake-high 290 points (36.3 per game). Lake Zurich running back Andrew Maloney has rushed for a team-best 613 yards and 10 touchdowns. Both Maloney and Kyle Williams (2 TDs) gained more than 100 yards on the ground against Grant last Friday. ... A victory for LZ will give the Bears four straight wins heading into the state playoffs.
- Joe Aguilar
North Chicago (2-6, 1-4) at Wauconda (3-5, 2-3)
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Last week: North Chicago lost to Antioch, 44-34; Wauconda lost to Vernon Hills, 24-21.
Outlook: The season ends tonight for both North Suburban Prairie Division teams, both of which had realistic postseason expectations heading into the season. Wauconda has dropped four straight games. The Bulldogs got a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes against Vernon Hills last Friday from Garrett Dorsey to Dalton Cuchna. North Chicago played undefeated Antioch tough, thanks largely to the performance of running back Jimon Hill, who rushed for 225 yards and 3 scored touchdowns.
- Joe Aguilar
Carmel Catholic (7-1, 5-1) at Nazareth (7-1, 5-1)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Last week: Carmel def. St. Patrick, 42-7; Nazareth def. St. Joseph, 48-7.
Outlook: Playoff seeds will be on the line as both teams aim to finish the regular season with just one loss. Carmel coach Andy Bitto says that a win could give the Corsairs a No. 3 seed, a loss could push them down as far as No. 5 or No. 6...Nazareth's only loss is to Joliet Catholic, which Carmel defeated in the season opener, 24-12. Carmel's only loss came to Marist, which Nazareth defeated 35-21...The Roadrunners boast a balanced offensive attack, but seem to like running the ball best. LaSteven McKinney and Mike Williams are their two best runners, with McKinney being similar in style to Antioch's Cameron White - elusive and fast...The Corsairs are also well balanced. Rushing the ball out of the triple option will always be Carmel's bread and butter, but quarterback Andrew Nerup has emerged as quite a passer. Eric Stevenson has caught multiple touchdown passes in the last two games.
- Patricia Babcock McGraw
Libertyville (4-4, 3-2) at Lake Forest (5-3, 2-3)
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Last week: Libertyville def. Mundelein, 41-0; Lake Forest def. Zion-Benton, 35-26.
Outlook: The last time Libertyville missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons was 1991 and 1992. The Wildcats aren't interested in updating the history books. Libertyville missed the playoffs last year for the first time since 1996. Ironically, the Wildcats needed to defeat Lake Forest in their final game of the regular season in order to reach the five-win plateau and qualify for the playoffs on points. The Wildcats wound up losing to Lake Forest in overtime...It's one year later and Libertyville finds itself in the exact same position. The Wildcats just hope that they can avoid the exact same result...Last year, the Libertyville offense didn't rush the ball very well and consequently didn't stay on the field very long. That gave Lake Forest's potent offense, led by quarterback Tom Rees and his top receiver David Head, all kinds of opportunities. This year, the Wildcats have a much more consistent ground game, thanks in part to the play of running back James Zotto and a much improved offensive line...Libertyville coach Randy Kuceyeski says that turnovers will also be a key. The Wildcats opened the season with three straight losses, and put themselves in the unenviable position they're in now, in part because of multiple turnovers. But lately, Libertyville has taken care of the ball well, turning it over only twice in the last three games.
- Patricia Babcock McGraw
Mundelein (1-7, 1-4) at Stevenson (4-4, 3-2)
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Last week: Mundelein lost to Libertyville, 41-0; Stevenson lost to Warren, 50-25.
Outlook: Mundelein would love to play the role of spoiler as Stevenson finds itself in a must-win situation. If the Patriots win, they will make it to the playoffs on points. If they don't, they'll be as done for the season as Mundelein...The Patriots will be focused on closing out this game. In two of its last three games - both losses - Stevenson jumped out to an early lead only to see it disappear. Three weeks ago, the Patriots had a 14-0 edge on Libertyville, which came back to win 28-21. And last week, Stevenson jumped out to a 13-0 lead on Warren before getting steamrolled...The Patriots boast an effective passing game, thanks to quarterback Zach Wujcik and receivers Michael Bilton, Henry Wood and Nate Johnson. But the offense mostly runs through running back Mark Weisman. The workhorse racked up 31 carries last week against Warren for 189 yards...Mundelein has had trouble in the points department. The Mustangs have managed to score only 49 points on the season, which is just 6.1 points per game.
- Patricia Babcock McGraw
Lakes (3-5, 2-3) at Antioch (8-0, 5-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Last week: Lakes def. Round Lake, 34-13; Antioch def. North Chicago, 44-34.
Outlook: Records get tossed for this one, because just about anything can happen in a crosstown rivalry game. Lakes branched off from Antioch several years ago but the students from both schools are more than familiar with each other having grown up in the same community. Antioch coach Brian Glashagel said he couldn't imagine a more electrifying scenario than having his team go for its first undefeated regular season in 25 years against its archrival...Lakes is coming off one of its best games of the season. The Eagles had a little bit of everything going against Round Lake. Kicker David Tomis showed his value by kicking 2 field goals (including a long of 41 yards) and quarterback Justin Hotle moved the offense effectively. He completed 15 of 22 passes for 179 yards...Antioch's bread and butter is its rushing game out of the option offense. What has made the Sequoits so effective this season is that they truly have options. Senior Cameron White steals the show with is smooth moves and dancing feet, but Antioch also chews up plenty of yardage with Steve Lorenzini and Vinnie Holm.
- Patricia Babcock McGraw
Vernon Hills (7-1, 4-1) at Grant (6-2, 4-1)
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Last week: Vernon Hills def. Wauconda, 24-21; Grant lost to Lake Zurich, 31-0.
Outlook: These two teams can empathize with each other. Vernon Hills has suffered injuries to top players this season and so has Grant. Ouch! The difference is that the Cougars are getting those players back and Grant is not...Both DaVaris Daniels (wide receiver) and Ernie Choi (fullback) went down with ankle injuries two weeks ago in Vernon Hills' loss to Antioch. Choi played sparingly last week and is near 100 percent now and Daniels has been out since the injury occurred. However, Vernon Hills coach Tony Monken is optimistic Daniels could return at any time. In the meantime, quarterback PJ Marsek, who has passed and run the ball brilliantly all season, has kept the Cougars in line...Grant lost quarterback/running back Izzy Rodriguez early in the season with a knee injury and then wide receiver Tommy Bychowski went down with mono. Rodriguez is likely out for the season and Bychowski is day-to-day until he gets clearance from his doctors. On top of all that Justin Cokefair, who took over at quarterback for Rodriguez and has made the position his, got his hand stepped on in practice last week. He avoided a break, but did not play last week because of significant bruising to the area. He is questionable for this game. If he can't go, sophomore Leo Minne will get his second straight start.
- Patricia Babcock McGraw
Grayslake Central (1-7, 1-3) at Prairie Ridge (5-3, 3-1)
When: 7:45 p.m. today
Last week: Grayslake Central def. Grayslake North, 35-21; Prairie Ridge lost to Huntley, 31-28.
Outlook: Fresh off its first win since 2006, Grayslake Central travels to Crystal Lake to play a Prairie Ridge squad that still might be stinging from a tough loss to Huntley last Friday in what was a first-place showdown in the Fox Valley Fox Division. With 5 wins and 40 playoff points, Prairie Ridge is a lock for the playoffs, regardless of tonight's outcome. ... Grayslake Central running back Cassidy Melton is finishing his senior season strong. He broke off a school-record 98-yard touchdown run against Johnsburg two weeks ago, then rushed for a career-best 211 yards against Grayslake North last Friday. He scored on a 51-yard run. ... After missing the Rams' Week-7 loss to Johnsburg, quarterback Kevin O'Rourke returned against Grayslake North. He ran for 2 scores and passed for another.
- Joe Aguilar
Grayslake North (0-8, 0-4) at Crystal Lake Central (6-2, 2-2)
When: 7:45 p.m. today
Last week: Grayslake North lost to Grayslake Central, 35-21; CL Central d. Johnsburg 34-13.
Outlook: Crystal Lake Central snapped a two-game losing streak against Johnsburg to clinch a playoff berth. ... Grayslake North had a strong first half against Grayslake Central, taking a 21-13 lead late when Glenn Mizowek scored on a school-recod 95-yard touchdown run. But the Knights' offense stalled after that. Mizowek rushed for a season-high 174 yards but had only 5 in the second half. ... Grayslake North has scored only 73 points (fewest in the FVC) and has allowed 317 (most in the FVC).
- Joe Aguilar