The Week 7 Expanded Top 20
First and 10
1. Downers Grove North (6-0)Next opponent: Lyons
Comment: If there was any doubt, the Trojans proved they are as good as anyone in the state in last week’s 35-14 win over previously unbeaten York. Now comes another tough test against Lyons, also 6-0 like the Trojans, who has played a strong schedule including nonconference wins over Prospect and Wheaton Warrenville South.
2. Fremd (6-0)Next opponent: at Palatine
Comment: How about the Vikings who lit up the scoreboard last week against Barrington? Brennan Saxe had a field day catching passes from quarterback Johnny O’Brien with 261 receiving yards. Palatine also has plenty of talent; this game promises to be as good as any this week.
3. Geneva (6-0)Next opponent: Wheaton North
Comment: We just said it, but how about the Vikings? This group of Vikings in Geneva had been tortured by coach Dennis Piron and Batavia the past 13 years, not winning a single game vs. their rival and more often than not getting blown out. But after last week’s 30-7 Geneva win, it’s these Vikings with bragging rights — and in position to win the DuKane Conference title.
4. Cary-Grove (6-0)Next opponent: at Huntley
Comment: On paper this looks like the last obstacle between Cary-Grove and the FVC championship. Also on paper, the 4-2 Red Raiders have lost by 33 points to Jacobs and Prairie Ridge — two teams the Trojans have beat by a combined 27 points. C-G clearly looks like the class of the FVC.
5. Naperville Central (6-0)Next opponent: at Metea Valley
Comment: Sebastian Hayes stepped up for the Redhawks last week, throwing for 211 yards and 2 touchdowns and running for another in a win over Lockport while RB Aidan Clark missed with a knee injury. WR DeShaun Williams caught 10 passes for 121 yards.
6. Barrington (5-1)Next opponent: Schaumburg
Comment: The Broncos will have to bounce back from last week’s 56-35 loss to Fremd and possibly do it without QB Nick Peipert. They will have to get that win against a Schaumburg team having its best season in years, now 5-1 with its only loss to Palatine.
7. Batavia (5-1)Next opponent: at St. Charles East
Comment: The last time Batavia entered a week coming off a loss to Geneva? You have to go back to 2010. The Bulldogs were in the Upstate Eight River Division back then, and they responded with a 28-7 win over Elgin. Now they will try to rebound against a banged-up Saints team that was playing improved football until injuries set in, coming off a 42-7 loss to St. Charles North.
8. York (5-1)Next opponent: at Glenbard West
Comment: Like Barrington and Batavia, York heads into Week 7 needing to bounce back. It won’t be easy for the Dukes against a 2-4 Glenbard West team fighting for its playoff lives. The proud Hilltoppers have won two straight after an 0-4 start and are getting healthier.
9. St. Charles North (5-1)Next opponent: at Glenbard North
Comment: After some absolutely wild wins this season, the North Stars enjoyed a less heart-stopping 42-7 victory over St. Charles East last week. Keaton Reinke caught 7 passes for 95 yards while quarterback Ethan Plumb completed 19 of his 23 throws for 266 yards and 4 touchdowns. The North Stars don’t want to look too far ahead but do get Geneva in Week 9.
10. Palatine (5-1)Next opponent: Fremd
Comment: Ryan Donnelly did it all for Palatine in last week’s 56-22 win over Hoffman Estates. He caught 3 passes for 127 yards, returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown, and caught a pair of TD passes. Junior QB Will Santiago stayed hot, completing 10 for 13 passes for 258 yards and 3 TDs, and also ran for a score.
Second and 10
11. Hersey (4-2) Beat Buffalo Grove 48-7; at Prospect
12. Libertyville (6-0)Beat Waukegan 52-44; Zion-Benton
13. St. Francis (4-2) Beat IC Catholic 21-13; at Marian
14. Maine South (3-3) Beat Glenbrook North 65-10; at Glenbrook S.
15. Warren (4-2) Beat Mundelein 34-20; at Stevenson
16. Naperville North (4-2)Beat Lincoln-Way West 38-33; Neuqua V.
17. West Aurora (6-0)Beat Ridgewood 51-0; Larkin
18. WW South (3-3) Beat Wheaton North 31-6; Lake Park
19. Montini (4-2)Beat Carmel 34-10; at St. Viator
20. Stevenson (5-1)Beat Lake Forest 35-21; Warren