Week 3 Area Football Game Previews

By Drake Skleba

East Suburban Catholic Week 3 Preview

East Suburban Catholic Conference co-favorite Marist, lost its opener to archrival Brother Rice 20-16 and then traveled to Mishawaka, Indiana and defeated the host Cavemen 27-24, in Week 2. Redhawk senior quarterback, Mike Markett, threw for 227 yards and three touchdowns in the Mishawaka win. Markett has thrown for 385 yards on the season, with three touchdown passes. Markett, has also ran for 141 yards with a touchdown.

Senior WR Billy Skalitzki, is Markett’s favorite receiver, hauling in 13 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown. Jaydan Thompson, chips in for the Redhawks, with 10 receptions for 81 yards and two TDs.

94-7. That is the victory margin for the Dons in their 45-7 and 49-0, opening wins over Geneva and Oak Forest.The 94 points scored by the Dons in their first two games, ranks tied for 17th in Illinois. The Don “D” has allowed just 7 points which is tied for 19th best in IIlinois.

ESCC Player of the Year Ty Gavin, has already scored six touchdowns and  rushed for 186 yards.

Sophomore quarterback, Anthony Sayles, has rushed for a team-leading, 222 yards and has thrown for 154 more yards.

The State-ranked Redwings, travel to River Grove, to take on the undefeated Shamrocks, in their ESCC opener. Redwing QB Colin Gillespie, lead the area with 343 yards passing. Gillespie can run as well, as evidenced, by his 102-yard output, against Moline. WR/DB Jack Cooney, has played well on both sides of the ball and Mike Weymer and Ben Hickey, have aided Gillespie with the Redwing ground game. Senior DE John Benish, anchors the Redwing defense, along with Cooney.

The Shamrocks are off to a surprising 2-0 start to the season, behind victories over Taft, 36-22 and Glenbrook South 28-7…

Drake – Benet Academy 35 St. Patrick 0
Mark – Benet 42  St. Patrick 0

After running into a buzz-saw at Immaculate Conception, last week, the Hilltoppers look to bounce back in their ESCC opener. Hillltopper senior running back, Keenan Hailey was the shining light, last week at IC, rushing for 80 yards on 19 carries. Hailey is the No. 2 rusher among the Voyager Media Publications area schools. Fullback Nick Iannantone has rumbled for 168 yards in the Hilltoppers first two games.

St. Viator lost their two nonconference games, 28-13 to Prospect and 16-7 to Lodi (WI). The Lions are led by their tailback Elijah Black, who rushed for 148 yards and a touchdown, in the loss to Prospect.

11-time defending, Interstate 8 Conference Small Division champion, Wilmington, invades Lisle on Friday night. The Wildcats bring a 58-game I-8-South winning-streak, into the game. They are led by their all-everything running back Connor Dempsay, who rushed for over 1,700 yards as a junior, in 2017.

After running for 159-yards and a touchdown in the Wildcats 39-20 win over Manteno in Week One, Coal City held him to just 15-yards in 13 carries, in the Coalers 27-0 Week 2 win..

The Lions are led by senior RB AJ Casmer, who is the fourth-leading rusher in our area, with 177 yards. Senior QB Jay McGrath had just one incomplete pass, in last week’s 14-7 win over Manteno. McGrath completed 11 other of his passes for 126 yards and a touchdown. On the final play of the Manteno game, at his defensive back position, McGrath, shut-down the Panthers, last-gasp try for a game-tying touchdown.

The Raiders open up their Southwest Suburban Conference schedule, with the undefeated Eagles, of Sandburg. It is the third of four Raider home games, to open the 2018 season. On Friday the 14th, the state-ranked Vikings of Homewood-Flossmoor, will visit “The Brook”. Sandburg, opened up its 2018 campaign with a 24-10 win over Lyons Township, Last week the Eagles slipped past Chicago Curie, 14-9.

Quentin Pringle. All the Raider tailback, has done this season, is lead our area, in rushing yardage, touchdowns and total points.. Pringle leads the area with 328 rushing yards, Pringle’s six touchdowns and 36 points scored, ties him with Notre Dame’s Ty Gavin, for the top spot in area touchdowns and points. Senior FB Anthony Williams Jr, ranks third in area rushing yardage, touchdowns and points. Raider QB, H-F transfer Devyn Suggs, ranks ninth in area passing, with 144 yards and two touchdowns

The Porters, led by their junior QB, Marcos Voulgaris, head to Harvey for a Saturday matinee matchup, with the Wildcats. Voulgaris has thrown for 254 yards, which ranks sixth, in the area. Voulgaris’ favorite target, WR Malik Makhlouf has 115 receiving yards for the campaign, which ranks him ffth in our area.

Thornton lost a Southwest Suburban Conference game 29-26, to  Andrew in Week One. In Week 2 the Wildcats blasted Gary (IN) West 58-0

Joliet West (0-2, 0-2) at Plainfield South (2-0, 2-0) Friday at 7
Plainfield South head coach Bill Bicker, and his Cougars, gun for their first 3-0 start to a season, since the 2010 Cougars, under Mike Briscoe, won their first seven games. The vaunted Cougar “D” led by Connor Hall  and Adriel Montemayor, have only allowed two touchdowns, in their first two games. Hall has 18.5 tackles, to lead the Cougar “D” and Montemayor, has 14.5 tackles, four tackles for losses and a QB sack.Cougar QB Cody Dieball’s four touchdowns on the season, ties him for third, with Bolingbrook’s David Williams, Jr. Co-QB Joey Passo (109 yards), Dieball (108 yards) and fullback Tony Mosher (86 yards), are the Cougars’ top-three ball carriers.

Joliet West first-year coach, Bill Lech’s Tigers are led QB Alfonso Sanchez, RB Jaylen Taylor and WR Kevon Dorris. Sanchez is 11th in the area with his 140 yards passing and a touchdown. Taylor has scored one touchdown ands has rushed for 125 yards in the Tigers’ first two games. Dorris ranks among the area leaders, with his 104 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Drake –  Plainfield South 24, Joliet West 7
Mark – Plainfield South 20  Joliet West 17

The Tigers travel to historic Ken Pickerell Stadium, in Oswego, for a SPC battle with the seven time, SPC defending-champion, Panthers. The Tigers, are led by their fleet-footed, tailback, Marcellus Moore,. Moore, who has rushed for 173 yards, broke the century mark (102 yards) in the Tigers heart-breaking 7-6 loss, to Plainfield Central. Moore’s 55-yard burst to the end zone, was the Tigers only score.

Oswego is led by their “Dynamic Duo” of RB James Coleman and WR Jamal Fomby. In the Panthers two SPC wins, 35-0 over Plainfield Central and 35-20 against, Minooka, Coleman has rushed for 280 yards and three TD”s  Fomby, has caught eight passes for 128 yards and three touchdowns. Fomby also has a 25-yard rushing touchdown and a 93-yard kickoff return for six. Panther quarterback Noah Parker, has completed 14 of his 19 passes for 193 yards and three TD passes.

“The Ville” travels to SPC tri-leader and state-ranked Oswego East, on Friday. The Spartans, are led by QB Donovan DeHoyos, who has thrown for an area’s 6th best, with his 263 yards and one touchdown pass. DeHoyos’ favorite target, has been junior WR Zach Gibson, who has hauled in 10 passes for 166 yards, which leads the area in pass receiving yardage.

Oswego East is led by senior QB Brett Fern and WR Justin Clark. Fern and Clark, hooked up on a 63-yard scoring strike, in the Wolves 31-6 victory over Joliet West, on Friday.

Mark Pick – Oswego East 42  Romeoville 0

Plainfield Central (1-1,1-1) at Plainfield East  (1-1,1-1) 

On September 1, 2017, Plainfield East traveled to Plainfield South, for a Southwest Prairie Conference battle. After 48 minutes and when the dust had cleared, the Central Wildcats had a 29-28 victory. With the win, Plainfield Central High School, had won a football game, for the first time in 40 games. That’s right the 39-game Wildcat losing streak, was over!

On Friday night, Plainfield Central will travel to Plainfield’s “East Side” for the SPC rematch. Both clubs are coming off of impressive SPC wins last week and tonight’s game, should be another District 202 war.

East is led by senior QB Ben Mazurkiewicz, who is seventh in the area with 229 passing yards and a touchdown pass. Aiden Tonatelli, Josh Rowdon and Nick Smith, are Mazurkiewicz’s favorite receivers.

Central is led by its defense, led by linebacker Connor Sloier, who leads the ‘Cats with 21 tackles through two games. Defensive backs Bruce Pendleton and Jarin Edwards, have 34 tackles between them, in the Wildcat secondary. Wildcat “Sackmaster” Tyler Draves, has three sacks, two of them came in Friday’s big 7-6 win, over Plainfield North. Defensive end Daniel Carter, has a pair of QB sacks and Pendleton has one, as well

Proviso West (0-2, 0-0) at Downers Grove North (1-1, 0-0) Friday at 7
The Trojans look to make it two in a row, in their WSC Silver opener, at Carstens Field on Friday night. The Trojans “D” should be fired-up after blanking Leyden 14-0, last  week. It was an entire Trojan team defensive effort, led by junior QB/DB Drew Cassens, in the shoutout victory over the Eagles last week.

Proviso West is led by their offensive backfield, featuring Brandon Smith (240-yards, 4TDs), Brandon-Gwin Smith (199 yards, 2TDs) and KyShan Robinson (156 yards, 3TDs). The Panther defense has been their problems, in their 48-26 loss to Morton and a 45-28 loss, to Urban Prep.  
Drake – Downers Grove North 38, Proviso West 24

The Mustangs, travel to Maywood on Friday night, for a WSC Gold opener, with the Pirates. We cannot remember the last time DGS entered this contest, with a worse record than the Pirates. In Week One, Proviso East, broke their 39-game losing streak, when the Pirates beat Round Lake, in Maywood 27-20.

The Mustangs have been led this season by WR Vinnie Provenzano who has 74 yards, in receptions which puts him among the area leaders, in pass reception yardage. Mustang QB Cole Warehime, threw a five yard-touchdown pass, to the Mustangs leading rusher, Jayden Lambert (54 yards rushing), for the first Mustang touchdown of the season, Friday night against Oak Park-River Forest, for a 7-0 Mustang lead. In the third quarter, the Mustangs’ Kenlon Johnson’s one-yard plunge, along with Mustang kicker, Tyler Bachara’s point-after-touchdown, tied the game at 14. Sadly, OPRF, would score the next 24-points of the game and go on to a 42-14 victory.

On Friday night at Wilson Field, the Hawks take on their third consecutive,undefeated and AP State-Ranked opponent. After beating Glenbard West and Mount Carmel, the 2017 Mid-Suburban League West Division,champion Broncos, invade Park Ridge to face The Terrific Ten leading Hawks.

The Broncos are led by their dual-threat quarterback,Tommy Fitzpatrick, who has completed 19-of-36 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown. Fitzpatrick is a threat tp run, rushing for 152 yards and has scored three rushing touchdowns.. Bronco senior fullback Mike Curran, has 115 yards rushing with four touchdowns. Junior EJ Darlington, is Fitzpatrick’s primary target. Darlington has hauled in 11 passes for 181 yards.

The Barrington defense tossed a shutout at the 2017 Mid-Suburban Conference East Division champs, from Buffalo Grove 37-0, last Friday. Barrington opened up its season with a 31-14 victory over Warren, in Week One.

The Hawks offense is led by senior quarterback Bobby Inserra who has passed for 293 yards and rushed for138 yards and accounted for four touchdowns. Junior wide receivers Danny Lazic (9 catches 157 yards TD) and Ryan Kilburg (8 catches, 140 yards, 2 TDs), have been Inserra’s  main targets.

The Hawk  defense has been led by Hawk linebackers, Luke Preston and Jimmy Bartell.

Mark –  Maine South 21 Barrington 13

Wheeling (0-2) at Maine East (0-2) Friday at 7
Demons’ WR Mike Bobwyk (70 receiving yards), leads the Demons against the winless Wildcats of Wheeling in Park Ridge on Friday.

Schaumburg (1-1) at Niles West (0-2) Friday at 7
The Wolves look for their first win of 2018, against the Saxons, in Skokie on Friday night.

The Sentinels look to make it two wins a row, after dispatching the Chicago Public League’s Lake View, 19-6, at home, Friday night.

Christ the King, is playing football for the first time ever, in 2018. 

Drake 11-6 .647; Mark 10-5 .667
Season: Drake 25-7 .781, Mark 20-10 .667

  1. Lincoln-Way East              2-0
2. Loyola                                2-0

  3. Maine South                     2-0

  4. Homewood-Flossmoor      2-0
5. Edwardsville                      2-0
6. Bolingbrook                     2-0

  7. Marist                                1-1

  8. Oswego                             2-0

  9. Hinsdale Central               1-1

10. Glenbard West                  1-1

11. Barrington                         2-0

12. Stevenson                        2-0
13. Oswego East                    2-0

14. St. Charles East               2-0

15. Huntley                             2-0

  1. Batavia                             2-0

  2. Nazareth Academy          2-0

  3. East St. Louis                  2-0

  4. Brother Rice                    2-0

  5. Normal Community         2-0

  6. Mount Carmel                 1-1

  7. Lake Zurich                     1-1

  8. Benet Academy             2-0
9. Rockton Hononegah       2-0

10. Simeon                            2-0

11. Lincoln-Way West           1-1

12. St. Charles North             1-1
13. Lincoln-Way Central        1-1

14. Wheaton Warrenville S    2-0

15, Moline                               1-1

  1. Prairie Ridge                     2-0

  2/ Phillips                              1-1
3. Cary-Grove                       2-0

  4. Richards                           2-0

  5. Willowbrook                      2-0

  6. DeKalb                             2-0

  7. Sacred Heart-Griffin         2-0

  8. Providence                       2-0

  9. Chatham Glenwood         2-0

10. Normal West                    1-1

12  Bloomington                     2-0

13. Crete-Monee                    1-1

14. Lemont                             1-1

  1. Washington                     2-0

  2, Dunlap                             2-0

  3. Montini                             2-0

  4. Hillcrest                            2-0

  5. Highland                          2-0

  6. Sterling                            2-0
7. Peoria Central                 2-0

  8. Marian C Catholic            2-0

  9, Antioch                            2-0

10. Marion                             2-0

      St. Laurence                    1-1

12. Woodstock                       2-0

13. Joliet Catholic                1-1
14. Decatur MacArthur           2-0

15. Rich Central                     2-0

16. Carbondale                      2-0