Tonight's games
Last year: Did not play
Notes: Saturday's game marks only the third meeting between the Maroons and Sabres since 2000. Elgin has won four straight in the series.
• The Maroons continue their search for offensive consistency after last week's 41-0 loss against Waubonsie Valley. Elgin managed only 30 total yards in the setback. Junior RB Jordan Dean is the team's top playmaker. He is second in the area with 642 rushing yards to go along with 10 TDs. Junior WR Will Wood is expected to return from an injury. The Maroons are assured of their eighth straight losing season but can climb back above .500 in Upstate Eight Conference play with a win.
• Streamwood looks to snap a five-game skid that includes last week's 47-6 loss at Larkin. The Sabres mustered only 23 total yards. Senior WR Matt Woods leads the team with 13 catches for 205 yards. Coach Cal Cummins said senior QB Joey Hanover received clearance to play and is expected to see action for the first time this year after being sidelined with a knee injury.
Junior WR Nick Pryor, who filled in under center the past three weeks in the wake of sophomore QB Dalton Lundeen's season-ending collarbone injury, may also take a few snaps. Streamwood is assured of its 11th straight season without a winning record.
Quote: "There's not any playoff implications or anything. It's just a game of pride. It's two U-46 schools and bragging rights are going to be involved."
-- Elgin coach Dave Bierman
Erik Jacobsen's pick: Elgin
Last year: Did not play
Notes: The Red Raiders are in the midst of their first four-game losing streak since the end of the 2005 season. Huntley is coming off a 41-0 defeat against Crystal Lake South. The Raiders have gone nine straight quarters without a point and have averaged a paltry 34 rushing yards per game over their past three contests. Senior RB Brett Kleckner leads the team with 440 rushing yards. Huntley, which is still in search of its first-ever Fox Valley Conference Valley Division victory, must win its final two games to become playoff eligible for the second straight year.
• The Chargers saw their losing streak reach six games with last week's 37-6 defeat against rival Jacobs. Coach Mike Davis said this week's challenge will be matching the physical play of Huntley, a squad he says is better than its sub-.500 record would indicate. Junior QB Tanner Kotlan is third in the area with 863 passing yards, but threw five interceptions last week. Junior RB Danny Sharp is expected to return after missing last week's game, but junior WR Steve Schwartz will be sidelined with an injury. D-C has lost 14 straight conference games dating to 2006. The Chargers are assured of their 15th straight losing season.
• Tonight's game marks the first meeting between the schools since 2006. D-C leads the all-time series 3-1.
Quote: "We'd like to get them on a wet night like everybody else because (Kotlan) is a lot better thrower than what he's been showing in the last couple games when he's been playing in some hard rain. If you get that kid on a dry field, he'll present a lot of problems."
-- Huntley coach Steve Graves
Erik Jacobsen's pick: Huntley
Last year: Marian Central 28, St. Edward 7
Notes: The Green Wave has lost six straight and 15 of its past 17 meetings against the Hurricanes. Tonight's game won't count as a conference contest as Marian Central is part of the Suburban Christian Conference Blue Division.
• The Hurricanes are coming off three straight hard-fought victories decided by seven points or less, including a 14-12 win against defending state champion St. Francis last week. Marian Central is ranked No. 7 in the Class 5A state poll and appears headed back to the playoffs for the third time in four years. Junior QB Ben Krol has thrown for 701 yards and junior RB/LB Corey Cavitt has run for 611 yards.
• St. Edward hasn't beaten a team with a winning record yet this season but will have to do so in one of the next two weeks to clinch the program's first playoff berth since 2003. The Wave is coming off a 23-18 loss to Aurora Christian in which it was held to a season low for rushing yards. Junior QB Ben Lehman leads the area with 1,045 passing yards. Senior RB David Hoebbel is second in the area in scoring and third in rushing yards. Senior LB/OL Shane Finnane leads the team with 77 tackles.
Quote: "One of the things we've learned from some of the great teams like Marian is you don't have to have a 100-play playbook. They run a few things but they run it really well and they execute really well."
-- St. Edward coach Mike Rolando
Erik Jacobsen's pick: Marian Central
Last year: Larkin 38, East Aurora 20
Notes: Tonight's game marks only the third meeting between the Royals and Tomcats since 2001. Larkin has won 10 of the past 11 contests between the schools dating to a forfeit loss in 1991.
• East Aurora's losing streak is at 10 games following last week's 47-6 defeat against St. Ignatius. The Tomcats scored for the first time in three games during the loss. Their average margin of defeat this year has been 30.9 points and their defense is allowing 40.9 points per game. QB Bryan Robinson is East Aurora's top playmaker.
• The Royals enjoyed their highest offensive output of the year in last week's 47-6 win against Streamwood. Senior RB Jalen Williams, who leads the area in rushing and scoring, topped the 300-yard mark for the second time this season during the win. Larkin's defense was also dominant, holding the Sabres to 23 total yards. The Royals are holding opponents to only 3.2 yards per rushing attempt. Larkin can become playoff eligible for the first time since 2006 with a win.
Quote: "East Aurora has looked very physical at times. They are a good team for not having any wins."
-- Larkin coach Matt Gehrig
Erik Jacobsen's pick: Larkin
Last year: Neuqua Valley 49, East 42
Notes: The Saints have lost four of their past five meetings against the Wildcats and trail in the all-time series 5-3.
• Neuqua lost to St. Charles North 31-5 last week, securing a second straight season without a trip to the playoffs. The Wildcats were held to a meager three rushing yards on 21 carries in that defeat, which marked the only time this year the team has failed to score a touchdown. Senior QB Joe Ippolito has run for 590 yards and 12 TDs this year.
• At 5-0 in the UEC, East is tied with Lake Park atop the league standings. The Saints have won five straight, including last week's 7-3 victory at Bartlett. East touts the area's top defense, which is holding opponents to 11.3 points per game. Senior C Charles Ratajczak will miss tonight's game with a sprained knee. Senior RB Cory Campbell returned to practice this week and could play after missing the past two games with a separated shoulder. The Saints can clinch their fifth straight trip to the playoffs with a win.
Quote: "We respect the heck out of Neuqua and know they are going to come in and give us all we can handle. I know they've had a tough season, but we won't let our guard down at all."
-- East coach Mike Fields
Erik Jacobsen's pick: East
Last year: Did not play
Notes: The Hawks saw their streak of nine straight playoff appearances come to an end with last week's 7-3 loss to St. Charles East. Bartlett's defense allowed only 125 yards, but three turnovers and 80 yards in penalties proved too much to overcome. The Hawks have committed at least three turnovers in five of their past six games. Sophomore QB A.J. Bilyeu has thrown for 598 yards.
• The Thunderbirds have lost six in a row, including a 35-0 defeat against Andrew last week. Thornwood has failed to score in three of its past four games and is averaging only 6.4 points per contest. Senior QB Antwan Mason has passed for over 600 yards.
• Saturday's contest marks the first-ever meeting between the schools.
Quote: "They have a good quarterback at Thornwood. It seems like every time he throws the ball he hits his target, but they either drop it or don't get many yards after the completion."
-- Bartlett coach Tom Meaney
Erik Jacobsen's pick: Bartlett
Last year: McHenry 33, Jacobs 14
Notes: The Golden Eagles have lost to the Warriors 20 straight times dating to 1987.
• McHenry looks to get back on track after nearly toppling league powerhouse Cary-Grove in a 31-28 loss to the Trojans last week. The Warriors offense is led by senior QB Thomas Rose, who leads the FVC Valley with 1,696 passing yards.
• Jacobs looks to carry the momentum from last week's 37-6 win against rival Dundee-Crown into the final two weeks of the season. Sophomore RB Kyle Wright ran for 192 yards and two TDs on 30 carries last week in only his third varsity appearance. Senior OL Eric Becker has missed the past few games but is expected to return to action tonight.
Quote: "(McHenry) had a tough loss against Cary last week, but they certainly have an explosive offense and a defense that has played tough." -- Jacobs coach Dean Schlueter
Erik Jacobsen's pick: McHenry
Last year: Stillman Valley 36, G-K 28
Notes: The Cogs have lost 17 of their past 18 meetings against the Cardinals dating to 1990.
• Stillman Valley is ranked No. 2 in the Class 3A state poll following last week's 40-7 win against Winnebago. The Cardinals, who are unbeaten in BNC West play, have been held to fewer than 40 points only once. Junior RB Nate Bond is enjoying a monster season. He's run for 756 yards on 42 carries, which is good for 18 yards per rushing attempt.
• Genoa-Kingston still needs a win to become playoff eligible for the third straight year. The Cogs are coming off a 22-21 loss at Oregon last week. Junior QB Craig Billington has thrown for 704 yards and run for 249 yards. G-K could be missing up to seven players due to injury, including senior WR Nick Lopez, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Quote: "It's been one of those years with the injuries. Not only do you go against Stillman, who is very, very good, but you're doing it with one hand tied behind your back, which isn't a good thing."
-- G-K coach Bill McCarty
Erik Jacobsen's pick: S. Valley
Last year: Hampshire 21, Central 0
Notes: The Rockets have won eight of the past 10 meetings against the rival Whip-Purs dating to 1996. Last year marked the first time since 1979 that Central was shut out by Hampshire. The Whips haven't won two straight against the Rockets since 1978-79.
• Central kept its playoff hopes alive with a 21-14 win against Marengo last week. The Rockets must win their final two games to become playoff eligible for the third time in four years. A steady ground attack has helped Central win three of its past five games. Junior RB Tre Llanes has run for more than 125 yards in each of the past three contests. Llanes, junior QB Tim Maroder and junior FB Brandon Westergaard all have at least 300 rushing yards this season. Junior LB Rob Grosskopf could return after missing the past few games with the lingering effects of a concussion.
• Hampshire looks to make it two wins in a row after knocking off North Boone 26-7 last week. Whips coach Dan Cavanaugh said he is pleased to see the emergence of his team's rushing attack, which racked up 317 yards on 53 carries last week. Senior RB Ron Laramie led the way with 195 yards and four TDs on 32 carries. Senior QB Ryan Burke, who took over under center in Week 3, has thrown for 480 yards. The Whips are assured of their first losing season since 2003 but can finish above .500 in Big Northern Conference East Division play with wins the next two weeks.
Quote: "It's Hampshire and I know it's their homecoming this week. We're fighting for the playoffs, so I expect it to be a really good game. There's a lot to play for on both sides for both teams."
-- Central coach Aaron Wichman Erik Jacobsen's pick: Central
