Episode 235: Western Suburbs Week 3 Preview

we have on on Friday Night Drive. We have, namely Steve Seuss here at least are updated Friday Night Drive Power rankings, so you know, everybody want to check that out. Tomorrow Steve will be dropping is updated playoff productions. So a lot of good stuff out there right now. You know, when I looked at Seave's power rankings, one of the things that jumped out a new entry that you want

to see is as we Go. Aswego coming off of, for my money, maybe the most notable win in the Western Suburbs last Friday, they beat joy a Catholic seventeen to nothing. It's a man that Joe. When I saw it came out in the summer, I'm like, WHOA, that's kind of an interesting one. I've those two teams don't match up in a while. Well, they hadn't metched up in a while, and it had actually been thirty five years since they had seen each other in the football field.

The last time they had played they were in the Class four A playoffs. That was when there was six classes in Illinois. Now there's course the was eight classes. So it been in quite a while, and I was just kind of wondering how how Oswego can match up with Joey Katholic. I know Oswego has a really good program, they have a really good team, but I mean, man, Joey kathlick is, they're They're one of the blue bloods in high school football and also of course the defending

five A state runner up. But man Oswego really took it to him. Aiden Via ran for over one hundred yards, ran for a big sixty four yard touchdown run. A Swego got off to a good start. I think they'd led seventeen to nothing at halftime in that game, and the defense did the rest, because the defense usually does the rest for us Weego. They have a tremendous defense, led by their three linebackers. Senior Carson Cooney going to Iowa Mikey Claycomb, another senior in Easton Ruby. It's funny

they wear numbers four, five, and six. So you know, I'm kind of doing my notebook on those guys this week for the Kenno County Kennon County record, but just kind of want to get a little bit more background on that. But so you can't miss those guys in the field and they lead them. They It all starts with that defense. It's a defense that only gave up

seventy points in the regular season last year. It's a defense that held n Equal Valley to seven points in Week one, but then they take it to another level, I think, to be able to shut out Joey Kathley. That was That was a very impressive and frankly an eye opening win for US week going week week two.

this week, the Duke Cane Conference. Notably, I looked before that we jumped on six out of their eight teams or two and zero through two weeks. You got to see one of them last Friday. Batavia very impressive win over South Elgin.

it was surely different turnout this time around. Talk to Tody Anderson after the game and he was talking about how much of a learning game this game against South Elgin was supposed to be, and boy didn't look like he learned a lot I mean he started off the game a little bit shaky, but after he found Isaiah Brown for a fifty seven yard touchdown, I mean, he

just looked a lot more confident in the pocket. He ended up finishing with ten of fourteen with one hundred and fifty five yards and three touchdowns, and it was just an offensive explosion for Batavia, you know, something that was a little bit lacking in that week one matchup against Glen Pard West. They just kind of laid it out on South Elgin and they were that starters were all out by that by the second half. So it was another blowout win that I got to saw in person.

And I've only seen three quarters of starters so far in my first two games of Illinois football, so it's definitely been It was definitely great to see, and it was great to be around with the Tavia.

as well, so they're two and zero. Another conference rival that's two and oh as well but pretty tight games is Wheat North. I mean Wheat North. Week one, they beat Providence on the last play of the game, and then last Friday they beat Lockport twenty two to twenty one. Shane Direcks caught a two point conversion from their quarterback Nick Johnson. Uh Shane Dereks also scored the winning touchdown in week one. He's a he's a two way player.

He plays defense as well. So you know, Wheat North, I mean, on the one day, they could easily be going too but but but being too one, or being two and zero and beating two very quality non conference opponents and Providence and Lockboard, they gotta feel pretty feeling pretty good about pretty good about themselves.

then of course Maccuzage at wide receiver. You know, three great players for them that led them consistently, and you know, to see that they are able to pull out some come behind from behind wins both in Week one and Week two certainly got to be a big confidence booster heading into du Ka Conference play with a two and zero record, especially considering the doubts that some people have had, you know, with them prior to the season. I mean, Steve Sussy had them projected not to make it into

the playoffs. But you know, it's looking like a good sign for the Falcons heaving to gain conference play.

all were within thirty yards of each other. But you know that ended up being the difference for them in winning that game, and it and you know, whichever way gets in the win, surely it helps with them. And then in Marmion's case, you know, had a very similar situation from Batavia or a very similar situation like Batavia. In week one against Oak Forest, they scored twenty one points unanswered in the third quarter to secure a twenty one to fifteen victory. And then in week two against

the Noble Academy, you know, fifty six nothing win. I mean, pretty much dominant from the start. So it's pretty great to see that the Cadets are looking pretty well under or under Gara after losing Dan Thorpe, who is of course the head coach there for the past nineteen seasons. So they're looking pretty solid so far, and it's heavily thanks to a lot of senior leadership from what Gara has told me.

good starts for both those programs. They have to be feeling pretty good about themselves right now. Another program that has to been feeling pretty up themselves. I got to see for their first time last Friday was York York with a with a new head coach, Don Galcemino, who was their defense coordinator for the last four years and did a great job there. You know, they're off to a really nice start to and zero. They beat Playing

Field North last Friday, thirty five to thirteen. Really a game that that final score doesn't really do a justice because because York they scored thirty five points and a half, and then they pulled their starting quarterback, senior Brunham Massil in the second half, and you know, I kind of feel like it is one of those games where they're like, all right, we're up, we're at big, We're just gonna

kind of coast there. Not that they wanted to, but you know, when you take out your starting quarterback, things kind of change a little bit. But but Bruno Masso was very impressive. He was a kid that last year was more of a running quarterback as a backup. They brought him in as you know, one of those guys that bring him in for certain packages, uh, for running plays and things like that. He actually ran for four

touchdowns as a backup to Sean Winton last year. And then he was a really good track kid as well. He's a kid that was was on a medalist four by one relay three tame state qualifier. He's been a qualifier in one hundred meter dash. I think he runs one hundred and like ten eight seven, which Joe, I think that's pretty good. Right, you're you're a track guy. I think I think that's pretty solid.

a great defense. I mean Don Gelsimino, their coach, was their defense Cordner before that, so they really hang their head on defense. Joe Rife, their defensive linemen, is going to Notre Dame. He plays an offense as well. They have some good linebrackers as well. You know, Henry Duda, their running back, ran for one hundred and sixty nine yards in a couple of touchdowns. So a very impressive week to win for York and feel pretty good about

themselves going into conference play. You know, maybe not this week. I think next week they start West Suburban Silver plays. So so you're a good win last Friday, and you know that one of their conference rivals. Lions Township got a very nice win going into Wheaton South and beating Wheaton Wornville South Lions. Township's head coach John Butcher, of course, was a great player for Wheaton South quarterback back in

the late nineties. This is first time coaching back in Wheaton as a head coach for Lyons and a good win for them. Notably, Travis Stam their senior wide receiver going to Illinois State. He set the career receptions record for Lion snatch him in that game. So he's he's had a great year. I believe he's a four year varsity player. He's definitely three year of varsity. But he's been a very good player for them, you know, the last few years. Uh. But uh a good win for

Lions and then Acrosstown uh uh Nazareth. You know, I was kind of wondering how they do against Kenwood after a really close game against kan Key. I thought he was going to be a really close game. And it was definitely not a close game because they they they they were up by the forty point rule early in the second half. Logan Malichick, they're a really good quarterback. He threw for six touchdowns in the first half, which that's a pretty good game. That's a pretty good few games.

And he did it a one a half, so a great game for him and a and a and a good win for Nazareth as a as a head in the conference. Play. Hey football fans, listen up. I'm top there and I drive a Hawk. I got it from my friends at Hawk Folkswagen. So drive what I drive. Drive a Hawk Paul Volkswagen on Jefferson Street End Joliette or online at HAWKVW dot com.

pretty big and pretty notable. Good offensive that lots of good offensive. It's on my end, that's one big thing that I realized from week two.

Wheton South. What do you think about that one?

had since twenty twenty one. What Wheaton War or when Wheaton North actually went on to win the state championship, the only team from the t King Conference to win the state championship. But no, I think it's obvious it's obviously gonna be a big game overall. Obviously, Wheaton one Bow South's loss last week, you know, it was against a quality opponent, which I mean, all three losses were against quality opponents. But I mean they showed in week one that they are able to play up to competition

with their win against Glen part South. So it'll be interesting to see if they can do it again against a team like Geneva who have obviously, you know, shown out in the past game. I mean, you know, Tony Chichino has nine touchdowns already so far this season in five quarters of play. Talent Taylor is already over two hundred and fifty reception yards and five touchdowns. It's obviously it's just gonna be a really good batchup and the next I'm excited to see how both teams play.

the past two seasons. But obviously this is going to be a big test for Wheaton North's new new team that obviously has some players that are you know, not just or not as much of a new face on the roster as they were when they started in Week one. But this is going to be their first, like really true test, I believe for them. So I believe this is going to be another really close game between the two between the two teams, and I'm really interested to see how that plays out.

game as a Nazareth quarterback, uh his junior year. But uh, but but man, I mean when you're we're when you're talking about some of the talent, you know, just a quarterback of those two teams between Mount Carmel's quarterback, who and drawing a blank on but he's a very talented kid. And then Logan Malichick as well. So yeah, that that should be man, that that's gonna be one on a Friday night. I'm just kind of following all on to see, you know, what's going on, and certainly it's the the

big matchup. I thinking the Catholic Is League as well. Do you do you have any kind of thoughts from a distance on that one.

stick about where Nazareth is at. I mean, they they had a nice win over kanka Kee, they blew out Kenwood. But but Mount Carmel, that's gonna be that's that's that's gonna be a test on Friday, going going to their place. Another game, the game that I'm gonna be on a Friday, uh playing at Sandwich. For people that don't know about the rivalry, well they've they've only been playing Joel since eighteen ninety seven. This is gonna be the one hundred

and thirteenth matchup between the rivals. They called, you know, the war on thirty four Route thirty four. I'm speaking of again. This will be the one hundred and thirteenth meeting between the rivals. Sandwich currently holds a fifty six to fifty two advantage. There's been four ties. Sandwich last

year beat them twenty to seven to seven. Sandwich of course went all the way on to the Class four A quarterfinals and in a really great season for Sandwich, one of the better stories in the area, Sandwich, you know, getting back to the playoffs. Sandwich is zero to two though this year, and probably a little bit of a sensor urgency on their side, because I will say that

they had a very difficult first two weeks. They lost to Mantino in week one, coincidentally playing a loss to Mantino in week two, and then Sandwich lost to Wilmington, defending two A state champion in week two. So again a little bit of a sense of urgency on the on the plane outside matchup like this old rivalry, there's always a sense of urgency. I mean, this is a this is the kind of game that both towns come out.

You know, everybody's talking about They've probably been talking about it all the way growing up, and they're gonna be talking about it when they're forty or fifty years old about you know, remember remember when that twenty twenty four game, and remember when that happened, and you know stuff like that. I mean, this is this is a matchup that that everybody talks about around the community, and we'll see I I don't really know what to make of this, especially

with Sandwich being zero and two Sandwich. I do know that they're really good running backs Simy and Harris, who ran for over fourteen hundred yards last year. He's had a tough start. I think he only he's been in Singer. He has not been over one hundred yards in either of the two games and really has been held down and they've really struggled. They really get him going. I will say that two of their starting offensive line might believe a hurt right now. They're also they're two top

tackles from last year year. They both were injured during the offseason and I don't know if either of them are going to be back this season. So that's been a big loss, uh for Sandwich, losing both of those guys. On the Plano side. Their new head coach, Kyle Tutt. He came from Streeter, which they have a really long standing rivalry as well. Streeter plays Ottawa, so this will be his first taste of Plano Sandwich. So yeah, I'm really looking forward to it should be a fun one.

Grove North on Friday, Glenbard West. Of course they are. They're oh and two now. Losses to Batavian Loyola no shame on either of those losses, but nonetheless they're oh and two and also notably their their star running back Tayan Oriento, who who heard his hand week one. He did not play in week two. Uh don't know the status of how long he might be out, but it sure looks like an injury that he might be out for a little bit. I mean his hand was bandaged

up pretty good on the sidelines, uh last week. But they go to Downers North and Downers North is rolling. They're they're two and oh right now. They they've had two very big wins over over a found and Downers Grow South have their great quarterback Owen Lance, who is going to Minnesota. They have a great defense as well. I don't know they've allowed to pull in two games. They only allowed four first either four or five first down against Downards go South either way, very few first downs,

let's put it that way. But but I mean downds go south or downs go North. Last year they beat Glenbard West for the first time since two thousand and six. I believe that was a kind of a watershed win for that that program and that team and kind of boosted them and then of course they got all the way to the Class seven A state championship game. But it was kind of a surprise when they beat Glenbard West last year. I'm not gonna be surprised if they

win Friday night because it's at their place. I think Glenbard West is a little bit wounded right now. You know, down down their running back and Downers North is feeling good about themselves. But nonetheless, you know Glenbard West sometimes when the team's zero to two and they're struggling, that's when they get a little dangerous because because they know the significance of things. But anyway, it should be a very good game on Friday night.

our rankings. I mean, obviously Batavia is at number eight, North is at number seven, and Loyal is at number three, I believe now, but you know, obviously this is going to be a really important game for them and also for Donerscrope North because like you kind of mentioned, you know, last year was the last or was the first time they defeated Glenn Pard West since two thousand and six. So now with the momentum rolling a little bit, it may be time that they're thinking, maybe it's our time

to you know, start our own little streak against them. So, you know, definitely going to be really interesting to see how both teams play.

their big strength, has been the running game. In their first two games, they're averaging over they're averaging two hundred and sixty eight rushing yards a game in their first two games. I need, they have basically a dual headed dragon and Anthony Aristano and Robert or Munoco in the backfield, and it's been working really well for them. They have

seventy two points under their name right now. And you know, it's one of those teams that I kind of suspected could be a shock in the Dukne Conference this year and they've been proven it so far. So it'll be interesting you see how build or how they'll face off against a Patavia defense that has proven that they can

go against the run. I mean you kind of mentioned it, you know, in their Week one game against Glenbard West where they faced a really talented running back in terry On Oriental they've limited into under sixty yards, So it'll be interesting to see how build face off against not just one, but two high quality quarter or high quality running backs in their first game at Dukinge Conference play this year.

been able to accomplish so far. And when you play in a team like in a league light the Ducane, you really need to kind of stack those wins when you can, and they've been able to stack them. And now we're going to see how they can stack up

against some really good teams. But but yeah, that will be a game I'm kind of interested to watch, not only about who wins, because they think Batavia win, but just how close can Lake Park play the I mean, can they have they got a little bit better to where they can hang in there or are they still you know, definitely way down on the pecking order in New Cane. No that should be should be interested to watch. I mean a lot of interesting two and oh teams.

Gwenmarin North is to and oh as well in the Catholic League. Montini is two and oh. Sint Francis is two and oh. They both have two very difficult road games this week. Montini is going to Marit. Saint Francis is going to Loyola, a game being played on Friday night. Loyola just got lights. This will be their first Friday night game at Loyola's, so kind of a notable matchup there. Saint Francis playing at Loyola. A lot of good stuff this coming weekend, a lot of good stuff on Friday

Night Drive. You want to tune in. I'm going to be back here tomorrow on Wednesday with Steve Susie as we look ahead some of the top Week three games in the state. We will have all of our previews coming in in every market that Shaw Local covers, and then of course Friday night, we'll be back at it covering a ton of games. I will be in Sandwich or Plane or rather covering Sandwich and Planol. Joel will be covering Wheaton Warneville South in Geneva, but we'll be

covering a lot more. Of course, what we'll be able to having our live stream as well. From nine point thirty to eleven, you're gonna want to join Steve Susie and Matt Rotowald as a breakdown all the matchups around the state and what it means. So before we get out of here, Joel, anything else you want to talk about.