Episode 243: Western Suburbs Week 5 Preview

forecast for today. We're through four weeks at high school football season. A lot of great stuff to talk about. Before we get started with that, I want to remind everybody what's on Friday Night Drive. Steve Seussy's updated power rankings is out there. Got a little bit of movement on some teams astwego, I'm talking to you. Had a pretty good week, so pretty good started the season. So check that out. And then Steve's updated playoff projections will

be dropping tomorrow morning, Wednesday morning. So a lot of good stuff coming your way, a lot of good you know, football notebooks from over markets. Joel had a really good one with the Kane County market as well, so I definitely want to check that out, Joel. I think we got to definitely start as we review week four of the game that you were at last Friday, Tavia Saint Charles North always one of the games of the year, and the Duke kne Conference and honestly around you know

the area period. And I got to tell you, you know, sometimes when you're not at a game, you know, you check your Twitter every so often see what's going on. And obviously your game was really the one I was paying attention to. And I think it was like end of the third quarter, and and it was around end of the third quarter and North led twenty one to seventeen. I'm thinking, okay, yeah, that that makes it. That makes sense.

That set up for a really kind of down to the wire finish and next thing I knew, I think it was forty five to twenty one final Batavian, I'm like, what what happened there? I guess Nathan Whitwell happened for one, you know what happened in that game?

at halftime it was fourteen to three. But you know, coming out of the locker rooms, Batavia really had one plan and that was get Nathan Whitwell going, and that's exactly what he did. I mean, he found this after not finding the end zone in the entire first half, he found it five times in the second half, and you know, three times in the fourth quarter in to score twenty eight unanswered points, and it kind of just

blew the game out of proportion. Like you mentioned, the final score was forty five pointy one, but you know, it really doesn't tell the entire story of the game. It was a really great game for those first three quarters, but that fourth quarter for Batavia was just absolutely dominant, and it really did show what they could do as an offense when everything gets clicking. I mean, offensive line

was just kind of dominating. The entire front force body Anderson was finding wide receivers after not finding any for pretty much the entire first half, and well once again, Nathan Whitwell just was running everywhere and just controlling the entire show. So that fourth quarter just was a really dominant showing by Batavia and it just was a great conclusion to a great game.

But they've really, you know, gone back to that well and he's over eight hundred yards already through four games, and you know, he's just on his way to a monster season for them, you know, for people that haven't seen him play. What strikes you about him as a running back.

He's a combination of both. If you if he finds even a little bit of space in the middle of the field and goes through that gap, he's gone and he can just make big games happen from something that looks like he may even gain just like two yards or something like that. But he's just a great combination. And the best part is he gets every single week. He kind of talked about how he had one hundred and seventy yards in that first week against Batavia or

against Glenbard West. I mean, he had one hundred and twenty yards and is in one half against South Algid. But after that he's had two straight two hundred yard rushing games against pretty quality opponents Lake Park and then Saint Charles North. And in case you're wondering, because I know it's a question the scoring record underneath Dennis Pyron, it's from Anthony Skasha in twenty twenty three or in twenty thirteen when he rushed for one nine hundred and

thirteen yards in fourteen games. So he's well on his way to doing that, and it's gonna be really interesting to see what he does, especially through the rest of the season.

of games ahead of them. But uh but yeah, I mean, you know, with with with Nathan Whitwell, I mean, I know after week one when we talked to coach Pieran afterwards, he noted about Nathan Whitwell, I mean, he's a track kid at a lot as a lot of the Bay Tavia guys are, they run track. So he's got that that kind of breakaway speed that if he can get to the outside, he can that he can run away from defenses. That he had a long touchdown run against

Glenbard West. But then he's got that power too. I mean, he's just any and he's and he's a he's a guy that can take twenty five thirty carries in a game. He's got that endurance level. So yeah, I mean I think he's really really established himself early. I think Batavia, you're gonna see body Anderson continue to grow week by

week and finance receivers. But when you got Nathan will out to turn two and in a close game that that we're just going to give it to him and lean on our offensive line, you know, really really impressed performance. I mean, to be able to to take a close game like that against one of your biggest rivals and just run away from them, that's that's pretty impressive and a lot of good things to build on. And then you know, their their neighboring rival, Geneva, they continue to roll.

I think in their notebook this week he wrote about their quarterback Tony Chaino, he just keeps impressing and impressing week after week. I know at the start of the year, you know, the thought was, Okay, they had talent Taylor, but who's gonna throw him the ball because they had a new quarterback. Well, he's he's shown that he's pretty good Tonyo.

so far this year. And all of all of his stats, probably the craziest one I didn't even mention in my notebook. He's only played nine and a half quarters. He's only completed one game this entire year he's played. He played one quarter in the season opener against Larkin, three quarters against Lamont, played all four quarters against Wheat and Oneville South, and he played a quarter and a half against Lake

Parks last week. I mean, it's insane to see some of the offensive production that they've had so far this year in such a limited space, to see if what they can do in all four quarters is gonna be absolutely credible, especially when they go up against Batavia next week.

I think that based off of, you know, the production of Nathan Whitwell on Batavia and then Tony Chikino and Geneva, it's just gonna be insane to see what happens at the next week, and I'm really excited to see what happens whenever that game comes around.

great starts, both of those programs. Four and Oh another program that I got to see last Saturday. They are four and Oh talking about Lions Township and in the West Suburban Silver. You know, a really really strong game for them playing Glenbard West. You know, obviously we've talked about in this podcast before. Glenbard West has had it struggles this year, very uncharacteristic struggles. They're now they were oh and three for the first time since nineteen ninety nine.

Well now they're oh on four for the first time since since ninety nine. Nineteen ninety nine. But still, I mean, even with those struggles, that was a big that was a big hurdle I think for Lions Township too clear to be able to beat a team like that. They had not beaten Glenbard West since twenty sixteen, they had not beat Glenbard West at home since two thousand and seven. And it was not an easy game. I mean it was.

It was at seven to seven game late in the first half, but then Lions Township they had a really good drive in the third quarter to open up a ten point lead. And then Travis stam who's a kid going to Illinois State, he had nine catches in the first half. He had a pick six at the end of the game that, you know, kind of put the cherry on top of it. And Travis Stamon kidd that he's an all time leading receiver at Lions Township, and you know, he was really emotional afterwards talking about about

beating Glenbard West. I mean, he's a kid that grew up following Lions Township watching games, and he's like, you know, I'd never seen us beat Glenbard West as a kid, as a fan and as a player, He'd never done it. Before and you know, I mean after the game, and you know, it was homecoming, so there's a lot of emotion there with former players coming back, and then they were taking pictures at the fifty yard line after the game, after the wins, so I mean, you know, part of

me is like, man, really, I mean it's September. Do you really take pictures of September? But that's a big win, so you know, you can't really take it away from them to be able to beat a team point Glenbard West. And it's a program that I mean two years ago, I felt like Our York was really a team that was emerging that league. And then last year it was Downers Grove North that did and they went to the semini final. Lions Township has kind of been like the

next maybe step behind those two programs. John Butcher has done a great job there. They've been to the playoffs the last three years. They made a quarterfinals two years ago. But they're a program theer now four and oh and they got nice win over Prospect, the beat Wheaton South, to beat Glenbard West. Now they're gonna be a team to watch going forward. They still play York, They still

played Downers North. All three of those teams still play each other last It's gonna be the last four of the weeks of the season, so you know, gonna be a lot of fun stuff. So there's a great win for Lions Township. On the other side, obviously, Glenbard West on four not to start they wanted. They played just the absolute bear of his schedule the first four weeks, and on top of it, their star running back to on Oriental. He hurt his hand week one against Batavia.

I will say I asked their coach Chad had laid afterwards, and he said that that he is expecting him back week six against Hinsdale Central. They play Lighten this week, which on paper it looks like it'll be their first win. We'll see what happens with that. And then they get their star running back the last four games, and obviously it's kind of got kind of go time for them. They're gonna really need to get going. But but I still I'm not shutting the door on them, even in

oh one four and running the table. Especially we saw what Nazareth did a couple you know last year, going on four and then getting the playoffs and making a run I don't know if Glenbard West can make a run like that, but I think getting the playoffs is not completely unraised realistic. So so, yeah, really good football last aretay.

I think they're facing them back back weeks in week seven and week eight, so they've got a couple of weeks where they can you know, kind of keep building that resume and maybe heading to the towns Grove North with the six and er record, that would be a very interesting game to watch whenever that comes and whenever and with Glenbard West obviously they are oh and four to start this season, but I think three of the teams that they've lost to have a four to no record,

So I mean, running the table is definitely going to be hard, especially with York still in you know, their

schedule later on. But you know, obviously there's been talks about you know, potentially having four and five teams making it into the playoffs this year, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Glenbard West, you know, with a four and five record, especially against some of the teams that they've lost to, obviously Batavia, Mount Carmel and you know, just kind of teams like that downs Grove North or not Mount Carmel loyal but my bad, and then downalds

Grove North. I mean, with those three there alone, that may be you know, enough to get them the points that they need in order to potentially sneak in at that number thirty or at that thirty two seed potentially. So you know, it's not over yet for Glenbard West, even if they two end up losing the game. So it's that's gonna be interesting to see.

maybe even dropp into three and six. So that's gonna be for both of those teams an absolute you have to win that if you want to get to the playoffs. I mean, there's just there's honestly probably no two ways about it. You know, both of them need are gonna need that win. A couple other teams that are after a really nice starts that you're familiar with. Uh, you know. Caitlin continues to impress and Burlington Central continues to impress in the Fox Valley. Hey, football fans, listen up. I'm

top fare and I drive a Hawk. I got it from my friends at Hawk Volkswagen. So drive what I drive. Drive a Hawk off Volkswagon on Jefferson Street in Joliet or online at HAWKVW dot com.

But they had a statement victory against them this year. It's their first shutout win since twenty sixteen, and it's their most lopsided win since a fifty five to three victory over Marnego in twenty eleven. And you know, it's a really hot start for this team who hasn't made the playoffs since twenty fourteen. They're trying to make sure that they can get to that five win threshold this

year and hopefully make it back. They've had a winning season since they last made the playoffs in twenty seventeen. Cou they miss the playoffs but two points. So if they keep rattling off these victories, you know, and they give them, you know, that chance to make it back to the playoffs for the first time in the decade. And they're making a really strong case so far. As special after bouncing back from that Week one loss to Carry Grove.

haven't quite made it. I'm talking about Bennett there now four and oh. They had a really nice win over Saint Viider, a matchup of three and oh teams. Their quarterback Ryan Kabaki through for two hundred and sixty five yards and two touchdowns. So Bennet is now four and oh. Interesting game, you know, kind of observing it. They were actually I think they're up twenty three to nothing and a half. They had to hold on to win twenty three to sixteen. But but yeah, I mean, Bennett, you know,

feeling pretty good about themselves. They have a very experienced quarterback with Ryan Kabaki. He's got a couple of pretty good receivers. I heard. I think they're both named Luke because in the story they were talking about Luke and Luke, and I was getting confused about which one is which. But but, but Bennett is off to a nice start four and oh. They got Mount Carnival this week, so it's gonna be a little bit of a grind to

get to five and oh. But nevertheless, you know, Bennett's got to be feeling pretty good about themselves at four and oh before you kind of look at it to tweek five. There there was some teams that got to two and two that really kind of needed to going into the second half of the season. Game that I got to see last Friday, Askquigu East. They played Plaintfield South. They came away with a thirteen to seven win. They started the season zher and two, and you know, you

never want to get in that situation. But but their defense has been really strong this year. I think they've only given up four touchdowns all year. The defense has been kind of their calling card. They had a you know, game saving interception by Andy Pullman at the end of the game. That that preserved it. And they had a big interception earlier in the game by a kid that you know, I talked about it as my football note, but Jamari McKay. He's a kid that he says he's

five foot four, which that's pretty that's pretty amazing. His coach, Tyson le Block was like, no, he's he's not five foot four, but the kid was pretty insistent that he was five and four. But he had a pretty nice interception on a big leaping interception at the end zone. And man, to see a kid like that, you know, kind of like really kind of you know, step up and make plays like that at that size, that was

that was pretty pretty impressive there. And then also Sandwich they started zero and two and they were coming off of a quarterfinal season last year, and I was getting a little bit worried about them because I'm thinking, you know, maybe they're not maybe quite what they were last year. But they've they've come back strong. I mean, they beat playing plaint zero in week three and then they got

a really close win at Johnsburg last week. So so so Sandwich feeling a lot better without themselves now at two and two. Were there any other games from Week four that you saw that stood out to.

that fourth quarter here a twenty seven nineteen victory. I think that's a good win, or that's a win for Wheaton North that you know, obviously got to be proud of the fourth quarter comeback, but even with the loss, I think that's something that Saint Charles's should be proud of because, especially considering you know, the history of Wheaton North and the decaying conference, getting or pushing them as close as they were, pushing them to the very end,

I think that's a very good sign for that Saint Charles East team that's relatively young, if I remember correctually, I think most of their team consent juniors, so that may show what the potential that they have not just for this year, gets more more impressive teams like you know, St. Charles North, Geneva and stuff like that, but it will also proved to be good for next year as well.

good sign. And on the other side, Weedon North, but they have been living I don't want to say, maybe living dangerously, living higher wire, whatever the case. I mean, they've had three games that they won. They were decided in the fourth quarter, two of them really came down to the end. In fact, one of them I think came down to the final play. So they have they

have three wins and they're three and one. So you know, on the one hand, they're feeling good about themselves, when the other hand, their coach, Soulwardinsky is like, guys, I'm losing whatever hair I have left. I'm losing right now. You guys quite quit doing it to me. And now he's got a gatst Patavia this week, So that that's a that's a tough challenge for that and I guess segue into this week, what do you what do you think about that matchup? It's gonna be a game that you're at I believe.

has the talent grown between seasons. I mean, obviously, you know Batavia, you got Nathan Whitwell who has been wrecking everybody. So it's gonna be interesting to see if how Wheaton North can try and limit that production as much as it can. And then on eating North Side, you know, based off of how all three of their wins have gone, if they can keep it close into the fourth quarter, they have a shot of winning. It's just gonna be that question of if they can keep it close within those.

shared a little bit more. I know, uh de Rix, I forget his first name, but he's had a couple of big plays uh for them late in games. And and but like you said, similar to Batavia, they're a team that you know there there's some question about them personnel wise offensively, uh coming this year, and obviously they've answered them so far. I don't know if they've answered them quite in the affirmative that Batavia has. But still, you know three and one with three you know, they

beat Providence, they beat Lockport. Those are two really quality and wins in the non conference. I know they lost St. St. Charles North, but uh but but but yeah, no that that should be uh, definitely a game to follow in the league this this week is Batavian Wheaton North. You know, another marquee matchup in the area this week, uh, rematch of last year's Class five A state championship. Joyed Catholic

is going to be at Nazareth. Really a game that I'm gonna really kind of keep my eye on, you know, Joey Kathy, I'm not really sure what to make of them. They they've kind of they've had some kind of tough games. I mean, Oswego beat them rather handily seventeen to nothing. They had a really close game with Fenwick. But then again they they if I'm not mistaken, they'd beat Maris in a really wild down to the wire finish. So maybe they're kind of growing. That's the big win to

be able to beat Maris like that. On the other side, Nazareth, I mean they had that tough game against Mount Carmel because Mount Carmel is just a juggernaut offensively, but really came back and took it to Ic Catholic last week to beat them thirty three to nothing. And you know, while Joey Kathleic they have some different guys. You know, some of the faces are a lot different from last year's five A final. On the Nazareth side, it's a lot of the same guys. I mean, you know, Logan

mouch At their quarterback. He had a really big game against Joey Catholic. He's back. I mean, James Penley, they're senior receiver. He had a huge game in the five A final. I mean he's still their guy so at receivers. So so yeah, it should be a fun one. You know, that five A final last year, I wasn't sure what to make it as far as who was a team to be where in this game. I think Nasa is

definitely the favorite, you know, going into this one. But with that Jolia Catholic pedigree, I'm not going to count that team out, but uh, definitely getting to be watched on Friday.

we have seen time and time again. Even if you know, offenses do have new players, you know, on the offense, you can still have a lot of big success. Take a note, p takea.

I'm curious about uh, Caitlin playing Morris this week. Caitlin is obviously off to a really good start, but now they go into the Interstate Eight, which is more like the Interstate six the way that league is now with the number of teams in there. You know, we'll see. I mean, Morris and Sycamore are kind of like the the top dogs in that league, at least they have been the last few years, and they've kind of pushed maybe not pushed around Kaitlin. They definitely beaten Kaitlin. You know,

we'll see. I think we're gonna get a really good idea about what Caitlyn is all about. I know Morris, I mean I believe they have at least they have one loss. There's still Morris. Morris is still really tough, and I think we're gonna find out a lot more about Caitlin after this week.

these teams play. Obviously, Caitlin has kind of gotten their offense going over these past two weeks, scoring forty nine points in both of their victories over these past two weeks, So this is going to be a really good test for them to see, you know, where they stand in the Interstate eight. Are they, you know, just a little bit behind or are they you know, a real big

contender and have a chance to take off Sycamore. And that game is gonna be happening next week as well, so they're gonna be facing back to back, you know, big conference teams. So it's gonna be really interesting to see how the Knights play and if they can keep their unbeat or if they can keep their streak alive.

fun game. I mean that that's a matchup that I would say as we go uh in that league, they're They're games with Plainfield North and probably Minoka have been some of their better games. I look back, I think three o their lasts for five games between them and Plainfield North have been come down to one one score games. I know they're there's an over time or double overtime game about three years ago that I was at that was a really fun one. But you know, it should

be a good matchup. Oswego is rolling, their defense has been tremendous, their offense is starting to pick it up. Just everything is working for them. And then a get Plainfield North, who you know, maybe they're not quite as talented playing Field North team as they were a couple of years ago, but they still play pretty good defense.

They have a pretty good receiver on the outside, and they also know Asweg I mean their coach Anthony and Bedina used to be the defensive cordner as a defensive coordinator at Oswego, so those two teams know each other really well. You know, should should be should be a good one. You know, if Asueo comes in and just kind of blows the doors off of them again, then man, I mean, you know, they're reaffirming my thought that they

probably are going to go nine to zero. But uh, but I'm looking forward to seeing just what kind of game it is. Is it another typical close game between those two team teams or AS or AS does Oswego really you know, kind of take it to them and again show that they're one of the better teams in eight A, which with Loyola's I'm just gonna say their struggles, they've had a couple losses. Maybe eight A is a little bit more wide open than it has been in

the past. I mean, Lincoln E East is really good, but maybe teams like US WeGo can kind of sneak in there and be a threat in a A. And the other game in the that SBC West that I'm kind of interested to see is bowling Brook playing in the Yorkville. Bowing Brook is a newcomer to that league on joining them. Both bowling Brook and the Yorkville started zero and two. They've since won two games in ROWLSE and now they're two and two. Big game. I mean,

it's a game that. You know, both of them still have a Swig on their schedule, both of them still have Minook on their schedule, so those are tough games, so they both really need that win. And and bowling Brook, while I don't think they have the talent they've had in recent years obviously Jonas Williams now is that Lincoln Way East, It's still bowling Brook. And I just don't know when a team joins a new league, you know, how are they going to fit in, how are they

going to compete? You know, what are they going to do when they get in games with some of these teams? And I'm interested to see, you know, how that matchup is going to transpire.

So curious to see how San Francis will bounce back with Providence coming in.

of tagged at the game of season as well. Obviously the matchup between the two returning quarterbacks Drum last year and Ethan Plumb on the North Stars and Luca Carbonaro from the Tigers. Both teams have been playing relatively pretty well, you know, throughout these first four games week more Go South is obviously two and two, Saint Charles North sufferingk their first loss last week's Batavia, so it's gonna be

really interesting to see, you know, how this game transpires. Obviously, Saint Charles North is in the upper echelons of the Ducune Conference, so it's gonna be interesting to see if the Tigers can you know, bop up and you know gate to that upper echelon as well. Game last year made into overtime four two thirty five victory for the Most Stars, so baby will have another overtime game in that one as well.

weekend again for Joe Bennett's I'm Josh Welgy. Thanks for joining us. You have a great Tuesday afternoon.