Getting Prepped

Conant-Fremd games traditionally were some of the most competitive and dramatic in the area with a lot at stake. And tonight on Fremd's new turf there are some unexpected high stakes with Conant winning its MSL West opener over Palatine.
"Like every week we have to play well to have a shot," said Conant coach Bill Modelski. "For this group, which had no success on the lower levels and no success last year, hopefully this was a breakthrough game for us."
It certainly was for Conant senior QB Sean Smith, who showed the damage he can do running and throwing the ball in what is becoming the year of the dual-threat quarterback.

After ending a 15-game skid last week, can Hersey start a run in the other direction when it visits Buffalo Grove? Even though the Huskies are still young, they believe they can do some more damage right now.
"I think we have a shot this year to make some noise and be competitive," said Hersey coach Mark Gunther, who received a congratulatory e-mail from former head coach Bruce Glover.
That was the expectation coming into this season with a lot of experience and a lot more depth. But the schedule didn't help in the win column as it faced Fremd, Schaumburg and Palatine in its MSL crossovers.
It did help in preparation as the Huskies' 30-28 loss to Schaumburg looks a lot better considering its successful start.

8A
1. Maine South
2. St. Rita
3. Lincoln-Way East
4. Bartlett
5. Naperville North
6. Mt. Carmel
7. Fremd
8. Barrington
9. Loyola
10. Brother Rice

7A
1. Wheaton South
2. East St. Louis
3. Geneva
4. Glenbard West
5. Carmel
6. Boylan
7. St. Charles East
8. DeLaSalle
9. Machesney Park Harlem
10. Fenwick

6A
1. Rock Island
2. Cary-Grove
3. Springfield Griffin
4. Bloomington
5. Morgan Park
6. Normal
7. Danville
8. Providence
9. Lemont
10. Joliet Catholic

5A
1. Metamora
2. Montini
3. Nazareth
4. St. Francis
5. Marian Central
6. Decatur MacArthur
7. Washington
8. Cahokia
9. Sterling
10. Geneseo

4A
1. Bloomington Central Catholic
2. Driscoll
3. Aurora Christian
4. Breese Mater Dei
5. Quincy ND
6. Stillman Valley
7. Mahomet-Seymour

Predicting the fortunes of teenagers is definitely a fool's game. But since we're all pretty foolish, we do it anyway. Football, basketball, even baseball (which most are smart enough to avoid). We try to forecast what's going to happen and when we're off people definitely don't forget.
Few coaches want to be picked first. No coaches want to be picked last - but a lot like the middle of the pack since it seems to give their kids an apparent motivational boost. I've certainly had my share of kids, parents and coaches willingly bring it up when my picks are as off the mark as Javier Vazquez's pitches.

People often believe we care more about one school or team over another. Most of us are primarily concerned with reasonably quick games (especially on Friday nights) and something interesting or something with drama.
This weekend certainly fit that bill in two much different ways.
First was Rolling Meadows at Wheeling in a matchup of last year's Mid-Suburban East co-champions. Meadows seemed to be in control with a 13-0 lead late in the third quarter.
In the past it would have been over for Wheeling. But then the game took crazy twists and turns started by some big plays by Mike Barton. The Wildcats appeared to squander a phenomenal opportunity when it lost a fumble inside the Meadows' 5 with less than five minutes left.

Fifth. Fifth. Sixth.
That was the general consensus for Schaumburg this year in the Mid-Suburban West.
But as division play in the MSL begins this weekend, the Saxons are 3-1 going into Saturday's 1:30 p.m. game at Conant against three-time defending outright West champion Fremd. Schaumburg coach Mark Stilling isn't doing any gloating yet but is clearly enjoying a start that includes wins few probably expected over Wheeling and Prospect. Especially since the latter was by a whopping 54-33 score.
Some would question Stilling's sanity over scheduling a season opener with perennial state power Maine South. Why not get an easy win or at least a more middle of the road opponent?

CLASS 8A
1. Maine South
2. St. Rita
3. Lincoln-Way East
4. Bartlett
5. Naperville North
6. Mt. Carmel
7. Brother Rice
8. Fremd
9. Barrington
10. Loyola

7A
1. Wheaton South
2. East St. Louis
3. Geneva
4. Glenbard West
5. Carmel
6. Boylan
7. St. Charles East
8. DeLaSalle
9. Machesney Park Harlem
10. Fenwick

6A
1. Rock Island
2. Cary-Grove
3. Springfield Griffin
4. Providence
5. Bloomington
6. Morgan Park
7. Normal Community
8. Danville
9. Lemont
10. Joliet Catholic

5A
1. Metamora
2. Montini
3. Nazareth
4. Geneseo
5. St. Francis
6. Marian Central
7. Champaign Central
8. Decatur MacArthur
9. Washington
10. Cahokia

4A
1. Bloomington Central Catholic
2. Driscoll
3. Aurora Christian
4. Breese Mater Dei
5. Quincy ND
6. Chillicothe IVC

Probably not to get a 9-9 finish in this year's round of MSL crossovers. Only Prospect in Week 2 and Buffalo Grove and Rolling Meadows last week were able to beat the West.
But there are some solid matchups all over this week. Still not sure if it will help figure out things - although Barrington certainly made a statement last week with a solid win over Prospect.
Fremd at Meadows has two perennial playoff teams and two excellent QBs in Mike Tauchman and Jimmy Garoppolo. Also a bit of a rivalry game with kids in Meadows on west side of Ill. 53 attending Fremd.

The Western Suburbs have an early monopoly on Bears Coach of the Week honors this year as Greg Purnell of St. Francis in Wheaton got it this week. Week 1 was Montini's Chris Andriano and Week 2 was former Waubonsie Valley coach and current Danville coach B.J. Luke. Last week St. Francis pulled a 27-7 stunner of Driscoll, which has won seven straight state titles, to improve to 3-0 as it has outscored its foes 129-20.
Purnell's first St. Francis team was 3-6 but it's clear what he accomplished in Iowa (3 state titles, 2 runner-up finishes, 144 wins and induction into Iowa Coaches Association Hall of Fame) has started to play well in Illinois. Interestingly enough, this week will be a battle of Bears honorees and a huge Suburban Catholic Conference matchup with unbeaten Montini.

8A
1. Maine South
2. Mt. Carmel
3. St. Rita
4. Lincoln-Way East
5. Bartlett
6. Naperville North
7. Brother Rice
8. Glenbard North
9. Fremd
10. York

Note: Want to get Barrington in here after seeing them last week against Prospect, but no one in my top 10 did anything last week to warrant dropping out.

7A
1. Wheaton South
2. East St. Louis
3. Geneva
4. Glenbard West
5. Carmel
6. Boylan
7. Lake Zurich
8. St. Charles East
9. Wheaton North
10. DeLaSalle

6A
1. Rock Island
2. Cary-Grove
3. Providence
4. Springfield Griffin
5. Bloomington
6. Morgan Park
7. Normal
8. Danville
9. Lemont
10. Joliet Catholic

5A
1. Metamora
2. Montini
3. St. Francis
4. Marian Central Catholic
5. Nazareth
6. Geneseo
7. Pontiac
8. Champaign Central
9. Washington