Fox Valley Conference

Burlington Central (2-0, 2-0) at Jacobs (1-1, 1-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Rockets: Burlington Central beat defending FVC champ Cary-Grove 10-7 last week, as DB Parker Auxier broke up a pass late in the game to preserve the Rockets’ second win ever in seven meetings against the Trojans. Central defeated C-G by the identical 10-7 score in 2022. Auxier also had a rushing TD. Defense has been the Rockets’ strength the first two weeks, as they shut out Crystal Lake South 21-0 in Week 1. ... Central suffered only two FVC losses last season, to C-G in Week 1 and to Jacobs in Week 6. ... Jacobs leads the all-time series 5-1, having won the past five meetings. The Rockets have never won at Jacobs.

About the Golden Eagles: It’s Jacobs’ home opener after starting the season with a 53-13 win over Hampshire and a 33-22 loss to Prairie Ridge. The Golden Eagles also lost senior quarterback Connor Goehring to a shoulder injury in the second quarter against PR. Coach Brian Zimmerman said Goehring, a captain who started last season, will be sidelined for two weeks. Sophomore QB Austin Stennett played credibly off the bench, completing 19 of 23 passes for 163 yards, one TD and a pick-six. RB Caden DuMelle rushed 15 times for 95 yards and a TD. Michael Cannady added 42 rushing yards on 11 carries, and WR Carson Goehring had five catches for 50 yards and a TD.

Friday Night Drive pick: Burlington Central

Crystal Lake Central (0-2, 0-2) at Dundee-Crown (0-2, 0-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Tigers: Crystal Lake Central has allowed 42 points to each of its first two opponents, Huntley in Week 1 and Hampshire in Week 2. The Tigers did score their first points of the season last week, as QB Evan McMahon threw a 24-yard TD pass to Kiran Pokharel and McMahon rushed for a 9-yard score. First-year coach Matt MacCrindle said his Tigers, who were tied 7-all with Hampshire at halftime, took some steps forward. ... CL Central beat Dundee-Crown 17-14 at home in Week 3 last season.

About the Chargers: Dundee-Crown has opened the season with back-to-back, heartbreaking losses. The Chargers led McHenry in the fourth quarter on opening night before losing 17-14, then fell to Huntley 28-27 in overtime in Week 2. Huntley scored the game-tying TD with 51 seconds left in regulation to even the score at 21 and force OT. D-C’s Leon Metcalf and Ryan Pierce had interceptions on Huntley’s first two drives of the game. The Chargers used the turnovers to build a 14-0 lead on QB Ikey Grzynkowicz’s TD passes of 32 and 13 yards to Pierce. Kadin Malone’s 1-yard TD run had D-C up 21-0. Gryznkowicz also threw a TD pass to Max Backaus.

FND pick: Dundee-Crown

McHenry (2-0, 2-0) at Cary-Grove (0-2, 0-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Warriors: McHenry and first-year head coach Colt Nero are 2-0 for the first time since 2007 after beating Crystal Lake South 43-7. The Warriors, who rallied to beat Dundee-Crown 17-14 in Week 1, won two games all of last season after going 0-9 in 2023. They got off to a strong start against CL South, as QB Jeffry Schwab and Hayden Schmidt connected on a 68-yard TD pass on the first snap from scrimmage. Joey Spelman, Mick Reidy, Hunter Lechner, and Ethan Dietmeyer each had a rushing TD. ... McHenry lost to C-G 46-7 in Week 3 last season.

About the Trojans: Counting last season’s state-semifinal loss to Geneva, Cary-Grove has lost three straight games. That hasn’t happened since the Trojans dropped their past five games in 2022, when they finished 3-6. C-G fell to host Burlington Central 10-7 last week, after opening defense of their FVC championship at home with a 34-21 loss to Prairie Ridge. ... Despite their 0-2 start, the Trojans are ranked sixth in Class 5A in the AP poll.

FND pick: Cary-Grove

Huntley (2-0, 2-0) at Crystal Lake South (0-2, 0-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Red Raiders: Huntley rolled past Crystal Lake Central 42-0 on opening night, then had to overcome a 21-0 deficit against Dundee-Crown last week, winning 28-27 in OT. The Red Raiders scored the game-tying TD with 51 seconds left in regulation to even the score at 21. Chase Hojnacki (18 carries, 122 yards) capped the drive with a 4-yard TD run. QB Malik Carter threw a 10-yard scoring strike to Hojnacki in OT. ... Huntley beat Crystal Lake South 38-12 last season.

About the Gators: Crystal Lake South knew there would be growing pains with a young offense, and that has been the case through two weeks. After being shut out by Burlington Central 21-0 in their season opener, the Gators lost 43-7 to McHenry last week. They got their first TD of the season when QB Michael Silvius (123 passing yards) threw a 28-yard TD pass to Noah Franch in the fourth quarter.

FND pick: Huntley

Prairie Ridge (2-0, 2-0) at Hampshire (1-1, 1-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Wolves: Prairie Ridge, which is ranked No. 1 in Class 5A, has scored five TDs in each of its wins – 34-21 over Cary-Grove in Week 1 and 33-22 over Jacobs – and QB Luke Vanderwiel has eight of the 10. The senior has rushed for 373 yards and seven TDs on 45 carries (8.3 avg.) this season. He rushed for 140 yards against Jacobs, despite the Wolves not having a third-quarter possession, in part because of Vanderwiel’s pick-six. Owen Satterlee added a 5-yard TD run against Jacobs. TE/DL Hunter Mosolino had three catches for 86 yards and also had a sack.

About the Whip-Purs: Hampshire snapped a nine-game losing streak with their 42-14 win at Crystal Lake Central and now return home to face one of four undefeated teams in the FVC. Whip-Purs RB Tymere Marshall has rushed for 337 yards and four TDs in the team’s first two games. He had 171 rushing yards and three TDs against CL Central in helping Hampshire outscore the Tigers 35-7 in the second half.

FND pick: Prairie Ridge

Kishwaukee River Conference

Richmond-Burton (2-0, 0-0) at Johnsburg (2-0, 0-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Rockets: Richmond-Burton earned a quality win last week, beating 2024 Class 4A state semifinalist Coal City 24-20. The Rockets are ranked No. 8 again in Class 3A. RB Luke Johnson rushed for 81 yards and two second-half TDs for the Rockets, who opened the season with a 49-13 win over Marian Central. R-B got first-half points from FB Riley Shea (1-yard TD) and K Trey Maziarz (21-yard field goal). RB Hunter Carley rushed 16 times for 66 yards, as R-B used a balanced rushing attack. ... R-B’s only KRC loss last season was to Johnsburg, 21-14, in Week 3. The Rockets rebounded to win their last six conference games and capture their sixth-straight KRC title.

About the Skyhawks: Johnsburg’s high-scoring offense was limited to 7 points last week, but it was enough to pull out a dramatic, one-point win over visiting Addison Trail, as Jacob Vetter blocked a short field-goal try in the closing seconds. Vetter (7 tackles) also had a sack for a defense that got a fourth-and-goal tackle from Mario Zakrzewski and an interception from Jarrel Albea. ... Johnsburg didn’t score single-digit points in any of its 10 games last season. ... Through two weeks, Skyhawks QB Carter Block has completed 16 of 23 passes for 223 yards, while WR Ryan Franze has 12 receptions for 241 yards and two TDs.

FND pick: Richmond-Burton

Woodstock (2-0, 0-0) at Harvard (0-2, 0-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Blue Streaks: Thanks to a 21-14 win over Ridgewood in its home opener last week, Woodstock is 2-0 for the first time since 2018. The Blue Streaks finished 2-7 that year, however. Now they face a struggling Harvard team that they edged 10-7 in Week 3 last year. QB Caden Thompson continued his strong start to the season against Ridgewood, throwing two TD passes (16-of-21 passing), both to Matthew Cress, and rushing for a score. Thompson, who’s in his third season as starting QB, has thrown four TD passes through two weeks.

About the Hornets: Harvard is still looking for its first points of the season. The Hornets fell to Reed-Custer 34-0 last week, after opening the season with a 10-0 loss to Big Foot (Wisconsin). Reed-Custer ran for 320 yards on 39 attempts, while the defense allowed only 81 total yards. ... Harvard won its first two games last season, then lost its next seven, but never was shut out.

FND pick: Woodstock

Woodstock North (1-1, 0-0) at Marengo (2-0, 0-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Thunder: Woodstock North opened the season with a 68-0 rout of Elmwood Park, then hit the road last week to face state juggernaut IC Catholic Prep (No. 2 in Class 3A) and lost 40-13 in Elmhurst. IC Catholic QB Nate Lang was 14-of-18 passing for 294 yards and three TDs. ... Woodstock North beat visiting Marengo 20-14 in Week 3 last season.

About the Indians: Marengo is 2-0 for the first time in nine years and now will play its home opener. It’s also senior night for the Indians, who have shone on both sides of the ball through two weeks. The Indians’ 41-21 win over Peotone last week featured big games on the ground from Gavin Baros (20 carries, 195 yards) and Connor Sacco (18-142 yards), each of whom also scored two TDs. Sacco also had eight tackles, including a TFL, from his linebacker spot.

FND pick: Marengo

Chicagoland Christian Conference

Hope Academy (1-1, 0-0) at Marian Central (1-1, 0-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Eagles: Hope Academy is off to a good start, beating Brooks 60-0 at home, after defeating Paterson (New Jersey) 20-18 in its season opener. The Eagles have qualified for the Class 1A playoffs the past four seasons under coach Chris Mallette, going to the state semifinals in 2023 and the quarterfinals in 2022. ... The Eagles beat Marian Central 40-21 in Week 6 last season in Chicago.

About the Hurricanes: Marian Central got its first win of the season, 46-0 over visiting Clemente last week, as RB Mike Schmid scored three TDs, including a 40-yarder. It was the Hurricanes’ first shutout since Week 8 of the 2023 season, when they beat St. Edward 41-0. ... Marian opened the season with a 49-13 loss to Richmond-Burton.

FND pick: Hope Academy

8-player - Northest

Alden-Hebron (2-0, 1-0) at Kirkland Hiawatha (2-0, 1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Giants: Sophomore Caleb Linneman has been a force on both sides of the ball for Alden-Hebron. He’s rushed 28 times for 305 yards (10.9 average) and five TDs. Defensively, Linneman has 15 solo tackles (2 TFLs), 14 assisted tackles and an interception. Louie Bageanis (32 carries, 258 yards, three TDs) and QB JP Stewart (nine carries, 117 yards) have also run the ball effectively. Stewart has completed 8 of 15 passes for 112 yards and one TD. Also on defense, Jack Stewart has 13 solo tackles, 17 assisted tackles and two fumble recoveries. ... A-H lost at Kirkland Hiawatha 64-43 in Week 7 last season.

About the Hawks: Tim Pruitt has eclipsed 100 yards rushing in each of his first two games. He got 124 yards last week in a 50-8 win against Harvest-Westminster. Mike Hobson had a big game with nine tackles, two for a loss. The Hawks have already matched their win total from a season ago, plus, as the schedule stands now, they have two forfeit victories coming in Weeks 6 and 7. Coach Kenny McPeek said the team is healthy and ready to face an A-H team that has athletes at every level.

FND pick: Alden-Hebron