Caden DuMelle, who wears jersey No. 2, became Jacobs’ No. 1 all-time rusher Friday night.

Or, you could say Jacobs’ good old No. 48 became the team’s top rusher of all-time.

DuMelle had 73 rushing yards on 17 carries in Jacobs’ 21-12 loss to Burlington Central, as Jacobs fell to 1-2 overall and 1-2 in the Fox Valley Conference. He broke Josh Walker’s career record of 2,581 yards thanks to an 11-yard run on the Golden Eagles’ final drive of the game. He ended the drive with a 12-yard touchdown run.

DuMelle said head coach Brian Zimmerman told him the day before that he needed 51 rushing yards coming into the game to set the school record.

“So I basically knew that as long as I didn’t have an injury during the Burlington game that I was going to break that record,” DuMelle said. “I wouldn’t say that it motivated me. I was more concerned about the win.”

DuMelle has sported No. 2 for the Golden Eagles since his sophomore year two seasons ago. The only exception was Week 7 last season against Crystal Lake Central. The running back had missed Jacobs’ previous game against Burlington Central because of a neck injury and a bout with pneumonia, he said.

“I wore like this big cowboy collar [protective neck gear worn under the shoulder pads, against Crystal Lake Central],” DuMelle said.

“I changed my [jersey] number to 48 because of it,” DuMelle said with a laugh. [The jersey] is a medium, so it wouldn’t fit with the cowboy collar, so I had to get a large.”

DuMelle said he played only about seven snaps and had maybe a couple of touches against Crystal Lake Central in the Eagles’ 27-3 win. Take away those games against Crystal Lake Central and Burlington Central and DuMelle has been an impact back in varsity games going back to the second half of his freshman season.

A mid-season call-up in 2022, DuMelle scored two TDs against Dundee-Crown in Week 9, in 37-7 home win. He rushed for 1,286 yards and 12 TDs as a sophomore and 973 yards and 11 TDs in an All-FVC campaign last season.

“I’ve had a couple of bumps these past three seasons,” DuMelle said. “I feel [the record] shows my perseverance, consistency and who I am as a player. I’m able to move the ball, and when the ball is in my hands, good things happen.”

Jacobs needs a good week of practice as it prepares to visit 2-1 McHenry on Friday. The Eagles will be out to snap a two-game losing streak against a Warriors team coming off its first loss of the season, 36-23 to Cary-Grove.

“We should have a great week this week,” DuMelle said. “Hopefully, it’s a bounce-back week.”

Hjorth joins Johnsburg: Johnsburg head coach Sam Lesniak added a veteran coach to his staff during the offseason.

Josh Hjorth, whose son Jackson is a sophomore tight end on the Skyhawks’ varsity team, is coaching the offensive and defensive lines for Lesniak. Hjorth coached for several years at Stevenson in Lincolnshire and ran the program in 2017 and 2018, leading the Patriots to back-to-back six-win seasons and Class 8A state playoff berths.

“Josh has been a huge addition for us,” Lesniak said. “He’s been great. He brings a lot of knowledge of the game because he’s been around football for a long time. He sees a lot, knows a lot.”

Hjorth’s oldest child, Jackson, has three siblings. The 6-foot, 190-pounder caught a touchdown pass in Johnsburg’s season-opening win against Thornwood.

“He’s going to be a tough kid,” Lesniak said. “He’s a big kid right now, tough-nosed, wrestler [varsity as a freshman]. He’s going to be fun to watch over the next couple years. He’s going to be a load to bring down.”

Berndt impresses in first varsity win: Cary-Grove sophomore quarterback Jackson Berndt had big shoes to fill in replacing 2025 graduate Peyton Seaburg as the Trojans’ starter entering the year. Seaburg, coach Brad Seaburg’s son, helped lead C-G to the Class 6A semifinals last fall, directing the triple-option attack.

On Friday, Berndt earned his first varsity win as a starter while accounting for four touchdowns in a 36-23 FVC win over previously unbeaten McHenry. Berndt ran for 81 yards and three scores on 13 carries and also threw a 10-yard TD pass to Anthony Medina. The win was C-G’s first of the season after losing to undefeated Prairie Ridge and Burlington Central in Weeks 1 and 2.

At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Berndt certainly looks the part.

“He’s pretty much a sophomore in name only,” Coach Seaburg said. “He’s a big kid and really does play like an older kid. He’s got a great demeanor to him. He bounced right back from his fumble and directed our offense really well. He’s done a nice job so far.”

The Trojans welcomed back senior Logan Abrams (6-3, 230) to fullback Friday, which gives C-G a more dangerous offense. Abrams, who suffered a Lisfranc injury last season that cost him most of his junior year, ended the night with 175 yards and a TD on 23 carries. But Abrams, who also plays linebacker, was quick to point out the quick decision-making and veteran-like play of his sophomore QB.

“He’s very good under pressure,” Abrams said. “He’s a big guy, and he’s hard to stop when he gets going. I’m really looking forward to this year with him. I think we have something good.”

Berndt got valuable minutes last season on varsity when the Trojans were comfortably ahead late in games. Peyton Seaburg was a valuable resource.

“I learned tons from him,” Berndt said. “He helped me all the time, during games, before and after practices. He really just showed me how to be a leader. I couldn’t be in a better spot.”

Charged up: Teams in the FVC should be well aware not to expect an easy time trying to shut down the Dundee-Crown offense.

Through three games, only Huntley has scored more points than D-C (98-97) in the FVC. The rushing attack is dangerous with RB Kadin Malone and QB Ikey Grzynkowicz each over 200 yards rushing in three games. Grzynkowicz has flashed dual-threat capabilities in the passing game as well.

Friday’s 56-8 win over Crystal Lake Central represented the most points D-C has scored in a game since a 70-55 loss to Prairie Ridge on Sept. 14, 2018.

“We just put our heads down, we blocked and we worked,” Grzynkowicz said. “We didn’t let off the gas. We just kept going.”

The mission continues Friday against rival Hampshire.

“We want to defend our homecoming,” D-C coach Mike Steinhaus said. “We want to show pride in our district. We’re kind of the stepbrother or stepsister of the district, so we want to go out and play hard.”

Week 3 scores

Fox Valley Conference

Prairie Ridge 52, Hampshire 21

Burlington Central 21, Jacobs 12

Huntley 28, Crystal Lake South 7

Cary-Grove 36, McHenry 23

Dundee-Crown 56, Crystal Lake Central 8

Kishwaukee River Conference

Richmond-Burton 49, Johnsburg 14

Marengo 14, Woodstock North 13

Woodstock 27, Harvard 20

Chicagoland Christian Conference

Hope Academy 47, Marian Central 7

Illinois 8-Man Football Association

Alden-Hebron 48, Kirkland Hiawatha 12

• Northwest Herald sports editor Alex Kantecki and correspondent Andy Tavegia contributed to this report.