July 05, 2025
Shaw Local
Illinois High School Football NewsPhoto GalleriesSubscribeAnalysisFeaturesPodcastNewsletterPhoto Store
Alden-Hebron Giants Amboy Clippers Antioch Sequoits Ashton-Franklin Center Raiders Barrington Broncos Batavia Bulldogs Bartlett Hawks Benet Academy Redwings Bishop McNamara Fightin' Irish Bolingbrook Raiders Bradley-Bourbonnais Boilermakers Brother Rice Crusaders Buffalo Grove Bison Bureau Valley Storm Burlington Central Rockets Carmel Corsairs Cary Grove Trojans Clifton Central Comets Coal City Coalers Conant Cougars Crystal Lake Central Tigers Crystal Lake South Gators DeKalb Barbs Dixon Dukes Downers Grove North Trojans Downers Grove South Mustangs Dundee-Crown Chargers Dwight Trojans East St. Louis Flyers Eastland-Pearl City Wildcatz Elk Grove Grenadiers Elgin Maroons Erie-Prophetstown Panthers Fenwick Friars Fieldcrest Knights Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland Forreston Cardinals Fremd Vikings Fulton Steamers Geneva Vikings Genoa-Kingston Cogs Glenbard East Rams Glenbard North Panthers Glenbard South Raiders Glenbard West Hitters Grant Bulldogs Grayslake Central Rams Grayslake North Knights Hall Red Devils Hampshire Whip-Purs Harvard Hornets Hersey Huskies Herscher Tigers Hiawatha Hawks Highland Park Giants Hinsdale Central Red Devils Hinsdale South Hornets Hoffman Estates Hawks Homewood Flossmoor Vikings Huntley Red Raiders IC Catholic Prep Knights Iroquois West Chargers Jacobs Golden Eagles Joliet Catholic Hilltoppers Joliet Central Steelmen Joliet West Tigers Johnsburg Skyhawks Kaneland Knights Kankakee Kays Lake Forest Scouts Lake Zurich Bears Lakes Eagles Larkin Royals LaSalle-Peru Cavaliers Lemont football Libertyville Wildcats Lincoln Way Central Knights Lincoln Way East Griffins Lincoln Way West Warriors Lockport Porters Loyola Academy Ramblers Lyons Township Lions Maine East Blue Demons Maine South Hawks Maine West Warriors Marengo Indians Marian Catholic Spartans Marian Central Catholic Hurricanes Marist RedHawks Marmion Academy Cadets Marquette Crusaders McHenry Warriors Metea Valley Mustangs Mendota Trojans Milford Bearcats Milledgeville Missiles Minooka Indians Momence Montini Broncos Morris Morrison Mustangs Morton Mustangs Mount Carmel Caravan Mundelein Mustangs Naperville Central Redhawks Naperville North Huskies Nazareth Academy Roadrunners Neuqua Valley Wildcats New Trier Trevians Newman Central Catholic Comets Niles Notre Dame Dons Oak Park River Forest Huskies Oregon Hawks Oswego Panthers Oswego East Wolves Ottawa Pirates Palatine Pirates Peotone Blue Devils Phillips Wildcats Plainfield Central Wildcats Plainfield East Bengals Plainfield North Tigers Plainfield South Cougars Plano Reapers Polo Marcos Prairie Ridge Wolves Princeton Tigers Prospect Knights Providence Catholic Celtics Reed-Custer Comets Richmond Burton Rockets Riverside Brookfield Bulldogs Rock Falls Rockets Rolling Meadows Mustangs Romeoville Spartans Round Lake Panthers Sandwich Indians Schaumburg Saxons Seneca Fighting Irish Simeon Wolverines St Anne Cardinals St Bede Bruins St Charles East Saints St Charles North North Stars St Edward Green Wave St Francis Spartans St Patrick Shamrocks St Rita Mustangs St Viator Lions Sterling Golden Warriors Stevenson Patriots Streator Bulldogs Sycamore Spartans Vernon Hills Cougars Warren Township Blue Devils Waubonsie Valley Warriors Wauconda Bulldogs West Aurora Blackhawks Westmont Sentinels Wheaton North Falcons Wheaton Academy Wheeling Wildcats Wheaton Warrenville South Tigers Willowbrook Warriors Wilmington Wildcats Woodstock Blue Streaks Woodstock North Thunder York Dukes Yorkville Foxes

Week 3 games to watch: Lots of undefeated teams remain, but 1-1 squads are where intrigue is

By Steve Soucie
Huntley's Sam Deligio throws a pass during a Fox Valley Conference football game Friday, Aug. 26, 2022, between Crystal Lake Central and Huntley at Crystal Lake Central High School.

Huntley's Sam Deligio throws a pass during a Fox Valley Conference game against Crystal Lake Central in Week 1. Huntley heads to Prairie Ridge this week for a matchup of 2-0 teams. (Gregory Shaver - gshaver@shawmedia.com/Gregory Shaver for Shaw Media )

There are 148 teams in Illinois that have not yet taken a loss this season. But with a number of 2-0 squads playing one another and other 2-0′s facing viable 1-1 threats, the list of teams that remain undefeated after the dust settles in Week 3 will likely be just over 100.

And while it’s always interesting to keep an eye on the list of undefeated teams, the real intrigue is held by 1-1 teams in Week 3.

Although we remain fairly early in the regular season, teams that drop to 1-2 almost certainly will need to finish the season by winning four of their last six games just to get into the playoff field. That’s an uphill climb for almost anyone, and for the ones that have a rigorous schedule yet to come, suddenly the pressure starts to set in a little bit.

The strangest thing that starts to materialize after Week 3′s finals all come in is that with less than 500 teams eligible for playoff qualification, it seems unlikely that their will be more than 256 teams with records above the .500 mark after three weeks of play. If that number is significantly below 250 teams, that points to a possible need for 4-5 teams to fill out the playoff field at the conclusion at Week 9. That’s most definitely going to be a trend to keep an eye on.

Let’s look at a few of the Week 3 matchups of interest.

Loyola (2-0) at St. Rita (1-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday: Loyola has had virtually no trouble through two games. Can a long time Catholic League rival put up a better fight? Odds are Loyola won’t make many mistakes especially with seasoned QB Jack Stearney at the controls, but St. Rita would like nothing more than to make a splash in a crossover game because going under the .500 mark is never ideal considering the number of obstacles that remain on almost any CCL/ESCC schedule over the course of the final six regular season games.

Batavia (1-1) at Wheaton North (2-0), 7 p.m. Friday: Batavia won’t have any time to lick its wounds after a rough first half at Lincoln-Way East in Week 2, but the Bulldogs bounced back with a solid second half and will likely get a boost from the return of WR Drew Gerke, who sat out last week with an injury. Wheaton North has been workman like as it goes about its Class 7A title defense. North has gotten great play from its defense. It’s giving an offense full of new faces time to find its footing.

Marist (1-1) at Nazareth (1-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday: An intriguing pairing of two teams with one loss already on the ledger. Both squads face ominous remaining schedules, so dropping to 1-2 with a loss here is certainly not the ideal for either. Marist has gotten a great start to the season from RB Marc Coy, but WR Ryan Sims, a Miami (Ohio) recruit, is likely the bigger problem for opposing defenses. Despite a Week 2 loss to Lemont, Nazareth did make some offensive strides behind sophomore QB Logan Malachuk. The Roadrunners will need yet another big step forward in order to trade punches with Marist.

Huntley (2-0) at Prairie Ridge (2-0), 7 p.m. Friday: Is Huntley back? Can Prairie Ridge stay above the chaos the has already hung up a few teams expected to be at the top of the Fox Valley Conference race? Huntley has a workhorse runner in Haiden Janke. For the Red Raiders to be successful, he’ll likely play a big part. Prairie Ridge will counter with the two-headed monster of RB Nathan Greetham and QB Tyler Vasey.

Decatur St. Teresa (2-0) at Moweaqua Central A&M (2-0), 7 p.m. Friday: Six of the eight teams in the Central Illinois Conference have emerged from the first two weeks without a loss. But there are few that would argue that this game doesn’t feature the top two teams in this league, as well as two of the top small-school programs in the state. St. Teresa is currently ranked No. 2 in the Class 2A Associated Press, while Moweaqua is the No. 3-ranked squad in 1A.

Other games of note: Mount Carmel at Niles Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m. Friday; Normal Community West at Normal Community, 7 p.m. Friday; Mahomet-Seymour at Mount Zion, 7 p.m. Friday; Glenbard North at Geneva, 7 p.m. Friday; Warren at Libertyville, 7 p.m. Friday; Murphysboro at Carterville, 7 p.m. Friday; Bolingbrook at Lincoln-Way West, 7 p.m. Friday; Oak Park-River Forest at Glenbard West, 1:30 p.m. Saturday; Maine South at Barrington, 7:30 p.m. Friday.