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DuPage Valley Conference
Waubonsie Valley (0-8, 0-5) at DeKalb (5-3, 3-2)
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Last matchup: DeKalb won on the road in Week 6, 49-13.
About the Barbs: They can exact some payback for last year when the Warriors defeated the Barbs twice in the regular season. Ethan McCarter returned two punts for touchdowns in Week 6. It was a 15-point game at halftime but Talen Tate had a big second half for the Barbs. DeKalb has momentum this week coming off a big win against DVC leader – now co-leader – Neuqua Valley, 14-0.
About the Warriors: Tyler Threat was the main offensive weapon against the Barbs in their last meeting, both running the ball and out of the backfield. He has 19 catches for 313 yards this year and three scores.
Friday Night Drive pick: DeKalb
Kishwaukee River/Interstate 8 White
Morris (7-1, 5-0) at Sycamore (8-0, 5-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Morris was a 28-21 winner in Week 9 last year to claim the league title.
About the Spartans: The Spartans seek their first undefeated regular season, for a full season, since 2013 when they finished the season 12-1. The team also went 6-0 in the spring 2021 season. Before 2013, it had been 35 years since Sycamore went undefeated in the regular season, finishing 11-1 in 1978. The Spartans got their third shutout this year, 28-0 against La Salle-Peru last week. Kiefer Tarnoki had six tackles, three for a loss, a sack and a pass breakup in the win.
About Morris: Morris caps the season with an intriguing regular-season finale that should prepare them for a postseason run that might end up with them being part of the Class 4A field rather than the 5A field. Other than in its only loss of the season to Richmond-Burton, Morris has been explosive in the first half of football games. It seems unlikely that Morris will have such a forceful start against Sycamore, but getting off on the right foot could be pivotal.
FND pick: Morris
La Salle-Peru (5-3, 3-2) at Kaneland (5-3, 3-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: The Knights were 55-13 winners in Maple Park last year.
About the Knights: They are surging toward the postseason, having won four of their past five, the lone blemish a 28-7 loss to undefeated Sycamore. Last week was their second dominant victory in a row, knocking off Woodstock North, 45-6 a week after beating Marengo, 44-3.
The defense has given up 136 points this year, the third-fewest in the conference. With most of the same players last year, Kaneland gave up 319 points in 10 games.
“I think as a coaching staff we’re happy with the progress we’ve made on that side of the ball,” Kaneland coach Patrick Ryan said. “We expected we’d be better, I don’t think we thought we’d be this good. At times we’ve looked really, really tremendous on defense. There’s always room for improvement, so we’ll continue to work on things and get better. But compared to last season we weren’t just very good. We were so young and inexperienced. Most of the kids are back and they look like a different group. They’ve grown physically and mentally and it’s showing.”
About the Cavaliers: L-P is looking to win more than five games in a regular season for the first time since 2009 when it was 7-2. The Cavaliers went 5-4 in 2019, 5-0 in the spring of 2021 and 5-4 last fall. The Cavs lost 28-0 to Sycamore last week. It was L-P’s third consecutive shutout loss to the Spartans. L-P struggled offensively against Sycamore, gaining just 53 rushing yards and not completing a pass. Defensively, the Cavs held the Spartans to seven points in the first half and allowed 139 rushing yards and 195 passing yards for the game. L-P has scored a touchdown or less in three games this season, while holding five opponents to 16 points or fewer. L-P has four rushers with 250 or more yards – Maalik Madrigal (341 yards, 2 TDs), Brendan Boudreau (319 yards, 5 TDs), Peyton Ellermeyer (301 yards, 2 TDs) and Mason Lynch (272 yards, 2 TDs).
FND pick: Kaneland
Big Northern Conference
Genoa-Kingston (6-2, 6-2) at Stillman Valley (8-0, 8-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: The Cogs were 35-0 winners in Genoa last year.
About the Cogs: Coming off a big win at home last week, the Cogs are looking to end the season strong against one of the toughest teams in the state.
“We had a good turnout last Friday, and seeing a good crowd at our house energized us this week,” coach Cam Davekos said. “We had a good film session Monday. We talked about what we need to do defensively against Stillman Valley. We know those guys are extremely tough. It’s going to be a battle.”
Win or lose, the Cogs are postseason bound. Davekos said a game against a team like the Cardinals is perfect heading into the playoffs.
“We’ve been preparing the kids mentally for a great battle this week,” Davekos said. “We told them that win, lose or draw this a great measuring stick going into the postseason. This is a battle that will make us stronger for the playoffs.”
About the Cardinals: Jory Spain leads the conference with 661 yards and 14 touchdowns on 155 carries, while Porter Needs is third with 600 yards and eight scores on only 59 carries. They’ve attempted only seven passes as a team this year.
“First and foremost we have to make sure we secure tackles,” Davekos said. “We can’t have any arm tackling. We have to tackle as a unit. We have to make sure we are watching our reads and doing what we need to do to see where the ball is going and seek it out.”
FND pick: Stillman Valley
Eight-man
Hiawatha (5-3) at Alden-Hebron (3-5)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: The Hawks were 50-12 winners at home last year.
About the Hawks: The Hawks lost on the road to one of the top 8-man teams in Iowa, Central City, 44-26 last week. Coach Nick Doolittle said his team has played flat in the first half most of the season and is hoping to buck that trend Friday.
“One of the biggest things for us is to come out fired up and ready to go,” Doolittle said. “We can’t wait to the second half to get going. We’re a good second-half team and I want us to be successful in the first half so we don’t have to claw our way back.”
While he didn’t have stats, Doolittle said he was impressed by the play of quarterback Chris Korb and running back Cole Brantley. He said they’ve been consistent all year and likes how they’ve been playing.
About the Giants: A-H lost to West Prairie co-op 39-18 last week. … The Giants suffered a big loss early in the game when QB Ben Vole went down with a calf injury. A-H coach Tim Oman said Vole will not be back and RB Wyatt Armbrust will step in at quarterback. … Armbrust has rushed for 470 yards and leads the team with 17 receptions. … WR Jake Nielsen has 15 catches for 330 yards and eight touchdowns.
FND pick: Hiawatha