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Non-conference
Phillips (5-5 last year) at Batavia (10-4)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Batavia 43, Phillips 6 (2022).
About the Bulldogs: Batavia returns 10 starters on offense, headlined by three-year starting quarterback Ryan Boe, running back Charlie Whelpley, wideout Luke Alwin and four offensive lineman, minus Jimmy Zitkus. Defensively, while sizable production did graduate at linebacker, Ben Fiegel takes the mantle with RJ Bohr as a top 1-2 tandem. Jalen Buckley and Malachi Smith, a transfer from Texas, anchor the defensive line, while Josh Kahley will slide into a starting role in the secondary.
About the Wildcats: Phillips has qualified for the postseason the previous two seasons, and lost in the first round to Joliet Catholic last year in the Class 4A bracket.
FND Pick: Batavia
Geneva (6-4 last year) at Metea Valley (1-8)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Geneva 49, Metea Valley 23 (2022)
About the Vikings: Nate Stempowski is back for his second season at quarterback and has one of the top wideouts in the state in junior Talyn Taylor to be the focal point of Geneva’s offense. Troy Velez is also a highly productive running back who will keep defenses honest in coverage. Defensively, Tommy Diamond leads the linebackers with his brother, Will. Rocco Dileonardi is the Vikings’ top defensive lineman expected to put up big production numbers.
About the Mustangs: Metea Valley struggled last year, but 12 starters do return and is a program looking to move forward. Oscar Rivera, Lucas Vanvlerah, Daniel Pere and Damarion Lewis are all viable candidates to run the football. Junior quarterback Jake Macleod is in place as the starter, and will have tight end Joey Miller and wideout Christian Lee are at the skill positions.
FND Pick: Geneva
Washington (6-4 last year) at Kaneland (7-4)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Knights: After 12 years as an assistant and even longer around the program, Mike Thorgeson will be the head coach of the Knights in a game for the first time. The former player was the defensive coordinator for the past six seasons, including last year when the team went 7-4 and made the second round of the 6A playoffs. Troyer Carlson will start for the fourth year at quarterback, and his top two targets return, as well – Aric Johnson and Dom DeBlasio. The defense as a whole, and particularly the run defense, is looking to make a leap this year, and defensive end Josh Mauthe figures to be a big part of that. Mauthe also is a running back, and Thorgesen said he’ll spend less time on offense to keep him fresher on defense.
About the Panthers: Washington is coming off a 6-4 record last year after a 9-3 showing in 2021. The team went 6-1 in the Mid-Illini Conference, and it was only the third time since 2009 the Panthers didn’t advance beyond the postseason’s first round. The roster features 27 seniors in what is coach Darrell Crouch’s final season with the program after 19 years at Washington and 37 overall. Thorgesen said he’s excited for the matchup between the two similar programs with long playoff histories.
FND pick: Kaneland
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Marmion (4-5 last year) at Maine West (5-5)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: First known matchup
About the Cadets: Senior running back and linebacker Jack Lesher will be a major piece on both sides of the ball. Jacob Sullivan, a transfer from South Elgin, competed with Henry Garrison for the starting quarterback job this summer. Marmion has no returning starters on the offensive line. Defensively, Alfonso Barraza and Jack Matthews headline in the secondary.
About the Warriors: Maine West qualified for the postseason last year and fell in the first round to St. Charles North.
FND Pick: Marmion
St. Charles East (2-7 last year) at Lincoln-Way Central (3-6)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: St. Charles East 28, Lincoln-Way Central 14 (2022)
About the Saints: St. Charles East is simply looking to put last season behind. After starting 2-0, it dropped all seven of its DuKane Conference matchups. There is reason for optimism in St. Charles East camp, including experienced quarterback Mac Paul having his blind side protected by a D-I recruit Bodey McCaslin (Iowa). Stacking nonconference wins is key for St. Charles East, as the DuKane Conference looks as deep as ever.
About the Knights: Lincoln-Way Central looks to get things back on track with new coach David Woodburn. Woodburn hopes to spark the offense with a new look that will give returning quarterback Michael Kuehl plenty of options to try to move the football and score points. The Knights may be able to lean on their defense, which has a number of experienced seniors to anchor things. Linemen Ryan Kotara and Nolan Redican along with safety Ryan Mackowiak are some of the key players.
FND Pick: St. Charles East
–– Steve Soucie
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Palatine (10-2 last year) at St. Charles North (10-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Palatine 26, St. Charles North 14
About the North Stars: After completing their ‘revenge tour’ and winning the DuKane Conference last year, the North Stars are again set on defending their title. First up, though, are challenging nonconference games with Palatine and Crete-Monee. Junior quarterback Ethan Plumb, who has juggled the starting job off and on the last two seasons, is now firmly in entrenched. Joell Holloman is expected to have a breakout season at running back, and the skill positions are stuffed with talent relating to Jake Furtney, Anthony Taormina and Jake Mettetal. Defensively, Jaden Harmon is a standout defensive back, while Angelo Bradley and Jesse Moreno anchor the line of scrimmage.
About the Pirates: Palatine certainly has plenty of standout talent in its own right. 6-foot-6, 290-pound defensive end Jaylen Williams, who has garnered 21 D-1 offers from every Power Five conference, is easily the can’t miss matchup. Offensively, Dominik Ball, a four-year starter at running back, is a Tulane commit. 6-foot-5 Division I basketball prospect Connor May is another matchup mismatch at wide receiver.
FND Pick: St. Charles North
Downers Grove North (7-4 last year) at St. Francis (11-2)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: First known meeting
About the Trojans: Downers Grove North last season had its most wins since back-to-back state quarterfinal appearances in 2012 and 2013. Six starters return, led by senior linebacker and Iowa State recruit Cael Brezina. Noah Battle, a senior running back and third-year starter, put up 981 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior. This games marks the varsity starting debut of touted sophomore quarterback Owen Lansu, who already has recruiting interest from Power 5 conference schools. Senior linebacker Jimmy Janicki and senior defensive back Owen Thulin are others to watch.
About the Spartans: St. Francis, coming off a Class 4A semifinal appearance, has no easy road back to the playoffs. The Spartans joined the CCL/ESCC Orange, with tough nonconference games to start the season with Downers Grove North and Sterling. Ball State recruit Alessio Milivojevic, a third-year starter, is one of the more talented quarterbacks around and threw for 2,450 yards and 36 touchdowns last season. Junior Deshaun Williams is one of his top targets in a talented receiving corps. Dom Beres, a four-year varsity linebacker and last year’s Metro Suburban Defensive Player of the Year, is the ringleader of the St. Francis defense. The Spartans return four along the offensive line, but did graduate All-Stater TJ McMillen, now at Illinois.
FND Pick: St. Francis
-- Josh Welge
Fox Valley Conference
Burlington Central (4-5, 4-5 last year) at Cary-Grove (3-6, 3-6)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Burlington Central 10, Cary-Grove 7 (2022)
About the Rockets: Central fell one win shy of becoming playoff eligible for the first time since 2014. … Kicker Griffin Kollhoff kicked an 18-yard field goal last season to give the Rockets their first win over the Trojans in four years in the FVC. … QB Jackson Alcorn threw for 1,132 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. WRs Michael Person (28 receptions, six TDs), LJ Kerr (25, four) and Caden West (21, three) were his top targets, and all return. … OL-DL Porter Mihelich (6-1, 260) was a force on both lines for the Rockets, and LB Mason Rosborough returns to lead the defense.
About the Trojans: C-G had a string of 17 consecutive playoff appearances stopped last season, one in which the Trojans were hit hard by graduations from its 2021 Class 6A state champion team and then by injuries to some of their best players. … QB Peyton Seaburg and RB Andrew Prio return in the backfield, while sophomore Logan Abrams (6-3, 220) may get a lot of the carries at fullback after starting as a freshman at defensive end. … LB Connor Anderson is the only returning starter from the 2021 state champions. … “Our team is very hungry to get back to our winning ways,” C-G coach Brad Seaburg said.
Friday Night Drive pick: Cary-Grove
-- Joe Stevenson