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FOX VALLEY CONFERENCE
Cary-Grove (3-1, 3-1) at Prairie Ridge (3-1, 3-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Cary-Grove beat Prairie Ridge 42-7 in Week 5 last season.
About the Trojans: C-G defeated McHenry 18-0 last week. … The Trojans won Class 6A state titles in 2018 and 2021. … FB Colin Desmet leads C-G with 456 yards rushing, with RB Andrew Prio at 320 yards and 10.7 per carry. … The defense stood out against McHenry with four interceptions and one fumble recovery. It was the Trojans’ first shutout since the last week of the 2021 spring season. … C-G is tied at No. 10 in The Associated Press Class 6A poll.
About the Wolves: Prairie Ridge lost to Jacobs 42-35 last week. … The Wolves won Class 6A state titles in 2016 and 2017, then were runners-up in 2019. … QB Tyler Vasey leads the area with 935 yards rushing and a 10.5 average per carry. Vasey ran back the first two Jacobs kickoffs last week for 85- and 89-yard touchdowns. … FB Nathan Greetham had 503 yards rushing. … Prairie Ridge is No. 4 in the Class 6A poll.
Friday Night Drive pick: Prairie Ridge
Burlington Central (1-3, 1-3) at Crystal Lake South (3-1, 3-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Crystal Lake South defeated Burlington Central 44-26 in Week 5 last season.
About the Rockets: Central lost to Huntley 16-7 last week. … Rockets QB Jackson Alcorn has thrown the ball well with 579 passing yards and five touchdowns. … WR Michael Person leads Central with 14 receptions. WR LJ Kerr averages 26.8 yards per catch and has eight grabs, WR Caden West has nine receptions. … Central has lost three in a row after winning its opener.
About the Gators: South held off Dundee-Crown 39-32 last week. … RB Nate Van Witzenburg had another big game with five touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving) in last week’s victory. He is fifth on the area rushing list with 614 yards and 11 touchdowns. … QB Caden Casimino is second in the area with 1,107 passing yards. … WR Michael Prokos is second in the area with 28 receptions. WRs Colton Hess (12) and Brady Schroeder (10) are the other top targets, along with Van Witzenburg (11). … The Gators received nine points in the Class 6A poll and are two spots out of the top 10.
FND pick: Crystal Lake South
Dundee-Crown (2-2, 2-2) at Crystal Lake Central (1-3, 1-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Crystal Lake Central beat D-C 48-20 in Week 5 last season.
About the Chargers: D-C lost to Crystal Lake South 39-32 last week. … That loss halted a streak of two wins in which the Chargers came from behind late. … QB Zach Randl is sixth in area passing with 711 yards and has completed 72.3% of his throws. … WRs Anthony Aguilar (20 receptions), Kali Freeman (13), Dashaan Bell (12) and Henry Kennedy (11) give Randl a variety of options. … RB Keegan Otte leads the team with 276 rushing yards, but missed last week’s game with an injury. Jeff Boerger filled in and ran for 63 yards.
About the Tigers: Central defeated Hampshire 7-0 last week. … DE Tony Morales had a huge game with four sacks and a fumble recovery in that victory. That was the Tigers’ first shutout since a 47-0 win over Dundee-Crown in Week 2 of the 2021 spring season. The Tigers limited Hampshire to 111 total yards. … QB George Dimopoulos threw for 181 yards last week and ran for the lone score in the game. … WRs Griffin Buehler (19) and Carter Kelley (17) lead Central in receptions.
FND pick: Dundee-Crown
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Hampshire (0-4, 0-4) at McHenry (0-4, 0-4)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Hampshire beat McHenry 28-14 last season in Week 5.
About the Whip-Purs: Hampshire lost to Crystal Lake Central 7-0 last week. … Sophomore RB Cole Klawikowski is second in the area with 829 rushing yards. Central slowed him down to 85 yards last week. … The Whips have been in every game. Only the 27-14 loss to Crystal Lake South in Week 3 was by more than one score.
About the Warriors: McHenry lost to Cary-Grove 18-0 last week. … The Warriors have played some of the traditionally best FVC teams through four weeks and only last week’s loss was by more than one score. … WRs Jacob Zarek and Zack Maness are tied for fifth in the area with 22 receptions each. Zarek averages 20.4 yards a catch, Maness is at 17.2. … QB Dom Caruso is fourth in the area with 1,045 yards passing.
FND pick: McHenry
Jacobs (4-0, 4-0) at Huntley (3-1, 3-1)
When: 7 p.m
Last matchup: Jacobs defeated Huntley 27-17 in Week 5 last season.
About the Golden Eagles: Jacobs defeated Prairie Ridge 42-35 last week. … The Golden Eagles came back with two touchdowns after Prairie Ridge had taken the lead in that game. QB Max Benner’s 61-yard scoring pass to TE Grant Stec tied the game, and his 34-yard pass to TE Nick True then set up the game-winning score. … RB Antonio Brown is fourth in the area in rushing with 614 yards and has nine touchdowns. … RB Joey Scrivani has 471 rushing yards. … The Eagles are No. 3 in Class 7A.
About the Red Raiders: Huntley defeated Burlington Central 16-7 last week. … The Red Raiders have allowed 77 points, fewest in the FVC. … The Raiders prefer to pound the ball with RB Haiden Janke, who is sixth in area rushing with 542 yards. … Huntley, which missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2014, has equaled last year’s win total.
FND pick: Jacobs
KISHWAUKEE RIVER/INTERSTATE 8 WHITE DIVISION
Woodstock North (1-3, 0-2) at Woodstock (1-3, 0-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Woodstock beat Woodstock North 27-14 in Week 9 last season.
About the Thunder: North lost to Morris, the top-ranked team in Class 5A, 41-0 last week. … Thunder coach Matt Polnow, a longtime assistant at North, got his first varsity coaching victory in Week 2 when the Thunder beat Harvard 21-14. … FB Kaden Combs leads North with 356 yards rushing. QB Jay Zinnen has run for 224 yards.
About the Blue Streaks: Woodstock lost to Kaneland 49-7 last week. … Woodstock’s win came against Bartonville 31-13 in Week 2. Since then, the Streaks have been outscored 90-7 by Sycamore (ranked in 5A) and Kaneland. … RBs Adriane Perry (174) and Kaden Sandoval (148) lead the rushing attack. WR Caden Monti has a team-best 10 receptions.
FND pick: Woodstock
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KISHWAUKEE RIVER/INTERSTATE 8 BLUE DIVISION
Marengo (2-2, 1-1) at Harvard (0-4, 0-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Marengo defeated Harvard 39-0 in Week 4 last season.
About the Indians: Marengo beat Johnsburg 69-48 last week. … Marengo athletic director Dwain Nance checked around and believes that 69 points in a school record. … QB Josh Holst ran for 192 yards and four touchdowns and threw for 235 and four touchdowns. … WRs Logan Miller (17) and David Lopez (14) lead the Indians in receptions.
About the Hornets: Harvard lost to Rochelle 47-13 last week. … QB Landon Barnett has 234 yards rushing and had thrown for 282 yards. … This is the 103rd meeting in McHenry County’s oldest rivalry, which started in 1922. The Hornets lead 63-35-4, but have not beaten Marengo since 2013.
FND pick: Marengo
Plano (2-2, 0-0) at Richmond-Burton (4-0, 1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Richmond-Burton defeated Plano 21-14 in Week 4 last season.
About the Reapers: Plano lost to La Salle-Peru 47-14 last week. … The Reapers lost their opener to Ottawa 13-12, then defeated Manteno and Westmont. … RB Waleed Johnson is the focal point of the offense with 678 rushing yards.
About the Rockets: R-B defeated Normal West, which was ranked No. 9 in Class 6A, 33-26 last week. … The Rockets got a big boost from their passing game in the second half last week as QB Joe Miller completed 11 of 16 passes for 131 yards and three touchdowns. … RB Steven Siegel’s 698 yards rushing is third in the area and RB Toby Quentrall-Quezada has 263 yards. … The Rockets are No. 3 in the Class 4A poll. … R-B has won 36 of its past 37 games.
FND pick: Richmond-Burton
NONCONFERENCE
Kingdom Prep Lutheran (Wisconsin) (3-2) at Johnsburg (1-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: This is the first time the teams have met.
About the Wolfpack: Kingdom Prep lost to Wisconsin Dells Loyal 44-12 last week. … The Wolfpack beat Kenosha Christian Life 27-0 in the opener, lost to Living Word 19-12 in Week 2 and beat Webster 20-0 in Week 3 and defeated Academy of Excellence 58-0 in Week 4. … The school is located in Wauwatosa and has an enrollment of 382. … Kingdom Prep is replacing Sandwich on Johnsburg’s schedule. Sandwich canceled its season because of low participation numbers.
About the Skyhawks: Johnsburg lost to Marengo 69-48 last week. … Johnsburg can put up yards and points, but the Skyhawks have allowed at least 54 points in three consecutive games. … RB-WR Jake Metze leads the area with 29 receptions. He has seven rushing touchdowns and four receiving. … QB A.J. Bravieri is third in area passing with 1,105 yards and has thrown for 12 touchdowns. … WR Ian Boal is third in area receiving with 26 catches and five touchdowns.
FND pick: Johnsburg
Providence (2-2) at Marian Central (2-2)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Providence beat Marian Central 35-33 in Week 5 last season.
About the Celtics: Providence lost to Joliet Catholic 49-41 last week. … Sophomore RB Jamari Tribbett ran 22 times for 231 yards and had a 79-yard scoring run last week. … The Celtics lost to Wheaton North 28-0 in Week 2, then beat Fenwick 25-22 in Week 3.
About the Hurricanes: Marian defeated Appleton (Wisconsin) West 34-21 last week. … QB Cale McThenia leads the area with 1,135 passing yards and has thrown for 11 touchdowns. … WRs Rylan Dolter (25 receptions, 360 yards) and Christian Bentancur (21, 377) are among the area’s reception leaders. … This is a crucial game for Marian, which has a stretch of three consecutive games against teams that reached playoff semifinals last season: Class 1A champion Lena-WInslow, 7A runner-up St. Rita and 3A semifinalist Mount Carmel.
FND pick: Providence
ILLINOIS 8-MAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION NORTH 1
Milford co-op (4-0) at Alden-Hebron (2-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Milford beat Alden-Hebron 50-6 in Week 4 in 2019.
About the Bearcats: Milford beat Amboy Lamoille co-op 40-30 last week, which was its closest game. … Milford co-ops with Cissna Park and has been a powerhouse since eight-man football has grown in the state. … The Bearcats have outscored their opponents 165-74 for the season. … Milford is 21-6 since the 2019 season. The Bearcats lost to Polo for the 2019 state championship and lost to the Marcos last season in the second round.
About the Giants: A-H lost to South Beloit 40-20 last week. … A-H’s offense is sparked by QB Ben Vole, who has rushed for 503 yards and seven touchdowns and thrown for 583 yards and nine touchdowns. … WR Jake Nielsen has nine receptions for four touchdowns and averages 30.7 yards a catch.
FND pick: Milford