Naperville Sun Week 5 football preview capsules

Updated: September 22, 2011 6:56PM

No. 4 Joliet Catholic (4-0, 3-0 East Suburban Catholic) at Benet (0-4, 0-4 East Suburban Catholic), 8 p.m. on Saturday

Last week: Joliet Catholic beat St. Viator 63-3; Benet lost to Marist 17-14

Storyline: Losing on a last-second field goal, seeing a 14-point first-half lead go by the wayside in the process, to Marist last week, Benet sits at 0-4 entering Saturday night’s meeting with Joliet Catholic.

The 17-14 loss to the RedHawks has put the Redwings in “must-win” mode for the remainder of the season, as one more loss would eliminate them from postseason contention.

In holding Marist to 17 points, Benet’s defense continued its nice play of late and the offense did show some signs of improvement early on as sophomore Porter Ontko capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run, set up by a Jack Toner interception.

Senior QB Nick Mankowski found wide receiver Jack Euritt for a 7-yard score right before halftime to give the Redwings their biggest lead at 14-0 right before halftime.

With the daunting task of needing to win out to reach the postseason now laid out in front of it, finding improvement every week is high on Benet’s priority list and an attainable goal throughout the season’s final five weeks, evidenced by securing its first lead of the season with the 14-point bulge against Marist last week.

Behind a very productive rushing attack led by junior Ty Isaac and Northwestern-bound Malin Jones, the Hilltoppers have scored an average of 50 points in their first four games and have tallied 63 in each of the last two weeks in routs of Peoria Richwoods and St. Viator, respectively.

Benet coach Pat New on Joliet Catholic: “Both Ty Isaac and Malin Jones are just premier backs in the state. These guys are tremendous. Our biggest thing defensively (is) you can’t give these guys daylight. If you give them one-yard of daylight, they’ll turn it into an 80-yard run. You just gotta avoid those big plays and try your best to keep their offense off the field.”

Waubonsie Valley (3-1, 1-1 Upstate Eight Valley) at Metea Valley (3-1, 1-1 Upstate Eight Valley), 7:30 p.m.

Last week: Waubonsie Valley beat Lake Park 54-7; Metea Valley lost at South Elgin 33-0

Storyline: With memories of last season’s first-ever meeting between the two programs, a 21-20 Waubonsie Valley victory, still fresh in the minds of members of both programs, Metea Valley hosts crosstown rival Waubonsie Valley for the first time.

Waubonsie Valley enters tonight on the heels of its 54-7 blowout of Lake Park, which included racing out to a 40-0 halftime advantage.

Making his first career start for the Warriors last week, junior QB Dylan Warden ran for four touchdowns and threw one to Demetrius Gray while junior running back Austin Guido eclipsed the 200-yard mark.

Waubonsie Valley’s defense and special teams forced six turnovers against the Lancers and have allowed just 28 points combined in its three victories, compared to the 27 points it gave up in a 27-20 Week 3 loss at Bartlett.

The Warriors’ defense will hope to provide the Mustangs a lot of the same problems South Elgin presented in posting a 33-0 shutout last week.

After senior starting quarterback Jarrett House left the game with a knee injury on the first series of the game, Metea Valley struggled offensively against the Storm in gaining 157 total yards, including only 88 on the ground.

Through their first three games, the Mustangs had averaged 224 rushing yards, paced by junior Cameron Wilcox and senior Tre’Sean Mackey.

As the competition gets tougher, Metea Valley will need to be able to run the football, especially given House’s injury and questions surrounding his availability for tonight. Peyton Mitchell, who relieved House last week and completed only two of 10 passes for 25 yards, would get the start in his stead.

Waubonsie Valley coach Paul Murphy on Metea Valley: “They’ve got two solid running backs there (in) Wilcox and Tre’Sean Mackey that we’re gonna have to stop. We’re gonna have to get prepared for a quarterback we really haven’t seen before and their backup, since I’m sure the other kid is probably out after his injury, House. There’s an unknown factor there, not knowing exactly what that young man is capable of doing.

“Their defense had two good goal-line stands against South Elgin where South Elgin had a first-and-goal inside the 10 in (the) first possession, couldn’t score. In the second half, they did the same thing, got down inside the five, first-and-goal, and they couldn’t score. So obviously they played good defense. I guess they just wore down because their offense was three-and-out so much after the injury to their quarterback. We’re gonna have to be prepared to go to war and play a good football game.”

Metea Valley coach Ted Monken on Waubonsie Valley: “I would anticipate that Waubonsie’s pretty fired up about the game because I know, last year, for them to be in such a close game with us, and a game, a one-point victory against a team that only had juniors, I’m sure that they have got reminded of that and thought about that plenty. I’m sure they’re fired up to come in here and prove to us that last year was some sort of a fluke and that they’re a better team.

“I’d anticipate those guys being pretty fired up as they come in. But, hopefully, with our guys—most of our seniors played with their seniors when they were all freshmen together at (the) freshmen campus before we opened up. That breeds a real familiarity, which also takes a lot of anxiety away, a lot of the unknown. Our guys feel like they know their guys and their guys feel like they know ours. Hopefully it will be just a good football game and the team that executes will win. Leave all that other stuff out of it.”

West Chicago (0-4, 0-2 DuPage Valley) at Naperville North (2-2, 1-1 DuPage Valley), 7:30 p.m.

Last week: West Chicago lost to Wheaton North 28-6; Naperville North beat Wheaton Warrenville South 17-14

Storyline: After last week’s 17-14 home victory over two-time defending DVC and Class 7A state champ Wheaton Warrenville South, the Huskies are back at .500 and host West Chicago tonight in their final “true” home game of the season.

Naperville North senior quarterback Tyler Gehr and senior running back Dan Puknaitis have combined for 364 yards and four touchdowns on the ground in each of the past two weeks, including rattling off 240 yards and a pair of long TD runs on the Tigers last Friday.

While the running game has been consistent and should continue to be that way, Gehr and the Huskies’ offense must make strides throwing the football as the season continues if they hope to be playing their best football heading into the postseason.

The Wildcats should provide a way for the Huskies to keep sustaining the momentum gleaned from last week’s upset of Wheaton Warrenville South, as they have been shut out twice in four games and have scored only 22 points.

Naperville North’s defense and special teams should be able to take advantage and build off forcing five turnovers against the Tigers last week.

West Chicago has lost 16 straight DuPage Valley Conference games and hasn’t won a conference game since beating West Aurora, 42-28, on Oct. 17, 2008.

Naperville North coach Sean Drendel on West Chicago: “More than anything, I think what they do really well is they play hard. They’re not afraid to attack you. They’re not afraid to hit you. Defensively, they got two really good linebackers. One’s pretty banged up, but last year they kind of took it to us. We’re prepping really hard for this game.”

South Elgin (2-2, 2-0 Upstate Eight Valley) at Neuqua Valley (3-1, 1-0 Upstate Eight Valley), 7:30 p.m.

Last week: South Elgin beat Metea Valley 33-0; Neuqua Valley won at East Aurora 56-7.

Storyline: Looking for the program’s first victory over South Elgin, Neuqua Valley welcomes the Storm to Naperville tonight for its Homecoming.

In response to their Week 2 loss at Naperville Central, the Wildcats have won two straight games by a combined score of 99-10, including last week’s 56-7 rout of East Aurora.

A 35-point first quarter against the Tomcats was highlighted by a pair of TDs on special teams and touchdowns runs from two juniors, running back Joey Rhattigan and wide receiver Jeff Evak.

Both Nate Boudreau and Dylan Andrew tossed touchdown passes for the Wildcats, who gained 263 total yards and were able to play many of their second and third-teamers in light of getting out to the 35-0 first-quarter lead against East Aurora.

South Elgin, meanwhile, pinned the first loss on Metea Valley last week courtesy of a 33-0 shutout.

The Storm was led by quarterback Zach Gross, who ran for 85 yards and two touchdowns while throwing for 91 yards and a TD. Running back Adolfo Pacheco ran 27 times for 141 yards and a touchdown last week.

Many people around the program view tonight as a “must-win” game because of the 0-2 record against South Elgin and with games against each of its District 204 rivals, Metea Valley and Waubonsie Valley, to come over the course of the next two weeks.

Neuqua Valley coach Bryan Wells on South Elgin: “They got a potent attack with their quarterback and running back. Those are the two primary guys we’re gonna be concerned about,” Wells said. “Zach Gross, the quarterback. (He’s) a very, very fast young man. Very elusive and he’s kind of the difference-maker. Then they try and pound the ball with Adolfo (Pacheco). (I) knew that they had a potent offense (before playing Metea Valley). Their defense gets after it, comes off flying off the ball.”

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