Week 5 football preview capsules

Updated: September 22, 2011 7:37PM

Click the links to view the Herald-News football previews, the Naperville Sun football previews or the SouthtownStar football previews.

Brother Rice vs. Mount Carmel

When: 7 p.m. Friday at Gately

Outlook: No. 23 Brother Rice (3-1, 0-1 Catholic League Blue) must bounce back from a 21-17 home loss to St. Rita. The Crusaders have a pair of proven runners in Andrew and Martez Walker, but showed last week they can also pass effectively with quarterback Pat Parrilli. No. 3 Mount Carmel (4-0, 0-0) hasn’t been tested since a Week 1 win over Simeon. Quarterback Don Butkus threw three touchdown passes in limited action last week vs. St. Joseph, so if the Crusaders load up against the run, the Caravan could take to the air this week as well.

Providence at St. Rita

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Outlook: Both of these Catholic Blue teams like to run the ball, and Providence (3-1, 0-1) has a big line anchored by 6-foot-6, 270-pounder Ryan Ward, an Iowa recruit. But the Celtics weren’t able to get their ground game on track in last week’s 32-6 home loss to Loyola. No. 9 St. Rita’s run game also stalled vs. Brother Rice, but Charles Elmore made a couple big plays on special teams and defense, a scenario that likely will be repeated a few times this season.

Libertyville at Stevenson

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Outlook: The North Suburban Lake is shaping up as one of the area’s deepest conferences, with four teams off to 3-1 starts. Two of them meet here as the visiting Wildcats (3-1, 1-0), riding a wave of emotion in coach Randy Kuceyeski’s final season before retirement, take on the No. 17 Patriots (3-1, 2-0). Stevenson survived a scare from winless Warren last week, winning 24-21 in double overtime on a field goal by Matt Micucci, who threw a touchdown pass in the first OT. Libertyville used two quarterbacks in last week’s win at Mundelein, with Jack Deichl spelling ailing starter Hutch Herchenbach (back).

Bolingbrook at H-F

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Outlook: After rolling past three overmatched opponents by a combined score of 165-13, No. 11 Homewood-Flossmoor (3-1, 0-1 SouthWest Suburban Blue) came back to earth with a loss to Lincoln-Way East last week. It doesn’t get any easier for quarterback Tim Williams and the Vikings this week when No. 16 Bolingbrook (4-0, 2-0) comes to town. The Raiders have big-timers on both sides of the ball in Florida-bound linebacker Antonio Morrison and junior quarterback Aaron Bailey, who accounted for five touchdowns last week vs. Joliet West.

Carmel vs. Wayzata, Minn.

When: 6:30 p.m. Friday at University of Dubuque

Outlook: No. 8 Carmel (3-1) didn’t pick an easy opponent for its only nonconference game of the season. Wayzata (3-0) is the defending big-school state champ in Minnesota, the state’s largest school with more than 3,000 students and the alma mater of Bears running back Marion Barber. The Trojans have survived the loss of junior running back Mitch Underhill (torn ACL), who had four long touchdown runs in last year’s state final. Carmel relies on a running game led by Jordan Kos and Michael Panico.

Simeon vs. Curie

When: 7 p.m. Saturday at Gately

Outlook: The winner of this game not only gets a leg up in the Red Bird section, it also can stake its claim as the Public League’s best team. No. 20 Simeon (2-2, 1-0) is back on track with Arkansas-bound quarterback Robert Gregory on the mend, rolling to two easy wins after an 0-2 start. Curie (3-1, 1-0) is adjusting to life without Iowa recruit Maurice Fleming, whose season and prep career have been cut short by a torn ACL.

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