Beacon News matchup: Geneva vs. Crystal Lake South

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Class 7A

Geneva (12-0) vs. Crystal Lake South (10-2)

7 p.m. Friday

Nicknames: Vikings; Gators.

Playoff history: Geneva is 25-10 and was a Class 6A semifinalist in 2006 and 2004; Crystal Lake South is 18-13.

When Geneva has the ball: Junior QB Brandon Beitzel took a step forward last week by completing a handful of sharp slants off play-action, which kept an aggressive Carmel defense honest. He also executed several screen passes and seemed to gain confidence after a slow start. His continued progression is important as the Gators sold out on the run last week to stop Cary-Grove's top running back. That said, if Geneva RB Michael Ratay could gain nearly 200 yards against Carmel, odds are he'll get close to that number this week. But it will take a supreme effort -- Cary-Grove averaged fewer than 2 yards per carry last week against the Gators.

When Crystal Lake South has the ball: All eyes should be on QB Drew Ormseth and RB Colin Masterson. They are the keys to this game for the Gators. Masterson has 1,014 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns while Ormseth has passed for 1,242 yards and 15 scores. The sophomore has thrown 11 interceptions, however, so the Vikings will try to get after him and force some throws. The Gators will try to stay balanced as the Vikings do an excellent job of making teams one-dimensional.

Record watch: Tonight is a must-see game for those who have not seen Ratay run. The senior is five touchdowns away from setting the single-season IHSA record and he has put together one of the more impressive seasons ever by a high school running back in Illinois. He is ranked in the top 15 in eight categories, which is no small feat in this state.

Prediction: Geneva 35, Crystal Lake South 14.