D300 rivals ready to face off in season finale

Dundee-Crown quarterback Logan Kissack (left) leads the Chargers into tonight's game against host Jacobs.
(Sun-Times News Group)

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ALGONQUIN -- Dundee-Crown and Jacobs don't have any playoff aspirations, but that doesn't mean the two teams don't have something to play for in the final week of the regular season.

That's because the District 300 rivals will renew pleasantries for the 25th time when they square off tonight at Jacobs High in a Fox Valley Conference Valley Division contest.

"No matter what time of the season, it's always a great football game," Jacobs coach Dean Schlueter said of the rivalry. "Each team wants to win very badly. The past couple years we've finished up with this game, and it's always a nice way to finish your season."

The Golden Eagles have enjoyed the upper hand in the series in recent years, winning five straight against D-C. However, the Chargers still hold a formidable 16-9 lead in the all-time series.

After enjoying its first three-game win streak since 2000 earlier this year, D-C can reach the four-win mark for the first time since 1998 with a victory. It finished with a 4-5 record that season.

While that accomplishment would be nice, D-C coach Mike Davis is well aware that nothing would make the season complete quite like bringing football bragging rights back to the east side of the Fox River.

"I don't think any of our seniors have ever beaten Jacobs," Davis said. "We could also get more wins than we've had in a long time. So going out on a positive note would let the juniors go into the offseason feeling good about themselves. Plus, beating your rival is always fun."

Seniors Ian Salvatini and Tommy Newman will be playing their final games for the Chargers, capping three-year varsity careers.

Newman fills key roles on both sides of the ball for D-C as a fullback and linebacker. Meanwhile, Salvatini is the top offensive playmaker for the Chargers. He's run for 566 yards and three touchdowns on 111 carries this year, good for an average of 5.1 yards per carry.

Quarterback Logan Kissack leads D-C's aerial attack. He's thrown for 1,065 yards and eight touchdowns this year. One of his top receivers could be back in the fold as senior Justin Strzelczyk practiced earlier this week and might be back in action after being sidelined with an injury the past three games.

"I think (D-C) has some very good skill guys in their offensive backfield," Schlueter said. "I know coach Davis always does a good job of getting those guys ready to play and I know they'll try to come and hit us hard."

D-C's three wins this season came in Weeks 2-4 against teams that currently own a combined record of 2-22. Since the streak, the Chargers have struggled against the stiff competition in the FVC Valley.

The same can be said of Jacobs, which is also looking for its first FVC Valley win. The Eagles have lost seven in a row dating back to an overtime win against Moline in Week 1.

Jacobs has especially struggled on offense. The Eagles are averaging an area-worst 9.6 points per game and have been shut out three times, but those woes can be attributed to a brutal schedule that includes current unbeaten teams Cary-Grove and Huntley as well as three other teams that are 6-2 going into tonight's action.

"(Jacobs) plays a very tough schedule," Davis said. "They play hard, they go after it and they've got some good athletes. They're much better than 1-7 or whatever they are right now."

Senior linebacker John Bolz is one of several Jacobs players who have battled injuries in recent weeks, but he is expected to be back in action tonight.

Junior quarterback Alec Starr and senior running back Adam Dybeck headline the Eagles offense. Starr has thrown for 358 yards and Dybeck has run for 332 yards this season.