Montini, Oswego, Kaneland, Aurora Christian and Jacobs are picks to click for the fifth week of the regular season.
Marmion (3-1, 1-0) at Montini (2-2, 0-1)
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Matchup breakdown: The Cadets, from the CCL/ESCC Red, are in the playoff hunt after blanking De La Salle 35-0 last week without starting quarterback Kamron Tolliver, who was dinged up the week before in a 34-7 loss to St. Viator.
Freshman backup quarterback Roy Magana started and completed 7 of 11 passes for 129 yards and one touchdown, a 45-yard strike to sophomore wide receiver Colin McEniry.
“He played well and the O-line gave the run game a boost,” Marmion coach Adam Guerra said of Magana. “It may have been the perfect offensive game.”
Senior running back Sean Dahlman added three TD runs for Marmion, which could get Tolliver back for a crossover game against always-tough Montini.
The Broncos, who play in the CCL/ESCC White, use two quarterbacks in senior Gaetano Carbonara and sophomore Israel Adams. Max Bell and Vince Irion both had interceptions in last week’s 14-10 loss to Fenwick.
X-factor: Bryan Scales, Marmion, senior, wide receiver.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: Montini.
Plainfield North (2-2) at Oswego (4-0)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: After two lopsided wins in crossovers against Southwest Prairie East teams, Oswego faces much more challenging test in its Southwest Prairie West opener against Plainfield North, which lost to Lockport 28-21 and 35-13 to York before balancing its ledger with a 31-12 victory over Plainfield South and a 28-3 win over Joliet West.
Senior quarterback Justus Byrd, a transfer from Ottawa, threw three TD passes for Plainfield North against Joliet West. Plainfield Central transfer Malik Jassim leads the Tigers’ running game.
Paul Murphy, the former Waubonsie Valley and Marmion coach, is the offensive coordinator for Plainfield North coach Anthony Imbordino, a former Oswego assistant.
Murphy will have work cut out for him as the stingy Panthers have given up a conference-best 20 points on just three TDs this season, including a 17-0 shutout of Joliet Catholic.
X-factor: Jeremiah Cain, Oswego, senior, wide receiver/returns.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: Oswego.
Kaneland (4-0, 1-0) at Morris (3-1, 1-0)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: Should be an outstanding Interstate Eight Conference battle between these longtime rivals dating back to the days of the old Little Seven. Playing at home gives Morris a slight edge, but Knights’ kicking game is special and a field goal could decide it.
Junior running back Carter Grabowski, coming off a three-TD performance in a 49-20 win over Ottawa, leads Kaneland’s ground game.
Junior quarterback Brady Varner threw four TD passes last week for Morris in a 42-14 win over LaSalle-Peru.
Morris, a quarterfinalist last year, is ranked No. 8 in The Associated Press Class 5A poll. Kaneland, which reached the second round of the 6A playoffs, is ranked No. 8 in the AP 6A poll.
X-factor: Sam Bruno, Kaneland, senior, kicker.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: Kaneland.
Aurora Christian’s Jonan Miceli (8) catches a pass against St. Edward in the third quarter of a Chicagoland Christian Conference game in Elgin on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
Aurora Christian (3-1, 1-1) at Bishop McNamara (2-2, 1-1)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: The Eagles travel to Kankakee hoping to spoil homecoming for Bishop McNamara. Both are among six Chicagoland Christian Conference teams tied for second place at 1-1 in the eight-team league.
Junior running backs Julius May and Jordan Callaway lead the usual strong running attack for the Fightin’ Irish, who handed Christ the King its first loss of the season with a 29-22 setback.
“They’re historically a running team, but they run and pass this year,” Aurora Christian coach David Beebe said.
Junior quarterback Asa Johnson completed 15 of 18 passes last week in the Eagles’ 55-0 rout of St. Edward.
Aurora Christian freshman Jalen Callaway and Bishop McNamara junior Jordan Callaway are stepbrothers.
X-factor: Jonan Miceli, Aurora Christian, senior, wide receiver/defensive back.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: Aurora Christian.
Dundee-Crown (1-3, 1-3) at Jacobs (2-2, 2-2)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: The close-call Chargers travel to Jacobs for another Fox Valley Conference showdown. All four of Dundee-Crown’s games have been decided by one score.
The Chargers opened with a 20-14 win over Crystal Lake South but then lost three straight by a total of six points — 24-22 to Burlington Central, 17-14 to Crystal Lake Central and 14-13 to McHenry.
Senior quarterback Hayden DeMarsh threw for 161 yards and two TDs for Dundee-Crown last week. Tyvon Boddie came up with a 34-yard TD run for Jacobs in a 35-14 loss to Cary-Grove.
X-factor: Isaiah Blake, Dundee-Crown, senior, linebacker.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: Jacobs.
