St. Charles North, Oswego, Batavia, Jacobs and West Aurora are picks to click for the sixth week of the regular season.
St. Charles East (2-3, 2-1) at St. Charles North (4-1, 2-1)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: The North Stars have won the last four against their crosstown rivals by a cumulative score of 149-21 to take a 12-11 edge in the series. St. Charles North is again the favorite, but the improving Saints should keep it much closer this time around.
Junior running back Xander Salazar has had three straight games rushing for 100-plus yards and has scored eight touchdowns for St. Charles East.
The North Stars will counter with junior receivers Keaton Reinke and Braden Harms.
X-factor: Joell Holloman, St. Charles North, senior, running back.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: St. Charles North.
Oswego (5-0, 1-0) at Bolingbrook (3-2, 1-0)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: This is the first Southwest Prairie West meeting between these two programs in Bolingbrook’s first year in the conference. The teams do have some recent playoff history, however.
The Raiders beat Oswego in the second round of the Class 8A playoffs twice, with a 31-28 overtime decision in 2014 and then a 31-30 victory in 2019, both played in Bolingbrook.
Darieon Prescott, a 6-foot-5 freshman defensive end, had two key sacks last week for the Raiders in a 17-6 win over Yorkville. Northern Iowa recruit Jeremiah Cain forced a fumble on a strip sack and caught a TD pass to give the Panthers the lead in a 21-13 win over Plainfield North..
X-factor: Michael Kelly, Oswego, senior, wide receiver.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: Oswego.
Geneva (5-0, 3-0) at Batavia (5-0, 3-0)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: Couldn’t ask for much more in the 106th meeting between these rivals that are tied atop the DuKane Conference standings. Geneva ranks first in the conference in points scored and points allowed, with 253 and 66, respectively. The Bulldogs, who have beaten the Vikings 13 straight times, are second in both categories at 219 and 69.
Geneva leads the series 51-19-5.
Batavia’s defense held Wheaton North’s offense to 21 yards last week in a 41-0 victory.
“They have a tough, hard-nosed defense that really challenges you as an offense,” Geneva coach Boone Thorgesen said
X-factor: Isaiah Brown, Batavia, senior, wide receiver.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: Batavia.
Jacobs (3-2, 3-2) at Burlington Central (4-1, 4-1)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: The Rockets are on the cusp of making the playoffs for a third straight year, just much earlier. Burlington Central finished 4-5 the past two years, needing a win in the final week of the regular season to become playoff eligible.
One win in the final four weeks gets the Rockets eligible, two guarantees them a playoff spot for the first time since 2014. In final three weeks, Burlington Central plays Prairie Ridge, Hampshire and Huntley.
The goal this week for the Rockets? Contain Jacobs’ trio of running backs who all went over 100 yards rushing last week in a 56-21 win over Dundee-Crown — seniors Tyvon Boddie (13 carries, 125 yards) and Michael Cannady (13 carries, 105 yards) and junior Caden DuMelle (11 carries, 122 yards).
DuMelle has a streak of 11 straight 100-yard games dating back to last season.
X-factor: Jackson Alcorn, Burlington Central, senior, quarterback.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: Jacobs.
Ridgewood (3-2, 1-2) at West Aurora (5-0, 3-0)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: The Blackhawks play host to Class 4A Ridgewood in an Upstate Eight Conference crossover. Ridgewood draws from a student population of 797 students. West Aurora, a Class 8A program, has 3,561.
Sophomore quarterback Angelo Vitale has completed 75% of his passes (55 of 73) for 779 yards and 12 TDs. He has thrown only four interceptions for Ridgewood.
Junior quarterback Mason Atkins has completed 71% of his passes (50 of 70) for 665 yards and 13 TDs. He has not thrown an interception for West Aurora. Iowa-bound senior receiver Terrence Smith (leg) will likely miss his third game.
Ridgewood senior Luke Melendez has 763 all-purpose yards after seeing action at quarterback (112), running back (107), receiver (334) and punt returner (49).
X-factor: Kellen Younie, West Aurora, junior, linebacker.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: West Aurora.
