West Aurora, Burlington Central, Jacobs, Oswego East and Aurora Central Catholic are picks to click for the eighth week of the regular season.
West Aurora (7-0, 4-0) at East Aurora (0-7, 0-4)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: These teams may be at opposite ends of the Upstate Eight West standings, but this one will still be salty. It’s the 118th meeting in what is thought to be the oldest rivalry in the state, dating to 1893.
They haven’t played since the Blackhawks won 45-0 in 2018 to take a 58-49-10 edge in the series. West Aurora then left the conference but has returned this year, allowing the series to resume.
Junior quarterback Mason Atkins, a second-year starter, leads the Blackhawks, who have outscored opponents 374-34. All-purpose senior CJ Young and the Tomcats have been outscored 296-52.
East Aurora coach Nick Kukuc calls Raul Navejar, a senior starter on both lines, “our ironman.” Navejar doesn’t seemed bothered by the prohibitive numbers.
“It’s not really pressure,” Navejar said, appearing in a video put together by the city. “It’s more like going out there and proving a point. You think you’re better? We’re gonna go out there and put up a fight, too. I believe we have a good chance of beating West Aurora.”
Nick Weisse, a senior defensive back for the Blackhawks, said emotions are super high.
“It’s the crosstown rivalry,” Weisse said. “Everyone wants to win. We need to just play our game.
“West Aurora is gonna win this game.”
X-factor: Azuriah Sylvester, West Aurora, senior, running back/defensive back.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: West Aurora.
Hampshire (1-6, 1-6) at Burlington Central (5-2, 5-2)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: The Rockets became playoff eligible last week for the first time since 2014, shocking the Fox Valley Conference and state observers with a 52-21 win over Class 5A powerhouse Prairie Ridge.
They’re hoping to lock up a postseason berth with a sixth win engineered by senior quarterback Jackson Alcorn, who threw for 469 yards last week.
Hampshire may be struggling but has kept things close, losing by single-digit margins in four of their six losses. The other two were by 21 and 41 to Prairie Ridge and Cary-Grove, respectively.
X-factor: Rocco Boss, Burlington Central, senior, safety/wide receiver.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: Burlington Central.
Jacobs (5-2, 5-2) at McHenry (2-5, 2-5)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: The Golden Eagles can lock up a fourth straight postseason berth with a win in the Fox Valley Conference matchup. With Crystal Lake South (2-5, 2-5) up next for its final regular-season game, Jacobs should be able to nail down a good playoff seed.
Junior quarterback Connor Goehring continues to improve, throwing three touchdown passes last week in a 27-3 win over Crystal Lake Central.
Sophomore running back Mick Reidy and senior running back Jacob Jones each topped 100 yards last week for McHenry in a 19-0 win over Crystal Lake South.
X-factor: Luke Gormsen, Jacobs, junior, linebacker.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: Jacobs.
Oswego East (3-4, 1-2) at Yorkville (3-4, 1-2)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: The Southwest Prairie West rivals have to be viewing this as a must-win game to keep their playoff hopes alive, even if a few 4-5 teams have made it in the past two years.
Both teams have been strong defensively but struggle to score. Oswego East has outscored opponents 106-82 and Yorkville checks in at 122-94, for averages of 15.1-11.7 and 17.4-13.4, respectively.
Last week, quarterback Niko Villacci threw TD passes to tight end Connor Konken and wideout Lincoln Ijams — all juniors — as the Wolves beat Bolingbrook 21-9.
Junior quarterback Jack Beetham connected with Iowa State recruit Dyllan Malone, a senior receiver and his favorite target, for Yorkville’s lone score in a 27-7 loss to Oswego.
X-factor: Niko Villacci, Oswego East, junior, quarterback.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: Oswego East.
Aurora Central Catholic (3-4) at Big Foot (1-7)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: The independent Chargers are clinging to slim playoff hopes, needing two wins to close out the regular season. It starts with the struggling Big Foot, a school of 465 students in Walworth, Wisconsin.
ACC was originally scheduled to play Westminster Christian in the final week but the Elgin school didn’t field a team. Coach Christian Rago said ACC athletic director Scott Fitzgerald is trying to locate an opponent for Week 9.
“One week at a time,” Rago said. “We’re right on the cusp of the playoffs. Hopefully, we can get to a spot where we’re 4-4.”
Big Foot opened its season with a 7-6 win over Whitewater but has lost seven straight.
Junior quarterback Grant Bohr, who had a pair of 25-yard TD runs last week in a 47-14 loss to Ottawa Marquette, leads ACC’s attack. Junior running back Trey Seifrid added 54 yards last week.
X-factor: Joe Brown, Aurora Central Catholic, senior, offensive line/defensive line.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: Aurora Central Catholic.
