Speaker 1: Hello everybody, and welcome back to the Western Suburbs or
Speaker 1: Friday Night Drive Western Suburbs Podcasts. This is Josh Welge.
Speaker 1: I'm here with Joe Bennett's Joel. It's July seventeenth. We're
Speaker 1: taking this on a Thursday afternoon. It's I believe if
Speaker 1: Edgie Tim is accurate, it's forty three days until the
Speaker 1: first football Friday. He counts it down. We're about six
Speaker 1: weeks away. How are you feeling. We're getting pretty close.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it's it's feeling a lot more like
Speaker 2: football season. I mean we're seeing a lot of seven
Speaker 2: on seven's happening. I mean, you know, last week I
Speaker 2: was at Battle of the Big Butts obviously one of
Speaker 2: the bigger seven on seven events that happens here in Illinois.
Speaker 2: So it's really feeling like, you know, football season is
Speaker 2: really coming alive now.
Speaker 1: So yeah, really times we can only hope that this
Speaker 1: season will be as exciting as last season that ended
Speaker 1: with you know, I think we had local teams and
Speaker 1: in every every game of the last day of the
Speaker 1: season last year, So hopefully it'll be just like that.
Speaker 1: And uh, you know, it's I know it's in July
Speaker 1: but UH, we're kind of reaching a point in the
Speaker 1: counter that becomes kind of a you know, where it
Speaker 1: starts to get a little bit realistic that season's coming.
Speaker 1: The the I just say releases the the official schedule
Speaker 1: for for football UH on on Friday, UH and US
Speaker 1: at Friday Night Drive. We are gonna have wall to
Speaker 1: wall coverage on that. We're gonna have week by week
Speaker 1: UH breakdowns for every market that we cover of the
Speaker 1: games that we're looking forward to. Steve Susie has a
Speaker 1: couple analysis pieces lined up that I was able to
Speaker 1: read this morning, so that's going to be pretty exciting.
Speaker 1: And then UH, it's gonna be four podcasts coming people's
Speaker 1: way if if they're into the podcast game. Joel and
Speaker 1: I of course taping Susan and I doing kind of
Speaker 1: an overview type piece podcast. And then Susan Mason Schweizer
Speaker 1: from our uh, you know, kank Key newspaper they they
Speaker 1: jumped on for a podcast about that neck of the woods.
Speaker 1: And then j T Penalty, Eddie Griffel and San Ramirez
Speaker 1: with their South and West podcast looking at the Calb
Speaker 1: County and UH and and SOCC suck in South Valley
Speaker 1: area and the Illinois valleys, So a lot of stuff
Speaker 1: coming your way if you're into football in July Friday
Speaker 1: night drive his place to go. So but but yeah, no,
Speaker 1: we just wanted to uh Joe today. Wanted to maybe
Speaker 1: first start off by looking at some of the you know,
Speaker 1: kind of new matchups, uh, particularly early in the year
Speaker 1: that kind of excited me and excited as you as
Speaker 1: we as we looked at him, and we kind of
Speaker 1: had a little bit of sneak preview we have. You know.
Speaker 1: The the thing is that the official release is tomorrow
Speaker 1: on Friday, but the schedules are kind of out there,
Speaker 1: so you kind of know what games are going on,
Speaker 1: it's just you know, not the official official is tomorrow,
Speaker 1: so we we do a pretty good yeah about what's
Speaker 1: going on. But uh, but yeah, I mean, uh, you know,
Speaker 1: I'm gonna start uh week one. Or's some really you know,
Speaker 1: interesting kind of new matchups that I saw and one
Speaker 1: of the ones that really that that Sus told me.
Speaker 1: It kind of came together very last minute in the
Speaker 1: last month or so of the the offseason, as teams
Speaker 1: were scrambling to phil openings. Lion's township is going to
Speaker 1: be at Joey at Catholic Week one. Uh I saw
Speaker 1: that and I think I texted Sue's like, Ooh, I
Speaker 1: mean Lion's Township a team that they won the Western
Speaker 1: Westernbourban Silver last year, they reached the Class eight A
Speaker 1: quarterfinals and they are continuing to emerge as a threat
Speaker 1: in eight A and obviously the Westbourbon Silver that they
Speaker 1: won last year. Then they're going down to Joel Yet
Speaker 1: to play Joey a Catholic of course, the defending Class
Speaker 1: five A runner up. Really good tradition there, and just
Speaker 1: not only two really good programs, but two really good conferences.
Speaker 1: You know, not gonna right off the bad in Week one.
Speaker 1: So that's gonna be a really fun one to watch.
Speaker 1: But Joe, I know there there's a couple ones that
Speaker 1: you're looking at. One specifically that I could think.
Speaker 2: Of, Yeah, yeah, the big one for me that I've
Speaker 2: been keeped my eye out for is Saint Charles North
Speaker 2: heading down to Minooka. Obviously North Stars past couple of years,
Speaker 2: they've played their Week one game against Palatine, and those
Speaker 2: games that were always really fun to watch because they
Speaker 2: always came down to the you know, last second players,
Speaker 2: it felt like, But I mean Minooka obviously eight and
Speaker 2: three last season. I mean, you know, they're coming off
Speaker 2: a pretty solid season in the Southwest Prairie. So it's
Speaker 2: gonna be really interesting to see, you know, if that
Speaker 2: Week one game against the team like Minooka stands up
Speaker 2: to you know, how their Week ones had been in
Speaker 2: the previous seasons against Palatine. Obviously, I'm a little upset
Speaker 2: that I think or that I never got to see
Speaker 2: a game like that, but I'm sure, you know, obviously
Speaker 2: Charles north is returning a lot of good players. Obviously
Speaker 2: they did lose their for your starting quarterback and Ethan Plumb,
Speaker 2: but they are still you know, having guys like Ring
Speaker 2: he'd come back, who's now committed to Northwestern. So I'm
Speaker 2: really excited to see how that game is gonna, you know,
Speaker 2: pan out to start off the season for them.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Kind of interesting in that the Duquesne Conference and
Speaker 1: the Southwest Prairie Conference are matching up in that Week
Speaker 1: one game. They're also matching up in Week two in
Speaker 1: a different game. Geneva going to Oswego. That was another
Speaker 1: one that I saw. I'm like, oh, it's kind of
Speaker 1: a it's kind of a fun one. A Swego's actually
Speaker 1: playing in April Central Week one, and then they have
Speaker 1: Geneva coming there. And you know, both of those teams,
Speaker 1: I mean, Oswego was nine and er last season in
Speaker 1: the regular season, got to the second round of the playoffs. Geneva,
Speaker 1: as we know, reached the state championship game. Those teams,
Speaker 1: both teams that they're gonna get have a little bit
Speaker 1: of different look this year. I mean, Geneva, you know
Speaker 1: graduates talent Taylor, Tony Jahino, Oswego. I think they returned
Speaker 1: like maybe four or five starters total, but they did
Speaker 1: a lot of success to lower levels. So yeah, that
Speaker 1: that'd be a that'd be a good one early on
Speaker 1: in the season.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it seems like it's gonna be about of two
Speaker 2: kind of rebuilding programs this year because obviously, you know,
Speaker 2: you kind of mentioned us we Go only returning like
Speaker 2: four or five starters. Geneva their offense is only returning
Speaker 2: three starters of you know, their star studded cast from
Speaker 2: last season. Uh, their defense a little bit less to
Speaker 2: have to build back up. But you know, it's gonna
Speaker 2: be kind of interesting to see, you know, how much
Speaker 2: you know the younger guys that are going to be
Speaker 2: stepping up this season. It's gonna be interesting to see
Speaker 2: how they step up, you know, before they head into
Speaker 2: conference play.
Speaker 1: So yeah, any other kind of new games that you
Speaker 1: see on the schedule that that that that jump out
Speaker 1: to you before we kind of deep dive into the
Speaker 1: week by week.
Speaker 2: Yeah. One, I thought that was interesting, kind of looking
Speaker 2: a similar DUKEUN conference that somebody that you cover a
Speaker 2: lot more, Wheaton North obviously last year, they're two non
Speaker 2: conference games against Providence Catholic and Lockport. Those literally came
Speaker 2: down to the wire, both of them decided by the
Speaker 2: last play against two pre quality teams. They're gonna have
Speaker 2: a very similar non conference schedule. They're facing off against
Speaker 2: Simeon in week one and then Stevenson in week two.
Speaker 2: Stevenson obviously went ten to two last year, Simeon seven
Speaker 2: and four, you know, both really high quality programs that
Speaker 2: they're going to face off against before heading into Duking
Speaker 2: conference play. And I think considering how young they were
Speaker 2: for the most part, you know, last season, especially on offense,
Speaker 2: it's gonna be interesting to see how those guys face
Speaker 2: off against teams like Sidney and Stevenson this year.
Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, you know, one more game that I did
Speaker 1: notice this morning when I was kind of just kind
Speaker 1: of combing over things, is Ice Catholic is playing Woodstock
Speaker 1: North in Week two. I see Catholic. Obviously, they missed
Speaker 1: the playoffs last year, which they had not. It's been
Speaker 1: a long time since they they have missed the playoff
Speaker 1: got probably a decade or something. And I mean, obviously
Speaker 1: they want to stay titles and whatnot. They're playing Woodstock North.
Speaker 1: Who you know, maybe some people in the suburbs might
Speaker 1: not realize they had a really good year last year.
Speaker 1: They won eight games, they got to the second round
Speaker 1: of the playoffs. I believe they have their best player,
Speaker 1: David Rendecker fallback coming back. So I think they're going
Speaker 1: to be a team to watch in the Kishwaukee River.
Speaker 1: We'll see how they do against Icy Catholic. I feel that.
Speaker 1: So maybe a little bit of a you know, step
Speaker 1: up in class a little bit to play a team
Speaker 1: from the CCL, but definitely a matchup. I think it's
Speaker 1: Week two that I did notice, and I'm like, oh,
Speaker 1: that's kind of it's kind of interesting, you know, I
Speaker 1: wonder how they found each other. I mean, they're they're
Speaker 1: kind of like in different areas. But I mean teams,
Speaker 1: you know, sometimes matchups come together late in the offseason.
Speaker 1: I mean, I know, like there's some teams that are
Speaker 1: still looking for games a few weeks. I know, Montini
Speaker 1: the defending three eight champion, they won it as far
Speaker 1: as I know right now, I think Loyola is week
Speaker 1: two doesn't have an opponent right now. So I mean
Speaker 1: we're sitting here in July seventeenth. You know, well, we'll
Speaker 1: see what happens with that. But but yeah, that Icy
Speaker 1: Catholic Whitstack North game in week two, I believe was
Speaker 1: another one that stood out. So yeah, we wanted to
Speaker 1: to kind of look at a week by week and
Speaker 1: you know, maybe each of us can give a shout
Speaker 1: out to a game that we're kind of looking forward
Speaker 1: to each week. You know, I'll start at week one, Joel,
Speaker 1: What is there a game that kind of like jumps
Speaker 1: off the page to you or it's like, wow, I
Speaker 1: can't wait to see that one.
Speaker 2: I think the big one, uh, you know, kind of
Speaker 2: considering you know, the historic programs that are facing off
Speaker 2: and kind of a game that they provided last year.
Speaker 2: Batavian Glenbard West is a is always gonna be one
Speaker 2: of those games that you know, I was gonna be like, oh,
Speaker 2: I kind of want to see how this goes. Obviously,
Speaker 2: Glenbard West is coming off of, you know, a shocking
Speaker 2: season where they didn't make it into the playoffs, so
Speaker 2: I'm sure they're probably gonna want to get off on
Speaker 2: the right foot against a team like Batavia and obviously
Speaker 2: Bulldogs last year made it all the way to the
Speaker 2: state title game before losing to Mount Carmel. I know
Speaker 2: they're they're returning a lot of fun offensive weapons. Some
Speaker 2: may be in different positions from what I hear, So
Speaker 2: you know, I'm gonna be really interested to see, you know,
Speaker 2: kind of how that kind of stats up in that
Speaker 2: Week one matchup there. So that one's definitely caught my
Speaker 2: eye for sure.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Glenbard West hosted Batavia last year and Deshaun Field
Speaker 1: the first time. I think those programs have played each
Speaker 1: other at least since their current head coaches have been there,
Speaker 1: and they've been there for a little while between Dennis
Speaker 1: Puron and Chad Hetlett. But I know Batavia won that game.
Speaker 1: It's kind of a close game, even though Batavia controlled
Speaker 1: the game, but kind of set an unfortunate tone for
Speaker 1: Glenbard West because they started the season zero and four
Speaker 1: and they were really battling back the rest of the
Speaker 1: year and they almost they almost kind of snuck in
Speaker 1: the back door, but they didn't quite get there. So
Speaker 1: they want to get off to a better start of
Speaker 1: the year. But man, it will not be easy because
Speaker 1: they go to Batavia and then they played Joliant Catholic
Speaker 1: week two, so hello, the first week season before they
Speaker 1: go into the conference. So but yeah, no, that's you
Speaker 1: and I both, I mean we saw Glenbard West TAVI
Speaker 1: week one. He're like, yeah, that's that's That's definitely one
Speaker 1: of the better ones. Uh. In week one, another game
Speaker 1: that I'm looking forward to, not only because I think
Speaker 1: it might be a good game, but because it's gonna
Speaker 1: be maybe the first game played in the state this year,
Speaker 1: and that's Saint Francis Is going to Gateley Stadium on
Speaker 1: Thursday night. They're playing Kenwood, who Ken's had a lot
Speaker 1: of really good, high end talent the last few years.
Speaker 1: They maybe slipped maybe a touch, but I mean, you
Speaker 1: never really know what they have coming. I do know
Speaker 1: that Saint Francis had has a lot of talent they
Speaker 1: have one of the best receiving cores in the state,
Speaker 1: led by Zach Washington. It's going to Michigan State. You know,
Speaker 1: their entire offensive linebacks. So but they they have a
Speaker 1: brutal schedule. I think you and I have both thought
Speaker 1: about it. So man, they they really want to get
Speaker 1: that win right off the bat. But again, Thursday night.
Speaker 1: I remember when I taught to coach McMillan and I
Speaker 1: asked him about the schedule. He's like, they were playing Thursday.
Speaker 1: I'm like, thank I think my first word in was
Speaker 1: thank you or thanks because you know, that's the chance
Speaker 1: for us to see some football before before right Friday
Speaker 1: rolls around. So yeah, that should be a good one.
Speaker 1: Week two. What are what are some of Is there
Speaker 1: a game that kind of stands out to you?
Speaker 2: Yeah? I mean, you know, last year this game was
Speaker 2: kind of a blowout in my eyes or both not
Speaker 2: in my eyes, I saw it firsthand. But this year,
Speaker 2: I think it's going to be really interesting, you know,
Speaker 2: especially considering some of the talent that the losing team
Speaker 2: has added to their side. I'm talking about Batavia and
Speaker 2: South Elgin. I mean, obviously South Elgin has Gavin Bueler,
Speaker 2: coming in now Colorado commit uh, you know, coming in
Speaker 2: at tie end for them, So that adds a lot
Speaker 2: to you know, that potent offense. And I think also
Speaker 2: on top of that, Patavia lost a lot on the
Speaker 2: defensive side to graduation. I mean talking about Chase Osborne,
Speaker 2: who was you know, literally everywhere almost every single game
Speaker 2: for them, you know, Josh Cally also in the backfield.
Speaker 2: You know, they lost a lot up front as well.
Speaker 2: So I think it's gonna be really interesting to see.
Speaker 2: You know, it's gonna be a big test for that
Speaker 2: new defense, you know, heading into this game, and I
Speaker 2: think it's gonna be really interesting to see, you know,
Speaker 2: kind of how that dynamic is, especially facing off against
Speaker 2: somebody as talented on the field as Gavin Eeler.
Speaker 1: So yeah, well you mentioned South Elgin coming out of
Speaker 1: the Upstate Eight. Another matchup I'm looking forward to is
Speaker 1: week two. Is two other very good teams from that league.
Speaker 1: It's Glenbard East and West Arora. They I believe they
Speaker 1: won their respective divisions in the conference. Last year. They
Speaker 1: did play West Arora beat them kind of handling by
Speaker 1: a few touchdowns. But I mean it's two of the
Speaker 1: teams that are gonna be the best in that league.
Speaker 1: I expect both to get to the playoffs. They both
Speaker 1: went last year. I think Westroer went nine and zero
Speaker 1: during the regular season. I think they both might have
Speaker 1: reached the second round of playoffs. But that'll be a
Speaker 1: nice little game, you know early in the year kind
Speaker 1: of gets an idea about where those teams are at
Speaker 1: Week three.
Speaker 2: What do you think the Week three I think it's
Speaker 2: the matchup that decided part of the Duking Conference last
Speaker 2: year at St. Charles North versus Geneva. They're going to
Speaker 2: be heading to you know St. Charles North for this game. Obviously,
Speaker 2: two kind of different programs heading into this. I mean,
Speaker 2: obviously we kind of mentioned it. Geneva was gonna be
Speaker 2: on the rebuilding side on the offense.
Speaker 1: Meanwhile St.
Speaker 2: Charles North on the other side, they're returning a good
Speaker 2: majority of their offense besides of course Ethan Plump, but
Speaker 2: from what I hear, they have plenty of options in
Speaker 2: the back or in that Backeld bill in that position.
Speaker 2: So you know, it's gonna be really interesting to see,
Speaker 2: you know, what the dynamic is going to be between
Speaker 2: these two returning co Duking Conference champions so you know,
Speaker 2: I'm really interested to see how this game pans out.
Speaker 1: So I'm gonna cheat for a week three and I'm
Speaker 1: gonna pick two games because one of them, one of
Speaker 1: them is you know, wow, wow wow. Is Mount Carmel
Speaker 1: playing Nazareth and Nazareth. Mount Carmel defending seven eight champs
Speaker 1: mount or Nazareth defending five eight champs. They're both going
Speaker 1: to be you know, moved up a class this year
Speaker 1: to eight A and six A assuming they reached the playoffs.
Speaker 1: But but obviously two of the you know, just the
Speaker 1: two of the great programs in the state. Nazareth did
Speaker 1: graduate a lot of really good seniors from last year's team,
Speaker 1: but man, I mean, I still expect to be good.
Speaker 1: Mount Carmel, Mike, Mike Goodness. They have so many like
Speaker 1: high major Division one recruits in that team. It's really
Speaker 1: scary the talent that they've assembled for this team on
Speaker 1: this team this year. So those two teams are playing
Speaker 1: Mount Carmel on and Nazareth. Coincidentally, I saw on the schedule.
Speaker 1: I believe it's Nazareth's only home game in the first
Speaker 1: five weeks of the season, so they're gonna be on
Speaker 1: a road quite a bit, starting with their going to
Speaker 1: Kankakey week one, so that should be a matchup that
Speaker 1: everybody's attention is going to be on. And then the
Speaker 1: other one, you know, at least in Sandwich Plano, all
Speaker 1: the attention is gonna be there is Sandwich and Plano
Speaker 1: meeting up, those two teams, those two schools and Metal
Speaker 1: on the football field since eighteen ninety seven. Pretty big
Speaker 1: game in those towns, and usually a pretty good game
Speaker 1: as well. Sandwich has beat in the last couple of years.
Speaker 1: But man, it's a rivalry that I think it's like
Speaker 1: fifty seven to fifty three all time, so it's really close.
Speaker 1: But you know, everybody in those communities is going to
Speaker 1: be keeping a close eye on that one. So some
Speaker 1: good ones there Week four. What do you think?
Speaker 2: I think a big one that you got to look
Speaker 2: at for Week four is obviously Saint Francis versus Saint Rita.
Speaker 2: I mean two returning you know, semi or state semifinal teams.
Speaker 2: Obviously Saint Francis in five A, uh, Saint Rita in
Speaker 2: seven A this or last year. I mean, you know,
Speaker 2: two quality programs are facing off against each other again.
Speaker 2: I think it's going to be really you know, interesting,
Speaker 2: and it might be a little bit closer this year,
Speaker 2: so I think it's gonna be a good matchup.
Speaker 1: I feel like you could pick a Saint Francis game
Speaker 1: probably eight out of the nine weeks. I mean, they're
Speaker 1: just crazy good, are crazy tough, whichever way you want
Speaker 1: to call it. But that should be a good one.
Speaker 1: One Another one in the c C L E SEC
Speaker 1: that I got my eye on is Fenwick playing at Montini. Montini,
Speaker 1: of course the defending Quest three A state champions, but
Speaker 1: Fenwick was the last team to beat them. Uh Mantini
Speaker 1: won the last ten games they played, including the playoffs,
Speaker 1: but Fenwick beat them. It was a good one too.
Speaker 1: It's thirteen to ten, low scoring game. Fenwick had a
Speaker 1: really good defense last year. We'll see what they look
Speaker 1: like this year. But but but that should be a
Speaker 1: really good one. It's one of Montini's probably, you know,
Speaker 1: games that I'm kind of watching in their schedule, like
Speaker 1: the last years. I feel like if Montini can just
Speaker 1: survive the regular season and get to five wins or
Speaker 1: maybe six wins, then they're gonna be a tough out
Speaker 1: once the playoff starts. But but that should be a
Speaker 1: really good one. Fenwick and Montini Week four, Week five?
Speaker 1: What games are on your map?
Speaker 2: Well, Week five, I think, uh, you know, kind of
Speaker 2: sticking with the Code D King Conference champion matchups, I
Speaker 2: think got to go with Saint Charles North and Batavia.
Speaker 2: They get I think, you know, both of those offenses
Speaker 2: have a lot of returning talent, and I think that's gonna,
Speaker 2: you know, show on the field. Last year game was
Speaker 2: super fun. It didn't look close for the most part
Speaker 2: or on paper, but I mean it required a very
Speaker 2: big effort from Nathan wentwell for Batavia to pull off
Speaker 2: that victory. I mean five second half touchdown or rushing
Speaker 2: touchdowns for him. He honestly could have had a six
Speaker 2: if they didn't put Grayson Kelly in for that play.
Speaker 2: But yeah, no, I think, you know, this is going
Speaker 2: to be once again a really good game with two
Speaker 2: really talented offenses. And yeah, there's a chance that this
Speaker 2: is going to determine who wins the Duke in Conference
Speaker 2: in my opinion, So I think he's given fun.
Speaker 1: Yeah, no, that should be a lot of fun again.
Speaker 1: I got there's a couple that I'm looking at for
Speaker 1: Week five. I start with again Nazareth. They're going to
Speaker 1: Joey Catholic. I mean, it speaks for itself. These are
Speaker 1: two teams that have played for the state title the
Speaker 1: last two years and five A and NADS have beat
Speaker 1: them both times. They beat them last year in the
Speaker 1: regular season. Two all of them were very close games,
Speaker 1: so that one should be a lot of fun. Another
Speaker 1: really good matchup. I mean, you could probably pick three
Speaker 1: or four games every week in the C C L E.
Speaker 1: S CC that that are really good games. But that
Speaker 1: is definitely one that I'm looking at. And the other
Speaker 1: one out there in Kendall County area, Yorkville is playing Oswego.
Speaker 1: You know, neighboring towns, kind of close rivals, friendly type rivals,
Speaker 1: but you know Oswego got them last year, Yorkville got
Speaker 1: them the two previous years. Yorkville another team that's had
Speaker 1: a lot of success the last decade, but they missed
Speaker 1: the playoffs at four and five last year, so they're
Speaker 1: gonna be looking to get back and that'll be one
Speaker 1: of the games that they certainly have circle on their calendar.
Speaker 1: So so that should be a really fun h you know,
Speaker 1: week five matchup. Week six, we're already into October, or
Speaker 1: at least close to it. Maybe lads some times.
Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure. Well, Week six is obviously a rivalry
Speaker 2: matchup week for Duking Conference, So I think I think
Speaker 2: it's fair to talk talk about one of the longest
Speaker 2: standing rivalries in the state of Illinois, Patavia and Geneva.
Speaker 2: I mean, obviously, last year Geneva broke their thirteen year
Speaker 2: losing streak to Dennis Piron and Batavia. But you know,
Speaker 2: obviously we've kind of mentioned it. They're a little bit
Speaker 2: you know, on the rebuilding side. By week six, they
Speaker 2: should definitely have a better idea of what their or
Speaker 2: their identity on offense and defense. Tavia should be the
Speaker 2: exact same way. But I think this is going to
Speaker 2: be a really interesting matchup once again. I mean, you know,
Speaker 2: it's you know, the two years that Geneva lost heading
Speaker 2: into their win, they were relatively close, and I think
Speaker 2: this is gonna be another game that you know, it's
Speaker 2: gonna be a little bit more closer than you know,
Speaker 2: people expected to be. So I'm excited.
Speaker 1: Yeah, we're definitely talking a different type of tone with
Speaker 1: that matchup after Geneva was you know, finally able to
Speaker 1: beat him last year and then you know, took them
Speaker 1: momentum all the way to the to the state championship game.
Speaker 1: But I will say, you know, last year, in Week six,
Speaker 1: I had never heard of Michael vander Luigarran and by
Speaker 1: the end, by the end of the year, I was like,
Speaker 1: I want Michael vander Luicgarrant in my fantasy football team. So,
Speaker 1: I mean, he really he really made a name for himself,
Speaker 1: and I think he's gonna make a name for himself
Speaker 1: again this year. But yeah, no, that's that's definitely a
Speaker 1: matchup that everybody is gonna have their eye on. Is
Speaker 1: that Week six game you mentioned.
Speaker 2: He's actually gonna have name plate the entire time.
Speaker 1: So right, right right. Obviously you mentioned that sort of
Speaker 1: Rivalriec and the Ducane another good one. Wheaton Warrenville South,
Speaker 1: Wheaton North, you know, another kind of uh, you know,
Speaker 1: there's some rivalries and I feel like teams like hate
Speaker 1: each other. I think with that matchup, they just like
Speaker 1: respect each other. I mean, they like up together and stuff,
Speaker 1: and they probably played a lot of youth football together
Speaker 1: and stuff. I just think that it's just a good
Speaker 1: rivalry that the community kind of gets around. And Wheaton
Speaker 1: North is another program. I mean, I mean, they went
Speaker 1: state just few years ago, but they were four and
Speaker 1: five last year and and miss the playoffs, and Wheaton
Speaker 1: South was able to beat them, and you know they're
Speaker 1: gonna be, you know, coming back. But I mean I think,
Speaker 1: I mean, they might be contenders in the Ducaine, but
Speaker 1: the way the Dukene is and as competitive is, they're
Speaker 1: probably gonna be in that situation coming in a game
Speaker 1: like three and two or something like that and needing
Speaker 1: a win and obviously a big game like that. So
Speaker 1: that's that one should be a lot of fun. Week
Speaker 1: six again the Ducaine Conference sort of rivalry week Week seven?
Speaker 1: What do you think Week seven?
Speaker 2: I think the big one for me, you know, talking
Speaker 2: about a team that you know, we just kind of
Speaker 2: touched on Moorneville South and we are in Saint Charles North.
Speaker 2: I mean, you know, last year that game went all
Speaker 2: the way to or all the way down to the
Speaker 2: buzzer for the most part, and I think, you know,
Speaker 2: the year before that game went into overtime. But yeah,
Speaker 2: those are two teams. I think they're the only two
Speaker 2: teams in the duke In conference that lost multi year
Speaker 2: starters at quarterback. Is so, you know, kind of like
Speaker 2: what I mentioned week seven, they should have a better
Speaker 2: idea of their identity on offense, especially you know, in
Speaker 2: that quarterback position. But I think it's going to be
Speaker 2: really interesting to see, you know, if they can live
Speaker 2: up to the standard that they've you know, kind of
Speaker 2: produced in the last two games or in the last
Speaker 2: two years, and you know, bring another highlight game. But
Speaker 2: I also have another one to touch on in the
Speaker 2: Duking Conference, another one that went into overtime last year,
Speaker 2: you know, Saint Charles East in Lake Park. I think
Speaker 2: that might also be an interesting game. Saint Charles East
Speaker 2: has a really talented wide receiver room this year that's
Speaker 2: experienced for you know, a good majority of it. So
Speaker 2: I think they're going to be really interesting in that mindset.
Speaker 2: And then Lake Park obviously, past couple of years, they've
Speaker 2: been one game away from making into the playoffs. They
Speaker 2: were four and five. Last year they shocked Eaton North
Speaker 2: and kept them out of the playoffs by being them
Speaker 2: in Week nine. You know, I think they're also returning
Speaker 2: a lot of good talent on offense, and I think
Speaker 2: it should be interesting to see, you know, if either
Speaker 2: of those schemes are like really close to potentially making
Speaker 2: it to the playoffs if that win can kind of
Speaker 2: kind of pull them for those final two games there.
Speaker 1: Mm hm, so a couple of games and I'm looking
Speaker 1: at Week seven one of them York and Downers Grow North,
Speaker 1: two of the best teams in the West Suburban Silvery
Speaker 1: York obviously reached the Class eight eight state championship game
Speaker 1: last year. They made the semifinals with two previous years,
Speaker 1: and I mean, I think they're they're at the point
Speaker 1: there than their program that this is not just a
Speaker 1: one or two year thing. They got a rolling now,
Speaker 1: I mean, and I think they're gonna be really good again.
Speaker 1: And downs Grow North. I mean, my goodness. When you
Speaker 1: have three kids that are committed to the Big Ten
Speaker 1: and a quarterback at tight end and an offensive alignment,
Speaker 1: that's a pretty good place to start with. With Owen
Speaker 1: Lance to Will Val at tight end going to to
Speaker 1: Illinois and then uh so Lucky I believe his last name,
Speaker 1: I forget the first name. He's an off with some
Speaker 1: lineman going to Purdue. But that'll be one of the
Speaker 1: better games in a West Suburban silver this year. York
Speaker 1: and Downers going North and then the other one Oswega Monooka,
Speaker 1: and I feel like the last probably ten years in
Speaker 1: the Southwest period, that's gonna in the Western Division. That's
Speaker 1: like maybe one of the games to watch, and I
Speaker 1: think it will be again. Minooka has probably as much
Speaker 1: talent or at least experience back in that league as
Speaker 1: anyone and as we go, the road to the title
Speaker 1: that league usually goes through Oswego. So that's gonna be
Speaker 1: another game in Week seven. And I'm watching, we get
Speaker 1: what game stands out to you.
Speaker 2: I think the big one for me is Wheaton North
Speaker 2: in Geneva. I think that's gonna be the big one.
Speaker 2: Geneva's gonna be hangover to Wheaton for that game. You know,
Speaker 2: last year, these two teams based off Wheaton North looked
Speaker 2: like they had a chance to han Geneva, you know,
Speaker 2: their first losses this season, but some unfortunate plays that
Speaker 2: happened in the red zone with less than a minute
Speaker 2: left to Geneva holly on for the win. I think
Speaker 2: it's gonna be really interesting. And I think considering how
Speaker 2: late it is in the season and how you know,
Speaker 2: kind of questionable, you know, these two teams might be
Speaker 2: there may be a chance that this might be a
Speaker 2: game that determines if there's a chance that they can
Speaker 2: make it to the playoffs. They're not, So I think
Speaker 2: this is going to be a really interesting matchup for
Speaker 2: both of these teams.
Speaker 1: Uh. For me, I think I got to go with
Speaker 1: the Swego sweg East Crosstown rivalie games twenty first time
Speaker 1: that these two teams have played each other. Asweegos won
Speaker 1: eighteen of the first twenty games. They got them last year,
Speaker 1: which which kept our sweg of East out of the
Speaker 1: playoffs and also finish off a nine and zero regular season.
Speaker 1: So again, I mean that it's a matchup that the
Speaker 1: community looks forward to every year. Obviously Oswegos had the
Speaker 1: upper hand for the most part, but in the last
Speaker 1: like five years, asweg of East has won two of
Speaker 1: the games. So asweg of East is gonna be a
Speaker 1: team that's looking to get back to the playoffs they've
Speaker 1: missed the last two years if they were kind of
Speaker 1: a regular for the decades previous to that. But but yeah,
Speaker 1: I mean that that's always a game that you kind
Speaker 1: of circle on the calendar, and you know it being
Speaker 1: that that late in the season, I'm sure the significance
Speaker 1: will be pretty high. Week nine.
Speaker 2: What do you think, Josh, I think we both know
Speaker 2: what game we're gonna be one. Yeah, we're gonna pa
Speaker 2: the same game. We're gonna We're gonna pick Saint Francis
Speaker 2: versus NA Nazareth again. So yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1: I mean that's the game. I mean, well, you know
Speaker 1: that they both they've played each other the last two
Speaker 1: years in a regular season and in the playoffs. They
Speaker 1: won't this year with Nazareth moving up to six A,
Speaker 1: but but yeah, I'm sure there'll be quite a few
Speaker 1: fireworks in that game. You know. What do you think
Speaker 1: about that one?
Speaker 2: I mean, maybe just a few that that that's my guess.
Speaker 2: I mean, obviously, you know, last few years, Saint Francis
Speaker 2: beat Nazareth in the regular season and then lost to
Speaker 2: them in the playoffs. But I mean, obviously we've kind
Speaker 2: of touched on it. Saint Francis has one of the
Speaker 2: best receiving cores in the state. I mean, you know,
Speaker 2: Nazareth is always or is always you know, a really
Speaker 2: good program when it comes to that. So I think
Speaker 2: it's gonna be you know, once again, it's gonna be
Speaker 2: a really fun matchup with a lot of fireworks and
Speaker 2: you know, maybe some not nice things will be said
Speaker 2: in the game between the two teams.
Speaker 1: I think there's a little bit of edge to that
Speaker 1: Ribbaly maybe just a little bit a bit of an
Speaker 1: edge to that robbery. So yeah, a lot to look
Speaker 1: forward to. You know, this has been a lot of
Speaker 1: fun breaking it down again. Uh, everybody out there, check
Speaker 1: out all the other podcasts that we have coming this week.
Speaker 1: Check out the content. You know, we obviously the season
Speaker 1: is fast approaching, will be publishing our Friday Night Drive
Speaker 1: preview magazine coming out in August, so you know, take it.
Speaker 1: Check out that one as well well. Full previews coming,
Speaker 1: and then once the season starts, we'll be back at
Speaker 1: it with previews features. Joe and I will be breaking
Speaker 1: it down every week with other podcasts as well. Uh
Speaker 1: sus to be back with Matt Rotovald on their on
Speaker 1: their Friday Night Live Friday Night show. So a lot
Speaker 1: of good stuff coming, Joe. Before we get out of here,
Speaker 1: any parting parting comments.
Speaker 2: Excited to see you guys getting six weeks.
Speaker 1: Very very excited again for Joe Bennett's This is Josh Welge.
Speaker 1: Everyone have a good weekend. We'll see you soon.