An Inside Look at This Weekend's Prep Football Games: Week 8

Glenbard South at Ridgewood

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Ridgewood High School, 7500 W. Montrose Ave., Norridge

Records: Glenbard South 4-3, 3-0; Ridgewood 4-3, 3-0

Last week: Glenbard South 40, Fenton 8; Ridgewood 47, St. Joseph 6

Head coaches: Jeremy Cordell, Glenbard South; Chris Zack, Ridgewood

Key players

Glenbard South: Kyle Avaloy, OL; Nick Boesso, LB; Zach Bava, LB; Matt Loos, RB; Tyler Padera, QB; Wes Sanders, RB

Ridgewood: Eduardo Benitez, WR; Brad Cabot, DE; Joe Jacobsen, QB; Sam Karim, DB; Adam Kutylowski, WR; P.J. O’Connor, RB-K

About the game

This matchup features two squads which are both undefeated in the Metro Suburban Conference, and two of the MSC’s most prolific players on offense: O’Connor for the Rebels and Sanders for the Raiders.

O’Connor, like Sanders, does a little bit of everything. He’s a threat out of the backfield, catches passes, returns kicks--does the placekicking--and is one of the team’s top defenders. You might have to put an asterisk next to O’Connor’s statistics during a lopsided victory last week vs. winless St. Joseph (47-6); nonetheless, his numbers were impressive: over 180 yards rushing, over 100 yards receiving, a pass interception and four touchdowns. Jacobsen, meanwhile, nearly reached 200 yards passing against the Chargers.

The Raiders are starting to hit their stride. They’ve won three in a row after dropping three of their first four games. Sanders? He hit his stride in Week 1 and hasn’t slowed down since. Sanders added three more touchdowns during the Raiders’ convincing triumph over Fenton last Friday, giving him 15 for the season.

A victory over Ridgewood would secure a conference title for the Raiders and all but lock up a playoff spot. The Raiders, however, can’t get an automatic playoff berth by winning the conference because the MSC only contains five teams. (A conference needs six teams in order for its champion to qualify for the playoffs.)

Glenbard South has one remaining game at Fort Zumwalt South, located in St. Peters, Mo. (South is currently 4-3). A game against an out-of-state opponent does count when the playoffs are configured later this month, so if Glenbard South falls to Ridgewood, it must then defeat the squad from Missouri.

York at Glenbard West

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Where: Glenbard West High School, 670 Crescent Blvd.

Records: York 5-2, 3-1; Glenbard West 7-0, 4-0

Last week: York 31, Proviso West 8; Glenbard West 14, Addison Trail 0

Head coaches: Bill Lech, York; Chad Hetlet, Glenbard West

Key players

York: Ken Boesenberg, RB; David Byerley, WR; Joe Lucca, QB; Ryan Maher, DL; Jordan Pruess, WR; Jake Rzeszutko, DB

Glenbard West: Avery Balogh, RB; Johnny Caspers, OL; Andrew Larkin, LB; Justice Odom, QB; Tommy Schutt, DL; Joey Zito, RB

About the game

Lyons Township snapped a five-game York winning streak and handed the Dukes their first West Suburban Silver defeat last Friday. Thus, the Hilltoppers can lock up the WSS championship if they upend York on Saturday.

Glenbard West—whose star offensive lineman, Johnny Caspers, verbally committed to Stanford this week—pinned previous West Suburban Gold co-leader Addison Trail with its first loss of 2011 last Friday. The Hilltoppers did it with defense, holding the Blazers to under 40 yards of total offense and completely shutting down their top running back, Anthony Catanese, who had scored seven touchdowns in his previous three games.

Henry Haeffner, a junior, started in place of Odom, who is recovering from a sprained left knee. Haeffner had a hand in what proved to be the game-winning score for Glenbard West by connecting with Nathan Marcus for third-quarter touchdown. It’s not known whether Odom will be back behind center this weekend. Even if Odom plays, the Hilltoppers could conceivably sit him for the regular season finale at Downers North (which has only two wins this season) and save him for the playoffs.

Lucca, back from an injury, has thrown for over 1,000 yards with 12 TDs for York. Byerley, with over 800 yards, is one of the area’s leading pass-catchers, and Pruess (10 touchdowns) is dangerous in the red zone. Rzeszutko has returned a punt and kickoff for scores, as well.