Richards, Oak Forest, Eisenhower, Brother Rice and Lincoln-Way West are picks to click for Week 8.
Lemont (5-2) at Richards (6-1)
Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: Both teams come into this South Suburban Conference crossover off huge wins.
Richards routed crosstown rival Oak Lawn 59-29. The Bulldogs have been explosive on offense, with senior quarterback Noah Escobedo and senior receiver Kamani Sapara clicking in the passing game.
Lemont sealed playoff eligibility by holding off Hillcrest 31-24 last week for its fifth straight win. Lemont’s best chance in this one may be to keep Richards’ offense off the field as much as possible by utilizing a strong run game led by senior Aiden Rudman. Junior quarterback Mike Preuss has been solid.
X-factor: Ahmad Buchanan, Richards, senior, running back/defensive back.
Steve Millar’s prediction: Richards.
Oak Forest (7-0, 4-0) at Hillcrest (3-4, 2-2)
Kickoff: 6 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: Oak Forest heads into this South Suburban Blue and District 228 showdown having scored at least 40 points in every game this season.
Senior quarterback Daniel Chopp has guided the Bengals’ attack, while junior running back William McMaster has been a big-play machine.
Hillcrest will be playing for its playoff lives after last week’s heartbreaking loss to Lemont. The Hawks will try to slow down Oak Forest with a big defensive front led by senior lineman Maximilian Carmicle, a Purdue recruit, and senior linebacker Zyon Boateng.
X-factor: Neiko LeFlore, Oak Forest, junior, running back/receiver/kick returner.
Steve Millar’s prediction: Oak Forest.
Oak Lawn (6-1, 3-1) at Eisenhower (4-3, 3-1)
Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: Eisenhower hopes to clinch playoff eligibility in this South Suburban Red meeting.
The Cardinals have won their last two games, including a 40-6 rout of Evergreen Park, to give themselves a shot at the postseason. They’re led by a strong defense, while senior receiver/defensive back Larnell Moore has been a key playmaker on both sides of the ball.
After the hype of last week’s battle with Richards, which ended in a 59-29 loss for Oak Lawn’s first defeat of the season, the Spartans will need to bounce back and refocus.
Look for Oak Lawn to try to control the game on the ground with its option attack led by senior running back Alex Soto and junior running back Jayden Schlosser.
X-factor: Kamari Polk, Oak Lawn, sophomore, running back.
Steve Millar’s prediction: Eisenhower.
St. Laurence (5-2) at Brother Rice (6-1)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: After picking up its all-important fifth win with a 35-19 victory over St. Patrick, St. Laurence will look to pull off a massive upset in this CCL/ESCC crossover.
Sophomore quarterback Noah Taylor, who threw two touchdown passes against the Shamrocks, seems to be getting better every week, while senior running back Cory Les is a consistent playmaker.
The Crusaders responded from their tough Week 6 loss to Mount Carmel by crushing Notre Dame 52-14. Senior linebacker Sean McGann forced a fumble, blocked a kick and had four tackles. Senior quarterback CJ Gray, an Army recruit, threw three TD passes.
X-factor: Jovan Green Jr., Brother Rice, senior, receiver.
Steve Millar’s prediction: Brother Rice.
Bradley-Bourbonnais (6-1, 3-1) at Lincoln-Way West (7-0, 4-0)
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Matchup breakdown: The Warriors can clinch at least a share of the Southwest Valley Red title with a victory and would be well-positioned to finish the regular season 9-0 with a Week 9 game against winless Stagg.
Lincoln-Way West is coming off a successful trip to Michigan, where they beat Lapeer 49-7. The Warriors’ defense is allowing just 13 points a game, while the offense has thrived behind a strong running game led by seniors Jahan Abubakar — a South Dakota recruit — and Jimmy Talley.
Senior quarterback Ellis Johnson threw four TD passes for Bradley-Bourbonnais during last week’s 48-19 win over DeKalb. The Boilermakers’ only loss came in Week 6 with a 28-20 setback against Lincoln-Way Central.
X-factor: Zach Hermanson, Lincoln-Way West, senior, kicker/punter.
Steve Millar’s prediction: Lincoln-Way West.
Originally Published:
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/probiotic-food-11857096-final-4950e340e3e147b2b21bd9ac58efd945.jpg?w=390&resize=390,220&ssl=1 "10 Probiotic Foods for a Healthier Gut")
