It’s a loaded weekend around the area in Week 3. Here are previews of a few of the best games.
No. 3 Lincoln-Way East at No. 10 Homewood-Flossmoor, 7:30 p.m. Friday
H-F (2-0) has been one of the breakout teams in the early going, stunning Bolingbrook 31-0 and blanking Richards 35-0 in the first two weeks. Robert Williams III returned an interception for a touchdown against Richards and Wisconsin commit David Hill anchors a dominant defensive line. Rahsaan Coleman threw a pair of touchdown passes to lead the H-F offense. Lincoln-Way East (2-0) doesn’t have the Power Four talent of recent years, apart from Illinois-bound offensive lineman Mason Halliman. But quarterback Evan LeFevour and running back Aidan Cavanaugh lead a grind-it-out offense.
No. 8 St. Rita at No. 1 Loyola, 7 p.m. Friday
This shapes up as the first serious local test for Loyola (2-0), which blanked Warren in Week 1 and beat Indianapolis Cathedral 33-19 last week. Junior quarterback Matthew Lee passed for three touchdowns — two to Charlie Fowler — and ran for another against Cathedral as Loyola rallied from a 13-7 halftime deficit. St. Rita (1-1) is coming off a wild 36-35 win at Glenbard West after getting the decisive two-point conversion with 42 seconds left. Lindenwood commit Brandon Johnson Jr. ran for 154 yards and three touchdowns for the Mustangs, while quarterback John Fennell had 282 total yards and a TD.
No. 17 Nazareth at No. 2 Mount Carmel, 7:30 Friday
Mount Carmel (1-1) has already played two of the wildest games of the season, allowing the last 28 points in a 42-23 loss to East St. Louis and then rallying 30 points down to beat St. Joseph Regional (N.J.) 48-44 on ESPN last week. Plainfield East transfer Brady Cloherty led the comeback, passing for 309 yards and a program-record seven touchdowns, including five to the receiving duo of Quentin Burrell (Michigan) and Marshaun Thornton. Nazareth (1-1) bounced back from an opening loss to IC Catholic with an impressive 27-3 victory against York. North Dakota commit Charles Calhoun ran for a pair of scores to lead the Roadrunners.
No. 15 St. Francis at No. 6 Brother Rice, 7 p.m. Friday
This is a matchup of returning state champs off to 1-1 starts. Reigning 7A winner Brother Rice was hurt by penalties in a 22-21 Week 1 loss to Lincoln-Way East before rolling past outmanned Woodlawn last week. Freshman quarterback Sam Holcomb, who has split time with senior Rocco Galasso, already has accounted for eight touchdowns. Notre Dame-bound Brayden Parks and Kameron McGee, one of the nation’s top juniors, are the leaders of one of the state’s premier defensive lines. Returning 5A champ St. Francis lost on the road as New Palestine (Ind.) in Week 1 before cruising past Clemente last week. Tivias Caldwell Jr. is a productive running back who had 182 all-purpose yards in the opener.
No. 24 St. Charles North at No. 16 Geneva, 7 p.m. Friday
Geneva (1-1) is coming off a 44-42 loss to returning 8A runner-up Oswego in which quarterback Ben Peterson (Eastern Michigan) passed for 443 yards and five touchdowns. State sprint champ Bennett Konkey (Illinois) had 10 catches for 217 yards and four TDs. St. Charles North is 2-0 after dominant wins over 8A opponents Minooka and South Elgin. The North Stars have had good results using a pair of quarterbacks in Landon Conroy and Dashel Von Qualen along with running back Tommy Vendl.