No. 7 Naperville Central (6-1, 3-0 DuPage Valley) @ Lake Park (5-2, 2-1 DuPage Valley), 7:30PM.
Last week: Naperville Central beat Wheaton North, 14-3; Lake Park won at Glenbard North, 20-17
Storyline: A share for first place atop the DuPage Valley Conference standings is on the line tonight as the defending Class 8A state champions head to Roselle to face Lake Park.
Winners of six straight games following a season-opening loss to previously undefeated Waubonsie Valley, the Redhawks will look to hold off a Lake Park program that has shown marketable improvement in its second year in the DVC.
Kevin Clifford ran for 173 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the Redhawks’ 14-3 victory over Wheaton North last week, bringing his season totals to 916 yards and seven touchdowns, respectively.
Defensive coordinator Mike Ulreich’s defensive charges continue to do a job as they collectively held the Falcons to 177 total yards, with 161 of them coming through the air, and to just a Nick Cairo second-quarter field goal.
Meanwhile, the Lancers can find themselves in a first-place tie in the conference with a victory. Jaron Fields and Mike Perry have been rotating back-and-forth at quarterback for Lake Park throughout the season.
Lake Park secured a nice road victory at Glenbard North last Friday by outscoring the Panthers 10-0 in the fourth quarter to turn a 17-10 deficit into a 20-17 triumph.
Tommie Jackson’s 56-yard TD reception from Fields late in the fourth quarter, Jackson’s second TD reception of the game, put the Lancers up for good while a fumble recovery from defensive lineman Jacub Panasiuk on the Panthers’ next possession following the TD ensured the victory for the Lancers.
Naperville Central can clinch its first DVC title since 2001 with a victory coupled with a Wheaton Warrenville South loss to Glenbard North.
Naperville Central coach Mike Stine on Lake Park: “This year, they’re a very good team (on) both sides of the ball. Their defense is better than their offense. They’re like us. Their defense is their strength. Their line is good. The linebackers are very solid and their secondary, with (Minnesota commit Antonio) Shenault there, he makes that a very good secondary. So, defensively, they create a lot of problems for you and they’re physical.
“It’s just going to be two really, really good defenses and two offenses that are going to try and struggle to move the ball at times and try to be opportunistic and take advantage of it when you get a chance to make a play.
“We need to go out there and try to take care of business against those guys. It’s going to be a big challenge. We know that. It’s going to be definitely a playoff atmosphere, but most of the games that we play are that kind of atmosphere. But we’re looking forward to the challenge. Their defense is going to be very, very good and it’s a measuring stick. I’m sure they’re looking at it the same way. I think it’s two teams kind of going into this game probably feeling the same way—not 100 percent knowing what to expect from the other team and how everything is going to shake out.”
