1. St. Charles North’s offensive line deserves a lot of credit.
The North Stars averaged 6.8 yards per rushing attempt through the first five games of the season, but in Week 6 they were without star running back Evan Kurtz and starting quarterback Erik Miller, who were both nursing injuries. Despite those absences, St. Charles North didn’t miss a beat as junior Nick Edlund and sophomore Dom Sidari both ran for more than 100 yards in a 55-6 win against Streamwood. The North Stars finished with 415 yards of total offense, which is a testament to a talented offensive line that makes the team’s skill position players consistently look good.
2. Larkin is one of the scrappiest teams around.
The Royals don’t have the biggest kids or the deepest roster, but they always seem to put up a good fight. That was the case in last week’s 46-14 loss to Batavia as Larkin trailed the high-powered Bulldogs only 20-14 going into halftime. The Royals have proven they can hang with the top teams in the UEC River, but they are still in search of that season-defining win that will help boost their playoff chances.
3. Defensive struggles are hard to overcome.
Elgin, Streamwood and Westminster Christian all slipped to 0-6 last week, and a lack of defense is big reason for their lack of success. The Warriors are allowing 50.7 points per game, which is the highest total among area teams. The Sabres (46.8 points per game) and Maroons (43.7) are the next two most scored upon local squads.
