Week 6’s top high school football games

Breaking down the week’s best games.

SHARE Week 6’s top high school football games
Prospect’s Owen Anderson, left, wraps up Maine South’s Evan Agosto (12).

Prospect’s Owen Anderson, left, wraps up Maine South’s Evan Agosto (12).

Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times

No. 4 Glenbard West at No. 6 York, 7:30 p.m. Friday

This was the matchup last year that showed York had arrived. The Dukes won 12-10 in Glen Ellyn, earning their first victory in the series since 2007 and clinching their first IHSA playoff berth since 2011. Dual-threat quarterback Matt Vezza, who had 245 total yards in that win, is back and is one of a number of offensive difference makers for York (5-0, 3-0). And don’t forget the Dukes’ defense, which has allowed 38 points all season. Junior back Julius Ellens of Glenbard West (5-0, 3-0) has been one of the season’s breakout stars, running behind a big, experienced offensive line. The Hilltoppers are the third straight unbeaten opponent for York, which beat Downers North in overtime and then knocked off Lyons last week.

No. 2 Loyola at No. 11 Marist, 7:30 p.m. Friday

It’s round two for the CCL/ESCC Blue and the spotlight here could be on a pair of senior quarterbacks. Colgate recruit Jake Stearney of Loyola (5-0, 1-0) has a 135.6 QB rating with 1,035 yards and 18 TDs to go along with a 73% completion rate. Declan Forde leads a deep receiving corps with 16 catches for 349 yards and seven TDs. Dermot Smyth of Marist (3-2, 0-1), a starting receiver last season, has completed 67% of his passes for 881 yards and eight TDs with a 118.8 rating. Mike Donegan has caught five of those touchdowns.

No. 1 Mount Carmel at Brother Rice, 7 p.m. Friday

The top-ranked Caravan (5-0, 1-0 CCL/ESCC Blue) have allowed only 27 points all season, including 17 vs. St. Ignatius last week. Two Division I recruits — lineman Asher Tomaszewski (Kansas State) and edge rusher Danny Novickas (Ohio) — set the tone on defense. Quarterback Blainey Dowling leads the Mount Carmel offense, which averages 40 points a game. Brother Rice (3-2, 0-1), whose losses are to St. Rita and Loyola, is mostly young but has senior Roderick Pierce, a Wisconsin recruit, anchoring the defensive line.

No. 20 Homewood-Flossmoor at No. 10 Bolingbrook, 6 p.m. Friday

This is part of a pivotal two-game stretch for Homewood-Flossmoor (4-1, 1-0), which has won four straight since a season-opening loss to Naperville North. The Vikings are looking to get back into the Southwest Suburban Blue conversation after having a string of 10 straight IHSA playoff berths snapped last season. Good showings here and next week vs. Lincoln-Way East could help the cause for H-F, whose defense is led by Miami (Ohio)-bound linebacker Christian McKinney. Bolingbrook (3-2, 1-1) has three lopsided wins along with competitive losses to unbeatens Simeon and Lincoln-Way East. Freshman quarterback Jonas Williams has been putting up big numbers all season.

No. 14 Maine South at No. 21 Glenbrook South, 7 p.m. Friday

Maine South is 3-2 (1-0 in the CSL South) with a 19-17 loss to Warren and a 42-41 defeat to Prospect. Hawks quarterback Jack DeFillippis is coming off a three-touchdown game against Glenbrook North. Maine South has won 26 straight conference games dating back to 2016. Glenbrook South (5-0, 1-0) has been on the right side of its two close games, edging Sandburg 15-14 and Palatine 43-42.

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