So this should give you an idea of where I start when it comes to breaking down each week of the IHSA regular season.....along with some brief initial thoughts on each game.
Jacobs at Prairie Ridge- I covered this one last season and it ended up being a Jacobs upset win....very strong game featuring two really good programs. I expect more of the same in 2023
Brother Rice at Maine South- Not sure which game the fans will select but this is at the very top of my top games....lots of intrigue here. two very good teams with potential to be strong in 2023. The FREE Board seems to be downplaying Rice this summer....and for now I don't agree.
Marist at Glenbard West (Sat)- Yep it's a Saturday game at Duchon...and I'm already set to cover MC vs ESTL at ISU but this would be another strong Week 1 game to see.
Morgan Park at Richards- Everyone is pointing towards Kenwood as the top CPL team in 2023....yet I still say the Mustangs are still the team to beat...and Simeon will also be just fine in 2023 as well and seem to also be getting overlooked a bit for now. Don't get me wrong Kenwood will be a load...but I like MP here and taking on Richards is a strong Week 1 opening game for both.
Phillips at Batavia- I get the feeling this will be the last year I will be listing this game since Batavia remains a top team while Phillips has a lot to prove this season.
Simeon at WW South- Last year was a great game at Gately and I expect more of the same this time at Red Grange Field in Wheaton.
St Rita at Sandburg- Could this become a closer game than we all think? Maybe?
St Pats at St Ignatius- I'm very interested to see if St Iggy can reload and remain as one of the better CCL teams and this is a good Week 1 test against Pats.
Crete-Monee at Carmel- Carmel has a ton coming back for 2023....but they also haven't exactly had a ton of success leading up to this season. Crete-Monee is a load year in and year out and Carmel's schedule also does not allow them very much wiggle room and is this possibly a must win for thew Corsairs?
DeKalb ar Sycamore at NIU- This yearly rivlary game draws a lot more people each year than you's expect.....and Sycamore will be pretty good again in 2023 .
DGN at St Francis- Very interesting Week 1 game and a huger Week 1 showdown. DGN will roll out super sophomore QB Owen Lansu and the Trojans welocme back several key starters this fall. St. Francis needs toi reload a bit in the lines but the skills are as stacked as ever.
East St. Louis vs Mount Carmel at Illinois State (Sat) See you there.
HF at Naperville North- H-F sure looks like they are heading in the right direction these days and have a ton of talent back this fall. North and Sean Drendel breaks in a new QB in junior QB Jacob Bell and the Huskies have several key play makers back led by Purdue commit WR/S Luke Williams.
LW East vs Kenwood at Gately (Thursday) Unless I get fired from my annual radio show between now and Opening Night....I won't be able to be at this interesting game. We will learn a lot right away about Kenwood and how good this CPL program could be in 2023 again an 8A state power.
Warren Township at Barrington- Always a good game and yes I've covered this a few times over the past handful of years....and it's a good matchup. I won';t be covering this game in 2023 FYI...
Lyons Township at Prospect- Very sneaky good game here.....both have playoff plans and both have good overall talent. Many feel the Lions could be on course for a big York like season in 2023.
Nazareth Academy at Kankakee- I would love to cover this one so hopefully the fans will send me down to K Town....just hoping this one doesn't end up as a 2-0 final again this season.
Lemont at Libertyville- Do not overlook 6A Lemont....and Libertyville is always strong at home.
Lockport at Plainfield North- Two programs who have some questions this summer but both have good overall talent. Lockport was a much younger team in 2022 and welcome back a ton of talent.
Mascoutah at Belleville West- Mascoutah has some talent offensively and Belleville West is seeking a breakout this fall.
Moline at Glenbard North- I can see this one being a 14-12 kinda game and both the Maroons and the Panthers play good defnese, run the football and just look to outmuscle all comers.
Morris at Coal City- Who are you for.....the Hatfields or the McCoys?
Naperville Central at Hinsdale Central- Both will be in search of a better 2023 and I've yet to see Hinsdale Central in person this summer while I did see NC and this one is always a pretty solid and pretty even matchup.
OPRF vs Fenwick at Triton College- Definitely an old school rivalry feel with this opening game.....and both sides will be jacked up for this one....and I would have zero problems if the fans sent me to Triton for this game.
Oswego at Nequau Valley- I liked what I saw this summer from NV....and who knows could these two someday be more than close-by neighborhood friends?
Palatine at St. Charles North- The Pirates have some serious talent back in 2023...yet I get the feeling that the Pirates faithful are selling STCN short a bit right now and if junior QB Ethan Plumb gets on a roll look out. Plumb has the ability to be that guy.
Quincy Notre Dame at Quincy- QND is heading to the Central State 8 this fall....while Quincy is maybe the best team in 6A noth in the Chicagoland area or named East St Louis.
Rochester at Peoria- First game at renovated Peoria Stadium and that alone makes this a game I wanna see....then throw in a gonna be very good Rochester team against another gonna be good Peoria team and this one could be very lively in Week 1. Again no issue if the fans send me to P Town Week 1.
Rock Island at Minooka- Minooka opens it's latest renovated stadium (new lighting system and the EDGYtron scoreboard) and Rocky is a good Week 1 opponent for sure.
SHG at Normal Community- A very interesting CS8 vs Big 12 matchup here and this is another game that has a ton of intrigue including the first game without Hall of Fame retired head coach Ken Leonard from SHG.
Sterling at Metamora- Like a throwback to the 1980's when both dinosaurs and HOF Pat Ryan and HOF Greg King roamed the Earth.....this should be a very good Week 1 matchup.
Willowbrook at Niles Notre Dame- Willowbrook is seeking big things again in 2023] after a disappointing 2022 and the Dons are just a bitch to beat at home.
Washington at Kaneland- Washington head coach Darrell Crouch begins his farewell tour in 2023 and Kaneland has high expectations this season but they also have a late hire in HC Michael Thorgesen.
Loyola at Grand Rapids Centra Catholic (Sat)- another good OOS Week 1 game for the Ramblers as the Beau Desherow Era begins.
New Trier at Hersey- New Trier will get a big Week 1 test from Hersey who is pretty stacked this fall.
Jacobs at Prairie Ridge- I covered this one last season and it ended up being a Jacobs upset win....very strong game featuring two really good programs. I expect more of the same in 2023
Brother Rice at Maine South- Not sure which game the fans will select but this is at the very top of my top games....lots of intrigue here. two very good teams with potential to be strong in 2023. The FREE Board seems to be downplaying Rice this summer....and for now I don't agree.
Marist at Glenbard West (Sat)- Yep it's a Saturday game at Duchon...and I'm already set to cover MC vs ESTL at ISU but this would be another strong Week 1 game to see.
Morgan Park at Richards- Everyone is pointing towards Kenwood as the top CPL team in 2023....yet I still say the Mustangs are still the team to beat...and Simeon will also be just fine in 2023 as well and seem to also be getting overlooked a bit for now. Don't get me wrong Kenwood will be a load...but I like MP here and taking on Richards is a strong Week 1 opening game for both.
Phillips at Batavia- I get the feeling this will be the last year I will be listing this game since Batavia remains a top team while Phillips has a lot to prove this season.
Simeon at WW South- Last year was a great game at Gately and I expect more of the same this time at Red Grange Field in Wheaton.
St Rita at Sandburg- Could this become a closer game than we all think? Maybe?
St Pats at St Ignatius- I'm very interested to see if St Iggy can reload and remain as one of the better CCL teams and this is a good Week 1 test against Pats.
Crete-Monee at Carmel- Carmel has a ton coming back for 2023....but they also haven't exactly had a ton of success leading up to this season. Crete-Monee is a load year in and year out and Carmel's schedule also does not allow them very much wiggle room and is this possibly a must win for thew Corsairs?
DeKalb ar Sycamore at NIU- This yearly rivlary game draws a lot more people each year than you's expect.....and Sycamore will be pretty good again in 2023 .
DGN at St Francis- Very interesting Week 1 game and a huger Week 1 showdown. DGN will roll out super sophomore QB Owen Lansu and the Trojans welocme back several key starters this fall. St. Francis needs toi reload a bit in the lines but the skills are as stacked as ever.
East St. Louis vs Mount Carmel at Illinois State (Sat) See you there.
HF at Naperville North- H-F sure looks like they are heading in the right direction these days and have a ton of talent back this fall. North and Sean Drendel breaks in a new QB in junior QB Jacob Bell and the Huskies have several key play makers back led by Purdue commit WR/S Luke Williams.
LW East vs Kenwood at Gately (Thursday) Unless I get fired from my annual radio show between now and Opening Night....I won't be able to be at this interesting game. We will learn a lot right away about Kenwood and how good this CPL program could be in 2023 again an 8A state power.
Warren Township at Barrington- Always a good game and yes I've covered this a few times over the past handful of years....and it's a good matchup. I won';t be covering this game in 2023 FYI...
Lyons Township at Prospect- Very sneaky good game here.....both have playoff plans and both have good overall talent. Many feel the Lions could be on course for a big York like season in 2023.
Nazareth Academy at Kankakee- I would love to cover this one so hopefully the fans will send me down to K Town....just hoping this one doesn't end up as a 2-0 final again this season.
Lemont at Libertyville- Do not overlook 6A Lemont....and Libertyville is always strong at home.
Lockport at Plainfield North- Two programs who have some questions this summer but both have good overall talent. Lockport was a much younger team in 2022 and welcome back a ton of talent.
Mascoutah at Belleville West- Mascoutah has some talent offensively and Belleville West is seeking a breakout this fall.
Moline at Glenbard North- I can see this one being a 14-12 kinda game and both the Maroons and the Panthers play good defnese, run the football and just look to outmuscle all comers.
Morris at Coal City- Who are you for.....the Hatfields or the McCoys?
Naperville Central at Hinsdale Central- Both will be in search of a better 2023 and I've yet to see Hinsdale Central in person this summer while I did see NC and this one is always a pretty solid and pretty even matchup.
OPRF vs Fenwick at Triton College- Definitely an old school rivalry feel with this opening game.....and both sides will be jacked up for this one....and I would have zero problems if the fans sent me to Triton for this game.
Oswego at Nequau Valley- I liked what I saw this summer from NV....and who knows could these two someday be more than close-by neighborhood friends?
Palatine at St. Charles North- The Pirates have some serious talent back in 2023...yet I get the feeling that the Pirates faithful are selling STCN short a bit right now and if junior QB Ethan Plumb gets on a roll look out. Plumb has the ability to be that guy.
Quincy Notre Dame at Quincy- QND is heading to the Central State 8 this fall....while Quincy is maybe the best team in 6A noth in the Chicagoland area or named East St Louis.
Rochester at Peoria- First game at renovated Peoria Stadium and that alone makes this a game I wanna see....then throw in a gonna be very good Rochester team against another gonna be good Peoria team and this one could be very lively in Week 1. Again no issue if the fans send me to P Town Week 1.
Rock Island at Minooka- Minooka opens it's latest renovated stadium (new lighting system and the EDGYtron scoreboard) and Rocky is a good Week 1 opponent for sure.
SHG at Normal Community- A very interesting CS8 vs Big 12 matchup here and this is another game that has a ton of intrigue including the first game without Hall of Fame retired head coach Ken Leonard from SHG.
Sterling at Metamora- Like a throwback to the 1980's when both dinosaurs and HOF Pat Ryan and HOF Greg King roamed the Earth.....this should be a very good Week 1 matchup.
Willowbrook at Niles Notre Dame- Willowbrook is seeking big things again in 2023] after a disappointing 2022 and the Dons are just a bitch to beat at home.
Washington at Kaneland- Washington head coach Darrell Crouch begins his farewell tour in 2023 and Kaneland has high expectations this season but they also have a late hire in HC Michael Thorgesen.
Loyola at Grand Rapids Centra Catholic (Sat)- another good OOS Week 1 game for the Ramblers as the Beau Desherow Era begins.
New Trier at Hersey- New Trier will get a big Week 1 test from Hersey who is pretty stacked this fall.
