Oct. 17--It's Week 8, and conference races are supposed to be at fever pitch.
There are some big conference games this weekend -- Geneva-Batavia, Barrington-Fremd, Oak Forest-Lemont -- but somehow there's not a single game between two Top 20 teams on the docket.
I'm not sure that's happened all season, and I'm not interested enough to invest the time to find out. (Editor's note: Helfgot is correct.)
I'm also not going to pretend there are a lot of really good matchups anyway, because I'm not a salesman and the sometimes weekly Friday picks blog aims to tell it like it is.
Conference races be darned, there are still plenty of important games, because making the playoffs is all anyone really cares about anyway.
Except for my little blog and I; we still think winning conference means something.
So we've taken it upon ourselves to sift through the mediocre slate and highlight games that are meaningful on both fronts -- playoff qualification and conference championship.
My father always said, "When life presents an opportunity to break down Prairie Ridge-Woodstock North, take it."
Glenbrook North (6-1, 3-0 CSL North) at Niles North (4-3, 2-1): Based on the criteria set forth above, this is the game of the week, because Niles North might have to win at least a share of the conference title in order to make the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time. Few CSL North teams ever have as much firepower as Niles North, which has a Division I running back in Barrington Wade (Iowa) and playmakers all over the field. The Vikings scored 62 points against both Maine East and West the past two weeks and hit 63 and 52 in victories against Shepard and Niles West. Defense has been another matter, but Niles North is nevertheless the type of team nobody is going to want to see in the first round. The Vikings may need six wins to get there though, so Glenbrook North can do somebody a favor while clinching at least a share of the conference. The Spartans appear to be the more well-rounded team, though their non-league slate (Wheeling, Evanston, Grant, Waukegan) was much easier than Niles North's (Shepard, Lake Forest, Niles West, Maine South). Niles North has been a pet team of this blog all season. Why stop now? Niles North 47-43
Palatine (5-2, 2-1 MSL West) at Schaumburg (4-3, 1-2): Palatine turned the MSL West into a free-for-all by beating Barrington in a thriller last week. All three of tonight's MSL West games (this one, Barrington-Fremd and Conant-Hoffman Estates) have conference championship implications, and two also include bubble teams, but Schaumburg appears bubblier than Hoffman Estates (3-4, 1-2), which needs to beat both Conant and Barrington to qualify. With emerging juniors at quarterback and running back, Palatine merits close attention this week and next against Conant (6-1, 2-1). The Pirates could be a dangerous playoff team. Schaumburg is in good shape to qualify with five wins, but the Saxons have to beat either Palatine or Fremd (5-2, 1-2) to avoid missing the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2003-04. Last week's 49-14 loss to Conant was not a positive sign, but then again, Palatine took a 49-19 loss from Fremd the week before beating Barrington. Palatine 34-21
Prairie Ridge (6-1, 5-0 FVC Fox) at Woodstock North (4-3, 2-2): The unlikeliest game ever to appear in a sometimes weekly picks blog, so it's got that going for it anyway. If you think Woodstock North sounds redundant you're not alone. If you suspect Prairie Ridge belongs in the other division of the Fox Valley with Cary-Grove, Huntley, et al, you're probably right about that too. That's where Prairie Ridge was during Woodstock North's seven-win seasons in 2011 and 2012 before returning to the Fox last season. The Wolves, Class 6A champions in 2011, scored 70, 42, 65, 63 and 77 in their five conference games but still need another win to avoid a possible tie with Grayslake Central (4-3, 3-1), Woodstock North's Week 9 opponent. Woodstock North might need to win both games to make the playoffs for the third time in its seven-year history, but if the Thunder can find a way against Prairie Ridge, they'll clearly be playoff worthy in this blog's eyes. Prairie Ridge 52-22
Mike Helfgot is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
