Oct. 09--The most exciting night of the regular season is upon us, just in time to get overshadowed by the Cubs.
Joliet Catholic and Nazareth both look like potential state champions, as do Homewood-Flossmoor and Lincoln-Way East, and Glenbard West and Oak Park are both top-10 teams.
Naturally, I'm not attending any of those games, and not because of Cubs-Cardinals.
The sense of history that has made this Cubs season all the more special compels me to be in Winnetka for Maine South-New Trier tonight.
In contrast to the spirit of my sometimes-weekly Friday picks blog, I'm not going to boldly proclaim the end of Maine South's 72-game Central Suburban South winning streak, though I did pick New Trier in Friday's print copy of the Tribune.
The Hawks sometimes seem to have magic on their side. The fourth quarter and overtime of their 34-31 victory over Glenbrook South last week was one of those times.
Heck, this streak might outlast New Trier's rise as a program, might outlast printed copies of newspapers, might even outlast football as we know it if the insurance companies ever decide the sport is too dangerous to the brain to underwrite.
Even Maine South would have to begrudgingly admit the Hawks are vulnerable, more so than at any time in recent memory.
As always, they're strong at quarterback with three-year starter Brian Collis, but as a coach on Maine South's schedule told me, the Hawks don't have the same type of offensive gamebreakers and disruptive defensive players to avoid.
There is no doubt Maine South will have a solid plan; coaching has been a big part of the 15-year winning streak.
Dave Inserra and offensive coordinator Charlie Bliss were way ahead of the curve with the spread offense, installing it when it was new and exciting and referred to as the "run-and-shoot," which must have been coined by a basketball person.
Though Maine South gave No. 5 Montini a run for its money in an opening-night loss, everything else on the teams' respective 2015 resumes indicates New Trier has the advantage tonight.
Plus the game is in Winnetka, where the Trevians have been drawing big crowds and will again tonight even with the Cubs playing.
I picked New Trier because I'm verbally contracted to predict scores of the biggest games each week, but a victory by either team would not be a surprise.
In fact, I'd like to amend that pick.
Instead, let's go Cubs in four.
Mike Helfgot is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
