Oct. 18--The shellacking Lake Park took from Glenbard North in Week 7 was worse than any loss any of the Lancers had experienced.
Looking back at the 42-3 outcome was downright depressing, but looking ahead to Weeks 8 and 9 -- Neuqua Valley and Naperville Central -- was just as bad.
"We had a really bad practice Tuesday," Lake Park coach Chris Roll said. "I had to stop it and go live. The kids weren't fighting. Then I got excited for Wednesday and I had to stop it again and give them a scolding. Then we had a great end of the week."
Right on through Friday night, when Lake Park's playoff hopes remained alive thanks to its biggest victory in years, a 28-21 upset of then-No. 12 Neuqua Valley.
The Lancers, who entered the DuPage Valley Conference in 2013 as others were begging out, are 4-4 and 4-3 in the DVC, and they have to beat No. 7 Naperville Central next week to join the playoff party for the first time since 2009.
Lake Park didn't have enough playoff points to make the field at 5-4 last fall, but that won't be an issue this time.
"We've gone every other week loss-win, loss-win," Roll said. "We have regrets and we are ignoring them. The South Elgin and Wheaton North games, we mis-executed to lose them (by scores of 10-7 and 23-21). But we have to ignore that and play mistake-free to beat Naperville Central, which we haven't done. That's why we're .500."
Depth was a bigger concern than talent for Lake Park heading into the first season of the beefed-up DVC (Neuqua Valley, Waubonsie Valley and Metea Valley joined this season).
Injuries hurt the Lancers' running game early on, robbing the defensive-minded team of a necessary complement. It looked healthy Friday night as the Lancers rushed for 354 yards. Nathan Faruzzi had 126, quarterback Jaron Fields 98 and two TDs, and Melvin Smiley 94 and a score.
Their new fullback didn't get a carry, but Michigan State-bound defensive tackle Mike Panasiuk's impact as a lead blocker was clear.
"It made all the difference in the world," Roll said. "Having him coming out of the backfield was almost not fair to some their linebackers. I'm sure Naperville Central will scheme for it, but how do you stop a 280-pound kid like that?"
Naperville Central (7-1, 6-1) will have plenty to play for itself. Neuqua's loss to Lake Park left Central alone in first place, and the Redhawks would have the DVC title to themselves with a victory.
ESCC going down Week 9: Friday night's other Top 20 upset -- two weeks after a 33-0 loss to Nazareth, Benet beat then-No. 6 Joliet Catholic 24-21 -- left 60 percent of the East Suburban Catholic in the hunt for a share of the conference title heading into the final week of the regular season.
Joliet Catholic, now ranked No. 10, and No. 19 Notre Dame are currently tied atop the standings at 5-1, with Benet, Nazareth, Marist and Marian Central all at 4-2.
Joliet Catholic will host Marist on Friday night, while Notre Dame will host Carmel (3-5, 3-3). Notre Dame's schedule included neither Joliet Catholic nor last year's conference and Class 6A champ, Nazareth.
The Dons beat Benet and Marian Central and lost to Marist.
Montini going for rare feat: Coming off a blowout victory over Fenwick on Saturday, Montini is a victory away from an undefeated regular season.
Going 9-0 probably doesn't mean a whole lot to a program that rolled through the playoffs and into the state finals each of the past six seasons, but it is rare nevertheless -- and not necessarily a good omen.
Montini did not go 9-0 in any of its four consecutive state-championship seasons in 2009-12 and have done so only three times in Chris Andriano's 37 seasons. The 1995 and 2008 teams lost in the quarterfinals, while the 2013 team was 13-0 before falling to Sacred Heart-Griffin in the Class 5A title game.
As usual, the Broncos faced a difficult non-conference schedule, defeating Maine South and East St. Louis the first two weeks before knocking off St. Rita in a Catholic League crossover.
MSL East's dark horse: Wheeling hasn't had postseason aspirations since Week 5, but the Wildcats remain alive in the Mid-Suburban East after upsetting Hersey 26-13 on Friday.
The Wildcats have won three straight since an 0-5 start and are even with Hersey and Rolling Meadows at 3-1 in league play. They will split the title with next Friday's Rolling Meadows-Hersey winner if they beat Elk Grove (2-6).
The MSL West had another big upset after delivering two in Week 7. Hoffman Estates stunned Conant 30-29 to improve to 4-4 and put the Hawks in position for their first playoff berth since 1994 -- but they'll have to beat No. 18 Barrington (7-1) on Friday night.
Mike Helfgot is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
