CN100 Game of the Week preview: Football Week 4 - Neuqua Valley vs. Wheaton Warrenville South

IHSA Football Week 4 – Neuqua Valley vs. Wheaton Warrenville South
WHEATON – The DuPage Valley Conference has always been a football powerhouse, but it has a different look this year.
The DVC moved to nine teams this year as the three Indian Prairie School District schools – Metea Valley, Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie Valley – joined the party.
Friday’s Neuqua Valley-Wheaton Warrenville South game, which will be broadcast by CN100, is a new matchup compared to past key DVC games, but it’s huge for both teams. You can see the game at Noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, and 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 21. Also find it in HD throughout Chicagoland with Xfinity On Demand.
Only Naperville Central, which handed Neuqua Valley its only loss (14-7 in Week 2), is 3-0 in the DVC. Every other team carries one or two losses, as the strong conference puts its amount of playoff qualifiers in jeopardy as the teams beat up on each other.
This game figures to be another close, rugged affair. Neuqua is 2-1, sandwiching a 38-14 win over Metea Valley and a 28-7 win over Waubonsie Valley around its loss to Naperville Central. Senior quarterback Jack Stankoven is off to a solid start, going 30-for-49 for 374 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Stankoven relies on two big targets on the outside, and both are juniors. Isaiah Robertson, who is also a basketball star for the Wildcats, leads the team with 14 catches, 212 yards and two touchdowns. The 6-foot-3 junior also has 19 solo tackles and two interceptions at his safety position, returning one pick for a 99-yard touchdown. He also handles punt return duties and splits kick return duties with fellow receiver Owen Piche.
Piche, also a 6-foot-3 junior, has seven catches for 108 yards and also has eight carries for 65 yards. Senior fullback Nick Osikowicz leads the team with 37 carries for 216 yards and six touchdowns. He also makes an impact on defense at middle linebacker with 18 solo tackles, 15 assists and three tackles for loss. Junior outside linebacker Casey Larson contributed 20 tackles, 13 solo, with two sacks and junior cornerback JaQuere Williams has nine pass breakups.
Neuqua had its two best seasons in program history during Coach Bill Ellinghaus’ first two years, going 12-1 in 2012 and 10-2 in 2013. The Wildcats were 6-4 last year.
Wheaton Warrenville South (1-2) really needs a win after dropping consecutive games to Lake Park (17-13) and Glenbard North (28-7). The Tigers opened the season with a 10-7 overtime win over rival Wheaton North. Junior Jack Maher gets the call at quarterback despite four interceptions this season. Senior Mike Stebbins has split time with Maher, passing for 170 yards.
Senior JJ Johnson leads the team on the ground with 168 yards and a touchdown in 35 carries. Senior Owen England is second with 33 carries for 113 yards, also adding nine catches for 53 yards. Senior wide receiver Nick Howell paces the team with 10 catches for 117 yards.
The Tigers’ defense has been stout, led by senior defensive lineman Solomon Jackson with 15 solo tackles, 18 assists, eight tackles for loss and two sacks. Senior defensive back Tim Dalton leads the team with 17 solo tackles. Senior linebacker Will Bach has 21 tackles, 16 solo, with four tackles for loss.
The Tigers went 7-5 last year, the 25th time in the past 27 years they have appeared in the playoffs. The Tigers have won seven state titles in their storied history, three of which came with coach Ron Muhitch at the helm.
- Paul Johnson, CN100 Correspondent

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