Every school year at Lake Forest High School there is one week stacked with school spirit leading up to the biggest football game of the year. The event formally known as homecoming week is upon us. The end of the school day will feature the prep rally, the dance and cheer team will dazzle the student body by performing a series of stunts, the band will play a roaring rendition of the fight song, and some members of the football team join in what becomes a hilarious spectacle for the audience, the senior dance. Once the clock hits 3:20 marking the end of the pep rally, all of the students are dismissed. From there, things go from lighthearted to serious for the Lake Forest Scouts varsity football team. Yeah, one can argue that the games against teams like Stevenson and Libertyville are a huge deal, but they don’t compare to the homecoming game. Lake Forest will welcome the (2-1) Warren Blue Devils to varsity field tonight. All of the hype and anticipation from this week comes down to this.
The Warren Township Blue Devils come into tonight’s game confident after defeating the Libertyville Wildcats 26-10 last week on the road. Warren has talent all over the field, on both sides of the ball, but they have one athlete that really stands out of the crowd. Micah Jones, #10, who will continue his career next year with a navy jersey and golden helmet at the University of Notre Dame. That’s right, the 4 star wideout will be playing for the Fighting Irish come this time next year. Jones is supremely fast and will be the biggest test the Scouts secondary will face this season. He will be getting plenty of touches (or at the very least targets) tonight, so make sure to keep your eye on him.
Every good WR needs a solid quarterback. That is where Ian Schilling comes into play. The 6’0’’ 150 lb. senior has a great arm and is smart with the football. He has an array of reliable targets he can pass to, and his running game isn’t half bad. He is a two-sport athlete for the Blue Devils who also stars on the school’s basketball team in the winter season. Though he is a bit slight of frame, his arm is strong, rendering him a reliable signal caller for the Devils.
The final player to keep an eye on for Warren is Tavion McCarthy. The junior running back is known to be ‘shifty’ and quick. Lake Forest has already faced some tough running backs this year and McCarthy probably won’t be their most difficult test, but if he gets going and the Scouts defense has trouble controlling him, he could be lethal.
The main concern with the Blue Devils is their inexperience. According to CSN Chicago, the team has five returning starters on offense and six on defense. They are loaded with underclassmen talent, but will they be able to handle the Scouts’ grit on the road at West Campus? They have already been successful against teams such as New Trier and Libertyville, so that lack of experience may not come into play tonight. Overall, Warren has a very solid football program and will be no cake-walk for the Lake Forest Scouts in their homecoming game.
Last week was not pretty–we all know that. Lake Forest was left embarrassed at home after suffering a crushing 23-0 defeat to the Stevenson Patriots. Their offense was shut down, and the Scouts defense couldn’t really help. However, at the end of the day a loss is a loss. A few big plays were the difference in the game. Over the course of this week the Scouts made the changes necessary at practice to prevent falling on their home turf again. Warren has a big offensive line, which normally buys their QB a lot of time, but the Scouts’ defensive line counters that, especially after the emergence of Rylie Mills and Charlie Aberle. Ian Shilling will have less time in the pocket this week and with Chris Cavalaris and Alex Moss lurking in the backfield, he will be forced to make some critical split second decisions.
The biggest key for the Scouts’ offense is to give Mislinski extended time in the pocket. The offensive line needs to have a good game because Warren has talent in the backfield and always presents size up front. Getting on the scoreboard early certainly wouldn’t hurt either to get the home crowd involved.
I believe this will be a bounce back game for the Lake Forest Scouts. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Blue Devils jump out in front early, but the Scouts will stay cool and collective and eventually climb to the top in the dire moments of the game.
Homecoming games are always a blast at Lake Forest High School. Be sure to arrive at Varsity Field early for free food intended for all students and faculty. Per usual, the varsity football game will likely start a little past 7:30 depending on how long the JV game goes. Students, keep in mind that the game does not end at halftime. There is no ACT tomorrow morning. The Scouts need our support, so stay for the duration of the game. This is homecoming, a game like no other.
Players to watch:
Chris Cavalaris (S): The senior now has four picks in three games. Watch for him to collect another one against Warren, especially when he slides in to help on Jones over the top.
Will Freeman (S): This is a bounce back game for the junior safety. The Scouts will need his quickness in the secondary come the second half Friday night.
Charlie Aberle/Rylie Mills (DT): The two sophomores each had sacks against Stevenson a week ago. Although they’re both young, these two need to play like seniors in order to put pressure on Schilling up front.
Jack Mislinski (QB): After a rough start last week, look for Mislinski to bounce back by making a handful of short completions early and picking up some rushing yards of his own.
Ryan Cekay (WR): Stevenson through the kitchen sink at Cekay last week to limit his touches. Look for Warren to do the same. Look for Offensive Coordinator Phil DeWald to try getting Cekay touches on short routes. In time, look for a few deep balls headed to 85 to test the speed of the Warren secondary
About the Blue Devils:
Record: (2-1)
Conference: North Suburban
Location: Gurnee, Illinois
Coach: Brian McNulty
Enrollment: 4,500 (dual campus enrollment)
Furthest IHSA Playoff Advancement: 8A Quarterfinalist (’16, ’15, ’14, ’13, ’11, ’10, ’09, ’08, ’06, ’05, ’04, ’03, ’02, ’01, ’00)
