CN100 Game of the Week preview: Football Week 9 - Lincoln-Way West vs. Lincoln-Way North

IHSA Football Week 9 – Lincoln-Way West vs. Lincoln-Way North

FRANKFORT – The Lincoln-Way North community began the school year knowing that their school, which opened in 2007, would be closing its doors at the end of the school year.
“We said that we want to make this season as memorable as we can with our actions and how we respond to adverse situations,” said Lincoln-Way North coach George Czart, who started the program. “If titles are the end result, then we will take what we earn.”
The Phoenix has enjoyed a season that the community won’t soon forget. They can clinch the Southwest Suburban Red title outright and finish the regular season 9-0 with a win Friday over district rival Lincoln-Way West. The 7:15 p.m. game will be broadcast by CN100 at Noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24, and 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 26. You can also see it anytime in HD with Xfinity On Demand.
The Phoenix (8-0, 6-0) runs a diverse offense full of interchangeable parts. Junior Joe Peters is the rock, gaining 782 yards and nine touchdowns in 125 carries, also adding a receiving touchdown. Senior Drew Slager has 29 catches for 556 yards and 10 touchdowns. Senior Jamir Hunt has 21 catches for 253 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Jaylin Branch exemplifies North’s diversity by passing for 227 yards and two scores, rushing for 661 yards and eight touchdowns and even catching a touchdown pass. He is a game-time decision with an ankle injury.
Junior Jake Arthur took over the starting quarterback spot after his brother Ryan graduated and has thrown for 509 yards and nine touchdowns with no interceptions, also adding a rushing score.
“We like the ability to have quick hitters with certain player packages,” Czart said. “Branch and Slager have both stepped out of their positions and played the quarterback position to give us an option attack.”
Lincoln-Way West (7-1, 5-1) has had a successful season in its own right. The Warriors have done it a different way than North, however. Senior running back Gabe Montalvo has dominated behind a pair of Division I recruits on his offensive line (Nebraska commit Bryan Brokop and N.C. State recruit Justin Witt). Montalvo has rushed for 1,377 yards and 22 touchdowns in 177 carries.
“West will be a great test for us because we have not seen a team that can run the ball like they do,” Czart said. “They will have a size advantage with their offensive line, so we must be able to bring another defender into the box and that may weaken our pass defense or help them be able to break a long run. Montalvo is very tough to bring down, so we must tackle well and get as many people to the ball as quickly as possible.”
When the Warriors do pass, junior Connor Lowman is 71-for-136 for 831 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions. He’s also rushed for a pair of scores. His top target is senior Jake Mauney, who has 21 catches for 310 yards and three touchdowns, adding a kick return score. Senior tight end Ben Zordani adds 21 catches for 221 yards and three scores.
Defensively, the Warriors are stout at all three levels. Up front, senior Deven Reed has 42 tackles, six sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss, while Dan Wainwright is credited with 29 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss.
Junior linebacker Trey Telez, who has drawn interest from Toledo, racked up 51 tackles, nine sacks and 18 tackles for loss heading into the regular season finale. Sophomore Jake Price (45 tackles) and junior Danny Allen (40 tackles and a pick-six) also contribute on defense, while senior Cameron Gavin and sophomore Matt Murphy lead the secondary with three interceptions each.
“They are the best team that we have played all year,” West coach Dave Ernst said of North.
- Paul Johnson, CN100 Correspondent

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