CN100 Game of the Week preview: Football Week 3 - Niles West vs. Niles North

SKOKIE – In District 219, the annual Central Suburban crossover between Niles North and Niles West is affectionately known in town as the “Skokie Skirmish.”
Rivalry aside, however, Saturday’s renewal of the rivalry is a big swing game for a pair of teams who have started 1-1. The 1 p.m. kickoff will be aired by CN100, The Comcast Network. You can see the game at Noon and 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 13, and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15. You can also find it throughout Chicagoland in HD with Xfinity on Demand.
The big name in this year’s version of the Skokie Skirmish is Nile North senior running back/linebacker Barrington Wade Jr. He made headlines this summer by committing to Iowa, and through two games, he hasn’t disappointed by rushing for 293 yards and two touchdowns in 35 carries. He also leads the team with 18 tackles on defense, 11 of them of the solo variety.
Senior quarterback Markhus Taylor keeps teams honest, going 18-for-32 for 221 yards, one touchdown and an interception thus far. His top target has been junior receiver Jordan La’Belle, who has six catches for 93 yards.
In a 63-32 Week 1 win over Shepard, senior running back Craig Dawkins provided the big plays, rushing for 108 yards and two touchdowns in only five carries and also adding a kickoff return for a touchdown. He did not play in last week’s 44-22 loss to Lake Forest. Last season, Dawkins put up 368 all-purpose yards in a 48-37 win over Niles West.
Defensively, aside from Wade, the Vikings are paced by a freshman. Safety Myles Davis has 13 tackles, 11 of them solo. Senior defensive back Romario Gayle has added 11 tackles, nine solo.
The Vikings went 5-5 last year, reaching the playoffs for only the third time in school history. Coach Mark Egofske is in his fourth year at the helm. Earlier in his coaching career, Egofske coached Niles West for six years, helping the Wolves to four straight playoff appearances.
Scott Baum is at the controls now for Niles West, and he guided the Wolves to a 6-4 record and a playoff berth a year ago. That was the first playoff appearance since Egofske was the coach.
This year’s team is a diverse group that lost a close one to Buffalo Grove to open the season, 45-41, before rebounding with a 50-13 win over Lane Tech last week.
Junior quarterback Johnny Pabst leads the way. He’s 29-for-46 for 414 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s also added 224 yards in 16 carries on the ground. The main running back is senior Yaniv Shields-Isaac, who has 183 yards in 16 carries. Junior receiver Matt Galanopoulos is a multi-faceted challenge for defenses. He’s caught 12 passes for 266 yards, rushed for 103 yards on 10 carries and has even 2-for-2 passing for 16 yards.
- Paul Johnson, CN100 Correspondent

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