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Athlete of the Week

Charlie Oliver

Crystal Lake South, sr.

Oliver, a forward, scored the Gators’ two go-ahead goals this week to lift them to a 2-0 start in Fox Valley Conference Valley Division play – a half-game lead on second-place McHenry. Oliver has 21 goals this year.

Noteworthy

The races are on: The two FVC division races are shaping up to be as exciting as expected.

South has taken an early lead in the FVC Valley race, beating Prairie Ridge on Tuesday and Huntley on Thursday to jump out to 2-0 in the six-game, seven-team sprint. Cary-Grove still has to join the race – the Trojans have yet to play an FVC Valley game – and McHenry is lurking a half-game back after beating Jacobs on Tuesday. The Warriors, in the midst of a surprising and solid season, are 1-0.

Hampshire’s early-season record was deceiving, and most observers knew the Whip-Purs should contend for the FVC Fox title despite a 2-6 start to the season. Hampshire had several players sidelined early with injuries and played a tough schedule against Class 3A teams the Whips won’t see in the FVC Fox or the postseason. Hampshire is 1-0 with an overtime win against Johnsburg on Thursday to give the Skyhawks their first loss. Woodstock is lurking, too, at 1-1, and has a tough upcoming schedule that includes Grayslake North on Tuesday, Hampshire on Thursday and Johnsburg on Oct. 4.

In Big Northern Conference East Division play, Harvard is a game behind Burlington Central and can move into a tie for first with the Rockets if the Hornets win their BNC East match at Burlington on Wednesday. Harvard lost to the Rockets, 1-0, in the teams’ first match of the season Sept. 12.

Marian Central is chasing its second consecutive Suburban Christian Conference crown. The Hurricanes struggled early in the season and are a game under .500 overall, but they are 4-1-1 in SCC play. A win against Wheaton Academy on Tuesday would push the third-place Hurricanes into second place behind unbeaten Marmion with one SCC game left on the schedule.

This week’s
top matches

CL South at Prospect,
11 a.m. today

The Gators face a tough test against the unbeaten Mid-Suburban League power.

Cary-Grove at Carmel,
noon today

The Trojans wrap up the Carmel Quad with what should be a competitive non-conference match against the host.

Richmond-Burton Tournament, begins at 9 a.m. today

The Rockets’ annual tournament concludes pool play at 9 a.m. with a match between Woodstock and Belvidere on R-B’s football field and a second between North Chicago and Johnsburg at Johnsburg. The tournament championship will be at 10:45 a.m. on R-B’s football field.

McHenry at Cary-Grove,
4:30 p.m. Monday

The host Trojans open FVC Valley play against the surging Warriors.

Crystal Lake South at
Dundee-Crown,
4:30 p.m. Tuesday

The host Chargers are 0-1 in FVC Valley play, but can’t be counted out of the race, either. They are too skilled to be overlooked.

Jacobs at Huntley,
4:30 p.m. Tuesday

The visiting Golden Eagles and the Red Raiders will enter this game both 1-1 in the FVC Valley.

Harvard at Burlington Central, 6 p.m. Wednesday

The Hornets have a chance to move into a first-place tie with the Rockets in BNC East play.

– Maureen Lynch
mlynch@shawmedia.com
Twitter @nwh_molynch