It’s the final games of the IHSA high school football regular season with the arrival of Week Nine of Football Friday. Although only one local team is heading to the playoffs next week, all six of our local schools are looking to end on a high note. Football Friday is sponsored by BMO.
Naperville North vs. Naperville Central
The marquee matchup of the night is the annual Wes Spencer Crosstown Classic between Naperville North and Naperville Central at North Central College. The Huskies earned playoff eligibility a week ago with a win over Lincoln-Way East, but want to take down their rivals and officially clinch a spot in the postseason. Naperville Central is plenty motivated to keep the Crosstown Classic trophy on the red and white sidelines.
Both teams are using backup quarterbacks in this matchup, but the Redhawks get on the board first in the opening quarter using the running game with sophomore Ryan Jacobson scoring from a yard out to put Central in front 6-0.
Naperville North responds as quarterback Dante Colasante throws a quick pass to an open Carlson Geist, who shakes a defender and scores to put the Huskies on top 7-6 at halftime.
After a field goal, Naperville Central goes to the ground again with another touchdown plunge from Jacobson as the Redhawks take a 15-7 lead entering the fourth quarter.
The Huskies get their run game going in the final minutes. William Eloe powers through several tackles and rumbles into the end zone to put North down 15-13 with under five minutes to play. The two-point conversion attempt fails as the Central lead remains at two.
After forcing a three-and-out, the Huskies get the ball back and drive deep into Redhawk territory. With just over ten seconds left in the game, Eloe breaks through the line and scores the game-winning touchdown from a yard away. Naperville North earns another heart-pounding comeback victory, 21-15, to win the 2025 Crosstown Classic, heading to the playoffs with a record of 6-3.
DeKalb vs. Waubonsie Valley
Waubonsie Valley ends its season at home against a familiar foe, in DVC rival DeKalb. Neither team will be heading to the playoffs, but a win would be a nice way for either team to cap off the year.
Trailing 7-0, Ishmaiah Elliott gets going at the beginning of a big night for the running back. He takes the handoff around the left side and stiff arms a defender en route to the end zone.
Actually, to call it a big night would be an understatement. It’s a historic night for Elliott. The final game of his career is one to remember. When all is said and done, the senior racks up 356 yards and six touchdowns in the game. At one point, he scores a 45-yard touchdown run or longer on three consecutive touches. An incredible performance helps Waubonsie end the season with a big 49-28 victory in front of the home crowd over DeKalb.
Lockport vs. Neuqua Valley
Neuqua Valley wraps up the 2025 season at home against Lockport. The Wildcats had a few near misses this year, leaving the team with a 3-5 record heading into the final game in hopes of closing out with a victory over the playoff-bound Porters.
The Porters get off to a hot start and keep it rolling throughout the first half. Brendan Mecher throws a swing pass to Adam Kozak, who breaks a tackle and wins the long race to the end zone. Lockport eventually takes a 34-3 lead in the game.
The Wildcats get a pair of scores late as Andy Barkley caps off a great season with a touchdown as the senior tops the 1,000-yard mark on the season. Lockport comes away with the victory by the score of 41-17, while the Wildcats end the year at 3-6.
Benet Academy vs. DePaul College Prep
Benet Academy has seen injuries take their toll on the Redwings in recent weeks. DePaul College Prep welcomes Benet with the Wings, hoping to earn win number four on the year.
The Redwings get a big defensive stop early on thanks to a great interception from two-way player Luke Doyle.
DePaul is not held down for long. Connor Barefield racks up a pair of scores to build a lead for the home team, who eventually takes a sizeable advantage.
In the fourth quarter, Benet gets on the scoreboard for the final time this season on a Ben Albert quarterback scramble for the touchdown. But DePaul College Prep secures the 35-6 victory as the Redwings drop their fourth straight game, falling to 3-6 on the season.
Metea Valley vs. Homewood-Flossmoor
Despite a lot of improvement from Metea Valley this fall, the Mustangs have not won a game since Week Two. Metea hits the road to finish out the year against a Homewood-Flossmoor team eager to earn a spot in the playoffs.
The Vikings get the offense going in the opening half. Joaquain Jordan scores a touchdown on the first drive of the game, crossing the goal line for six.
Just before halftime, quarterback Rashaan Coleman hits Myles Ellis on the slant for another score for the home team. Homewood-Flossmoor takes a 35-0 lead.
The Mustangs get on the board in the third quarter on a touchdown run from Zoelen Terry, who finishes off a great season for the black and gold. But the Vikings are too much to overcome as they punch their playoff tickets after a 50-8 victory over Metea Valley.
Standings and Schedules
As mentioned earlier, Naperville North is our lone team that will move on to the 2025 8A IHSA playoffs with a final record of 6-3. The Huskies also end up as the only team with more than three wins on the year. The playoff brackets will be announced on Saturday night, which is when Naperville North will find out its seeding, first-round opponent, kickoff time, and location. While we say farewell to the five other local teams, Football Friday will continue for at least one more week to take a closer look at the opening round of playoff action with the Huskies in search of their first postseason victory since 2010.
If North plays on Friday night, you can find the highlights on Saturday morning. If the opening round contest falls on Saturday, then check back in on Sunday morning. Either way, we’ll see you back in the playoffs next week. For Football Friday, I’m Justin Cornwell. Thanks for watching!
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
