The Hornets are off to a strong start this season, after going undefeated against the Romeoville Spartans and the York Dukes. In the first game of the season, the Hornets shut Romeoville down, winning 39-0. Last week, against York, the Hornets had to fight a little harder, but still came out on top, winning by a score of 49-21.
“We are very excited to be in the position we are right now,” Head Coach Mike Barry said. “At this point we must sustain momentum. Our kids had a great off season and that has translated into victories this season,” Barry said.
The Hornets hope this strong momentum will translate into another victory this week, as the Proviso East Pirates make their way to the Hinsdale South Stadium. Last season, the Hornets had a 1-1 record going into the matchup against the Pirates, but pulled out a win, and defeated the Pirates 28-26.
“We have…positive leadership that I fully expect to keep our team on the right track. It starts with enthusiasm and our coaches and players do a great job of competing every day,” Barry said.
Proviso East will be coming into this matchup after losing their first two games of the season. In the first week, the Pirates lost to the Nazareth Academy Roadrunners by a score of 37-14. Last week, in Proviso’s home opener, the Pirates lost to the Huskies 44-23.
Keys to the Game:
This week, the Hornets will look to their quarterback, Dean “DJ” Deolitsis, to provide their offensive spark. So far this season, Deolitsis has 220 passing yards, and is averaging 110 passing yards per game. In two games of work, Deolitsis has one touchdown pass, and is leading the team with about 12 points per game. His quarterback rating is currently at 65.
The Hornets will also look to their sophomore defensive back, Jawahn Downing, for support. So far this season, Downing is averaging about five tackles per game, but has 8 solo tackles. He has 10 total tackles on the season so far.
The Hornets should be on the lookout for Proviso’s junior quarterback, Lawrence Griffin. Last week, against Oak Park-River Forest, Griffin threw a 31-year touchdown pass to Langdon Johnson. Later in the game, Griffin threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Taeveon Johnson.
Keeping a strong defense, especially late in the game, will help the Hornets come across with a victory. Last week, against Oak Park-River Forest, the Pirates were able to score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Time for Predictions:
Looking at the matchups this week, and the rankings of each team, it would seem, on paper, as if the Hornets have the strong advantage going into the game. The Hornets are ranked as #75 in the state, while the Pirates are ranked as #312. With the strong momentum of the Hornets going into this week, and the losing streak of Proviso East, the Hornets should be able to come off with a victory at home.
Game Time:
The game is scheduled for 7:30 pm on Friday, Sept. 7 at .
