Wheaton North carries a 4-0 record into its biggest DuKane Conference test of the season when it hosts St. Charles East on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m.
The Falcons are unbeaten through four weeks for the first time since 2012 and have already topped their 2025 win total of three. The Daily Herald slotted Wheaton North at No. 10 in its expanded Top 20 this week. The Falcons are the lone unbeaten team left in the DuKane.
Senior tailback Mac Murray has been the engine. He rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries in a 34-17 Week 4 win over St. Charles North and now has 616 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on the season, according to Shaw Local's Friday Night Drive preview. The 6-foot-5 receiver Adam Schilling caught two touchdown passes from quarterback Burke Neibch in that game. Senior middle linebacker Sam Bellini anchors the defense.
St. Charles East (3-1, 1-1) is coming off a 22-21 overtime win over Glenbard North. Senior tailback Johnny Solano carried 18 times for 76 yards and scored the game-winning two-point conversion. Junior tailback Rowan Slovick punched in a three-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal in overtime, and junior quarterback Cruz Herrera threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Christian Hirniak.
"I'm so excited to see what we can do next game and moving forward," Solano told the Daily Herald.
The Saints' defense has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in three weeks. Linebackers Logan Denk, who had 12 tackles last week, and Luciano Litro lead the unit. Last season, St. Charles East's only DuKane win came against Wheaton North, 24-20.
Wheaton North's four opponents this year hold a combined 4-12 record. Saturday's matchup is the Falcons' first against a team with a winning record.
WW South looks to regroup at Glenbard North
Wheaton Warrenville South (2-2, 1-1) travels to Glenbard North (2-2, 0-2) at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Daily Herald ranked the Tigers No. 16 in its Top 20 this week.
The Tigers are coming off a 28-26 loss to Geneva. WW South trailed 28-7 in the fourth quarter, then scored three touchdowns in the final three minutes and recovered two onside kicks. A two-point conversion pass that would have tied the game was intercepted.
Junior quarterback AJ Rogers completed 41 of 55 passes for 481 yards in the loss, with touchdown throws to Blake Ittersagen, Steven Harvey and Mason Bachara. Ittersagen caught nine passes for 118 yards including a 32-yard touchdown. Tight end Jacob Bellows added eight catches for 106 yards. Eleven penalties hurt the Tigers throughout.
Glenbard North counters with senior Angelo Gatses, a two-way threat who has rushed for 544 yards and scored nine touchdowns in four games. He topped 100 rushing yards in three of four outings. Junior quarterback Logan Kramer has thrown for 498 yards and six touchdowns with two interceptions. The Panthers were penalized 15 times in their overtime loss to St. Charles East, and WW South committed 11 penalties against Geneva.
WW South won last year's meeting 35-28.
What's ahead
After Saturday, Wheaton North's schedule stiffens with a trip to Wheaton Warrenville South followed by a home date with Batavia and a road game at Geneva.
