Waiting game almost over

Coach Sly isn't jealous about the state of Indiana too often, but he was last week. That's because those hoosiers already had Week 1 of prep football a week ago.

Sly's getting awfully impatient, but we're (finally!) getting close to kickoff.

What an opening week around here. East/Geneva. North/Batavia. Kaneland/BC. Emotions will be high! No easing into the season around the Tri-Cities, baby.

Coach Sly's going to set the over/under on attendance for the Saints/Vikings game at 4,000. Which side of the action are you taking?

As for the pigskin itself, Sly just doesn't know enough yet about Geneva's line play to know whether the Saints have a shot to win this sucker. If Geneva clamps down against East's unproven backs, Sly doesn't think the Saints will have enough going in the air to get by. The Vikings should find a way to score between 20 and 30 points, even against a strong East defense, and Sly's guessing that'll be enough.

Even if East goes down, St. Charles won't be shut out on opening night. North is going to give Batavia some trouble. Sly wishes young Mr. Gaspari the best at QB but a brand new offensive line and a North defense that looks real nice on paper could be a rocky way to get his feet wet. As for that Batavia defense, they'll have to earn their respect, and Huxtable's a nasty Week 1 assignment!

Sly loves those Kaneland Knights and sees them putting a hurtin' on BC. With home games to follow against Huntley and then the best the WSC has to offer, this might be the night for Kaneland to put on a real show for the home folks, and Sly thinks that's just what Kaneland will do.

Well, Sly's headed back to his research bunker to learn more about our area teams in preparation for kickoff.

What do you say, fellas (and ladies)? Which teams around here are starting out with a W, and why?