CN100 Game of the Week Preview: Football - Stagg vs. Thornwood

Week 4: Stagg Chargers vs. Thornwood Thunderbolts

SOUTH HOLLAND - Saturday’s Southwest Suburban Red matchup between Thornwood and Stagg features a pair of teams experiencing similar starts in 2012.

Each comes into the game with a 1-2 overall record that includes a winless start in the conference. The Chargers and Thunderbolts have both suffered close loss and a blowout defeat. Someone will walk away with a second win after Saturday’s game, which will be featured on the CN100 Game of the Week. The game will be aired on Sunday, Sept. 16, at Noon, and Tuesday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. You can also find it throughout Chicagoland with Xfinity On Demand.

Stagg, playing under first-year head coach Mark Kleinpeter, hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2005 and has gone a combined 1-17 the past two seasons. The Chargers matched that win total after taking their season opener from Hillcrest 43-14. Stagg followed up the win with a 54-7 loss to Sandburg and a tight 27-20 defeat to Andrew in the conference opener.

A pair of quarterbacks, Steve Kubiak and Adam Pilota, has fueled Stagg thus far. Kubiak has rushed for 144 yards and two touchdowns and thrown for 131 yards and a score. Pilota has rushed for 106 yards and two scores and thrown for 122 yards and two more touchdowns.

Sophomore fullback Dennis Eagen (110 yards rushing) keys the backfield. Vito Cali (four catches, 130 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Jack Duffner (65-yard touchdown catch) highlight the receiving corps.

For Thornwood, the Thunderbolts return only four starters from a team that came tantalizingly close in 2012 to its first playoff berth since 2001. They had a 5-4 record, but didn’t accrue enough playoff points to get into the field. The search for the program’s first playoff win since 1994 continues this season in South Holland. Returning quarterback P.J. Bolton, a threat with both his arms and legs, is a good place to start. Rushing and receiving threat Dantrell Baker and receiver Robert Blissit also return offensively.

Defensively, Thornwood returns cornerback Larry Moore, who had four interceptions a year ago.

Thornwood dropped its season opener 20-14 to Bloom before bouncing back with a 42-28 win over Rich South in Week 2. The Thunderbolts dropped their conference opener to Southwest Suburban Red favorite Lincoln-Way North last week by a 57-13 score.

Be sure to tune in to see Edgy Tim’s “Keys to the Game.” Get more Edgy at edgytim.com

- Paul Johnson, CN100 Correspondent

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