When Stevenson travels to Carol Stream...

...this Saturday to play Glenbard North, they shouldn't look out the windows of the bus too hard for a body of water. The town was named after the daughter of the developer, Jay Stream:

On Monday August 26, 1957, Carol and three friends were returning from Racine, Wisconsin in a 1949 Studebaker. While attempting to cross U. S. Route 45 in central Kenosha County, the car was struck in the right rear corner, killing 15-year-old Richard Christie of Chicago, the passenger seated there. Carol was ejected through the windshield and into a utility pole. Neurosurgeons at Kenosha Memorial Hospital said the comatose girl might never awaken or, if she did, would likely be severely handicapped. On advice of the doctors that her recovery might improve with good news, Jay decided to name the new community in her honor. After four months in a coma, Carol regained consciousness. Learning the new village bore her full name, Carol said she thought it "odd and silly" at first (as she told Chicago Tribune reporter Eric Zorn in 1991.)

After losing the season opener at Lyons (8-4), Stevenson has gone 9-1, with victories over Maine South (10-1) last week, York (6-4), Lake Zurich (8-2-1), Libertyville (5-5)  and Glenbrook South (8-3). The win over Maine South snapped the Hawks' 16-game playoff winning streak.

The Patriots' only other loss was to Lake Forest (8-3), but it should be noted that they squeaked past Wauconda (2-7) at home, 13-12, and won only narrowly over Warren (3-7), 24-21, in double overtime.

I've been to two of Stevenson's games, against GBS and Lake Zurich, both good contests. The Patriots' are coached by Bill McNamara and are led on the field by quarterback Matt Micucci (above), who is also one of the best placekickers I've seen in a good year for kickers. He hands the ball off to Kevin Foley, mostly, but also to Anthony Bozin, Nathan Kahn and senior Mike Ling (who is in his first year of organized football). Micucci can pass to Jonathan Way, Troy Radtke and Matt Morrissey.

Here's the complete schedule, with the most recent game first and home team in CAPS:

STEVENSON 24, Maine South 22
STEVENSON 31, York 28
Stevenson 41, MUNDELEIN 14
STEVENSON 13, Wauconda 12
STEVENSON 24, Lake Zurich 17
LAKE FOREST 10, Stevenson 7
STEVENSON 13, Libertyville 0
Stevenson 24, WARREN 21
STEVENSON 31, Zion-Benton 7
STEVENSON 17, Glenbrook South 7
LYONS 24, Stevenson 19

Glenbard North is 8-3 and plays in the DuPage Valley Conference. Before the Panthers beat Barrington (7-3) and Palatine (9-2) in the playoffs, they had defeated only one winning team, Fenger (6-5), in the regular season. North lost to conference rivals Naperville Central, Wheaton Warrenville South and Wheaton North in Weeks 6, 7 and 8.

Here's their schedule:

GLENBARD 35, Palatine 21
Glenbard 27, BARRINGTON 21
GLENBARD 34, Naperville North 10
WHEATON NORTH 27, Glenbard 17
Wheaton Warrenville South 13, GLENBARD 7
NAPERVILLE CENTRAL 10, Glenbard 6
GLENBARD 31, Aurora West 21
Glenbard 49, GLENBARD EAST 0
GLENBARD 42, West Chicago 0
Glenbard 48, FENGER 0
GLENBARD 40, Oak Park and River Forest 20

The Panthers are coached by Ryan Wilkens and they run the ball -- a lot. Look for senior Phil Jackson (above) and his brother, sophomore Justin, to rush most of the game. Quarterback Brian Murphy, meanwhile, can pass to receiver Logan Henshall to keep the Patriots' defense honest. Trevor Hackett is the Panthers' kicker, and the defense is led by Nicholas Maxwell.

Even though North is coming off two big victories (and they're playing at home), I think Stevenson is destined to play Loyola next week.

BOWG prediction: Stevenson 28, Glenbard North 24.