The Game of the Week...

...is obviously Lincoln-Way East at Maine South on Friday night in Park Ridge. Both squads are undefeated, with the home team Hawks ranked No. 1 in the Tribune and the Sun-Times, and No. 3 in MaxPreps. The visiting Griffins, meanwhile, are ranked No. 2 in the Trib, No. 3 in the Times and No. 15 in MaxPreps. (Did Mike Clark at the Sun-Times deliberately rank the two programs Nos. 1 and 2 this week to gin up interest in the game? Or did they just leapfrog two other teams that lost last week?)

As far as I can tell, the two schools have only met twice since 2004. I think that's because while Maine South is always in 8A, Lincoln-Way East has straddled the line between 8A and 7A. Last year the Griffins competed in 8A, and they won the 8A championship in 2005 over the Hawks in double overtime. (Home team in CAPS.)

2016: Maine South 34, LINCOLN-WAY EAST 31
2005: Lincoln-Way East 30, Maine South 24 (2OT)

(By the way, while tomorrow night's athletes were watching Sesame Street in 2005, Rob Zvonar and Dave Inserra were still the head coaches in that game.)

My prediction: the Hawks are just too strong for the Frankfort squad, especially at home.

In other news, Loyola, who hosts Bishop Amat of California, is in danger of beginning the year at 0-2. (Have the Ramblers ever gotten off to an 0-2 start?) Also, Glenbard North at Waubonsie Valley, and Brother Rice at Crete-Monee, are two more contests that will result in a perennially winning team beginning the season at 0-2. But take heart, guys, Maine South dropped its first two games in 2010 before roaring back to win the 8A title.