There weren't too many...

...surprises this week as all of the top teams in the Chicago area were victorious.

I was at the Mount Carmel - Loyola game and at one point tweeted, perhaps ungenerously, This may be the worst Mount Carmel team I've ever seen. (I try not to say anything too negative -- these athletes are kids, remember -- but I was just so shocked at the mismatch I was witnessing.) And, if I'm not mistaken, the Caravan wasn't using its veer offense as it always had in the past; they seemed to be passing more, for example. What gives?

This morning I read in Michael O'Brien's "Four Downs" column in the Sun-Times (my emphasis):

Don’t read too much into Mount Carmel’s rough game against Loyola on Saturday in Wilmette. The Caravan is without quarterback Alek Thomas, their best player. Jack Bracewell, starting in his place, fumbled three times in the first half. All three of the turnovers led to Loyola points. The Ramblers won 31-7.

Thomas has a great reason for missing football games. He’s the best baseball player in the state and one of the best high school players in the country. Thomas is in Ontario playing with Team USA in the World Baseball Softball Confederation U18 World Cup. Thomas started in left field and was 1-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI in a 9-0 win against Australia on Saturday.

Thomas is expected to return to football for the Caravan’s Week 5 game at St. Rita.

Mount Carmel’s offense may have had a valid excuse for Saturday, but the defense was at full strength. That’s a strong sign for Loyola’s offense, which had started the season slowly. The Ramblers didn’t just score points, they flashed the impressive up-tempo offense they’ve had in past years.

Quarterback Quinn Boyle was in complete control of the game. He was 17-for-25 passing for 144 yards and had 13 carries for 79 yards. Loyola receiver James Joyce was his favorite target and finished with five catches for 48 yards and one touchdown.

A word about that kid Boyle: I don't recall ever seeing a Loyola quarterback run with the ball so much or so well. Am I wrong, or has Coach John Holecek changed his approach? Or is Boyle just a particularly good runner?
___

Finally, what the heck is going on with Waubonsie Valley? A preseason No. 3 in the Tribune, No. 4 in the Sun-Times and No. 10 in MaxPreps, the Aurora squad is 1-2 so far. In Week One the Warriors were upset by Lake Park, 36-34, came back in Week Two to defeat Glenbard North handily, 21-7, but then got upended decisively on Friday by rival Neuqua Valley, 29-7. And this week they have to face a strong Naperville Central team! Could these guys start off the season 1-3? What's more, with remaining tests against Lincoln-Way Central, Naperville North (both undefeated) and Wheaton North (2-1), Waubonsie could conceivably miss the playoffs. Are there some key injuries out there in Aurora or something? What am I missing?

On to this week's rankings. (All teams undefeated unless otherwise noted.)

WEEK FOUR

Tribune:

1. Lincoln-Way East
2. Maine South (2-1)
3. Prairie Ridge
4. Naperville Central
5. Phillips
6. Homewood-Flossmoor
7. Lyons
8. Glenbard West (2-1)
9. Loyola (2-1)
10. Lake Zurich

Sun-Times:

1. Lincoln-Way East
2. Prairie Ridge
3. Maine South (2-1)
4. Phillips
5. Loyola (2-1)
6. Lyons
7. Homewood-Flossmoor
8. Marist
9. Lake Zurich
10. Naperville Central

MaxPreps:

1. Prairie Ridge
2. Lincoln-Way East
3. Maine South (2-1)
4. Naperville Central
5. Marist
6. Phillips
7. Loyola (2-1)
8. Cary-Grove (2-1)
9. East St. Louis (2-1)
10. Rochester