Your Illinois high school football...

...fun fact of the day is courtesy of Pat Disabato, over at the Sun-Times:

[Homewood-Flossmoor's] sophomore class is special. Real special. 

As freshmen in 2012, not only did the Vikings register an undefeated season, they led each opponent, on average, 49-0. At the half. 

That’s right. A running clock to begin the second half of each game.

Wow! These guys may be a team to watch this year, especially if Bolingbrook and Lincoln-Way East are in rebuilding mode. And H-F plays them both at home in 2013. 

(Former Raiders' quarterback Aaron Bailey and Griffins' QB Tom Fuessel will be taking snaps in Champaign and Evanston, respectively, this year. Will they start against each other some day?)

Here's Homewood-Flossmoor's schedule for 2013 (with last year's records in parentheses):

Aug. 30 Simeon (11-2)

Sept. 6 @ Stevenson (8-3)

Sept. 13 Joliet West (3-6)

Sept. 21 @ Joliet Central (0-9)

Sept. 27 Lincoln-Way East (13-1)

Oct. 4 @ Sandburg (7-3)

Oct. 11 Bolingbrook (8-3)

Oct. 18 @ Lockport (1-8)

Oct. 25 @ Stagg (2-7)

Whoa! On the face of it, that looks like a brutal schedule. 

Those first two games will be good tests for the Vikings. But Simeon got shut out last year by Loyola and could only manage six points against Mount Carmel. The Wolverines then fell to a 6-6 Brother Rice team in the Prep Bowl, 14-12. Let's say H-F is 1-1 after Week Two.

Weeks Three and Four should bring the Vikings up to at least 3-1, possibly 4-0. Then comes a (rebuilding?) Lincoln-Way East team. (Are the Griffins ever rebuilding?) After traveling to Sandburg and then hosting (another rebuilding?) Bolingbrook, H-F could be 5-2 at this point. Could be.

If so, the last two road games against Lockport and Stagg might leave the Vikings at 7-2 going into the playoffs. (And my buddy, Kevin, would sure be excited!) Will it happen? I don't know, but I'd never underestimate head coach Craig Buzea (top).

P. S. The award for Best Twins' Names of the Day goes to H-F sophomores Devonte Harley-Hampton and Deonte Harley-Hampton. I wonder if they're identical: "Are you the one with the 'V' or not?"