Before I get to my...

...Game of the Week, here's a little shout-out to the last ten undefeated teams that I know of in the (kinda, sorta) Chicagoland area: Phillips, Marist, Prairie Ridge, Johnsburg, Barrington, Lake Zurich, Sterling, Antioch, Lincoln-Way East and Batavia. They're all 7-0 going into the penultimate week of the regular season. Nice going!

Now, as for my Game of the Week, I have to admit I'm not terribly excited by any of the prospects. But here's my short list:

Phillips (7-0) at Solorio (6-1)
Maine South (6-1) at New Trier (5-2)
Loyola (6-1) at Providence (5-2)
Cary-Grove (5-2) at South Elgin (6-1)
Jacobs (5-2) at Prairie Ridge (7-0)
Hersey (6-1) at Rolling Meadows (6-1)
Shepard (6-1) at Eisenhower (6-1)
Homewood-Flossmoor (6-1) at Andrew (6-1)
Hinsdale Central (5-2) at Lyons (6-1)

Forgive me for yawning.

But if I had to pick one (and I'm busy Friday night anyway) it would probably be that Loyola - Providence matchup, partly because I'm more familiar with the Catholic League and partly because I smell an upset. Why? Well, Providence's two losses were in the first two weeks of the season against two very good teams, East St. Louis (6-1) and Kirkwood (Vianney), MO (8-0). Since then, the Celtics have been on a roll. Here's their full schedule (home team in CAPS):

EAST ST. LOUIS (6-1) 40, Providence 28
Kirkwood (Vianney), MO (8-0) 35, PROVIDENCE 14
PROVIDENCE 28, St. Rita (5-2) 21
PROVIDENCE 35, St. Ignatius (6-1) 6
Providence 22, BROTHER RICE (2-5) 16
Providence 56, HOPE ACADEMY (5-2) 14
PROVIDENCE 37, Fenwick (4-3) 0

Loyola, meanwhile, lost its opener against undefeated Phillips before winning six in a row:

PHILLIPS (7-0) 20, Loyola 14
LOYOLA 13, La Puente (Bishop Amat), CA (2-4) 6
LOYOLA 31, Mt. Carmel (4-3) 7
Loyola 42, ST. FRANCIS (1-6) 7
LOYOLA 41, Fenwick (4-3) 14
Loyola 34, ST. RITA (5-2) 14
LOYOLA 49, Leo (1-6) 7

Now ask yourself, who has Loyola really beaten this year besides St. Rita? Mount Carmel? The Caravan lost to De La Salle (5-2) last week for the first time since 1995. Fenwick? True, the Friars defeated a couple of 5-2 teams, Moline and Marmion, but I suspect that even Coach Gene Nudo would admit -- under truth serum -- that this is not the same squad that went 11-2 in 2016.

So, yeah, I'm calling for an upset here. (Why not? It's been a boring season and we need something to talk about.) I don't think the Ramblers are quite the juggernaut that rambled over almost everyone the last two years. After driving the fifty-something miles down to New Lenox on Friday afternoon -- and the team won't even get to stop at Hackney's on the way in Palos Park -- the Wilmette Eleven may find a most ungracious host in the Celtics. We'll see.

For you history buffs, here's the results of the last 13 meetings between the two schools. As you can see, the last time Providence beat Loyola this year's seniors were in about fourth grade:

2016: LOYOLA 42, Providence 7
2015: Loyola 31, PROVIDENCE 7
2014: LOYOLA 10, Providence 7
2013: LOYOLA 28, Providence 16
2012: LOYOLA 41, Providence 21
2011: Loyola 32, PROVIDENCE 6
2010: Loyola 21, PROVIDENCE 7
2009: PROVIDENCE 10, Loyola 3
2008: LOYOLA 13, Providence 0
2007: PROVIDENCE 20, Loyola 17
2006: LOYOLA 14, Providence 7
2005: PROVIDENCE 31, Loyola 29
2004: PROVIDENCE 29, Loyola 0

Oh, and I almost forgot: Loyola is ranked No. 5 in both the Tribune and the Sun-Times, and No. 13 in MaxPreps. Providence is unranked in the Sun-Times*, No. 19 in the Trib and No. 20 in MaxPreps.

* Was that an oversight, or does Beth Long know something the rest of us don't? We'll find out this weekend.