One of the universals of high school football is this: It’s what you do before the season starts that makes you a champion.
And now that the before-the-season part of football is over, it’s time to get started on the months-long journey to find out who will be the champions.
North Chicago at Waukegan, 1:30 p.m. Saturday: We love that second-year coach Johnny Johnson is trying to change the culture of North Chicago football, instilling in his players a sense of pride in team, school and community, along with teaching them how to play the game at the varsity level.
The coach also scores high marks for trying to get the players to understand there are opportunities to link football and education at the next level, but that requires the linking of football and education at this level.
Finally, there’s the current group of seniors who know part of their responsibility this year is to help prepare the team’s large group of sophomores for what could be a very positive two-year run down the road.
At Waukegan, Juan Anillo has the right players in the right places to run his option offense.
The hope is that there are enough players to absorb the inevitable injuries that occur to every team during the season. If there are, a 4-0 start is a real possibility.
Westosha Central at Zion-Benton, 7:30 p.m. Friday: Playing in the North Suburban, it’s never going to be easy for the Zee-Bees to make the playoffs.
In any given year, they must beat either Lake Zurich, Warren, Lake Forest or Stevenson to even have a chance to make the postseason.
But this group has a chance. And not just this year, but for the next two or three seasons.
Grayslake North at Lakes, 7:30 p.m. Friday: Lakes is favored to win the North Suburban Prairie again, and the Eagles’ two toughest games this fall likely will be this opener and a season finale at Libertyville.
Of all the teams in the area, none practices harder and more efficiently than the one coached by Luke Mertens. It will pay off in a big way this year.
As for Grayslake North, this is the Knights’ final year in the Fox Valley Fox, and the Knights certainly could win the league.
Merrick Gentile is a three-year starter at quarterback and figures to put up big numbers both passing and running the ball now that the graduated Titus Booker is at Wisconsin.
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Woodstock at Round Lake, 7:30 p.m. Friday: There is an outstanding junior class in place, and new coach Cristo Garza honed his skills as an assistant at Warren and Lakes.
While the team may be a year away from making the playoffs, this is a program worth following all of this season, and most certainly next year.
Warren at Lyons, 7:30 p.m. Friday: Darrius Crump will led the ground game, Micah Jones is a receiving threat, and the Blue Devils are traditionally strong on defense and in the offensive line.
That makes Bryan McNulty’s second team a real contender in the North Suburban Lake, even though Lake Zurich, Libertyville and Stevenson await.
Antioch at Kenosha Tremper, 7 p.m. Friday: Griffin Hill is one of the area’s most exciting running backs and he’ll get a lot of touches as the Sequoits have long been a run-oriented team.
The Sequoits have the best chance of dethroning Lakes in the North Suburban Prairie.
Kenosha Tremper played its opener last week and lost to Badger in Lake Geneva 30-7.
Carmel at Waukesha West, 7:30 p.m. Friday: The Corsairs play one of the toughest schedules of any team in the state.
Waukesha West was a powerhouse team last year in Wisconsin and opened this season with a 42-13 win over Watertown.
Nevertheless, there may be more top-end players on Carmel’s team than on any in Lake County this fall.
As for how things will look with the sun rises on Sunday, possibly it will be something like this:
Zion-Benton, Carmel, Antioch, Lakes, Warren, Waukegan and Round Lake will be 1-0. Grayslake North and North Chicago will be 1-1 after Week 2’s games are played.
Twitter: @JeffBonato
WEEK 1 FOOTBALL
Friday
Antioch at Kenosha Tremper (Wis.), 7
Carmel at Waukesha West (Wis.), 7:30
Crystal Lake Central at Grant, 7:30
Dunbar at Lake Forest, 7:30
Larkin at Mundelein, 7:30
Elk Grove at Libertyville, 7:30
Grayslake Central at Vernon Hills, 7:15
Grayslake North at Lakes, 7:30
Harlan at Deerfield, 7
Highland Park at Hersey, 7:30
Lake Forest Academy at Alleman, 7
Lake Zurich at Fremd, 7:30
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Richmond-Burton at Wauconda, 7:30
Stevenson at Palatine, 7:30
Warren at Lyons, 7:30
Westosha Central (Wis.) at Zion-Benton, 7:30
Woodstock at Round Lake, 7:30
Saturday
North Chicago at Waukegan, 1:30