Glenbard East, West chase conference football titles

Glenbard East and Glenbard West play for conference championships Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 10, headlining a Week 8 slate that sends all three Glenbard District 87 football programs into action with 5-2 records.

Glenbard East visits Riverside-Brookfield at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, with the Upstate Eight East title at stake. Glenbard West hosts York at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, in a West Suburban Silver game that could decide the conference race. Glenbard South travels to West Aurora at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, in an Upstate Eight crossover matchup.

Glenbard East (5-2, 5-0) at Riverside-Brookfield (6-1, 4-0)

The Rams have not lost an Upstate Eight East division game since the conference split into two divisions in 2024. They are 17-0 in division play. A win Friday would give Glenbard East its third straight East title.

The Rams have won five straight after an 0-2 start, topping 40 points in four of those wins. In a 41-0 rout of West Chicago on Oct. 2, sophomore quarterback Carter Pohlman connected with Malachi Miller on a 54-yard touchdown pass. Miller also broke a 60-yard scoring run. Max Stachura and Montii Perry added rushing touchdowns, and the defense returned a fumble for a score, according to the Daily Herald.

Perry, a senior who plays running back and linebacker, has been central to the turnaround. "Montii is a kid you have to have on the field," coach John Walters told Shaw Local after a Sept. 18 win over Glenbard South. "He's a guy who is going to help open up the pass game, and he's a tough kid who hits the holes hard."

Riverside-Brookfield brings a six-game winning streak but needed a rally from a 20-14 deficit to edge winless Bartlett 28-26 on Oct. 2. Bulldogs quarterback Braeden Novak has thrown for 1,269 yards and 12 touchdowns while also leading the team in rushing with 411 yards.

In their 2025 meeting, Glenbard East won 45-43 on a 48-yard field goal by Moises Velazquez as time expired.

Glenbard West (5-2, 3-1) at home vs. York (4-3, 2-2)

The Hilltoppers' repeat Silver title bid got new life on Oct. 2 when York upset Downers Grove North 18-17 in overtime. Glenbard West, Lyons and Downers Grove North now share one conference loss apiece, according to Shaw Local's Week 8 preview.

Glenbard West has averaged 45 points per game during a three-game winning streak. Senior quarterback AJ Rayford threw three touchdown passes and ran for another in a 42-24 win over Hinsdale Central on Oct. 2. Two scoring throws went to Keyante Johnson. The third found Northwestern commit Brady Johnson. Running back Ace Harris rushed for over 100 yards and two touchdowns.

York handed Glenbard West its only Silver loss in 2025, winning 21-20. The Dukes' Chris Georgas rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns in the overtime upset of Downers Grove North, and Purdue recruit Owen Roberts anchors the York defense.

Glenbard South (5-2) at West Aurora (4-3)

The Raiders have averaged 50 points per game in their five wins. Quarterback Tommy Bauman threw five touchdown passes in a 41-0 shutout of Elmwood Park on Oct. 2, with two going to Anthony Baldauf and two to Jordyn Warren. Elijah Donahue added a 26-yard scoring run and is a standout on both sides of the ball.

West Aurora counters with senior Bryce Riley, who has rushed for 853 yards and 14 touchdowns at 8.7 yards per carry. Junior Michael Williams adds 537 yards at 10.3 yards per carry with nine scores. The Blackhawks lost 29-27 to South Elgin on Oct. 2, when a 32-yard field goal with four seconds left snapped their four-game winning streak.

Glenbard South's only loss in its past six games came against Glenbard East on Sept. 18.