Every play counted for the Bulldogs two weeks ago when they feel short to the Glenbard South Raiders. They lost all hopes of playing in the playoffs after that loss because they had to win four out of their last games. They had lost to Ridgewood the week before so there is no hope for the bulldogs in the playoffs anymore. They are now playing for pride and to avoid finishing the season with only one win. The Bulldogs are now 2-5 on the season

The Bulldogs started the game out well but ended up in a hole down 18 points in the fourth quarter. Dylan Beketic threw the first TD of the game to wide out Alex Huffhines on the first drive to make the score 7-0. Then RB’s defense came out on to the field and gave up a 57 yard touchdown run to the Raiders. After a missed the extra point the score was 7-6 RB. On the next possession Beketic ran the ball in for seven more points for the Bulldogs. Which made the score 14-6 RB again. The score at half was 14-14. The Game just wasn’t RBs from then on out. The Bulldogs could not get their offense going from then on out scoring only one touchdown in the second half. Their defense gave up too many big plays in the second half. The defense gave up 25 points in the second half which was too many to get a win.

The team took their anger out on Elmwood Park last Friday by beating the Tigers 28-0.

RB scored first when Dylan Beketic hooked up with Joe Odey for the first touchdown of the night. Then RB went for two and Nick Callahan ran it in to make it 8-0. The defense stayed strong all game not giving up a single point. While the offence was on fire Beketic also hooked up with Huffhines for a second touchdown before the half. The Bulldogs came out with that same mind set in the second half and didn’t give the Tigers any chance of coming back. Callahan stuffed the Tigers tailback at the line when it was fourth and goal for the Tigers. Then Beketic led the Bulldogs to a 97 yard drive the longest of the season. The Bulldogs played a great game last Friday.

This week RB plays Nazareth who is 5-1. Nazareth is a very good football team but the win over Elmwood last weekend should boost the Bulldog’s confidence going into this game.

“I like tackling people,” said Varsity Captain Alex Huffhines.

Before the season started, most of the players went to pre-season practices and camps.

“I went to a lot of camps and pre-seasons practice,” said Freshman Captain Jordan Petronella.

Clarion asked the players about their motivation on what keeps them playing football.

”I like to play for the team and its fun,” said Sophomore Captain Jason Straka.

“I want to win every Friday night,” said Varsity Captain Dylan Beketic. 

“I don’t want to let down the team and try my hardest and impress anyone I can,” said Huffhines.

“To win the playoffs,” said Varsity Captain Tim Potts.

The captains told Clarion that they look forward going to practice and working together as a team.

“I want to make everyone better” Said Varsity Captain Andy Suzuki.

Clarion also asked the captains on what their goals for the season would be. Each one of them had personal goals and team goals as well.

“I really want to win conference,” said Suzuki.

“I want to make a new record,” Said Varsity Captain Mark Musial.

Each captain got voted on by the team and coaches. Every one of them has an important role of being the team captain.

“I want to make sure everyone goes to practice and put all their effort into every practice,” said Sophomore Captain Christian Verdin.

“I want to make sure our team isn’t lazy,” said Petronella.

“Make sure everyone goes to practice and no one fools around,” said Musial.

Clarion asked the captains on what their role of being team captain means.

“Just keep the team up, keep them motivated, and keep them moving,” said Petronella.

During the season, the players have to focus a lot on hitting, defensive plays, offensive plays, and just being a good team mate.

“We need to make sure everyone is doing their part on the team,” said Beketic.

 That’s why Clarion asked the team captains on what is the biggest thing their team should improve on this year.

“Working more together,” said Straka.

“Hitting,” said Petronella.

“Being more serious,” said Musial.

“There is a lot that we need to improve on,” said Varsity Captain Will Potts.

“Discipline,” said Suzuki.

 The boys are working very hard this season and they all are excited on how the season is going to turn out.

At the time of publication,  the varsity team is 1-2, the sophomores are 3-0, and the freshmen are 1-1.

“I just thought it would be fun to give kids a chance to get together to hang out and talk about football.  Football can be a pretty complicated game, so we hope to make watching it a little easier and more enjoyable,” said English teacher and football coach Thomas Dignan.

Coaches Jason Rech, Marty Sloan, Kevin Turk, and Dignan all take part in helping to talk about their favorite football topics, educating whoever is in attendance.  Every coach takes turns teaching and breaking down old Bears game film and explaining what to do, what to change, what might have gone wrong, and how to fix it.

The coaches also look at film to present different offensive formations and how a specific line will try to defend that formation.

Dignan said, “We do a lot of different things with Football Club – everything identifying formations to teaching how specific defenses line up to watching old Chicago Bears games.  It’s a great opportunity for students to learn both the basics and specifics of how the game is played.  Hopefully, that will make it more fun for them to watch RB on Friday nights and the Bears on Sunday.”

Anyone in the school is invited to join Football Club, from the casual fan to the crazy fanatic.  The club is held on Tuesdays after school at 3:15 in Dignan’s room, 264.

The Bears quarterback play by Jay Cutler this year was very noticeable. Cutler in general, was far better this year than last year. In the 2009 season, Cutler threw about a hundred more passing attempts and ten more interceptions.  This year, with a more balanced attack on offense, Cutler threw ten less interceptions and had passer rating of 88.6. The Bears run game was upgraded by acquiring veteran running back Chester Taylor. Taylor and Forte split some time, but Taylor was brought in to help Forte so he wouldn’t have to carry the work load of rushing attempts.

On the defensive end of the ball the Bears only allowed 90 yards rushing per game which was second lowest in the NFL.  Their defense was led by veteran middle linebacker Brian Urlacher. Urlacher led the bears defense in tackles this year with 126. The Bears defense has always been good, but it is great when they are healthy. This year they were healthy with Charles Tilman, Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Julius Peppers leading the way.

Although the Bears season ended on a bad note, they made it all the way to the NFC Conference Championship. The hope is always to make it to the Super Bowl but the Bears shouldn’t be upset about how they did this year.

Maybe next year, Chicago.

“It’s a great experience, that I get to have the opportunity to get to go to college for free. I appreciate it and I worked very hard to get to this point,” Slater said.

Slater didn’t really think that he was going to play football in college; he thought that he would be going to college to play basketball. He has played basketball since he was a little kid, and still is. Slater is a three sport athlete here at RB, playing football, basketball, and baseball.

He didn’t start playing football till his sophomore year here at RB. Once he got onto the football field, everyone knew that he could contribute to the team in many ways. He returned kick-offs and played receiver till his senior year.

During his senior year, he played both ways. He started this season at wide receiver and defensive end.  Slater has a rare combination of tremendous speed and athleticism. He has the ability to catch a two yard pass and turn it into a 80 yard touchdown or run by a offensive tackle and get a sack. His skills play a big role in every sport especially his top of the line speed.

When he gets to St. Joseph, he won’t be catching passes anymore; he will be trying to intercept and deflect passes. He is going to play free safety in college.

On October 22, Slater wore royal blue and white for the last time. Come August, Slater will be representing new colors for a new school.

The Packers gave the Bears too many chances to give them this game, and the Bears did not take care of business. While some may say Rodgers had a great game, his 55.4 passer rating was lower than Caleb Hanie’s 65.2 rating.  But with a lack of leadership from Cutler, it was very tough for the Bears to pull off a win.

Cutler has been a great addition to the team and has brought the team to new heights. He has been the best Bears quarterback in a long time and can be trusted with the ball. The Bears’ problem is the lack of a good offensive line and receivers. Defense is rarely a problem for the Bears any year, and they could have held up through the Super Bowl if they made it there.

The Bears’ offensive line has given Cutler hell the past two seasons. The Bears led the NFL in sacks allowed, with a grueling 56 takedowns. It’s amazing he only had one concussion through the regular season, while Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers suffered two this season and look where Rodgers team is now.

The O-line also lacks in giving Matt Forte room to run the football. The team sits at the bottom of the pit for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. Despite the weak line, Forte was able to break 1,000 yards this season. Imagine the damage he can do if he had a good line and the pressure he would take off of Jay Cutler.    

Despite his limited time for passing, Cutler was able to sit at a 86.3 passer rating for the season, which stacks in the top half of all quarterbacks in the NFL. He also finished in the top 20 for passing yards. While dealing with a group of average wide receivers, their lack of experience and overall skill also limits Cutler’s potential. There was not one Bear receiver that broke the 1,000 yard mark or over 6 touchdowns. It’s hard to rely on such young receivers to pull through with big plays that big names like Miles Austin or Reggie Wayne do regularly.

Overall, Cutler is a great quarterback for the Chicago Bears and we cannot blame him for one injury. He brought our team to the NFC championship game with a bye, a result we did not expect at the beginning of the season at all. If we inprove our offensive line and touch up on our receivers, the Bears will be a Super Bowl contender for years to come.

As for the rest of the division, the Green Bay Packers still sit at one game back and have an easier schedule coming up. The Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions can be pushed away from the playoff picture, as their records and upcoming games will not be make it possible for them to make a challenge for the division title this season.

It is hard to remember what the Bears were previewed as in the preseason. The Bears had a humble 0-4 record. But that is past them now and they are on a four-game winning streak. This has raised some eyebrows within the conference, as well as throughout the league.

A major factor in the Bears stampede is their defense. The “Monsters of the Midway” are back. The Bears have managed to surrender only eight passing touchdowns this season and force sixteen interceptions. The ground game is up to par with nine allowed touchdowns and ten forced fumbles. These turnovers help turn the game around and when the offense can take advantage; it gives the Bears a big push to pulling off a victory in any game.

As of this week, the Bears have pulled into the top ten power rankings on ESPN.com, the first time they have been in that list since week six when they sat at a 4-1 record and Jay Cutler was in injury trouble.

Julius Peppers has been earning his paycheck, and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November. Peppers is in the top five for sacks in the NFL and has been contributing every week to gives the opposing quarterbacks a reason to panic. Jay Cutler has also been doing well, becoming NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. He has come off his best week of his career, boasting 247 passing yards, four touchdowns with no interceptions, and a dazzling 146.2 passer rating versus the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Bears next game is against New England Patriots who should be their ultimate test of the season to see if they are worthy of taking the division and becoming the team to beat in the NFC North. This game should be a great matchup and you can expect a close result, and hopefully the Bears can come away with a win.

Three girls’ tennis players made all conference. Becky Pendola made All-Conference for her play in singles and Joanna Keen and Madison Powers for doubles.

Both boys’ and girls’ cross country teams had runners that made the Metro Suburban squad. Keegan Buttimer was the lone boy on varsity to make the cut and Ken Sprague made it for Frosh/Soph. Maggie McLaughlin and Jacki Grisafe were the girls to get the honor.

The boys’ golf team had two members given the honor. Junior Jack Kemper and senior Kris Strnad were all-conference after the team made it to sectionals.

The 19-17 girls’ volleyball team had two girls make All-Conference. These girls were senior Kelsey Egger and junior Elena Duve.

Though the football team did not make the playoffs, they still had the most All-Metro Suburban members of any sport at Riverside-Brookfield. Seven players were given the honor. Three All-Conference juniors were Nick Callahan, Blake Beck, and Alex Huffhines. The four seniors were Tyler Radek, Watoris Slater, John Schraidt, and Zach Sollinger.

Lastly, the boys’ soccer team had three All-Conference members. Ruben Chavez was the Offensive MVP of the MSC, and seniors Alex Amaya and TJ Armic were named to the conference team.

The first game features the New England Patriots (8-2) and the Detroit Lions (2-8) at 12:30 PM ET. The Patroits’ only losses this season came on the road and the Lions’ two wins were when they were in Detoit. Tom Brady is having a decent season so far and Benjarvus Green-Ellis, who is getting the bulk of the carries in the backfield, has only taken four rushes to the end zone this season. The Lions feature the quick Calvin Johnson who is leading the team with ten touchdowns and is on pace to break the 1,000 yard mark this season. New England’s defense has been struggling this season, and may leave Johnson deep which can cost them. If the Lions play their best, this matchup can become a great one to watch.

At 4:15 ET, the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys square off. The Cowboys are hurt with Tony Romo out, but Jon Kitna has done well taking the team over since. Drew Brees has had his ups and downs this year and his TD-Int ratio is causing some concern (22-14). Last year, Dallas topped the Super Bowl champions. The Cowboys have struggled especially at home (1-4) and may turn this week’s game over to the Saints.

The final game at 8:15 ET includes the New York Jets (8-2) and the Cincinnati Bengals (2-8). Cedric Benson of the Bengals has been a dud this season and cannot get anything going for him thus far. LT is having a great year, but his numbes have been slowly declining as the season continues. Both teams need this win, but the Jets look to have the better chance with Mark Sanchez doing his job under the quarterback position.

Overall, this Thanksgiving day matchups are shaping up to be some interesting games. The Patroits,  Saints, and the Jets look to have the edge and I can expect them to secure these wins on Thursday.  Even though the opposing teams might not have the best records, they all can make strong pushes to make these games close.

The Falcons led for the majority of the game, with their defense doing a good job against the Ravens offense.  The Falcons had a ten point lead at halftime after a Jason Snelling, Falcons running back, hauled in a 28 yard touchdown catch from Falcons’ quarterback, Matt Ryan, leaving the Ravens scoreless in the first half.  The Ravens offense struggled to get going in the first half with Joe Flacco, Ravens quarterback, and Ravens’ running back Ray Rice being shut down. 

However, in the second half the Ravens came to life.  After a Matt Bryant, Falcons kicker, field goal Anquan Boldin, Ravens’ wide receiver, received a five yard touchdown pass from Flacco leaving the score at 13-7 Falcons.  After this, Roddy White, Falcons wide receiver, caught a four yard touchdown pass from Ryan.  Flacco went on to throw two touchdown passes on his next two drives to give the Ravens a 21-10 lead over the Falcons.  The Falcons got the ball back with 65 seconds left in the game to put a drive together down one point.  The Falcons drove down to the Ravens’ 33 yard line, where Ryan completed a 33 yard touchdown to White to give the Falcons a 26-21 lead over the Ravens with 20 seconds remaining. Their two point conversion failed however.  The Ravens failed to put anything together with this time, and they ended up losing 26-21.

The 33 yard touchdown pass to White was a questionable call because it looked like White had pushed off his defender.  The refs failed to call offensive pass interference which won the Falcons the game.  After the game White told reporters that he had pushed off and he got away with one.  This was a huge call in the game which clearly made the difference between the Falcons winning or losing the game.

Ryan threw the football 32/50 for 316 yards and three touchdown passes.  White was his major target who hauled in 12 receptions for 138 yards and two touchdowns.  White has proved himself as one of the top receivers in the NFL. 

The Falcons play the Rams next week, while the Ravens play the Panthers.