5 things to watch this week in Herald-News area football camps

It’s the middle of 7-on-7 competition right now with plenty of action happening this week. There’ve also been some scheduling changes to keep posted on. Here are five things to keep an eye on this week in football.

1. Joliet West hosts Wednesday

People will have to wake up bright and early for this one, but it’d be worth the morning traffic. Joliet West will begin its 7-on-7 tournament at 9 a.m. at home with three other squads joining them. Fenton, TF South and Marengo all come to town to see how they stack up with the Tigers. After losing a few key contributors on defense last year (including linebacker Micah McNair), it’ll be interesting to see how West looks even in a non-padded go-through. The growth of the offense from last year will be key as well.

2. Morris takes on Minooka

Two local teams to check out at the crack of dawn? Should make for a fun run through. The Indians host Morris on Thursday at 8 a.m., and it’ll be a chance to check out both a new look for Morris and the early look for Minooka. Morris will be looking for a new top receiving target following the graduation of Jack Wheeler, a tight end who earned Division I offers in football before opting for pro baseball. Minooka, meanwhile, will be looking to see the growth of three-sport quarterback Zane Caves, who enters his second and final season as the starter before heading to Michigan State for baseball. It’s a good opportunity to check out what should be two quality football teams this year.

3. Plainfield North to host Waubonsie Valley

It’s a new era for Plainfield North athletics as George Sam takes over from longtime athletic director Ron Lear. In football, they’ll hope for different results than what they saw last year. The Tigers went 4-5 and 4-6 in 2023 after a 10-1 mark in 2022. They’ll need to replace their top target in Omar Coleman as well as their defensive leader in Kevin Wilson. What this team will look like will be one of the most interesting storylines entering the year, and a Waubonsie Valley team fresh off a 5-5 season and Class 8A Playoff appearance will be a good measuring stick.

4. Schedule change up

There had been plans for a 7-on-7 tournament Tuesday, but things don’t always go according to plan. Joliet West, Providence and Plainfield East were all scheduled to visit Morris, but things fell apart Monday. Plainfield East had already pulled out, and Providence had double-booked the day. With Joliet West having Wednesday morning hosting duties, the event was called off. Whether anything else comes together later this week will be anyone’s guess.

5. Commitments?

There’s no scheduling when it comes to college commitments. They can come at any time, and there’s no telling when the next one will be. Just this past Saturday, new Lincoln-Way East receiver Blaise LaVista announced his commitment to the University of Washington, the 2023 national runner-up. There’s no shortage of other players around the area with Division I offers, and they can come on X (formerly known as Twitter) on a dime. All eyes should be peeled for potential announcements.