It was a tough week, even a crazy week for Dundee-Crown’s football team.

And then it got tougher, crazier.

Mike Steinhaus grew up in the Carpentersville and Dundee area and calls himself a “Dundee-Crown kid.” But the 2003 D-C graduate, former football star and current coach of his high school alma mater had never experienced what he, his program and everyone in attendance for D-C’s home game against Prairie Ridge did Friday night.

Late in the first half, according to a post on X by D-C’s athletics page, “a situation in the area” forced everyone to evacuate D-C’s “Bowl.” The Fox Valley Conference game was suspended until Saturday.

Carpentersville police said in a Facebook post that gunfire occurred near the Foxview Apartments adjacent to Dundee-Crown and that “a vehicle was hit by what our police determined were multiple shots fired.”

There was no indication anyone was injured, police said.

“I’ve never been a part of that,” Steinhaus said. “I’ve been a part of weather stuff [causing games to be suspended].”

Two days earlier, D-C’s football team wasn’t allowed to practice because of the presence of agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the area.

ICE agents were outside Carpentersville Village Hall that Wednesday, according to social media posts from the local police department, while residents also reported online that ICE agents were in the vicinity of the high school. Algonquin-based Community School District 300 officials said in an email to parents that ICE agents were not on district property.

D-C’s football team had one other obstacle during the week as it prepared for Prairie Ridge’s FVC-leading Wolves. The Chargers would be without starting quarterback Ikey Grzynkowicz.

Stenhaus said Grzynkowicz suffered a lower-body injury in D-C’s previous game against Jacobs.

“It was a tough week,” said Steinhaus, adding it was “already crazy” even before Friday’s game. He chalked it up to more adversity and perseverance that teams have to endure sometimes.

“I told the kids Friday night that you control what you can control,” Steinhaus said.

Prairie Ridge led the Chargers 27-7 with about one minute left before halftime when a member of the D-C administration team approached Steinhaus and told him that they had to get everyone out of the stadium.

“I thought the admin team did a great job doing it,” Steinhaus said. “It was an unfortunate situation. It had nothing to do with the school or the kids or anything like that. The [administration team] was thinking of everybody and making sure everybody was safe. They did it in orderly fashion.

“I thought everything – the student sections, parents, both sides – was well handled. I couldn’t be more complimentary of the district, our school administration and the Carpentersville police department.”

Steinhaus doesn’t think the incident should be a black eye for the high school going forward.

“My kids are going to go here, and I believe in the school,” Steinhaus said. “They did what was right. They made sure people were safe. What else are you supposed to do? It could happen anywhere.”

Prairie Ridge completed a 41-15 win over D-C on Saturday to improve to 8-0 and 8-0 in the FVC. It was the third straight loss for the Chargers (3-5, 3-5).

Playoff atmosphere: Two teams. Identical records. Red-hot quarterbacks. Playoff implications on the line.

It was November football in October.

Woodstock and Johnsburg battled pass for pass, run for run, big play for big play Friday night. And Johnsburg came up with just enough of those key plays en route to a 24-21 victory at Larry Dale Field Friday night.

The win launched the Skyhawks (6-2, 4-2) into the playoffs as they prepare for the season finale at home against winless Harvard. Woodstock (5-3, 3-3), meanwhile, needs to defeat crosstown rival Woodstock North on Friday to ensure a postseason bid.

The teams tallied plenty of offense as Woodstock rang up 285 total yards. Quarterback Caden Thompson completed 20 of 33 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns. He hit Cash White for a 3-yard TD pass and later added a bubble screen TD to Jared Kay.

Kay led all receivers with 127 yards on five receptions, followed by White (seven for 73) and Matthew Cress (six for 50). Kay also recovered a critical fumble on Woodstock’s final scoring drive.

Johnsburg, meanwhile, amassed 312 yards, 172 of which came from quarterback Carter Block (15 of 19, 172 yards). Johnsburg rushed 32 times for 140 yards and three scores. Junior running back Duke Mays had 18 carries for 64 yards and two scores, while Block added a third TD on a 30-yard run.

“We talked about wanting to play our best football at the end of the season,” Skyhawks coach Sam Lesniak said. “We want to play clean football at the best time.”

Block completed his 15 passes to six different receivers. Ryan Franze (four for 43) and Jarrel Albea (four for 39) led the way, while Jack Thompson hauled in three for 26 yards.

Drew the right kicker: Johnsburg kicker Drew Jesuit’s 33-yard field goal seemed – at the time – a momentum shifter. The junior calmly drilled his kick on the final play of the first half after Johnsburg drove from its own 20 to the Woodstock 16 in the final 1:23 of the half.

But the kick proved to be the difference in the game and its significance – and Jesuit’s – was not lost on Lesniak.

“Drew came out for football to be a kicker, and he has been just outstanding for us,” Lesniak said. “He’s been phenomenal on field goals, and what a luxury it is to have a kicker like that. I think that one was good from a lot longer than 33.”

Week 8 scores

Fox Valley Conference

Prairie Ridge 41, Dundee-Crown 15

Cary-Grove 40, Hampshire 7

Burlington Central 41, Crystal Lake Central 6

Jacobs 44, Crystal Lake South 30

Huntley 48, McHenry 36

Kishwaukee River Conference

Richmond-Burton 42, Marengo 13

Johnsburg 24, Woodstock 21

Woodstock North 55, Sandwich 6

Plano 21, Harvard 8

Chicagoland Christian Conference

Marian Central 44, St. Edward 8

Illinois 8-Man Football Association

Milledgeville 54, Alden-Hebron 22

• Northwest Herald correspondent Sam Natrop contributed to this report.