It's always a treat to see a couple of squads airing it out like South Elgin and Elgin did on Friday night, but it does make my job as Courier Sports videographer a little harder. It's tough to keep track off all those in-flight balls with the ol' camera.

That being said, what a win for South Elgin. Check out the video highlights here.

With both teams coming in at 0-3, one would have the opportunity to breathe some life into its season. With monster efforts from Josh Smith, Pat Rae, Trevor Hansley and the offensive line in the second half, the Storm was able to inject some hope into its season.

For a while, Elgin was able to hang in the game. Tom Roth, Tim Newcombe and Jamal Cook were among the Maroons who excelled in the first half and had the game knotted up at 21 midway through the third. But the Storm simply had too many weapons and it was clear in the second half that some of Elgin's best were running out of gas from playing on both sides of the ball.

Also of note; you don't hear it often but late in the game Elgin's coaching staff was shouting at its defense to "Let them score!" And it was probably the right call. A South Elgin touchdown seemed likely and Elgin needed as much time as it could get on the clock to score...even if it was two touchdowns.

Stay tuned for next week's "Game of the Week." It should be a good one, as UEC powers Bartlett and St. Charles North lock horns.

It's hard to believe we've already reached Week 4 of the high school football season. Time flies when you're having fun.

As we near the season's halfway point, there is plenty to keep an eye on this weekend. Big Northern Conference and Fox Valley Conference teams will be making their final tuneups before beginning league play next week. Meanwhile, three area teams will try to stay unbeaten and five area teams will be in search of their first wins.

Those teams looking to improve to 4-0 are Bartlett, Genoa-Kingston and Huntley. I think all three teams should be able to accomplish the feat. The Red Raiders might face the toughest test of the group in their game at Jacobs, but if these three squads continue the level of play they've displayed so far this year, they'll be tough for anyone to knock off.

Burlington Central, Hampshire, Elgin, South Elgin and Streamwood will all be looking to rebound from 0-3 starts. The Storm and Maroons play each other, so somebody will likely come away a winner. This looks like a pretty even match up, though, so I don't want to rule out the possibility of a tie.

Outside of the Elgin/South Elgin winner, Hampshire is the only other team in the bunch I expect to break through for a victory. The Whip-Purs traditionally haven't had much success against Byron, but I think a return home could help coach Dan Cavanaugh's club overcome three narrow losses and get on track.

Simply put, Central and Streamwood face stern challenges in their games against Oregon and St. Charles East, respectively. The first win of the season will have to wait until another week for these two local teams.

CONTINUED COVERAGE
For more insight into Week 4 of the season, check our weekly preview show Courier Prep Football Weekly. In depth game previews can be found in Friday's Courier News print edition and on our Courier sports web site. Check back throughout the weekend for scores, video highlights and game coverage. We'll also provide more analysis here on the All-Around E-Town blog as my fellow staff writers and I break down the weekend's action.

Lastly, feel free to join the conversation. Your comments on our stories and blog entries are always welcome and will only help bolster the discussion. If we miss something or if you have something to add, jump right in.

I STAND CORRECTED
Before I go, I want to clear up an error I reported on several occasions in last week's sports section. I erroneously reported that Dundee-Crown's current two-game win streak marked its first back-to-back victories since the 2002 season. It turns out that the Chargers won their final game of the 2004 season and first game of the 2005 campaign, so the 2002 win streak was merely the last time the school won two in a row in the same year.

I apologize for the error. I had our staff fact checkers make sure that I got the information right this week, and you can rest assured that D-C is going for its first three-game win streak since the 2000 season when it hosts winless Grayslake Central tonight.

By Erik Jacobsen
Staff Writer

With the high school football season ready to kick off Friday, here's a look at my preseason top five area teams.

1. BARTLETT
An Upstate Eight Conference title could be in the cards for the Hawks. But with significant talent returning on both sides of the ball, bigger things could be in store for Bartlett as it goes after its ninth straight playoff appearance.

2. ST. CHARLES EAST
Wes Allen is back at tailback and the Saints should be tough once again this year. A challenging schedule could prove daunting, but expect East to be around come playoff time for the fourth straight year.

3. ST. CHARLES NORTH
The North Stars could be a surprise team this year. With depth and talent on both sides of the ball, don't be surprised if coach Mark Gould's team not only makes the playoffs for the seventh straight year, but sticks around a while once there.

4. GENOA-KINGSTON
It will be tough for the Cogs to match last year's success, but coach Bill McCarty will find a way to carry the momentum into the 2008 season. Expect G-K to contend in the Big Northern West once again.

5. HAMPSHIRE
A talented senior class is focused on returning to the playoffs after being denied in 2007 despite having a 5-4 record. The Whip-Purs have a tough schedule but should be in the mix for the Big Northern East title.

From Staff Reports

This weekend's Kane County Baseball Tournament, originally slated to be held at Cambridge Lakes, will be moved to Wing Park in Elgin. Friday's game time is also changed. An updated schedule:

Friday
Elgin Post 57 vs. St. Charles, 5 p.m.
Saturday
Elgin Post 57 vs. St. Charles, 1 p.m.
Sunday
Elgin Post 57 vs. St. Charles, 1 p.m. if necessary