ESPN2 Descends on Wheaton Warrenville South-Glenbard West Game

by Jeff Fisher
Illinois High School Football Huddle

For the second year in a row, ESPN's cameras are positioned around Red Grange Field at Wheaton Warrenville South High School to show the nation a top-notch Illinois high school football game.

In about 15 minutes, the national spotlight will shine on the Tigers' game against Glenbard West. It's all a part of ESPN's 2011 High School Football Kickoff television package of 13 football games in three-days that began Friday night.

This should be a good one with two-time defending champ WWS riding a 26-game win streak that includes a 40-20 over the Hilltoppers in last year's Class 7A quarterfinals.  WWS also beat Glenbard West 31-24 in double-overtime for the 7A title.

Wheaton Warrenville South leads the series rivalry, which dates back to 1916, with 31 wins to 25 wins for Glenbard West. There have been nine ties.

This will be the first time since 2006 that the two have played during the regular season. The rivalry has been put on-hold several times over the last century because of dominance by one of the teams. The current suspension occured because of WWS dominance.

This one has an interesting storyline surrounding the two starting quarterbacks.

Justice Odom is GW's starting QB was the start on WWS' freshman and sophmore teams in 2008 and 2009 before transferring last year to the Hilltoppers. The Tigers' starting quarterback is Thaddeus Armstrong, who transferred-in to WWS from Ottawa High School.

Armstong has the task of filling the shoes of Reilly O'Toole, who is now at the University of Illinois.

Last year, WWS pounded defending 8A champ Maine South 44-7 during a nationally-televised game on ESPN.