Week 1 Matchups to Watch: Sycamore vs Dekalb

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are 4 days away from Kickoff for the 2023 IHSA Season. Each day leading up to Friday, we will preview impact prospects to keep in eye out for in some of the top opening games in the Land of Lincoln. Next up is a regional rivalry that will start their seasons off on a big stage. The Sycamore vs Dekalb game will be hosted at Northern Illinois University, where the following five prospects are sure to bring it under the Friday night lights at Huskie Stadium. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">SYCAMORE SPARTANS</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Spartans saw a 12-2 record last year, winning the the Interstate 8 on their way to a 5A Semi-Final run. Led by some talented offensive weapons, Sycamore is ready to go deep in the playoffs again this season. Keep an eye out for these rising stars on Friday night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["278895"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Gautcher is a 6'2, 200 Class of 2025 prospect who turned heads in his sophomore campaign. Now seeing Big Ten interest, Gautcher is ready to light it up in his junior year. The talented wide receiver and safety brought in 37 catches for over 750 yards and 10 touchdowns. While its too soon to tell which side of the ball Gautcher projects at in college, he is equally impressive at both. He showcases elite top-end speed and precision route running that creates miles of separation. It's no wonder Gautcher averaged 20 yards a catch last year. On defense, he is smooth in coverage and will get downhill in a hurry to make difficult tackles in the open field. Long story short, Gautcher is an all around athlete who could be a top recruit in the country following his junior season.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["271875"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Curtis is a rising senior who broke onto the scene last year, showing off his electric style of play at both corner back and running back. The 5'10, 170 lbs athlete plays with speed and physicality on both sides of the ball. At tail back, Curtis gets to the edge in a hurry and can outrun defenders in the open field. Between the tackles, he runs with low pad level and refuses to let one defender bring him down. Curtis shows off his smoothness at defensive back, as he can transition his hips quickly and has the speed to run with nearly any receiver. Keep an eye out for Curtis as he kicks off his senior season on Friday.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["358308"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"York was another key sophomore on varsity last year for the Spartans. The 6'0, 180 lbs two-way player possess tremendous ball skills, natural football instincts, and athleticism that will only improve throughout his junior season. York has the keen ability to find spots in defenses zone coverages. He has a quick release off the line as an outside receiver and can smoothly throttle down to secure contested catches. At safety, York covers a lot of ground and can track the ball with ease while staying on top of vertical routes. Additionally, he is a surehanded tackler who plays with confidence in the open field. Heading into his junior season, York's stock is on the rise.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":3,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64e42700d1e73"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">DEKALB BARBS</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Barbs posted a 6-4 record and earned a playoff birth a year ago. Looking to build off of their success from last season, Dekalb has a tough matchup against Sycamore to begin the year. After last years 35-7 loss, they will surely be looking for revenge, led by these 2 prospects who are ready to show out on Friday at NIU.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Talen Tate","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Dekalb","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Tate is a 5'9, 190 lbs who showcased electrifying speed and quickness in his junior season. Tate is a home run threat in the backfield, as his burst and vision are second to none. Once he reaches the second and third levels, its hard to find a defensive player who can catch him. What makes Tate so deadly is his vision at the line of scrimmage. He sets up blocks well and can break of chunk yardage runs with just a cut. His combination of speed, balance, and vision make Tate a matchup nightmare, as he is ready to kick off his season with a bang at Huskie Stadium.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"Xavier Dandridge","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2410","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Dekalb","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Dandridge used all offseason to polish his skills at wide receiver. Ready to build off of his impressive junior campaign heading into his senior year, Dandridge's speed is sure to put opposing teams on notice. He impacted games in a multitude of ways last year, impressing on both jet runs and in the pass game. Dandridge's elite speed allows him to turn the corner quickly. From there, good luck catching him. He is fearless running over the middle of the field, showcasing his strong hands by making some extremely difficult catches. Keep an eye out for Dandridge on Friday, and throughout the season, as his stock is on the rise.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":2,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64e42700d1f86"} /-->