UPDATE: New Trier football to end season with CSL crossover game against Maine West

UPDATE (3:15 p.m. Friday, April 23): Week 6 is back on for New Trier football.

The Trevians (4-1) will play Maine West High School at 7 p.m. Friday, April 23, in Des Plaines, sources told The Record.

New Trier’s outlook for the final week of its season look grim just hours earlier after the team’s once-planned game against Saint Charles East in Huskie Stadium at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb was canceled.

But the Trevs were able to secure a matchup against the Warriors to close out the abbreviated 2021 season.

Maine West was originally supposed to play Glenbrook South High School, but the Titans had to cancel the contest.

UPDATE (2 p.m. Friday, April 23): New Trier’s game against Saint Charles East is canceled, Trevians head coach Brian Doll told The Record on Friday afternoon.

The Trevians were set to play the Saints at 6 p.m. Friday, April 23, in Huskie Stadium at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, as first reported by The Record.

New Trier (4-1) was originally supposed to play a bowl-style game Week 6 game against a team from the Central Suburban League North. But those plans were scrapped just before the Trevians faced off against Maine South last week.

As of publication time, The Record could not confirm if New Trier is still searching for a Week 6 opponent. The Record’s original reporting on the once-planned season finale at NIU can be found below.

Check back for updates to this developing story.

It may not be the playoffs, but the New Trier football team will have a special sendoff to the 2021 season.

The Trevs will square off with St. Charles East at 6 p.m. Friday, April 23, in Huskie Stadium at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb.

“We gave up a home game and get a huge opportunity to play on a college field,” head football coach Brian Doll said.

Originally, for all teams in the Central Suburban League, five in-division games were scheduled for the COVID-19-disrupted season. After the five league games, each team would play a bowl-style game, in which it would match up with a team with a similar record from the other division.

Plans for the “bowl” game were also affected by COVID-19, as Vernon Hills and Highland Park — both in the North division — had to cancel games or alter their schedules.

New Trier has played five games to a 4-1 record, but plans for the Trevs to host a game against the second-place team in the North division were scrapped.

That left Doll on the hunt for a Week 6 opponent. The possibilities were actually quite numerous, as recent spikes of COVID-19 have affected school districts all over the suburbs and left football teams backing out of their final games.

Doll said he sent “about 20 feelers” to other coaches and that led him to St. Charles East, which was supposed to take on Lake Park at NIU. Lake Park, however, canceled its final two games, opening the door for the Trevs.

“We’re trying to make it a fun week for the kids,” Doll said, “leading to a good sendoff with a bus ride to where they play the state championship.”

The Saints of St. Charles East are 0-5 on the season, falling to DuKane Conference foes Batavia (53-7), Geneva (31-0), St. Charles North (34-0), Glenbard North and Wheaton-Warrenville South.

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