An early look at Bureau Valley’s 2024 schedule

A new era of Bureau Valley football kicks off this year.

After years in the Big Rivers/Three River Conference, the Storm venture into the Lincoln Trail-Prairieland football conference in the Large-School Division.

Bureau Valley is swapping places with Aledo Mercer County, which moves to the Three Rivers.

The Storm will join defending champion Farmington, Lewistown/Cuba/Spoon River, Knoxville, Elmwood-Brimfield, Illini West, Macomb and Hamilton/Warsaw in the Large-School Division.

With the exception of Hamilton, who the Storm beat 28-0 in the 2006 quarterfinals, and Elmwood-Brimfield, who they beat twice in the playoffs (2004, 2008), the Storm will be meeting this year’s opponents for the first time.

Bureau Valley will have four home dates and five away games with an average trip of 108 miles with Carthage the farthest trip at 151 miles and Monmouth United the shortest at 89 miles.

Here’s an early look at the Storm 2024 schedule which kicks off Friday, Aug. 30 at Monmouth United.

Friday, Aug. 30 - The Storm will get things started with a crossover at Monmouth United. The Red Storm went 2-6 in the LTL/PL Small-School Division last year, 3-6 overall, and 2-7 the year before. They last made the playoffs in 2021.

Friday, Sept. 6 - Bureau Valley will step out of the Lincoln Trail-Prairieland for Week 2 with a nonconference date at Lexington with the Colfax Ridgeview/Lexington co-op, a member of the Heart of Illinois Conference. The Mustangs went 2-7 last year coming off 2A semifinalist 12-1 run in 2022.

Friday, Sept. 13 - Storm fans will get their first look at the Boys in Bolts at home in Week 3, playing their conference opener against the Lewistown/Cuba/Spoon River. The Indians went 0-7 in conference last year, 1-8 overall.

Friday, Sept. 20 - A road trip to Farmington for week 4 will give the Storm a good look at the defending Large-School Division champion Farmers, who went 7-0 in league play and 9-2 overall.

Friday, Sept. 27 - The Storm will return home to face the Knoxville Blue Bullets, who come off a 7-3 (6-1) campaign, losing only to Farmington in league play.

Friday, Oct. 4 - Elmwood-Brimfield makes the trip to Storm Stadium for another conference matchup in Week 6. The Trojans went 3-4 in the league, 4-5 overall.

Friday, Oct. 11 - A trip to Carthage to face Illini West in league play awaits the Storm in Week 7. The Chargers come off a 4-5 (3-4) campaign.

Friday, Oct. 18 - Another long road trip sends the Storm to Macomb to face the Bombers in Week 8. The Bombers went 4-5 (3-4) a year ago.

Friday, Oct. 25 - The Storm return home for the season-finale in league play against the Hamilton/Warsaw co-op. The Titans (1-8/1-6) won their only game of the year last against Lewistown/Cuba/Spoon River (67-8).

The 2024 Storm schedule

* Denotes Lincoln Trail-Prairieland Conference Large-School Division game