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Bureau Valley at Erie-Prophetstown
When: 7 p.m., Friday
Last matchup: E-P 33-0 (2022)
About the Storm: The Storm are returning seven starters on offense and defense, looking to use their experience to make strides on the field this season. They seek their first winning season since going 6-4 in 2016. They will rely heavily on a pair of four-year starters and returning all-conference players in seniors Connor Scott (OG/LB) and Jon Dybek (OT/D). Scott has been the Storm’s leading tackler for the past three seasons. Junior Bryce Helms returns with a year of experience at quarterback. Other playmakers returning for the Storm are juniors Elijah Endress (RB/LB) and Brock Shane (WR/DB) and Sophomore Brady Hartz (RB/DB). ... “Getting a win would be a massive step for us to get the season started off with a big confidence boost coming off the season we had. We must take care of the football, be fundamentally sound, handle the elements, and tackle to give ourselves a shot,” BV coach Mat Pistole said. ... The Storm coach notes that E-P has “really owned us” the last four years by an average score of 36-7. “We obviously want to change that narrative, but it won’t be easy. E-P is well coached their kids always execute very well against us,” he said. ... Even though E-P has won the last four meetings and seven of 10, BV leads the all-time series 15-7 dating back to 2001.
About the Panthers: Tyler Whitebread takes over as the Panthers’ head coach swapping roles with former head coach, Jesse Abbott, who becomes an assistant. Whitebread previously served as a defensive assistant coach. Whitebread brings 17 years of coaching experience to the Panthers. He spent the first five years coaching at Kirkland Hiawatha, then he moved on to Morrison, where he taught and coached for another five years. ... The Panthers return five two-way starters from a season ago in senior H-back/LB Luke Otten, senior OG/LB Zeb Wickes, junior OG/LB Amen Barron, senior WR/LB Franky Bushaw and senior OT/DE Bryce Folsom. ... E-P shut out the Storm 33-0 last year in Week 7 en route to a 4-5 finish.
FND pick: Bureau Valley
Hall at Orion
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 42-12 (2022)
About the Red Devils: Hall looks to reverse their fortune from last year’s opening 42-12 loss at Orion and will have to do so without all-stater Mac Resetich, who now plays for the University of Illinois. The Red Devils will have more balanced offense by committee, led by senior Gianni Guerrini, who takes over behind center, and senior Joseph Bacidore and Tristan Redcliff and sophomores Braden Curran and Aiden Redcliff. Tristan Redcliff returns as the leading tackler (92) with Guerrini returning for his fourth year at cornerback and Deanthony Weatherspoon for his third year. ... Hall hopes to have a better experience at Orion, which holds a 7-1 series edge, than it has in the past. “We always seem to have a hard time playing out there we will try and change that this week,” coach Randy Tieman said.
About the Chargers: After two straight 4-5 seasons, the Chargers look to kick off a new season, aiming to return to the playoffs.. They made the postseason six consecutive seasons from 2014-19 and nine times total since Chip Filler took over as head coach in 2009. ... Filler will turn to his son, sophomore QB Kale Filler, to help get them there. He threw for 1,009 yards passing and 13 TDs as a freshman. Coach Filler said Orion has eight quality receivers to go with him and three really good running backs. .... Other key personnel are seniors Kaden Edmunds (RB/S), Nolan Loete (C) and Luke Dunlap (OL/DE) and juniors Aiden Fisher (RB/LB), Jake Bainbridge (WR), Maddux Arnold (WR/LB) and Duncan Adamson (TE/LB). ... “They are always well coached and run a lot of different sets offensively anything from bone to empty. Defensively they get a lot of people to the ball,” Tieman said. ... Orion received six votes in the AP preseason 2A poll.
FND pick: Orion
All-time series: Orion 7-1
Princeton at Monmouth-Roseville
When: 7 p.m., Friday
Last matchup: Princeton 48-0 (2022)
About the Tigers: The Tigers, who drew the No. 2 ranking in the AP preseason 3A poll, will kick off the 2022 campaign where they ended the 2021 regular season with a 48-0 whitewash over the Titans. The Tigers continue to reload after going 45-9 over the last five seasons with one semifinal and two quarterfinal appearances and five conference championships. The only question in the Tigers camp is how junior Will Lott will step in at quarterback after the graduation of All-Stater Teegan Davis, now at the University of Iowa. When asked what his job is, Lott simply said, “To win.” He will benefit working behind an O line anchored by three returning starters in seniors Payne Miller, a Western Illinois commit, and Jack May and junior Cade Odell. The Tigers also boast two Division I recruit on the D line, senior Bennett Williams (Air Force). ... The Tigers return seven starters on defense that contributed to holding opponents to 12.8 points per game. .... Last year’s win at Monmouth gave PHS a 5-3 series with the Tigers winning the last four times by a combined margin of 166-27 (41.5-6.8).
About the Titans: Like Princeton, the Titans boast a formidable line. Adolphson said they will need to be dominant at the line of scrimmage this year to support an inexperienced backfield, which returns less than 200 yards from scrimmage. “We have good size, strength and depth up front on both sides of the ball. so the development of our inexperienced skill kids will be crucial to our level of success this fall,” he said. M-R returns 19 lettermen with five starters back on offense and three on defense. ... “The Princeton match-up week 1 is a great opportunity to see where we stack up against one of the top teams in 3A this year,” M-R coach Jeremy Adolphson said. “Like any week 1 game, we will need to limit mistakes and turnovers to stay in the game. The strength of our team this season should be our depth and strength on the offensive and defensive lines. Princeton may have the best line play in Class 3A, so our kids will be tested physically right off the bat which can only help us as the season progresses. Defensively we will need to be ready to adjust as I’m sure there will be some changes to Princeton’s look offensively as they break in a new QB. Our kids are excited to play and will give Princeton our absolute best effort on Friday night.” ... The Titans play at Coach Dobry Field, located at 500 South Sunny Lane in Monmouth.
FND pick: Princeton
All-time series: PHS 5-3
St. Bede vs. Tuscola
When: 7 p.m., Friday at Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington
Last matchup: Have not played
About the Bruins: St. Bede fans will get their first look at senior quarter Max Bray on Friday, a transfer from Aurora Christian. He threw for 3,747 yards and 40 touchdowns and rushed for 716 yards and 11 TDs over the last two seasons while leading the Eagles to two playoff appearances. ... The Bruins are 20-7 over last three seasons, including a 5-1 showing in the 2021 COVID spring season. St. Bede has made 18 playoff appearances, including a 2A semifinal showing in 2001. St. Bede was knocked out in the first round of the 1A playoffs a year ago. ... The two schools 140 miles apart are meeting in the middle in Bloomington for their first meeting. St. Bede will have to wait a couple weeks to start its adventure in its new conference, the Chicago Prairie Football League. The Bruins will play Aledo Mercer County at home next week. Mercer County will be replacing St. Bede in the Three Rivers next year. ... The Bruins received eight votes in the AP preseason 1A poll.
About the Warriors: Tuscola, which is ranked No. 6 in the AP preseason 1A poll, boasts a tradition rich program with 31 playoff appearances, missing out only once (2021) since 1994, and a 56-29 postseason record. The Warriors won two state championships with three runner-up finishes over a six-year stretch from 2006-11). They reached the 1A quarterfinals a year ago and are projected to fall in as a 8 or 9 seed this year. ... Tuscola is a member of the six-team Central Illinois Conference.
FND pick: Tuscola
Decatur Unity Christian at Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio
When: 6 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Lions: Unity Christian is coming off a 10-1 record last fall. The Lions have a new coach in Michael Harris, who previously was an assistant for Unity Christian. The Lions’ star player from last season, Lleyton Miller (3,519 rushing yards, 53 touchdowns), transferred to Macon Meridian.
About the Clippers: Amboy returns every starter but one from last year’s team that went 10-3 and finished as Illinois 8-Man Football Association runner-up. TE/DE Brennan Blaine was an all-stater last year, catching 46 passes for 1,191 yards and 21 touchdowns last season while racking up 98 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and 14 sacks. Other key returnees are Landon Whelchel (1,451 rushing yards, 18 TDs, 119 tackles, nine TFLs) and Quinn Leffelman (896 rushing yards, 16 TDs, 73 tackles, 10 TFLs, eight sacks). Eddie Jones takes over at quarterback full time after filling in for an injured Tucker Lindenmeyer last season. I six starts, Jones threw for 547 yards and nine touchdowns.
FND pick: A-L-O
Other area games
Annawan-Wethersfield at South Fulton
Dixon at Stillman Valley
Kewanee at Sherrard
LP at United Township (East Moline)
Marquette at Aurora Christian
Mendota at Morrison
Newman at Rockridge
Ottawa at Plano
Rock Falls at Byron
Sterling at Metamora