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BCR GAME OF THE WEEK
Hall (3-5, 1-3) at Princeton (7-1, 4-0)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday, Bryant Field
Last matchup: Princeton 55-20 (2022)
About the Red Devils: The Red Devils dropped out of playoff contention with last week’s 35-0 loss at home to Rockridge, their second straight defeat and fifth overall. They have been outscored 141-179 this year. Hall, which has made 27 playoff appearances in program history, will miss out on the postseason for the second time in three years. The longtime rivals meet for the 93rd time with the Red Devils leading the all-time series, 55-36-1. Hall is 4-3 against Princeton with Randy Tieman as head coach in two stints.
About the Tigers: The Tigers will wrap up their sixth straight Three Rivers East championship, their fourth outright. With a win the No. 2 ranked Tigers will take a top 2-3 seed into the 3A playoffs. The Tigers have won 22 of their last 23 regular season home games, their lone loss coming to Morrison (22-21) on a last-second field goal in Week 2 this year. They have scored 48 or more points in nine of their last 13 home games. Last week, the Tigers cruised to a 55-0 win over Mendota on a rainy night at Bryant Field. Five players scored, including two touchdowns each by Casey Etheridge and Preston Arkels. It was the Tigers’ second straight shutout and fifth of the year. The Tigers’ defense has allowed only 42 points (5.3 ppg) while scoring 285 (35.7). The Tigers have won five out of the last seven meetings with Hall, including a 55-20 rout last year at Bryant Field. The Tigers are 30-9 at home, including three playoff losses, since Pearson arrived in 2017. PHS has won seven straight Week 9 games with its last loss coming at the hands of Hall in 2014 (62-28).
All-time series: Hall 55-36-1.
FND Pick: Princeton
Bureau Valley (4-4) at Morrison (7-1)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday, Morrison
Last matchup: Morrison 42-0 (2019)
About the Storm: The Storm have their backs to the wall, needing an upset win over the 1A state-ranked Mustangs to become playoff eligible. Three of their four losses came at the hands of playoff teams – Kewanee (42-20), Newman (20-14) and Princeton (42-0) – who have a combined 20-4 record. They have a fourth loss to Monmouth-Roseville (21-14), which is on the verge of making the playoffs. With a little better fortune, the Storm could have turned those losses to Newman and Mon-Rose into victories and have six wins to their credit. This marks the final Three Rivers meeting between the schools with BV leaving for the Lincoln Trail-Prairieland and the Mustangs for the NUIC. BV holds a slight 11-9 series edge, including a 12-6 second round playoff win in 2008.
About the Mustangs: The Mustangs dropped their first game of the season in Week 7 to Rockridge (14-7), a loss that cost them the Three Rivers Rock (West) championship. They bounced back with a 51-6 rout over Riverdale last week. Morrison, unranked at the time, surprised Class 3A No. 2 ranked Princeton in Week 2 on a last-second field goal. The Mustangs are now ranked No. 6 in 1A. Morrison won the first meeting with BV in 1998 (41-7) and the last meeting in 2019 (42-0).
All-time series: BV 11-9.
FND Pick: Morrison
St. Bede (5-3, 4-2) at Seneca (8-0, 6-0)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday, Seneca
Last matchup: Seneca 20, St. Bede 0 (1996)
About the Bruins: The Bruins have the playoff points (36) to get a playoff nod at 5-4, but an upset win over the state-ranked Irish would do wonders for their seed in 1A. They are on the rebound from last week’s 34-20 loss at Marquette, which snapped the Bruins’ three-game win streak. It was the Bruins’ first meeting with the Crusaders since 2011 when both played in the Big Rivers Conference. The Bruins have outscored their opponents 270-201 (33.8-25.1).
About the Irish: Seneca, ranked No. 4 in 2A, will clinch an outright championship of the new Chicago Prairie League with a win. It has won every game it has played this year (6), plus two that it hasn’t, including forfeit wins over Westmont (Week 3) and Walther Lutheran (Week 6). The Irish beat Dwight, 43-11, last week to improve to 8-0 and 6-0 atop the CPL. They have outscored their opponents 262-65 (43.7-10.9) in the six games that were not forfeits. The Irish beat Marquette 28-6 in Week 7.
FND Pick: Seneca
Polo (7-1) at Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio (8-0)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday, the Harbor
Last matchup: ALO 28-12 (2022)
About the Marcos: Polo’s only loss of the year came in Week 3, falling to Milledgeville, 58-22. The Marcos have outscored their opponents, 341-140, good for a winning margin of 42.5-20, in the seven games they’ve played. Polo was idle last week, gaining a 1-0 forfeit over Peoria Quest, which also forfeited to ALO in Week 4. The Marcos have scored 50 or more points four times and 42 or more in their six victories on the field.
About the Clippers: ALO is one of only two remaining teams in 8-Man Football, geared for a top 2 seed as it plot its course back to the state championship game. The Clippers handed Martinsville and Orangeville their only losses. The Clippers have beat all five common opponents with Polo, including a 32-20 win over Milledgeville in Week 6. ALO beat Orangeville 72-12 last week. Landon Whelchel (11-167) and Quinn Leffleman (12-81) each scored three touchdowns and combined for 248 yard rushing. The Clippers beat the Marcos 28-12 in the 2022 season opener at Polo.
FND Pick: ALO.
OTHER AREA GAMES
Aurora Central Catholic (3-5) at Kewanee (7-1)
Dixon (7-1) at North Boone (6-2)
E-P (3-5) at Rockridge (7-1)
Kaneland (5-3) at La Salle-Peru (4-4)
Moline (4-4) at Sterling (3-5)
Monmouth United (3-5) at Stark County (8-0)
Newman (6-2) at Mendota (1-7)
Princeville (5-3) at Ann-Wethersfield (7-1)
Rock Island (2-6) at Geneseo (6-2)
Sherrard (3-5) at Monmouth-Roseville (4-4)