September 10, 2024
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Bureau County storylines for the 2024 football season

By Kevin Hieronymus
Princeton's Noah LaPorte tip toes the sidelines on a punt return Saturday at Monmouth.

Princeton's Noah LaPorte tip toes the sidelines on a punt return during the 2023 season at Monmouth (Mike Vaughn)

Here are some storylines to watch in Bureau County football in 2024:

Can Princeton get over the quarterfinals hurdle?

The Princeton Tigers have made three straight Class 3A quarterfinal appearances only to fall each time. They lost to Elmhurst Immaculate Conception in 2021 and 2022 with a loss to Lombard Montini in 2023.

Will this be the year they get over that hurdle? The Tigers have the firepower to do so with a backfield of Casey Etheridge and Ace Christiansen, who combined for 2,635 yards and 37 touchdowns rushing last season, and QB Will Lott, who threw for 1,024 yards and 11 TDs, Northwestern commit Noah LaPorte (8 TDs receiving, 46 tackles) with a line bolstered by there-year starter Cade Odell along with Anthony Vujanov and Rhett Pearson and a stingy defense.

Coach Ryan Pearson will surely have some new tricks up his sleeve to get the Tigers over the hump.

Bureau Valley finds new home in Lincoln Trail/Prairieland Conference

After 24 years in the Big Rivers/Three Rivers, the Bureau Valley Storm have departed for the Lincoln Trail/Prairieland Conference. Will they find greener pastures there? Only time will tell.

Bureau Valley in essence has replaced Aledo Mercer County in the large-school division in the LTP. Next year, the conference will divide into East-West divisions giving BV more favorable matchups of schools closer to its size.

The Storm went 5-24 over the last five years in the Three Rivers, including stints in both the Mississippi (three years) and Rock (two years) divisions.

Bureau Valley head coach Mat Pistole looks at the next offensive play with his Storm offense during Saturday's 7 on 7 contest against Princeton.

Bureau Valley head coach Mat Pistole and the Storm face a new assignment in the Lincoln Trail Prairieland Conference this season. (Kevin Hieronymus)

The Lincoln Trail/Prairieland produced seven playoff teams last year in Class 1-2A, including division champions Farmington (9-2) and Stark County (10-1) along with Annawan-Wethersfield (10-2).

BV fans will need to gas up for the Storm games in the Lincoln Trail/Prairieland and plug in their GPS for some new destinations.

The Storm will play five games on the road this year with an average trip of 108 miles with Carthage the farthest trip at 151 miles and Monmouth United for the season opener the shortest at 89 miles.

BV coach Mat Pistole hopes to hold some fundraisers to help the team pay for charter buses for some of the lengthy road trips.

How will St. Bede make out in its second year in the Chicago Prairieland?

The St. Bede Bruins prepare their second season in the Chicagoland Prairie Conference, but it comes with some changes.

Only St. Bede (5-5, 4-3), Ottawa Marquette, Seneca, Walther Christian Academy and Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington return to the conference for Year 2.

Three schools did not return to the league after its inaugural campaign – Elmwood Park, Ridgewood and Westmont.

With a need for nonconference games, St. Bede has picked up five new opponents for 2024 – Tri-Valley, Eureka, Chillicothe IVC, Bloomington Central Catholic and Ottawa.

New coach takes over at Hall

There’s a new sheriff in town at Hall where Logan Larson takes over as the Red Devils head coach, succeeding Randy Tieman, who retired after his second stint at the helm.

Hall football coach Logan Larson coaches his team during practice on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 at Hall High School. Larson grew up in Springfield and played his first two years of high school at Sacred Heart-Griffin before playing his final two years at Pleasant Plains. He played his freshman year of college at Bowling Green State University. then transferred to SEMO after a coaching change. After college, he coached at Springfield Southeast for three years and spent the last three years at Athens. Larson was the offensive and defensive line coach and special teams coordinator for Athens.

Hall football coach Logan Larson coaches his team during practice on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 at Hall High School. Larson grew up in Springfield and played his first two years of high school at Sacred Heart-Griffin before playing his final two years at Pleasant Plains. He played his freshman year of college at Bowling Green State University. then transferred to SEMO after a coaching change. After college, he coached at Springfield Southeast for three years and spent the last three years at Athens. Larson was the offensive and defensive line coach and special teams coordinator for Athens. (Scott Anderson)

Larson, who previously was an assistant at Class 2A stater runner-up Athens, is the first head coach coming from the outside with no ties to the program and community since Gary Vicini retired after the 2008 season following Jason Bland, Nick Guerrini and Tieman.

He was attracted to Hall by its tradition and being community school wants to restore that tradition. He takes over the program that has gone 10-27 since going 7-4 in 2019. Hall has an overall 38-25 playoff record, but has gone 6-7 in the past 10 years.

Can anyone sink the Clippers?

The Amboy-La Moille-Ohio Clippers enter their fourth season in the 8-man football ranks as defending state champions.

It should be smooth sailing for the Clippers as many feel they are the team to beat entering the new season and for years to come.

ALO won’t have to wait long for a rematch of last year’s 74-22 championship victory over Ridgewood, scheduled to face the Spartans in the season opener at home on Friday, Aug. 30.