Bureau County teams set first week of 2024 practices

After taking a “dead week” required by the IHSA, the Bureau County football teams are ready to get back at it on the practice fields for the first week of fall practices.

Here’s a look at what each camp has lined up this week to prepare for the season openers on Friday, Aug. 30.

Amboy-La Moille-Ohio

The Clippers are the reigning state champions in the Illinois 8-Man Football Association with an eye on repeating.

They will take their first steps getting back there with 7 to 10 a.m. practices Monday and Tuesday. Double sessions are set from 5:30 to 7 a.m. and again at 3:45 to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday with the first week concluding with another morning session from 5:30 to 7 a.m. on Saturday.

The Clippers will open the season at the “Harbor” with a rematch of last year’s eight-man championship game with the Ridgewood Co-Op.

Bureau Valley

Mat Pistole brings the Storm back off a 4-5 season with practices set from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. If the weather would turn exceptionally hot, Pistole said they would push practices back to the evening hours.

The Saturday, Aug. 17, session will run from 8:30 to 11 a.m.

After 24 years in the Big Rivers/Three Rivers conferences, the Storm will be members of the Lincoln Trail/Prairieland Conference in the large-school division. They will open the season at Monmouth United.

Hall

New Hall head coach Logan Larson will hold his first sessions of fall practices from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, switching to a morning session Saturday, Aug. 17, from 9 to 11 a.m.

Larson succeeds Randy Tieman, who resigned after his second stint as Hall coach.

The Red Devils will open the season at home on Aug. 30 versus Orion.

Princeton

Coach Ryan Pearson gave the Tigers an extra week off in addition to the required IHSA dead week. They will get back to work on Monday from 4 to 6 p.m., with a meeting with parents to follow.

After a switch to a morning session from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, the Tigers will go back to 4 to 6:30 p.m. sessions Wednesday through Friday in “shells.” On Saturday, the Tigers will run from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. in full pads.

The Tigers will welcome Sterling Newman for a Three Rivers crossover in the season opener on Aug. 30 at the “Jungle.”

St. Bede

St. Bede coach Jim Eustice has the Bruins lined up for their traditional round of afternoon practices from 3:30 to 6 p.m.

The Bruins, who are coming off a 5-5 campaign, will open the season at Downs Tri-Valley (10-1 in 2023) on Aug. 30.