September 12, 2024
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2024 season preview: Scouting the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference

By Drake Lansman
Fulton QB Don Kramer hands the ball off to RB Skylier Crooks in round one of the Class 1A football playoffs.

Fulton QB Don Kramer hands the ball off to RB Skyler Crooks in round one of the 2023 Class 1A football playoffs. (Brian Hurley - Shaw Local News Network)

TEAM PREVIEWS

Dakota Indians

Coach: Eric Didesch

2023 record: 3-6, 2-6

Schedule: Aug. 26 vs. Fisher, Sept. 1 vs. Forreston, Sept. 8 at Du-Pec, Sept. 15 at Lena-Winslow, Sept. 22 vs. Fulton, Sept. 29 vs. West Carroll, Oct. 6 at Galena, Oct. 13 at Stockton, Oct. 20 vs. Eastland-Pearl City.

Worth noting: Dakota and second-year head coach Eric Didesch hope to bounce back after three wins last season. Dakota made a run to the Class 1A state quarterfinals as a No. 11 seed in 2022 before falling to Forreston. Didesch says among his top players are Braxton Niedermeier (DE/TE), Avery Bowers (G/LB), Brody Goode (QB/DB), Jaden Gordon (RB/LB) and Bennie Gordon (WR/DB).

Pecatonica Du-Pec Rivermen

Coach: Tyler Hoffman

2023 record: 9-3, 7-1

Schedule: Aug. 30 at Stockton, Sept. 6 vs. Eastland-Pearl City, Sept. 13 at Dakota, Sept. 20 vs. Morrison, Sept. 27 vs. Galena, Oct. 4 at Lena-Winslow, Oct. 11 vs. Fulton, Oct. 18 at Forreston, Oct. 25 at Seneca.

Worth noting: The Rivermen have won eight or more games for the last three seasons and reached the Class 3A state quarterfinals last season before falling to eventual state champion Byron. Du-Pec was runner-up in the NUIC last year, falling only to Lena-Winslow, 48-27. Du-Pec’s nine wins match the most in school history, which was also done in 2021. Hoffman says among this year’s top players are seniors Cooper Hoffman (QB) Jaxon Diedrich, sr., (WR/OLB); Jordan Gassman, sr., (WR/CB); Payton Mulder, sr., (OL/DL); Nolan Stadler, sr., (OL/ILB).

Forreston Cardinals

Coach: Kenyon Janicke

2023 record: 8-3, 6-2

Schedule: Aug. 30 at Fulton, Sept. 6 vs. Dakota, Sept. 13 vs. Galena, Sept. 20 at Eastland-Pearl City, Sept. 27 at Morrison, Oct. 4 vs. Stockton, Oct. 11 at Hazel Green Southwestern (WI), Oct. 18 vs. Du-Pec, Oct. 25 at Lena-Winslow.

Worth noting: Forreston has won eight games the last four full seasons, falling to powerhouse Lena-Winslow in the playoffs the last three years. Janicke said there are eight seniors that will see significant playing time: Evan Boettner (RB/LB), Ayden Book (OL/DL), Devin Bratt (OL/DL), Coehen Kirchner (RB/DB), Bryce Miller (OL/DL), Colton Saldecki (OL/DL), Alec Schoonhoven (OL/DL) and Dane Setterstrom (RB/LB). Forreston also has 10 juniors and 10 sophomores on the varsity roster.

Fulton Steamers

Coach: Patrick Lower

2023 record: 6-4, 5-3

Schedule: Aug. 30 vs. Forreston, Sept. 6 at Lena-Winslow, Sept. 13 at Eastland-Pearl City, Sept. 20 vs. Stockton, Sept. 27 vs. Dakota, Oct. 4 at Galena, Oct. 11 at Du-Pec, Oct. 18 vs. Knoxville, Oct. 25 vs. Morrison.

Worth noting: Senior Dom Kramer is back at QB this year after throwing for 1,119 yards and 16 touchdowns with 300 yards rushing. Classmates Josiah Heald (OL/DL) and Jacob Huisenga (TE/WR/DL) are also key pieces on offense and Skylier Crooks led the team with 500 yards rushing. “Our goal is to be competitive each and every week in what we believe is the toughest 1A/2A conference in the state,” Lower said. “Each team presents many problems for us and we must prepare for each week as it is the most important game on our schedule. I feel we have had a very good off-season, and an excellent July.”

Galena Pirates

Coach: Ed Freed

2023 record: 3-6, 3-5

Schedule: Aug. 30 vs. Eastland-Pearl City, Sept. 6 vs. Morrison, Sept. 13 at Forreston, Sept. 20 vs. Fennimore (WI), Sept. 27 at Du-Pec, Oct. 4 vs. Fulton, Oct. 11 at Dakota, Oct. 18 vs. Lena-Winslow, Oct. 25 at Stockton.

Worth noting: The Pirates last reached the playoffs in 2021 when they finished 5-5. Galena started 2-0 last season before six straight losses. Ed Freed, coaching Galena for his 21st season, says Will Anderson (OL/DL), Roman Romer (QB/DB), Josh McNett (TE/DE), Myles Schumacher (RB/DB) and Juan Dorantos (LB/OL) are among his top returning players.

Eastland-Pearl City Cougars

Coach: Jared McNutt

2023 record: 3-6, 2-6

Schedule: Aug. 30 at Galena, Sept. 6 at Du-Pec, Sept. 13 vs. Fulton, Sept. 20 vs. Forreston, Sept. 27 at Stockton, Oct. 4 vs. Westmont, Oct. 11 vs. Lena-Winslow, Oct. 18 at Morrison, Oct. 25 vs. Dakota.

Worth noting: The Cougars have 10 returning starters on offense and nine on defense. EPC has not reached the playoffs since 2018′s run to the state semifinals and 12-1 finish in McNutt’s first season. … The Cougars started 0-5 last season before winning three of their last four. McNutt says junior RB/DB Draven Zier is one of the better athletes in the conference; he added Will Birchen (OL/LB), Jaxsyn Kempel (RB/DL), Adam Awender (QB/DB), and Peyton Spears (WR/DB) as some of his top players back. … Jackson Corbin is also back at quarterback with Awender in the mix as a “wildcat” QB.

Lena-Winslow Panthers

Coach: Ric Arand

2023 record: 13-1, 8-0

Schedule: Aug. 30 at Morrison, Sept. 6 vs. Fulton, Sept. 13 vs. Stockton, Sept. 20 at Dakota, Sept. 27 at Mineral Point (WI), Oct. 4 vs. Du-Pec, Oct. 11 at Eastland-Pearl City, Oct. 18 at Galena, Oct. 25 vs. Forreston.

Worth noting: The defending NUIC champions have six state titles in Class 1A since 2010 and finished as runner-up last season to Camp Point Central. The Panthers have not lost more than two games since 2016. Coach Ric Arand is 247-67 at Lena-Winslow, a .787 winning percentage. Arand listed seniors Luke Kempel (OL/DL), Jimmy Goebel (LB/RB), Jaylen Rakowska (RB/DB), Landon Grindey (LB/OL) and Cobryn Lynch (RB/DB) among his top players back.

Morrison Mustangs

Coach: Nathan Vandermyde

2023 record: 9-2

Schedule: Aug. 30 vs. Lena-Winslow, Sept. 6 at Galena, Sept. 13 at Galesburg, Sept. 20 at Du-Pec, Sept. 27 vs. Forreston, Oct. 4 vs. Dakota, Oct. 11 at Stockton, Oct. 18 vs. Eastland-Pearl City, Oct. 25 at Fulton.

Worth noting: This is Morrison’s first season in the NUIC after leaving the Three Rivers. Vandermyde, a 2008 Morrison grad, is in his second season as head coach; he was previously an assistant coach at Fulton and Morrison for four years each. Brady Anderson rushed for 1,026 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. … Vandermyde also listed seniors Colton Bielema (QB/DB), Austin Boonstra (OL/DL), Donny Reavy (FB/DL) and Tyler Peters (OL/DL) among his top players.

Stockton Blackhawks

Coach: Sean Downey

2023 record: 4-5, 3-5

Top players: Bryce Grube, sr., OL/DL; Jeremiah Luke, jr., OL/LB; Mark Detwiler, jr., FB/LB; Eli Larson, jr., TE/DL; Noah Larson, soph., QB/DB.

Schedule: Aug. 30 vs. Du-Pec, Sept. 6 at Shullsburg (WI), Sept. 13 at Lena-Winslow, Sept. 20 at Fulton, Sept. 27 vs. Eastland-Pearl City, Oct. 4 at Forreston, Oct. 11 vs. Morrison, Oct. 18 at Dakota, Oct. 25 vs. Galena.

Worth noting: Stockton has not reached the playoffs since 2019 when it went 7-4. The Blackhawks lost the first and last game of the regular season last year by one possession. Downey says Bryce Grube (OL/DL), Jeremiah Luke (OL/LB), Mark Detwiler (FB/LB), Eli Larson (TE/DL), and Noah Larson (QB/DB) among his top players.

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Cooper Hoffman, Du-Pec, sr., QB – Hoffman is in his third year at quarterback and helped lead the Rivermen to the state quarterfinals in Class 3A.

Corbyn Lynch, Lena-Winslow, sr., RB/DB – Lynch could see an increased workload this season after rushing for 1,120 yards last season.

Brady Anderson, Morrison, jr., RB/LB – Anderson, also a standout sprinter, had 86 rushes for 1,026 yards and 17 touchdowns last season at 11.9 yards per carry.

Josiah Heald, Fulton, sr., OL/DL – Heald is back to help anchor the lines on both sides of the ball after an all-NUIC first-team season as a junior. He had 48 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and four sacks.

Will Birchen, Eastland-Pearl City, jr., RB/LB – Birchen had 129 tackles (87 solo), nine TFLs, one sack and a forced fumble as an all-NUIC pick at LB.

FIVE CAN’T-MISS MATCHUPS

Week 1 – Lena-Winslow at Morrison: The Mustangs make their NUIC debut at home against the defending conference champions after playing in the Three Rivers Rock last year. Morrison has a chance to make a statement after West Carroll left the NUIC to play 8-man football this season.

Week 1 – Du-Pec at Stockton: Last year’s matchup opened the season with a 20-16 home win for Du-Pec after Stockton led 16-14 at halftime. The Blackhawks are at home this time around in the Week 1 NUIC showdown.

Week 2 – Fulton at Lena-Winslow: After opening the season against Forreston, the Steamers face another playoff qualifier from last season and NUIC foe in defending conference champion Le-Win, which won 32-8 last season en route to a runner-up finish at state in Class 1A.

Week 8 – Du-Pec at Forreston: A first-quarter touchdown pass from Du-Pec’s Cooper Hoffman was the only score in last season’s matchup. This could have late-season conference implications again.

Week 9 – Galena at Stockton: Stockton finished 4-5 last season after falling 27-24 at Galena to close the season. The Blackhawks have home field advantage in this season’s matchup.

STEVE SOUCIE’S PREDICTED FINISH

(* - Projected playoff qualifier)

  1. Lena-Winslow*
  2. Fulton*
  3. Forreston*
  4. Durand-Pecatonica*
  5. Morrison
  6. Stockton
  7. Dakota
  8. Eastland-Pearl City
  9. Galena