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Ottawa faces Streator in Week 2 of the 2024 IHSA football season. Friday Night Drive reporter Brian Hoxsey will have live updates, scores and news from the game.
What to know
Ottawa vs. Streator kickoff: 7 p.m.
Where: Streator High School
About the Pirates: It’s meeting No. 103 for Illinois’ third-oldest rivalry, dating back to 1894. Ottawa will come in looking for its first win of the 2024 season, coming off a close 17-14 home loss in Week 1 to Plano. Ottawa had a number of answering scores and key defensive stops; Weston Averkamp looked like a diverse, explosive threat as expected, scoring the Pirates’ first touchdown, leading the team in rushing yardage and adding a pair of receptions; and Ottawa had a 32-yard field-goal try late to send the game to overtime against a 2023 playoff team, all definite positives to take away despite the defeat. One area of concern coming into Week 2 based entirely on Week 1 results? Streator backed up its offseason promise of being a much more physical, run-oriented team this season by throwing just six passes in its 41 offensive snaps in a Week 1 victory. Conversely, Ottawa’s entire offense was outgained by Plano fullback Tim Young, 154-152 in yards from scrimmage. One area of confidence based entirely on recent history? The Pirates have beaten Streator the past two Week 2s by a combined total of 83-14.
About the Bulldogs: It was muddy, sloppy and not always pretty, but it was a season-opening win for Streator at Decatur Eisenhower, 20-12. RB/DB Jordan Lukes was a force on both sides of the football, finishing with 150 yards rushing (including a 69-yard touchdown) and delivering the hit of the game followed by two pivotal fourth-quarter stops. RB/DB Anthony Mohr, WR/DB Jake Hagie and WR/DB Matt Williamson also made highlight-reel plays in the win, while OL/DL Luke Gebhardt earned a spot on the Friday Night Drive Team of the Week. Penalties (six for 51 yards) and fumbles (five total, two lost) kept the Bulldogs from pulling away against a struggling Eisenhower team, though, and are areas Streator will need to clean up in order to handle the step up in competition. After research by Shaw Local Media’s Brian Hoxsey uncovered reports of additional early meetings in the Route 23 Rivalry, our current records show Ottawa leading the all-time series 61-39-2, including wins the past two seasons.
FND pick: Ottawa
Live radio broadcast of Ottawa-Streator football game
Shaw Local Radio will broadcast the game live on 98.5 WSPL
Postgame analysis:
Join us at 9:30 p.m. for Live with Friday Night Drive