The Times Week 3 previews: It’s Ottawa vs. L-P, Seneca vs. Marquette, Takes 1

Nonconference

Seneca (2-0) at Marquette (1-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday at Gould Stadium

About the Fighting Irish: Despite a lot of roster turnover from the past two 9-0 regular seasons, Seneca has picked up where it left off with largely new faces all over the field. The Irish have dominated Tremont and Lisle by a combined score of 83-22, doing most of the damage on the ground with a power-T rushing attack that last week piled up 391 yards led by Brody Rademacher’s 193 and three touchdowns. This should be a step up in competition for Seneca – not to mention a fierce rivalry game – to test itself against a Marquette team the Fighting Irish will play again at home in a Chicagoland Prairie Conference game in Week 8.

About the Crusaders: Marquette spent more time on the bus getting to downstate Madison last Friday than it did on the field playing the Trojans, but it was worth the trip as the Crusaders picked up their first win of the season and built momentum heading into a nonconference meeting with the rival Irish. Grant Dose (124 yards on 16 carries in Week 2) and Payton Gutierrez (101 on 13) took leading roles in Marquette’s wing-T offense, although increasingly the Cru is showing the ability for big plays through the air with the combination of QB Anthony Couch and TE Keaton Davis (three TDs this season). Marquette’s defense rebounded nicely after a Week 1 loss to Aurora Christian and will need to turn it up another notch.

Friday Night Drive pick: Seneca

Ottawa (1-1) at La Salle-Peru (1-1)

When: 7:15 p.m. Friday at Howard Fellows Stadium

About the Pirates: Ottawa managed to get the taste of Week 1′s close loss to Plano out of its mouth with a Week 2 win at Streator. The Pirates pulled away late for a 34-7 win sparked by Logan Mills’ fumble recovery and Archer Cechowicz’s back-breaking, 55-yard touchdown run. QB Mark Munson threw two touchdown passes. Defense is where the Pirates have to improve to snap a nine-game losing streak to their archrivals, who lead the all-time series 69-50-5. The Pirates defense has only allowed 24 points combined, but have been gashed on the ground by Plano FB Tim Young (154 yards) and Streator TB Jordan Lukes (147 yards in Week 2). It could be tougher playing that style of bend-but-don’t-break defense against an L-P offense that is looking for a breakout of its own after being limited to 94 yards from scrimmage a week ago.

About the Cavaliers: This is the 125th meeting between the La Salle County rivals, a rivalry the Cavaliers have dominated for the past decade. L-P comes in at 1-1, but has to be encouraged overall by its performance to this point – an 18-16 win over United Township followed by a 22-14 loss at mid-size powerhouse Metamora, a game the Cavaliers led 14-8 at halftime. Adrian Arzola has been a weapon to this point for L-P and is coming off a two-touchdown game in Metamora that included a 95-yard kickoff return, his second kickoff return TD. The Cavaliers’ hope is that an offense led by freshman QB Marion Persich can catch up to the team’s strong defensive and special teams play, although Ottawa’s defense – despite some struggles stopping the run – has also played well through two weeks.

FND pick: La Salle-Peru

Heart of Central Illinois Small

Fieldcrest (0-2, 0-2) at LeRoy (2-0, 1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday at L.A. McKean Field

About the Knights: The new football-only superconference merger of the Heart of Illinois and Central Illinois hasn’t gone as well as Fieldcrest may have hoped with a pair of loses to traditional CIC teams – 34-28 to Macon Meridian and 42-14 to Moweaqua Central A&M. Eddie Lorton’s running has been a definite bright spot for the Knights despite the tough start, turning his 51 rushing attempts into 296 yards. An emerging passing game from QB Kash Klendworth and a stronger defensive effort will be needed for the Knights to avoid an 0-3 start.

About the Panthers: A more familiar opponent awaits the Knights in their first road game of the season, a 2-0 LeRoy team that dominated Central A&M 45-14 in Week 1 and followed it up with a 41-14 handling of Tri-Valley in Week 2. A Class 1A playoff team last fall, the Panthers returned 16 starters and have 28 upperclassmen on the varsity, led by All-State QB Bo Zeleznik and fellow all-conference performers OL/DL Tate Sigler, OL/DL Andrew Fleming, RB/LB Brock Owens and OL/DL Ash Osborn. To no one’s surprise, LeRoy appears to be a power in the new HOCI.

FND pick: LeRoy

Illinois Central Eight

Coal City (1-1, 0-0) at Streator (1-1, 0-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday at Doug Dieken Stadium

About the Coalers: The Coalers tested themselves in Week 1 and hung around with Morris until a late collapse left them 0-1. Coal City got right in a hurry in Week 2, dominating Canton 53-6. Armed with a number of proven returners, most notably OL/DL Will Johnke and do-everything RB/DB/K/P Landin Benson, who’s tormented the Bulldogs the past two seasons, this Coalers team is again expected to challenge Wilmington for the Illinois Central Eight title again and make the postseason for a 13th consecutive time. To beat the Coalers, who with Morris behind them have Peotone in Week 5, Wilmington in Week 7 and Manteno in Week 9 as the strongest teams left on their schedule, opponents have to play clean football, stop the run and put up points whenever they get the chance.

About the Bulldogs: As has been the trend in recent years, an optimism-building Week 1 victory was followed by a deflating punch in the gut from the Bulldogs’ oldest rival, Ottawa. This year it was a 20-12 win at Decatur Eisenhower followed by a 34-7 loss to the Pirates that sends Streator into ICE Conference competition at .500 needing to go at least 3-4 – more likely 4-3 – on the league loop to earn a playoff berth. Streator’s offense has moved the ball somewhat well, averaging 248.5 yards from scrimmage per game with RB Jordan Lukes and his 296 yards through two games accounting for most of that. Against a program built on defense like Coal City’s, however, Streator will need the rest of its offense to play more consistently and the defense to rebound from a bad second-half against Ottawa following six straight strong quarters to open the season.

FND pick: Coal City

Kishwaukee River

Sandwich (0-2, 0-0) at Plano (1-1, 0-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Reaper Stadium

About the Indians: After a fairy-tale 2023, the 2024 season through two games has been more like the Stephen King novel “Fairy Tale,” with an expected tough beginning against former conference foes and unexpected obstacles – including key injuries – leading to an 0-2 start. As with any good rivalry a win in the War on 34 would make things seem a lot more storybook for the Indians and get Sandwich back on a playoff path despite Week 1′s 54-32 loss to Manteno and Week 2′s 40-15 defeat to powerhouse Wilmington. Kai Pon (56 rushing yards including a 53-yard TD, 39 receiving yards last week) is emerging as a strong second threat behind Simeion Harris.

About the Reapers: This is the 113th meeting of the War on 34, a rivalry that goes back to 1897. Like Sandwich, Plano has a loss this season to Manteno. Unlike the Indians, the Reapers also have a victory – a Week 1 17-14 win at Ottawa that saw converted lineman-turned-fullback Tim Young rumble for 154 yards. It was two more yards than the Reapers defense allowed, and again last week the Plano defense played fairly well, allowing only 242 yards from scrimmage in a 27-6 defeat. Finding its own offensive consistency beyond featured backs Young and Amari Bryant could be the formula for a return trip to the postseason.

FND pick: Sandwich

Illinois 8-Man Football

Ridgewood co-op (1-1) at FCW (2-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday at the Wood Shed

About the Spartans: A co-op of Ridgewood and AlWood, the Spartans went 7-2 in the regular season and made it all the way to the I8FA state championship game last season, where they – like FCW two weeks ago – ran into buzzsaw Amboy/LaMoille/Ohio co-op. Ridgewood rematched the Clippers in Week 1 of this season and played them closer, albeit still in a 36-8 defeat, before Week 2′s return to form with a 56-14 win over winless Galva. This should be a good measuring stick for both teams against a 2023 playoff qualifier, with another meeting between them coming in Week 8 in Cambridge.

About the Falcons: After a slow start, Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland pieced together a second consecutive solid all-around effort in Week 2′s 38-8 victory over Peoria Heights. Now FCW hosts the first of two consecutive games on their other home field in rural Streator. Leelynd Durbin (222 yards in Week 2) and Logan Ruddy (100 yards) have emerged into another potent 1-2 running back punch for the Falcons, who also have the ability to throw, led by QB Seth Jones and WR Connor Reed. Both of the teams FCW have defeated have yet to win a game, so expect a step up in competition against the reigning I8FA runners-up.

FND pick: Ridgewood co-op