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Interstate 8
Ottawa (1-3, 0-1) at Sycamore (4-0, 1-0)
When: 7:15 p.m. Friday
About the Pirates: Since a nail-biting loss to Plano in Week 1 and a dominant win over Streator in Week 2, Ottawa has had to play from behind for the most part – something this Pirates teams isn’t built for. It’s a demanding stretch of the schedule that features six consecutive games against Interstate 8 Conference opponents (La Salle-Peru twice), including back-to-back meetings with undefeated teams – last week’s 49-20 loss to Kaneland and this week’s visit to Sycamore. Middle quarters have been an issue, with Ottawa being outscored 42-14 in second quarters this season and 36-13 in third quarters. Jack Pongracz (128 yards, 3.9 per carry) and Weston Averkamp (105 yards, 2.9 per carry) lead the rushing attack, Mark Munson (383 passing yards, three TDs, 1 INT) is the primary passer, and the duo of Hector Valdez (19 tackles, 3 1/2 tackles for loss) and Logan Mills (28 tackles, two TFLs) are leading the Pirates defense.
About the Spartans: Every game has been decided by one score this year, including last week’s 25-19 win at Rochelle. On the year, Sycamore has been outgained by an average of about 50 yards per game, a trend Rochelle extended last week with a 366-280 edge in total yards. The Spartans have been averaging 123.3 yards per game on the ground. Dylan Hodges has led the ground attack with 281 yards and two touchdowns. Kyle Prebil leads the defense with 40 tackles, two for a loss and a sack. Landon Egler has 32 tackles, four for a loss and a sack. Burke Gautcher has completed 59% of his passes for 490 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. Ottawa’s last victory over the Spartans came in 2012, a 10-6 road victory in a Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference crossover.
Friday Night Drive pick: Sycamore
– Friday Night Drive’s Eddie Carifio contributed to this report.
Illinois Central Eight
Streator (1-3, 0-2) at Herscher (2-2, 1-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Bulldogs: The Streator offense has been limited to one touchdown each of the past three weeks, while the defense has allowed 19 since Week 1′s 20-12 win at Decatur Eisenhower. The Bulldogs will try to reverse that trend against a Herscher team that comes in 2-2, but has been outscored better than 2-to-1 so far this season. Streator has gotten increasing production out of a passing game led by Isaiah Weibel (25 of 47 for 250 yards the past two weeks) and favorite target Matt Williamson (seven receptions for 84 yards in Weeks 3 and 4), but has seen the running game led by Jordan Lukes – who put up 296 yards himself over the opening two games – limited to just over 100 yards the past two times out. Grabbing an early lead could lead to a more positive game script for the Bulldogs.
About the Tigers: A pair of lopsided losses (34-14 to Chicago Christian in Week 1, 42-0 to Manteno in Week 3) and two close victories (20-13 at Bishop Mac in Week 2, last week’s 8-7 stunning of Reed-Custer) have Herscher sitting at .500 but needing a win with Wilmington, Coal City and Peotone all still on the schedule. Last week’s win was a thriller indeed, with the Tigers’ offense unable to put any touchdown on the board against Reed-Custer, but a fourth-quarter pick six and game-winning 2-point conversion enough, thanks to Herscher’s own great defensive effort. Line play led by Brock Crane has been a strength, as has All-ICE WR/CB Mason Roberts.
FND pick: Herscher
Kishwaukee River
Harvard (2-2, 0-2) at Sandwich (2-2, 2-0)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
About the Hornets: Harvard scored a tight 21-14 triumph over still-winless Reed-Custer in Week 2, then followed it up with a close 10-7 loss at Woodstock. Sandwiched between a lopsided win over Lisle (42-7) and a lopsided loss Richmond-Burton (49-7), the Hornets are sitting at .500 after a winless 2023. To move back above break-even and stay there, however, Harvard will have to navigate this tough three-game stretch against the Indians, unbeaten Woodstock North and 2-2 Marengo. QB/DB/KR/PR Adam Cooke is the straw that stirs the drink for Harvard and a player Sandwich has to limit.
About the Indians: Things look a lot better in Indians Country after four weeks than they did when the team was sitting at 0-2 through two contests. Beating archrival Plano in Week 3 followed by last week’s 28-21 survival of Johnsburg – Nick Michalek finishing a 94-yard, nearly nine-minute fourth-quarter drive with the winning 9-yard run – has given the Indians a fresh start and a ton of momentum. Michalek finished with 132 yards and three TDs, complemented by FB Diego Gomez’s 76 yards. Harvard included, all five teams on Sandwich’s remaining schedule are currently at or above .500 – four of them 2-2.
FND pick: Sandwich
Chicagoland Prairie
Marquette (2-2, 1-0) at St. Bede (1-3, 1-1)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About the Crusaders: Talk about being dead even through four weeks – Marquette Academy has allowed 99 points and scored 99 points this season. The Crusaders, however, are outgaining opponents 312-236 in average yards from scrimmage, including 235-164 in rushing yardage, the Crusaders’ wing-T bread and butter. Grant Dose (358 yards, 5.3 average) and Peyton Gutierrez (282 yards, 5.6 per) are the primary ball carriers, although this season has seen QB Anthony Couch (21 of 39, 308 yards, five TDs, one INT) emerge as a threat in his own right. Last week’s 26-21 topping of Dwight/GSW was a big win for the Cru’s playoff hopes, as is this game with rematches against 4-0 Seneca and 3-1 Dwight/GSW waiting at the end of the regular season.
About the Bruins: St. Bede – led by former Marquette head coach Jim Eustice (2005-09), the immediate predecessor of current Crusaders coach Tom Jobst – put in a gutsy effort against defending conference champion Seneca last week, losing 36-12 in a game that saw bellcow RB Landon Marquez carry the ball 32 times for 150 yards and a score. Competitive losses to Heart of Central Illinois Conference teams Tri-Valley and Eureka the first two weeks of the season have left the Bedans needing a strong run through their remaining Chicagoland Prairie schedule with Bloomington Central Catholic and Ottawa High looming in Weeks 8 and 9. Marquette won last year’s meeting between the longtime Catholic school rivals 34-20.
FND pick: Marquette
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Heart of Central Illinois Small
Warrensburg-Latham (3-1, 3-1) at Fieldcrest (1-3, 0-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday at Veterans Park
About the Cardinals: The football-only merger of the Central Illinois and Heart of Illinois conferences has made for some new and interesting matchups. The Cardinals have beaten Tuscola, Heyworth and Fisher – all by double digits – and even their lone loss, 24-21 to still-undefeated Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley in Week 2 – looks like a plus on their resume. RBs Catrell Lee and Evan Gottman each had a pair of touchdowns in Friday’s 46-2 Scorigami-worthy home win over the Fisher Bunnies. For the season thus far, Warrensburg-Latham is outscoring opponents by an average final of 30.5-11.5.
About the Knights: Fieldcrest got in the win column – resoundingly so – Friday at home with a 54-0 dismissal of one-win Westmont, led by Eddie Lorton’s four-touchdown (three rushing, one punt return) performance on offense and a dominating defensive piece of work that limited the Sentinels to just 55 yards of offense with 15 plays for no gain/negative yardage. To get back in the playoff conversation after last year’s near-miss, however, the Knights are going to have to find a way to win these HOCI games, and with 4-0 GCMS and 3-1 Tuscola still to come, this is almost a must-have place to start.
FND pick: Warrensburg-Latham
Nonconference
Aurora Central Catholic (2-2) at Seneca (4-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Chargers: Perhaps in a sign of conference changes to come, independent Aurora Central Catholic filled nearly half of its schedule with Chicagoland Prairie Conference teams such as Seneca, losing 46-0 to Dwight/GSW in Week 3, beating Walther Christian 60-7 a week ago and visiting Marquette in Week 7. The only Chicagoland Prairie team not on the Chargers’ 2024 schedule is St. Bede. Last week’s lopsided win over Walther Christian aside, ACC has fared much better outside of the Chicagoland Prairie, beating St. Edward 20-8 in Week 1 and losing 16-6 in Week 2 to Christ the King before Week 3′s 46-0 shutout loss to Dwight/GSW. Two of the Chargers’ remaining four games after this are against Wisconsin teams.
About the Fighting Irish: Now winners of 24 consecutive regular-season contests, the Fighting Irish are coming off their closest game of the season, a 36-12 road win at St. Bede Academy. Brody Rademacher (212 yards on a dozen carries) had another huge game running the ball and stands at 726 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 16.9 yards per carry out of Seneca’s power-T attack. Liam Knoebel (25 tackles, 22 solo), Gunner Varland (24 tackles, 20 solo) and Nick Grant (21 tackles including five behind the line of scrimmage) lead a defense that is allowing just 11.8 points per game while the Seneca offense is scoring 41.8.
FND pick: Seneca
Illinois 8-Man
FCW (3-1) at Bushnell/Prairie City (2-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Falcons: It feels as if it’s been measuring-stick game after measuring-stick game for this year’s Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland squad, but this appears to be yet another one. FCW bounced back from its first loss of the season (30-7 in Week 3 to the Ridgewood co-op) by resoundingly finishing a two-game season sweep of West Prairie/Southeastern. That 49-12 win featuring 352 passing yards and five TDs from Seth Jones was much more convincing than FCW’s Week 1′s 36-22 victory at West Prairie/Southeastern, a sign of steady in-season improvement and some much-needed offensive balance for a Falcons team that after this one has a pair of current undefeateds – defending I8FA champion Amboy/LaMoille/Ohio and West Central – on tap.
About the Spartans: It’s been a season of extremes to this point for Bushnell/Prairie City. The Spartans have beaten a pair of winless teams (44-0 over Peoria Heights in Week 1, 36-8 over West Prairie in Week 3) and lost to a pair of undefeated squads (38-26 to West Central in Week 2, 58-22 last week to Amboy/LaMoille/Ohio), making this visit from FCW a good test against a fellow playoff contender who, like them, isn’t quite an overwhelming eight-man powerhouse. With return bouts against West Central and the Amboy co-op still to come for B/PC as well as a visit from I8FA runner-up Ridgewood, this is a game that will be key to both the Spartans’ and the Falcons’ end-of-season playoff hopes.
FND pick: Bushnell/Prairie City