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BCR GAME OF THE WEEK
Hall (1-4, 1-2) at Princeton (4-1, 2-1)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday, Bryant Field
Last matchup: Princeton 54-0 (2023)
About the Red Devils: Logan Larsen will get his first taste of the Hall-Princeton rivalry in his first year as the Red Devils coach. Hall handed him his first win in Week 3, defeating Mendota soundly 62-27, but let one slip away the next week against Sherrard, falling 20-14. The Devils fell to 1-2 in league play with last week’s 42-17 Homecoming loss to Kewanee. They rushed for 239 yards on 50 carries, led by Aiden Redcliff (26-117, TD), but surrendered 448 with Alejandro Duarte (11-235, 3 TDs) the big Boilermakers’ ground gainer. ... Hall holds a decisive edge (55-37-1) in the all-time series, but the Tigers have won five straight and seven out of the past nine meetings.
About the Tigers: The Tigers were knocked off course of a potential seventh straight Three Rivers Mississippi Division championship with Friday’s 31-3 loss stunning loss at Monmouth-Roseville. They will need Mon-Rose to stumble in the final three league games (Sherrard, Hall, Newman) to earn a share. ... They were held to 128 yards on 43 carries, while allowing 182. The Titans struck for two first-quarter passing TDs to build a 14-3 halftime lead and finished the upset win with a strong ground game. ... PHS senior Ian Morris reset his school record for the third time with a 49-yard field goal. ... In each of their past five regular-season losses dating back to 2018, the Tigers came back with a win the next week. ... The Tigers have won have won five straight – and seven out of the past nine – over Hall, outscoring the Red Devils 255-36 (51-7.2), including a 54-0 rout last year at Bryant Field. The Tigers are 34-9 at home, including four playoff losses, since head coach Ryan Pearson arrived in 2017. ... This will be Princeton’s 2024 Homecoming game.
All-time series: Hall 55-37-1
FND Pick: Princeton
Elmwood-Brimfield (4-1, 3-1) at Bureau Valley (3-2, 2-1)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday, Manlius
Last matchup: BV 46, Elmwood 6 (first round, 2008 playoffs)
About the Trojans: After a 4-0 start, the Trojans were handed a 40-0 loss at the hands of Lincoln Trail Prairieland Conference leader Farmington last week. Bureau Valley lost to the Farmers 54-6 the week before. The only other common opponent so far is Knoxville, which E-B beat 41-28 in the season opener and the Storm beat 46-13 last week.
About the Storm: The Storm bounced back from a tough loss to state-ranked Farmington in a big way with a 46-13 win over Knoxville, setting the stage for this week’s 2024 Homecoming game. Senior QB Bryce Helms led the charge, throwing for 136 yards and 3 TDs and adding 77 yards rushing with a TD. Senior Elijah Endress is returning to full strength, rushing 17 times for 123 yards and 2 TDs. ... The 46 points last week is the most in conference play for the Storm since scoring 49 against Riverdale in the Three Rivers Rock. They scored 50 against Sherrard in a Three Rivers crossover in 2022 and 67 last year against Aurora Central Catholic. ... While this is the first meeting with the Elmwood-Brimfield co-op, BV has a playoff history with Elmwood, defeating the Trojans twice: 55-19 in the 3A quarterfinals on the way to a state runner-up finish in 2004 and 46-6 in a 2A opener at home in 2008.
St. Bede (1-4) at Chillicothe IVC (0-5)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Bruins: The Bruins are on the rebound from a stunning 43-7 defeat at the hands of Ottawa Marquette on Saturday. The Bruins mustered just 122 total yards, with 75 of those on one play – a long touchdown pass from AJ Hermes to Carson Riva in the third quarter after the running clock was put in play. St. Bede’s leading rusher, Landon Marquez, was held to 23 yards on 12 carries. The Bruins were missing some players, but even Marquette coach Jim Jobst said he never saw that result coming. The Bruins will have to win out with games remaining against IVC, at 3-2 Dwight and Bloomington Central Catholic and a home game with 1-4 Ottawa in order to make the playoffs.
About the Grey Ghosts: IVC seeks its first win after five weeks, having been outscored 229-68 thus far playing opponents with a combined 19-6 record. The Grey Ghosts’ closest game was a 14-point loss (42-28) to undefeated Tolono Unity. IVC is a member of the Illini Prairie Conference, including Tolono and state-ranked Paxton-Buckley-Loda, which beat the Grey Ghosts 40-13 in the season opener.
Amboy-LaMoille (4-1) at Flanagan-Cornell-Woodland (4-1)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Amboy 62-7 (2023 8-Man playoffs)
About the Clippers: The Clippers saw their 17-game winning streak end with last week’s 34-22 loss at Ridgewood. Amboy had not list since the 2022 8-Man state championship game, going 13-0 last year to capture the state title. It beat FCW 62-7 in the second round on the way to last year’s crown, defeating Ridgewood 74-22. The Clippers were held to 151 yards rushing last week.
About the Falcons: The Falcons also lost to Ridgewood, falling 49-12 in Week 3. Two of their four wins have come over Sciota West Prairie (36-22, 49-12), which Amboy beat 58-14 in Week 2. Last week, FCW beat a third common opponent, Bushnell Prairie City (41-12), which Amboy beat 58-22 the week before.
Other area games
Annawan-Wethersfield (3-2) at Havana (0-5)
Geneseo (3-2) at Sterling (3-2)
La Salle-Peru (2-3) at Ottawa (1-4)
Marquette (3-2) at Walther Christian (0-3)
Mendota (0-5) at Kewanee (2-3)
Macomb (5-0) at Farmington (5-0)
Newman (4-1) at Mercer County (3-2)
ROWVA (3-2) at Stark County (5-0)