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Interstate 8
La Salle-Peru (3-2, 0-2) at Ottawa (1-4, 0-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Cavaliers: L-P is looking to snap a two-game losing streak. The Cavs lost 48-20 to Rochelle last week. … The Cavs beat Ottawa 33-0 in a nonconference game – the 125th meeting between the rivals – on Sept. 13. It was L-P’s 10th straight win over the Pirates. … The Cavs have shut out the Pirates four times in the past 10 meetings. … Freshman QB Marion Persich completed 18 of 22 passes for 243 yards and a touchdown and ran for 75 yards and two scores against Ottawa and was voted Friday Night Drive Team of the Week MVP for the performance.
About the Pirates: Ottawa has lost three games in a row, including a 63-0 loss to Sycamore last week. … The Pirates have been shut out twice this season. … Ottawa allowed Sycamore to score five touchdowns in the first quarter. … Sycamore returned an interception and a fumble for a touchdown. … The Pirates managed 111 offensive yards – 81 rushing, 30 passing – in the first game against L-P.
Friday Night Drive pick: La Salle-Peru
Nonconference
St. Bede (1-4) at IVC (0-5)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Bruins: St. Bede has lost two games in a row, including a 43-7 loss to Marquette last week in the Bruins’ homecoming game. … The Bruins have scored 19 points combined over the past two weeks. … Gino Ferrari and AJ Hermes have both played quarterback for St. Bede in the past two games. Hermes threw a 75-yard TD to Carson Riva for St. Bede’s only score last week. … Sophomore RB Landon Marquez ranks sixth in the area in rushing with 362 yards and four TDs on 83 carries.
About the Grey Ghosts: IVC has lost its first five games, including a 47-7 loss to Prairie Central last week. The Grey Ghosts’ last win was a 60-26 victory over Rantoul in last year’s finale. … IVC has been outscored 229-68 this season against teams who have a combined record of 19-6. … The Grey Ghosts have gone 10-22 since their last winning season in 2019, when they went 10-1.
FND pick: St. Bede
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Three Rivers Mississippi
Hall-Putnam County (1-4, 1-2) at Princeton (4-1, 2-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Red Devils: Hall has lost its past two games – 20-14 to Sherrard in Week 4 and 42-17 to Kewanee last week. Princeton beat Sherrard 59-0 and Kewanee 44-15. … Against Kewanee, Dylan Glynn threw a 61-yard TD pass to Braden Curran, and Jack Curran ran for a 17-yard TD. ... Hall’s Aiden Redcliff ran for 117 yards last week.… The Red Devils allowed Kewanee’s Alejandro Duarte to run for 235 yards and three TDs on 11 carries.
About the Tigers: Princeton is coming off a 31-3 loss to Monmouth-Roseville. … After each of their past five regular-season losses, the Tigers bounced back with a win the next week. … The Titans threw for two TDs against Princeton in the first half to take a 14-3 lead. … Princeton’s lone points came on a school-record 49-yard field goal by Ian Morris. … Princeton’s Casey Etheridge has rushed for 548 yards and seven TDs this season, while Ace Christiansen has run for 311 yards and four TDs. … Princeton has won five straight over Hall by a combined score of 255-36, including a 54-0 win last season.
FND pick: Princeton
Mendota (0-5, 0-3) at Kewanee (2-3, 1-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Trojans: Mendota was on the cusp of its first win last week but gave up a TD in the final minute of a 28-21 loss to Sherrard. … The Trojans have lost eight games in a row. … Aden Tillman completed 7 of 15 passes for 149 yards and three TDs last week. … Braiden Freeman caught TD passes of 34 and 22 yards against Sherrard. He also intercepted a pass. … Mendota has been outscored 204-70 this season.
About the Boilermakers: Kewanee beat Hall 42-17 last week. Mendota lost 62-27 to the Red Devils. … The Boilermakers led 14-0 after the first quarter, 21-0 at halftime and 35-0 after three quarters last week. … Kewanee’s Alejandro Darte, who is 6-foot-2, 230 pounds, ran for 235 yards and three TDs on 11 carries. … The Boilermakers beat the Trojans 41-0 last season.
FND pick: Kewanee
Lincoln Trail-Prairieland Large
Elmwood-Brimfield (4-1, 3-1) at Bureau Valley (3-2, 2-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Storm: Bureau Valley enters its homecoming game coming off a 46-13 win over Knoxville. Farmington beat Knoxville 41-28. … QB Bryce Helms threw for 136 yards and three TDs and ran for 77 yards and a TD last week, while RB Elijah Endress rushed for 136 yards and two TDs. … The Storm have not won or lost back-to-back games this season. … Bureau Valley is averaging 46.7 points per game and allowing 16.7 in its three wins and is averaging 3.0 points and allowing 44.5 per game in its two losses.
About the Trojans: Elmwood-Brimfield suffered its first loss last week, 40-0 against Farmington. Bureau Valley lost 54-6 to the Farmers. … The Trojans were averaging 464.8 rushing yards and 45.5 points per game entering last week but were held to 193 rushing yards and no points. … Bo Windish (86 carries, 911 yards, 14 TDs this season) was held to 71 yards last week, while Matthew Glenn (90 carries, 860 yards, 11 TDs) was limited to 94 yards. … E-B threw three interceptions and had a punt blocked last week. … The Trojans allowed Farmington QB Lane Wheelwright to throw for 313 yards and five TDs and run for 50 yards and a score.
FND pick: Elmwood-Brimfield
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Heart of Central Illinois Small
Fieldcrest (1-4, 0-4) at Fisher (1-4, 0-4)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Knights: Fieldcrest is coming off a 21-0 loss to Warrensburg-Latham, its second shutout loss in the past three weeks. … Fieldcrest RB Eddie Lorton ranks third in the area in rushing with 540 yards and four TDs on 102 carries.
About the Bunnies: Fisher earned its first win of the season Saturday with a 21-12 victory over Red Hill. The win snapped a 19-game losing streak for the Bunnies, whose last win came Sept. 10, 2021, over Fieldcrest. … Fisher lost 40-0 to Fieldcrest last season. … The Bunnies have been outscored 174-44 this season.
FND pick: Fieldcrest
Illinois 8-Man West
Amboy co-op (4-1) at Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland (4-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Clippers: Amboy had its 17-game winning streak snapped with a 34-22 loss to Ridgewood, which the Clippers beat 36-8 in Week 1. … Amboy was held to 151 rushing yards. … Amboy’s Josh McKendry was held to 39 yards last week after running for more than 100 in each of the first four weeks. He leads the area in rushing at 676 yards and 11 TDs on 57 carries. … The Clippers beat FCW 62-7 in the second round of the playoffs last year.
About the Falcons: FCW is 4-1, and its only loss also came to Ridgewood 30-7. Two of the Falcons’ four wins are against West Prairie (36-22 and 49-12). … FCW beat Busnell-Prairie City 41-12 last week. … Leelynd Durbin ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries last week, while QB Seth Jones completed 5 of 6 passes for 100 yards and two TDs and also ran for two TDs.
FND pick: Amboy