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Ottawa faces Morris in Week 7 of the 2024 IHSA football season. Friday Night Drive reporter Bill Freskos will have live updates, scores and news from the game.
What to know
Ottawa vs. Morris kickoff: 7:15 p.m.
Where: Morris High School
About the Pirates: The Interstate 8 is projecting to send four, possibly five of its six teams to the playoffs. While good for the I-8 in general, it’s been tough on Ottawa individually. The Pirates are 0-4 against I-8 competition this season with Morris this Friday followed by 5-1 Rochelle waiting in Week 8 and have been outscored in their four games against I-8 teams by an average score of 39.8-6.8. That said, the improvement from Week 3′s 33-0 loss to La Salle-Peru to last week’s 14-7 defeat against L-P cannot be discounted. The Pirates, on the season, hold sizable advantages in time of possession and penalty yardage while only being minus-1 in turnovers. WR/RB/Wildcat QB Weston Averkamp and WR Owen Sanders are the only players through six weeks with more than 200 yards from scrimmage.
About the hosts: Morris has repeatedly proven the offseason chatter of being “down” false with resumé wins against Coal City and Joliet West and Week 5′s 50-10 smashing of Kaneland. Stumbles in a Week 3 shootout with Peoria High (5-1) and last Friday’s surprise 37-15 loss at Rochelle (5-1) will keep the chatter alive, most likely, with Morris looking to quiet it again and rebuild momentum with a decisive win heading into a Week 8 showdown at undefeated Sycamore. QB Brady Varner, RB Caeden Curran and WR Jack Wheeler are potent weapons the Pirates will have to contain to stick around in this one. Morris won last year’s meeting 54-17.
Friday Night Drive pick: Morris
Postgame analysis:
Join us at 9:30 p.m. for Live with Friday Night Drive