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BCR GAME OF THE WEEK
Mercer County (3-3) at Princeton (6-1)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday, Bryant Field
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Golden Eagles: Mercer County coach Tanner Matlick was indefinitely suspended on Monday by school administration for a culmination of a series of events resulting in a climate and culture below the expectations of the school district and the community,” according to Superintendent Tim Farquer. Assistant coach Jason Kenney has been named interim head coach. ... Mercer County came over to the Three Rivers from the Lincoln Trail/Prairieland Conference this year, swapping places with Bureau valley. The Golden Eagles finished 2-3 in the Rock Division with last week’s 34-6 loss to Rockridge. They picked up wins over Riverdale (36-7) and Erie-Prophetstown (20-14) with losses to league champ Newman (29-16) and Monmouth-Roseville (50-14). Mercer County has reached the playoffs in each of the 14 years since it formed in 2009 in the consolidation with Joy Westmer, following the rich tradition of the former Aledo program, which had a 43-14 playoff record from 1975-2008, including three straight championships and three runner-up finishes.
About the Tigers: The Tigers punched their ticket for the playoffs for the sixth straight year with last week’s 54-17 win at Mendota. The only year, not counting the 2020 COVID season, they didn’t make the playoffs under coach Ryan Pearson was his first in 2017. Princeton has now outscored Mendota 210-42 since the Trojans joined the Three Rivers in 2021. Senior all-stater Noah LaPorte had 2 TD catches Friday and now has six in two games at Mendota, including a record-setting 204-yard game in 2022. Princeton is undefeated in three home games this season and stands 28-3 in the last six years in regular season play, 34-8 overall including playoff games. Their only regular season home losses came to Morrison (22-21) in 2023 and Newman (41-0) and Orion (28-7) in 2018.
FND Pick: Princeton
Bureau Valley (3-4, 2-3) at Macomb (5-2, 4-2)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday.
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Storm: The Storm fell flat after making a 150-mile trek to Carthage, falling to Illini West. This week, they face a 126-mile trip to Macomb in a near must-win game to keep their playoff hopes alive as they have just 27 playoff points (combined opponents wins). West Hancock (1-6) awaits the Storm in Week 9, but they’ll need a win Friday to make that game more meaningful seeking their first playoff appearance since 2019.
About the Bombers: The Bombers won their first five games of the season, but were shot down the last two weeks against the top two teams in the Lincoln Trail/Prairieland Conference - Farmington (26-20) and Elmwood-Brimfield (31-20). The Storm lost by a combined 54 points to that duo, 48 to Farmington. The Bombers seek their third playoff appearance in four years.
FND Pick: Macomb
Riverdale (3-4) at Hall (1-6)
Last matchup: Hall 46-6 (2023)
About the Rams: The Rams have made a nice turnaround after being unable to field a team in 2022 and going 0-9 last year. They can lock up their first playoff appearance since 2011 with wins over Hall and Sherrard (2-5) next week. Their signature win of the season was a 21-18 victory over Erie-Prophetstown in Week 6.
About the Red Devils: The Red Devils have not won since their 62-27 win over Mendota in Week 3 and this week’s game will be their best chance for another with Rockridge (5-2) waiting in Week 9. The Red Devils’ 35-point win over Mendota is 26 points better than what Riverdale managed (23-12 in the season opener). However, the Red Devils lost to Orion 42-14 in Week 1, whom the Rams beat 28-26. Hall beat Riverdale 46-14 at home in the second round of the playoffs on the way to win the 3A State championship in 2001. The teams have since alternated wins with Hall winning in 2015 in Port Byron and last year at home.
All-time series: Hall 3-2
FND Pick: Riverdale
St. Bede (1-6) at Bloomington Central Catholic (4-3)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Bruins: The Bruins have lost four straight since defeating Walther Christian 61-0 for their only win in Week 3. Two of the Bruins’ losses this season have been by a touchdown or less, Week 1 against Tri-Valley (22-16) and last week to Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington (29-27). St. Bede picked up BCC for a nonconference contest as a replacement game for the schools who dropped out of the Chicagoland Prairie Conference after just one year. The Bruins will return home for the first time in four week to close out the season against Ottawa in Week 9.
About the Saints: The Saints look to clinch a playoff berth with their fifth win Friday night. A perennial powerhouse, BCC has 32 playoff appearances with a 51-28 record, including four state championships (its last in 2008). All three of the Saints’ losses have come at the hands of state-ranked teams with a combined 19-2 record. Two losses came by three points or less - Paxton-Buckley-Loda (22-21) and Monticello (28-25) while they lost to 3A No. 3 St. Joseph-Ogden 38-19. BCC rebounded from that loss with a 49-28 win over IVC, which beat St. Bede the previous week 35-22. The Saints marched to a 11-1 record last year, handed its first loss in the 2A quarterfinals.
FND Pick: BCC
West Central (6-1) at Amboy-LaMoille (6-1)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday, at the Harbor
Last matchup: West Central 68-30 (2022 8-Man State finals)
About the Heat: West Central put the Heat on the Clippers for the 2022 8-Man state championship, winning 68-30. After a 3-6 record in 2023, the Heat rebounded to win its first six games of the season before falling to Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland 41-26 last week. The Clippers beat FCW 46-14 the following week. West Central has played a near identical schedule as Amboy with the exception of Ridgewood, which the Heat will face next week. The Heat are coached by former Bureau Valley coach Jason Kirby, who led the the Storm to a 3A runner-up finish in 2004.
About the Clippers: Amboy has bounced back big from its first loss in 17 games (34-22 in Week 5 to Ridgewood) by outscoring its next two opponents, Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland (46-14) and Peoria Heights (68-0) by a combined 114-14. The Clippers are still favored to repeat as 8-Man state champions, but will have to figure a way past Ridgewood, which beat them in their last meeting this year (34-22 in Week 5).
FND Pick: Amboy
Other area games
La Salle-Peru (3-4) at Kaneland (4-3)
Marquette (5-2) at Seneca (7-0)
Newman (6-1) at Kewanee (4-3)
Orion (1-6) at Sherrard (2-5)
Quincy (7-0) at Geneseo (4-3)
Rockridge (5-2) at Monmouth-Roseville (7-0)
Rochelle (6-1) at Ottawa (1-6)
Rock Island (1-6) at Sterling (4-3)
ROWVA (3-4) at Annawan-Wethersfield (4-3)
South Fulton (2-5) at Stark County (6-1)