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Nonconference
La Salle-Peru (3-5) at O’Fallon (1-7)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Cavaliers: La Salle-Peru looks to earn win No. 4 to give itself an outside shot at the playoffs with 37 playoff points (combined opponents wins) entering the week. … The Cavaliers will travel 220 miles, a little over three hours each way. … The Cavs have lost two games in a row, including a 38-0 loss to Kaneland last week. It was the first time L-P was shut out this season. … Kaneland intercepted three L-P passes last week. … The Cavs have scored 20 points or less in seven of eight games this season, the lone exception being a 33-0 win over Ottawa in Week 3.
About the Panthers: O’Fallon lost 30-17 to Alton in Week 8 a week after beating Belleville West 18-15 for its only win. … The Panthers have not scored more than 23 points in a game and are averaging 12.3 per game, while they have held only one opponent under 30 points foran average of 39.4 points per game. … QB Maddox English has completed 69 of 153 passes for 683 yards, three touchdowns and 10 interceptions while rushing for a team-best four TDs. … Luka Freidenberg has rushed for 265 yards and three TDs on 104 carries, and Donald Johnson has caught 36 passes for 457 yards and two TDs.
Friday Night Drive pick: La Salle-Peru
Ottawa (1-7) at St. Bede (1-7)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Bruins: St. Bede will play Ottawa for the first time in 44 years. The last meeting was Sept. 12, 1980. The Bruins are a Class 1A school, and the Pirates are a 5A team. … St. Bede lost a nonconference game 28-3 to Bloomington Central Catholic last week. … The Bruins scored first last week with a 35-yard field goal by Ryan Soliman. … St. Bede allowed touchdowns of 34, 54, 54 and 94 yards against BCC. … The Bruins were limited to 74 passing yards and 40 rushing yards last week. QB Gino Ferrari led the way, as he was 9-of-18 passing for 74 yards and ran for 24 yards on eight carries.
About the Pirates: Ottawa lost 64-10 to Rochelle last week in its final Interstate 8 Conference game of the season. … The Pirates have been held to 14 points or less in six games, including being shut out three times, this season and have allowed 49 or more points four times. … The Pirates allowed the Hubs to score four touchdowns in their first six offensive plays. … Ottawa had two punts blocked by Rochelle. … The Pirates allowed Rochelle to rush for 333 yards on 28 attempts (11.9 yards per carry). … Ottawa finished with 148 yards against Rochelle. QB Mark Munson was 12-of-19 passing for 68 yards and threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Owen Sanders, while Jace Veith ran for 77 yards on 16 carries. … Lucas Farabaugh booted a 41-yard field goal against Rochelle, the fourth-longest in school history.
FND pick: Ottawa
Three Rivers crossover
Hall-Putnam County (2-6) at Rockridge (6-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Red Devils: Hall earned its second win of the season last week by beating Riverdale 35-32. … Aiden Redcliff ran for 200 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries. He also had a sack for a 12-yard loss with less than two minutes left to help Hall seal the win. … Braden Curran scored a 2-yard rushing TD last week. … Hall stopped the Rams on four of five two-point conversion attempts. … Dylan Glynn intercepted a pass with less than 30 seconds left to end Riverdale’s last drive. … The Red Devils lost to Rockridge 35-0 last season.
About the Rockets: Rockridge beat Three Rivers Mississippi champion Monmouth-Roseville 28-18 last week. The Titans beat Hall 35-14. … The Rockets have won three games in a row. Their only losses this season are to Princeton (27-18) and Newman (15-7). ... QB Cullen Schwigen threw for two touchdowns and ran for a TD last week. … Trevor Dye returned a kickoff 95 yards for a TD against Monmouth-Roseville. … The Rockets held Monmouth-Roseville’s Peyton Thompson, who has rushed for more than 1,000 yards, to 51 yards on 11 carries, including 4 yards on three attempts in the first half. Rockridge forced the Titans to throw 17 passes. M-R entered the game with 17 pass attempts on the season.
FND pick: Rockridge
Mendota (0-8) at Mercer County (3-5)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Trojans: Mendota’s losing streak reached 11 games with a 37-7 loss to Erie-Prophetstown last week. … The Trojans trailed 6-0 after one quarter, 18-0 at halftime and 37-0 in the fourth quarter before scoring with 5:30 left on a 68-yard pass from Aden Tillman to Rhett Watson. … Tillman finished 8-of-17 passing for 109 yards while running for 51 yards on 13 carries against E-P. … Mendota allowed the Panthers to rush for 321 yards and throw for 51.
About the Golden Eagles: Mercer County has lost four consecutive games, including a 57-20 loss to Princeton last week, after a 3-1 start. … Mercer County coach Tanner Matlick has been suspended indefinitely by the district. … The Golden Eagles lost a fumble on the opening kickoff against Princeton, and the Tigers scored just 10 seconds into the game. … Mercer County gave up five TDs in the second quarter to Princeton. … QB John Baldwin completed 11 of 23 passes for 149 yards and a 33-yard TD to Dakota Coppala and ran for 97 yards and two TDs on nine carries. … The Golden Eagles allowed 411 rushing yards last week.
FND pick: Mercer County
Princeton (7-1) at Erie-Prophetstown (5-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Tigers: Princeton coach Ryan Pearson earned his 100th career victory last week with the Tigers’ 57-20 win over Mercer County. Pearson is 100-37 in his career, including 65-18 at Princeton. … The Tigers scored just 10 seconds into last week’s game when Jace Weyer recovered a fumble on the kickoff to set up Ace Christiansen’s 29-yard TD run. … Casey Etheridge ran for 261 yards and three TDs on 14 carries last week to lead an offense that rushed for 411 yards. Christiansen had two rushing TDs, Common Green ran for a TD, and Noah LaPorte caught a TD pass from Will Lott. … Princeton scored five TDs in the second quarter against Mercer County. … The Tigers beat Erie-Prophetstown 49-7 in the last meeting between the teams in 2019.
About the Panthers: Erie-Prophetstown has won back-to-back games after last week’s 37-7 win over Mendota. … The Panthers rushed for 321 yards last week with two 100-yard runners in Keegan Winckler (15 carries, 136 yards, 3 TDs) and Demetree Larsen (11 carries, 135 yards, TD). Winckler also completed 3-of-5 passes for 51 yards and a TD. … E-P’s Evan Steimle returned an interception 30 yards for a TD against Mendota. … E-P held Mendota to 69 rushing yards and 109 passing yards.
FND pick: Princeton
Lincoln Trail/Prairieland Large
West Hancock (1-7) at Bureau Valley (3-5)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Storm: Bureau Valley lost its third game in a row last week, falling 41-7 at Macomb. … The Storm return home after two road trips of 150 and 126 miles the past two weeks. … Bureau Valley gained 331 yards (197 rushing, 87 passing) last week but couldn’t get into the end zone until 32 seconds remained on a 3-yard pass from Bryce Helms to Blake Foster. … Helms ran for 60 yards on 16 carries and completed 9-of-16 passes for 87 yards. … Elijah Endress led the Storm defense with eight tackles.
About the Titans: West Hancock lost 46-12 to Illini West last week. … The Panthers’ 12 points last week were their lowest output of the season. West Hancock has scored 28 points or more five times with a season high of 52 points. The Panthers have scored 234 points compared with 181 for the Storm. … West Hancock has given up 45 points or more six times with a season-high of 80. The Panthers have allowed 410 points compared with 241 for BV. … West Hancock led 6-0 after the first quarter but trailed 24-12 at halftime and were outscored 22-0 in the second half. … The Panthers had three turnovers against Illini West. … After setting a program record with 13 TD receptions as a junior, Bryce Varner took over at quarterback for West Hancock this fall.
FND pick: Bureau Valley
Heart of Central Illinois Large
Fieldcrest (1-7) at Heyworth (2-6)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Knights: Fieldcrest has lost four games in a row since its 54-0 win over Westmont in Week 4, including 43-0 to Tuscola last week. … The Knights have allowed more than 40 points four times, including the last two games. … Fieldcrest has scored more than 14 points just twice this season. … The Knights lost 29-28 to Heyworth last season.
About the Hornets: Heyworth has lost six consecutive games since a 2-0 start, including a 35-14 loss to Central A&M last week. … Heyworth’s wins came against Fisher (42-0) and Meridian (27-12). The Knights lost to Fisher (28-14) and Meridian (34-28). …Heyworth QB Parker Bell threw for 190 yards and two TDs - to Ridge Braden and Brayden Brucker - with three interceptions against Central A&M, while Brucker had four receptions for 77 yards. … The Hornets recovered two fumbles and had an interception against Central A&M. … The Hornets allowed 418 total yards (225 passing, 193 rushing) last week.
FND pick: Heyworth
Illinois 8-Man Association West
Bushnell-Prairie City (3-5) at Amboy co-op (7-1)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About the Clippers: Amboy has won three games in a row since losing to Ridgewood in Week 5, including a 50-8 win over West Central last week. … The Clippers beat Bushnell 58-22 in Week 4. In that game, Josh McKendry ran for 211 and three TDs on 14 carries, while Quinn Leffleman ran for 66 yards and three TDs on 13 attempts. … Last week, Leffleman ran for two TDs, while Ed Fry, Brayden Klein and Eddie Jones each ran for a TD. Jones also threw TDs on his only two pass attempts, both to Caleb Yanos.
About the Spartans: Bushnell snapped a four-game losing streak with a 52-24 win over Galva last week. … In the first meeting against Amboy, Bushnell QB Talon Love completed 8 of 16 passes for 197 yards and three TDs. … The Spartans’ other two wins came against Peoria Heights (44-0) and West Prairie (36-8).
FND pick: Amboy