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Hall at St. Bede
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Last matchup: Hall 9, St. Bede 0 (2019)
About the Red Devils: Hall has won six of the last eight meetings with its rival since the series was renewed in 2012 and leads the all-time series 31-20-2. Nick Guerrini takes over as head coach of his alma mater after three years as an assistant. Seniors Jack Savitch, Donovan Cotton and Alec Vecchia, juniors Caleb Savitch and Dominic Guerrini and sophomore Mac Resetich will be key players on both sides of the ball for Hall.
About the Bruins: St. Bede returns most of its starters from last year’s 1-8 squad, including QB Braden Damerell (1,468 total yards, 11 TDs in 2019) and WR/RB Tyreke Fortney (759 total yards, 6 TDs). Joe Edwall will anchor an experienced offensive line. Luke Story is expected to be a leader of the defense in the secondary.
Pick: Hall
Lena-Winslow at Princeton
When: 7 p.m. Friday.
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Panthers: The Panthers are the defending champions in 1A and ranked No. 1 in the preseason 1A poll. Lena-Winslow has won four 1A state championships in the past decade, winning two of the last three. It has also won state in 2010 and 2013. Longtime coach Ric Arand has led the Panthers to 21 playoff appearances in 24 years with an overall 216-65 record. The Panthers have gone 31-7 in the playoffs since 2009. ... “You can tell he’s the reason that program is successful. He’s a good man and absolutely phenomenal to work with. We’re both excited for our programs,” PHS coach Ryan Pearson said of his Lena-Winslow counterpart.
About the Tigers: The Tigers are ranked No. 2 in 3A in preseason rankings. They return much talent from their 2019 semifinalists, including All-State running back Ronde Worrels, the program’s all-time leading rusher, and Unanimous TRAC Mississippi All-Conference quarterback Tyler Gibson and two-way lineman Grant Foes. Both Worrels (Northern Illinois) and Foes (Indiana Wesleyan) have signed to play collegiately next year. ... The Tigers are two-time defending conference champions. ... They lost in the playoffs to Byron the past two seasons, the semifinals in 2019 and quarterfinals in 2018. ... PHS assistant coach Jesse Snyder, who was head coach from 2012-2017, played for Arand at Lena-Winslow. ... The game will be streamed by Tiger Central Live on YouTube.
Pick: Princeton.
Fieldcrest at Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
Last matchup: Fieldcrest 14, GCMS 6 (2019)
About the Knights: Fieldcrest is coming off a 12-1 season, a Class 2A semifinal appearance, and snapped GCMS’s overall 31-game and a 24-game Heart of Illinois Conference winning streaks last season in a Week 4 matchup in Minonk. First-year head coach Mike Freeman standout senior captains Travis Sunken (OL/LB) and Jordan Hochecker (OL/DL), as well as FND Second Team honoree Jaxon Cusac-McKay (WR/RB/DB). Fellow seniors Cory Land (QB/DB), Austin Jefford (RB/LB), and Henry Lorton (WR/DB) will also key in the Knights topping the Flacons for the second straight season.
About the Falcons: GCMS finished 2019 at 9-2 and advanced to the playoffs for the seventh-straight season and 15th of the last 16 years. Head coach Mike Allen begins his 20th year and returns two of the top players in the league in junior Aidan Laughery (RB/DB) and Isaiah Chatman (RB/DE) with the former running for 1,279 yards and 22 TDs in ’19 and the latter the center point of a defense that allowed just 6.1 points per game and recorded five shutouts. Look for this contest to be another gem with the hosts looking to gain a little revenge from when the two last met.
Pick: Fieldcrest
8-MAN
LW/HS at FCW (at Flanagan)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Wildcats: Lowpoint-Washburn/Henry-Senachwine posted a 4-5 record in its first year of existence coming out of the now-defunct River Valley co-op with Midland. Returners such as OL/DL Noah Gebel, OL/DL Tyree Addo, RB/CB Britton Barnes, QB/LB Braden Grebner, RB/LB Alex Whirrell and FB/LB Jesse Knecht should lead the Wildcats this season, though there are some newcomers who look poised to contribute.
About the Falcons: The Falcons made it all the way to the I8FA State semifinals a year ago, but will be replacing a lot of the skill-position players who led them there. One player FCW won’t need to replace is intimidating OL/FB/LB Kyle Uhl, a force wherever he lines up. OL/LB Will Weber, OL/LB Chris Stasko, RB/DB JD Ruddy, RB/DB Jesse Simpson and QB/DB Dallas Hamilton — a receiver in 2019 — also are back for FCW.
Pick: FCW