WESTERN BIG 6

Montini (0-1) at Sterling (1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: Montini 42-20 (2018)

About the Golden Warriors: AJ Kested had 157 all-purpose yards for the Golden Warriors in the win at Lakes in Week 1, producing in all three phases of the game as a running back, defensive back and return man. His special teams play in the second half helped set up Sterling with a short field on multiple drives, helping Sterling outscore Lakes 21-0 in the final 24 minutes. He returned five punts for 57 yards and three kickoffs for 69 yards. ... On the line, Alejandro Arellano started most of the snaps on both offense and defense in Week 1. ... On special teams, kicker Luis Diaz was 4-for-4 on extra points in the win over Lakes, added a field goal and booted a pair of kickoffs for touchbacks.

About the Broncos: Montini won the last meeting between the schools at Roscoe Eades Stadium, a 2018 Class 5A semifinal before falling to Joliet Catholic the following week. In that game, Montini scored three touchdowns in just over three minutes thanks to Warriors turnovers and a punt return for a score. ... Montini turned to trickeration for its second score in a Week 1 loss to IC Catholic, using a double pass for a 37-yard touchdown with 19 seconds left. ... Defense came through for Montini in Week 1 as Evan Raczkowski and Eric Melendez both came up with interceptions.

FND pick: Sterling

BIG NORTHERN

North Boone (1-0) at Dixon (1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: North Boone 40-33 (2021 spring)

About the Dukes: Despite standout QB Jacob Gaither injuring his finger just days before the season opener, Dixon still dominated Oregon in a 35-0 victory at home. Sophomore Tyler Shaner completed 12 of 18 passes for 121 yards and 2 TDs, and he also ran for 74 yards. … The Dukes used seven different running backs, but Rylan Ramsdell was the main ballcarrier, finishing with 98 yards and a TD on 10 carries. … Dixon finished with 392 total yards of offense, including 271 on the ground, while holding Oregon to 67 total yards (60 rushing). … Dixon is 2-3 against the Vikings since they joined the Big Northern in 2016, with the three losses by a combined 16 points.

About the Vikings: North Boone won the last meeting between the teams 40-33 on April 24. Quarterback Logan Emanuel completed 20-of-26 passes for 313 yards and five touchdowns in that game, including a four-yard touchdown with 11 seconds left to win it. Emanuel has graduated, but Chandler Alderman has stepped into his shoes and helped lead the Vikings to a 35-0 win over Lutheran Week 1. Like Emanuel, Alderman has a strong arm, though one big difference is that Alderman is left handed. ... Will Doetch was Emanuel’s favorite target in the passing game last year with 20 catches for 533 yards. He is back at it this fall, getting a pair of receiving touchdowns from Alderman in the win over Lutheran. ... Ryan Kelley is in his first year as head coach, but is keeping a lot of the schemes, including the passing attack, in place.

FND pick: Dixon

Rock Falls (1-0) at Stillman Valley (0-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: Stillman Valley 48-0 (2019)

About the Rockets: Rock Falls scored on seven of its nine possessions in a 50-0 Week 1 win over Rockford Christian, the only exceptions being a turnover on downs at the Royal Lions’ 9 and a kneel-down to take the game to halftime. ... Nine different Rock Falls players carried the ball Week 1, yielding 285 rushing yards on 33 attempts. Booker Cross accounted for 186 of those rushing yards, but Kaleb Bull also had eight carries for 47 yards. ... The Rock Falls defense allowed just two first downs against Rockford Christian, both in the first half. In fact, Rockford Christian ran a total of eight offensive plays in the second half, going three-and-out twice and throwing an interception on the final play of the game. ... Rock Falls was flagged for five penalties for 55 yards in the first half Week 1, but just once in the second half, and that came on a two-point conversion attempt by the second-string players well after the game was in hand.

About the Cardinals: Stillman Valley opened the season with a rivalry game at Byron, losing 35-0. ... Dating back to the spring, the Cardinals are on a three-game losing streak, with a last-second loss to Dixon and a pair of not-so-close losses to Byron. The Cardinals’ last win was in the season opener in the spring against Winnebago. ... For about 24 hours, the two teams were scheduled to play Week 5 in the spring. Rock Falls was supposed to play Oregon that week and Stillman Valley was going to play North Boone, but both the Vikings and Hawks had COVID issues in the program and went into quarantine, so the Cardinals and Rockets hastily put to together a game with each other – until Rock Falls had COVID issues and called off the remaineder of its season, causing Stillman to travel to Dixon, who had had a game with Mendota that week also wiped out by COVID.

FND pick: Stillman Valley

Rockford Christian (0-1) at Oregon (0-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: Rockford Christian 49-13 (2017)

About the Hawks: Oregon was held to just 67 total yards in a 35-0 loss to Dixon in the season opener, with 60 of that on the ground. … Seniors Daniel Dominguez and Isaac Reber split time as the Hawks’ tailback in Week 1, with Reber splitting out at times as a wing. … Oregon put together an 11-minute, 44-second drive to end the first quarter and start the second quarter against Dixon, but turned the ball over on downs at the Dixon 15-yard line.

About the Royal Lions: In nine offensive possessions against Rock Falls, the Royal Lions punted seven times, turned it over on downs once and threw an interception. ... The last meeting between the two teams came in Week 9 of the 2017 season, with the Royal Lions pulling out a win to improve to 5-4 and become playoff eligible. Rockford Christian lost in the first round to Orion the following week. ... Ronald Miller enters Week 2 as Rockford Christian’s leading rusher, having gained 21 yards on two carries against Rock Falls. He gained 21 yards on a fake punt and was stopped for no gain on his other carry.

FND pick: Oregon

THREE RIVERS

Newman (1-0) and Rockridge (0-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: Newman 28-7 (2019)

About the Comets: Newman gained 255 yards on the ground in a Week 1 win over Morrison, with 106 of that coming on back-to-back plays by Marcus Williams, a 51-yard touchdown and a 55-yard touchdown. Those were Newman’s last two plays of the first half, and helped turn what had been a 7-0 Comets lead with six minutes left in the second quarter into a 28-0 halftime lead. ... Newman quarterback Cody Donna was 3-for-5 passing for 62 yards, completing a 36-yard pass to Drew Scott to set up a second-quarter touchdown and adding a pair of completions to Ethan Van Landuit. The first completion to Van Landuit went for a first down on third-and-10 play near midfield, and the Comets scored their first touchdown of the game moments later.

About the Rockets: Rockridge had 247 total yards (119 rushing, 128 passing) in a 48-7 loss to Princeton in Week 1, but had narrow misses on a few big plays that could’ve ended up in the end zone. ... Brayden Deem, the first-team all-conference QB in the Three Rivers West last season, led the Rockets in rushing (42 yards on 8 carries) and passing (7-for-18, 128 yards, 2 INTs) in Week 1. … Peyton Locke ran for 30 yards on 15 carries as Rockridge’s feature back against Princeton.

FND pick: Newman

Kewanee (1-0) at Morrison (0-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: Morrison 18-0 (2018)

About the Boilermakers: Kewanee won 42-8 in Week 1 against Monmouth-Roseville, which puts the Boilers in fourth in the TRAC East in both points scored (behind St. Bede, Bureau Valley and Princeton) and fourth in points allowed (behind Princeton, Newman and St. Bede). ... Going 2-2 in the spring meant the Boilers had the fewest losses in any season since 1999 when they went 10-2.

About the Mustangs: Morrison quarterback Danny Mouw did not attempt a pass in the Week 1 loss to Newman. All 37 of Morrison’s offensive plays were runs, with the Mustangs gaining 109 yards. ... Morrison’s first drive of the second half was a seven-play, 75-yard drive capped off by Alex Anderson’s 53-yard touchdown. Other than that drive, the Mustangs’ longest of the night was a five-play, 19-yard drive which ended in a punt. ... Morrison’s average starting field position was its own 23; the best starting field position was its own 46, after Justice Brainerd had recovered a fumble. The Mustangs’ worst starting field position was their own 2.

FND pick: Morrison

Bureau Valley (1-0) at Sherrard (0-1)

When: Friday, 7 p.m.

Last meeting: BV 34-21 (2016)

About the Storm: Bureau Valley beat Riverdale 47-12 Saturday. A win never felt so good, as the Storm snapped a 13-game skid dating back to Week 9 of the 2018 season; they led 34-6 at the half and never looked back. Third-year BV head coach Mat Pistole was showered with a Gatorade bucket to celebrate his first win. Pistole said he couldn’t have scripted in any better. ... Logan Hardy (13-65) and Layton Britt (5-137) each rushed for two touchdowns. ... With that win, the Storm now set their sights on starting a winning streak. ... The Storm have won both previous meetings with Sherrard, the last in 2016 at home, 34-21.

About the Tigers: The Tigers are under the direction of new head coach Brandon Johnston, who had a highly successful stint at Annawan-Wethersfield from 2009-18 (85-27). They are coming off a 3-1 spring season, their first winning season since 2009, but were hit heavy by graduation losses. ... “Sherrard is a young group trying to find their footing with a new coach,” BV coach Mat Pistole said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Coach Johnston and know they will make significant improvements heading into Week 2. We are going to have to tackle well in space and take care of the ball offensively. We are focused on taking it one day at a time and trying to get better every day; if we do that, the results will come.”

FND pick: Bureau Valley

St. Bede (1-0) at Erie-Prophetstown (0-1)

When: Friday, 7 p.m., Erie

Last meeting: St. Bede 24-21 (spring 2021)

About the Bruins: St. Bede and E-P have played tight games in recent years. In the spring, the Bruins won by three points, and the previous three meetings were decided by one point. … St. Bede beat Sherrard 53-0 in the opener for the Bruins’ first 50-point game since beating Erie-Prophetstown 56-7 on Sept. 30, 2016, and their first win by more than 50 points since defeating River Valley 54-0 in Week 7 of the 2005 season. … Tyreke Fortney, the Friday Night Drive Week 1 MVP, racked up 286 yards and four touchdowns on just six touches. … Ethan Sramek ran for 56 yards and a TD in Week 1, while Callan Hueneburg rushed for 42 yards and a score. … The Bruins held Sherrard to 147 yards and forced five turnovers – four interceptions and a fumble recovery. … Jayce Ladzinski led the St. Bede defense with eight tackles against Sherrard.

About the Panthers: Dual-threat quarterback Kolby Franks led the Panthers in their 24-14 loss to Mendota in Week 1, running for 72 yards and a touchdown. … E-P’s first touchdown came on a 78-yard punt return by Trevor Cobb. … The Panthers managed 130 yards of offense against MHS and turned the ball over three times, including an interception that was returned 85 yards for a TD. … E-P surrendered 221 yards to the Trojans.

FND pick: St. Bede

NUIC

East Dubuque (0-1) at Fulton (1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

First meeting

About the Steamers: Lukas Schroeder handled punting duties for Fulton in Week 1, in a defensive-minded game where coach Patrick Lower said punting wasn’t always a bad idea in the battle for field position. Schroeder booted the ball six times, averaging 35.5 yards per punt. Galena had a total of seven return yards. ... Fulton had 20 rushing plays and eight passing plays in Week 1, but both of the Steamers’ touchdowns came through the air, with Jacob Jones and Patrick Lower (the coach’s son) each throwing scoring passes, Jones finding Brock Mason and Lower finding Jones. ... Keegan VanKampen led the Steamers in rushing with nine carries for 51 yards.

About the Warriors: East Dubuque has gone 1-13 since the start of the 2019 season, the lone win coming at Dakota in the spring. ... East Dubuque got a touchdown in its Week 1 loss to Durand-Pecatonica on a Sam Bowman seven-yard touchdown pass. ... East Dubuque’s rushing attack is led by Dawson Feyen and Sam Huntington.

FND pick: Fulton

Eastland-Pearl City (0-1) at Stockton (0-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

First meeting

About the Blackhawks: In a season-opening loss to Forreston, Ian Broshous broke a 65-yard touchdown run with 8:39 left in the first quarter to tie the score at 6-6. The Cardinals scored the next 32 points to put the game away. ... Broshous finished with six carries for 91 yards, while Jace Phillips recorded 10 carries for 74 yards and a score.

About the Wildcatz: EPC was held to 67 yards of total offense on Friday in a loss to Lena-Winslow. Kellen Henze had 65 of that through the air, completing 8 of 12 passes, but he was also intercepted twice, and his eight rushing attempts resulted in a loss of 25 yards. ... Maddux Hayden was the top Wildcatz rusher with four carries for 28 yards, including a 19-yard gain. ... Levi Burkholder and Tyson Clark both had five solo tackles in Week 1, with Burkholder assisting on two other stops.

FND pick: EPC

Forreston (1-0) at Durand-Pecatonica (1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: Forreston 30-6 (2018)

About the Cardinals: The Cardinals’ win over Stockton in Week 1 saw 10 different players carry the ball, but the longest running play of the night belonged to a lineman. Junior lineman Johnny Kobler had a 60-yard gain. ... The balanced rushing attack coach Keynon Janicke expected going into the season was on display. Noah Johnson had a team-high 96 rushing yards on eight carries, including gains of 24 and 21 yards. Devonte King-Black had 12 carries for 85 yards, Matthew Beltran gained 66 yards, and Jacob Fiorello gained 50. As a team, Forreston had 63 carries for 469 yards.

About the Rivermen: Durand-Pecatonica opened the season with a 24-8 win over East Dubuque, powered by the defense. Du-Pec recorded a safety, a pair of sacks and two interceptions. East Dubuque managed 146 total yards, just 2.8 yards per play. ... Jake Anderson paced the defensive attack with eight tackles, including tackles for a loss which cost East Dubuque 20 yards. He also broke up a pass.

FND pick: Du-Pec

8-MAN

Amboy at Milledgeville

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: Milledgeville 50-14 (2021 spring)

About the Missiles: Milledgeville scored 22 points in the second quarter to break a scoreless tie and take control in last year’s game against the Clippers. … The Missiles lost 40-38 to rival Polo in Week 1, with a 2-point conversion by the Marcos with 5:25 left to play being the difference. … Connor Nye threw for 201 yards and 5 TDs, and ran for 75 yards and another score against Polo. … Bryce Aude caught three passes for 108 yards and 2 TDs, while Ashton Nobis, Kieren Harris and Kacen Johnson also caught scoring passes.

About the Clippers: Amboy had four different players score touchdowns in a 52-0 win over Peoria Heights in its first-ever 8-man football game in Week 1. … Tucker Lindenmeyer finished with 135 total yards and 3 TDs in the win, running for 91 yards and two scores and passing for 44 yards, including a 37-yard TD pass to Caden Wittenauer. … Joe Quest (60 yards, 2 TDs), Landen Whelchel (57 yards) and Kye Koch (45 yards, 2 TDs) all ran for more than 40 yards in Week 1. … The Clippers’ defense held Peoria Heights to 105 total yards (42 rushing, 63 passing) and four first downs.

FND pick: Milledgeville

Polo at AFC

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: Polo 42-18 (2018)

About the Raiders: AFC began its first full varsity season of 8-man football with a 52-14 loss to South Beloit in Week 1. … The Raiders moved to 8-man just weeks before the 2021 spring season began because of low numbers and injuries. … Ben Mershon, a former Junior Tackle coach, is looking for his first win as a high school football coach, in his first season at this level. ... The Raiders have not beaten Polo since joining the NUIC in 2006.

About the Marcos: Polo had a 100-yard rusher (Avery Grenoble, 136 yards, 1 TD), and 100-yard passer (Tyler Merdian, 179 yards, 2 TDs) and a 100-yard receiver (Kahlil Sankey, 102 yards, 1 TD) in a 40-38 win over rival Milledgeville in Week 1. … Merdian hit Sankey for a 40-yard TD pass with 5:25 to go to tie the game, then hit Grenoble for the 2-point conversion pass, which ended up being the difference in the game. … Brock Soltow ran for 94 yards and 3 TDs in the opener. … The Marcos are excited to renew a rivalry with AFC, after the two spent several seasons squaring off in the NUIC before Polo moved to 8-man football in 2019.

FND pick: Polo