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BCR Game of the Week
Hall (1-7, 0-5) at Bureau Valley (2-6, 0-5)
When: 7 p.m., Storm Stadium.
Last meeting: Hall 26-7 (April 3, 2021).
About the Red Devils: Hall has not won since a 44-20 Week 4 win over Morrison. Outside of a 43-0 setback to Newman in Week 7, the Red Devils have been in every game since, falling to Mendota (43-34) and giving state-ranked Kewanee (24-22) and St. Bede (15-12) everything they could handle. ... Hall coach Nick Guerrini, a fullback for Hall’s 1995 state champions, looks for another good matchup for his Red Devils. “It will be another tough game this week. I feel we match up to them well. We just need to play consistent football and limit our mistakes,” he said. ... BV coach Mat Pistole, who like Guerrini is a product of the team he coaches, said, “Hall is a team that has gotten better as the season has went on and is playing their best football, that is a credit to their kids and coaches when they could’ve thrown in the towel.” ... The Red Devils lead the all-time series 4-3, having won 26-7 at BV this spring.
About the Storm: There will be a lot of pride on both sides of the field, especially so for BV, which will be recognizing theirs on Senior Night. “Friday is going to be a special night for a group of seniors that have really changed the culture here. They have been through so much adversity as a group, but kept believing and have really laid the foundation for our program to take the next step. This is a group of fantastic young men that I’m so proud of,” Pistole said. “We are really focused on putting a whole game together and executing at a high level. We are very excited about the opportunity, but more importantly we are going to cherish our last week together as a team. From the players to managers to coaches, this group is so much fun to be around and I’m going to be awfully sad come Saturday knowing our time together is coming to an end.” ... The Storm renewed its rivalry with Princeton last week after 23 years and gave the Tigers a much closer battle than the score (49-20) may indicated. The Storm, too, also gave St. Bede a battle, falling 13-7 in Week 6.
Last week: Hall lost to St. Bede 15-12, BV lost to Princeton 49-20.
Friday Night Drive pick: Hall.
Monmouth-Roseville (6-2) at Princeton (7-1)
When: 7 p.m., Bryant Field.
Last meeting: Princeton 42-13 (2019).
About the Titans: The Titans were knocked off their top perch in the Three Rivers West with last week’s 25-16 loss to Erie-Prophetstown. The loss snapped a six-game win streak for Mon-Rose, which opened the season with a 42-8 loss at Kewanee (PHS lost to 49-21 to the Boilermakers). ... All is not lost in the Titans camp as they have clinched a playoff bid, and like the Tigers, look to enhance their playoff seeding with another win. Mon-Rose junior QB Silas Braun has thrown for 1,196 yards and 13 TDs, completing 64-125 attempts. He has also rushed for 485 yards and two TDs, second behind RB Derek Chandler (143-1,137, 8 TDs). Charlie Fletcher (22-378/3 TDs), leads the Titans receiving corps, which boasts six players with five receptions or more. ... PHS coach Ryan Pearson said, “Monmouth has a great quarterback in the Braun kid. The running back is very shifty and I think he has a lot of great targets to throw to out on the edge. We certainly have to try to find their best athletes and take them out of the game.” Mon-Rose leads the all-time series 3-2 dating back to when both played in the West Central Conference.
About the Tigers: The Tigers remained trenched at No. 6 in this week’s AP Class 3A rankings. A win Friday will keep them there and boost their playoff seeding for a home game. ... Pearson knows it will be a good battle between the two runner-up Three Rivers division finishers. “I think it’s going to be a heckuva test before we go into the playoffs. Senior Night, I think emotions will be running high. I just hope we come out and play like we’re capable of playing,” Pearson said. ... Offensively, Pearson said, “We have to keep doing what we’re doing. Mix in the run with the pass and keeping them off balance and I think that’s going to give us the best chance to win.” ... Junior QB Teegan Davis, who has thrown for 1,285 yards, 14 TDs also leads the Tigers in rushing (75-689, 11 TDs). Junior RB Augie Christiansen has rushed for 595 yards and 10 TDs. ... Senior receiver Matt Lucas had three TDs last week with two catches and a 70-yard kickoff return. ... The Tigers beat the Titans 42-13 at Bryant Field in 2019. They have outscored the Titans 63-13 in their last two meetings.
Last week: M-R lost to E-P 25-16, PHS beat BV 49-20.
Friday Night Drive pick: Princeton.
Mendota (5-3, 2-3) at St. Bede (6-2, 3-2)
When: 7 p.m., Thursday, St. Bede.
Last meeting: St. Bede 20-12 (1985).
About the Trojans: The Trojans are playoff eligible, but need a win to clinch their first playoff bid since 2014. After a 5-1 start, the Trojans have lost their last two, falling to 4A ranked Kewanee (56-7) and Newman (24-7). ... This will mark Mendota’s third game not under the Friday Night Lights, having played two Saturday dates to help accommodate the shortages of game officials this year. ... It will be Mendota’s first game at the Academy since 1985, losing 20-12.
About the Bruins: The Bruins punched their ticket to the playoffs with last week’s 15-12 win over rival Hall, their sixth win. It didn’t come easy, however, as they had to rally with both scores in the final 10 minutes to pull out the win over the rival Red Devils. ... SBA coach Jim Eustice said it will be another key game for the Bruins to win to enhance their playoff seeding. “Short week playing on Thursday. ... Mendota is big and physical and it’s going to be a battle. Would be great to get a seventh win and potentially host first round,” Eustice said. ... Junior QB John Brady has thrown for 1,143 yards and 10 TDs and leads the Bruins with 503 yards rushing. ... Senior Tyreke Fortney has cooled the last two weeks, but still leads the Bruins with 28 catches for 733 yards and seven TDs, and has rushed for 282 yards and five TDs. .... The Bruins lead the all-time series over the Trojans 19-12-3.
Last week: Mendota lost to Newman 24-7, St. Bede beat Hall 15-12.
Friday Night Drive pick: St. Bede.