The Times Week 1 previews: Ottawa, Marquette, Fieldcrest all kick off the season at home

Flanagan-Cornell Woodland (0-0) at Milford-Cissna Park (0-0)

When: 6 p.m. Thursday in Milford

Last meeting: FCW 34, Milford-Cissna Park 28 (fall 2021)

About the Falcons: After a 7-4 season ending in an unexpectedly early I8FA playoff exit, FCW will have to replace many of last year’s impact players who led the Falcons back to their winning ways after a difficult spring 2021 season. There are some promising pieces returning, however, including Fall 2021 Times All-Area honorees OL/DL Jase Torrez and RB/LB Jesse Simpson. At the start of official practice, the Falcons boasted a healthy 45 players on their varisty and JV rosters.

About the Bearcats: Milford-Cissna Park also posted a 7-4 record last fall, and the Bearcats bring back 11 seniors, making up half of their 22-man varsity roster. A preseason report from the Champaign area’s WCIA suggested Milford-Cissna Park might field an all-senior starting offense. The Bearcats are always one of the top teams in eight-man, giving FCW a challenge right off the kicking tee.

Friday Night Drive pick: Milford-Cissna Park

Aurora Christian (0-0) at Marquette (0-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Eagles: A Class 1A playoff qualifier the last three full seasons and previously a 2A, 3A and once even 4A state runner-up before that, Aurora Christian is coming off a 6-4 season. The Eagles return seven starters on offense this season, led by QB Max Bray and receivers Than Lindoo and Owen Hampton. The Eagles should be a challenger in the Metro Suburban Conference’s Red Division.

About the Crusaders: The Crusaders — who went 9-2 last season with a Class 1A playoff win — look to be loaded offensively with three returning starting linemen leading the way for RBs Tommy Durdan and Jurnee Reed, QB Alex Graham and TE Charlie Mullen. Though still a run-forst, wing-T team, Marquette increasingly trusted Graham to put the ball in the air last fall, and he had a strong summer in 7-on-7s suggesting that trend may continue.

Friday Night Drive pick: Marquette

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley (0-0) at Fieldcrest (0-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last meeting: Fieldcrest 21, GCMS 14 (spring 2021)

About the Falcons: Like Fieldcrest with Nick Meyer, GCMS has a new head coach with Chad Augspurger replacing longtime Falcons leader Mike Allen. Also like Fieldcrest, the Falcons uncharacteristically missed the playoffs last season, going 4-5. There are a lot of uncertains, but it would be no surprise to see GCMS bounce back and compete for the HOIC Small Division crown.

About the Knights: The Knights are looking to shake off last year’s 0-9 season, and with so many returning players a year stronger and more experienced, there’s reason to believe they’ll get back in the win column. Week 1 could offer one of those opportunities against a wild-card GCMS team also under new management. Eddie Lorton, Landon Modro and Koltin Kearfott are all expected to do big things for the Knights.

Friday Night Drive pick: GCMS

Plano (0-0) at Ottawa (0-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last meeting: Plano 34, Ottawa 0 (fall 2021)

About the Reapers: In a scheduling quirk, the Pirates will be playing back-to-back games against the Reapers, who defeated Ottawa in Week 9 last season to guarantee a playoff berth, Plano’s first since 2018. Quarterback Sam Sifuentes returns behind center, with other key offensive weapons back including RBs/WRs Waleed Johnson and Logan Scheich. The Reapers did graduate most of the starting defense that shut out the Pirates 10 months ago.

About the Pirates: While their Times All-Area quarterback, running back and anchor on the lines all graduated, Ottawa has a few key pieces back from last fall’s 2-7 team. That includes leading receiver Levi Sheehan — now hauling in passes from dual-threat QB Colby Mortensen — and leading tackler Ryder Miller. How the new pieces mesh with the returning ones will likely determine if Ottawa can get off to a strong start to the season.

Friday Night Drive pick: Plano

Streator (0-0) at East Peoria (0-0)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday at EastSide Centre

Last meeting: Streator 14, East Peoria 12 (fall 2021)

About the Bulldogs: A nail-biting win over the Raiders to open last season helped Streator to a 3-0 start. The Bulldogs, however, lost their final six to miss the postseason. Head coach Kyle Tutt’s team welcomes back some highly explosive weapons — most notably RB/WR/DB Aneefy Ford, WR/DB Jeremiah Brown and QB/LB Christian Benning along with OL/DL Sabby Nieto — and adds a few new ones. Finding consistency in the offensive line and the defensive front seven will go a long way toward deciding if Streator can win Week 1 and for most of the season.

About the Raiders: East Peoria struggled to an 0-9 season last fall, the Raiders’ third consecutive winless campaign (counting the COVID-shortened spring 2021 season) and ninth straight losing record since last making the Class 5A playoffs in 2012. East Peoria has some dangerous weapons, however, and tends to play the Bulldogs tough despite Streator winning the last six meetings. Six of the teams’ eight games against each other since 2013 have been decided by eight or fewer points.

Friday Night Drive pick: Streator

Seneca (0-0) at Westville (0-0)

When: 5 p.m. Saturday

Last meeting: Westville 25, Seneca 6 (fall 2021)

About the Fighting Irish: Few teams were playing as well as Seneca was over the second half of the season last year, but the Fighting Irish dug themselves too big of a hole in the first half to climb out of in order to secure a playoff berth. A whopping 17 starters return for Seneca, leading one to believe the momentum gained during a run that nearly allowed them to secure the Vermilion Valley North Conference championship can be sustained. The playoffs are a definite possibility if the Irish can get off to a better start, beginning Saturday evening.

About the Tigers: Westville has gone back and forth on the program pendulum over the past few seasons and appears to be back on the upswing after dropping just two regular-season games before falling to Maroa-Forsyth in the opening round of the Class 2A playoffs. However, in the previous three full seasons to 2021 Westville won a combined eight games, which was preceded by a period of two seasons (2016-17) where the Tigers put up back-to-back 10-plus win seasons. So it’s hard to tell which way things might turn for them.

Friday Night Drive pick: Seneca