The Times Week 1 preview: Marquette, Ottawa hit the road; Streator, Seneca, FCW opening at home

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

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last meeting: Marquette 26, Aurora Christian 20 (2022)

About the Crusaders: A fellow perennial Class 1A playoff team starts a new-look, more-demanding schedule for Marquette Academy. The Crusaders did win a thriller against the Eagles last season, however, and this one promises to be another good game. Marquette will be reloading after graduating nine of its 10 Times All-Area selections from last fall with a new backfield and featured receiver taking over. More than half of the offensive line – including Charlie Mullen, Stefan Swords and Sam Mitre – returns to Marquette’s run-heavy wing-T. That line and proven system should ease in the new skill-position guys.

About the Eagles: Traditionally boasting an aerial-centered attack, head coach David Beebe saw dual-threat QB Max Bray transfer to Marquette’s new conference, where he will lead St. Bede. WR/DB Owen Hampton still is an all-state-caliber weapon. RB Drew Kegebin had a taste of varsity last season as a freshman and seems likely to see an uptick in touches with a year under his belt and Bray graduated. Underappreciated in recent years has been the Aurora Christian defense, which last season allowed a respectable 19 points per game against a schedule that featured six playoff teams.

Friday Night Drive pick: Marquette

Wilmington (0-0) at Seneca (0-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last meeting: Wilmington 47, Seneca 6 (2017)

About the Wildcats: There are no surprises here: Wilmington should be very good again and looks ready to make a run to a 27th consecutive playoff appearance. The Wildcats will get a tough test to start off, resuming a rivalry that doesn’t appear likely to be as one-sided as it was the last time they faced Seneca. Wilmington will be loaded again regardless, returning the likes of leading tackler LB Brendan Moran, leading TFL man LB Ryan Nelson and RB/DB Kyle Farrell. This should be a good one.

About the Fighting Irish: This is a different Fighting Irish team than the one Wilmington last faced six years ago. Seneca is coming off a 9-0 regular season powered by a stingy defense that recorded five consecutive on-field shutouts [six counting a forfeit] and a throwback power-T rushing attack. Many of last year’s featured players return in 2023, including The Times Football Player of the Year QB/DB Nathan Grant, featured RB/LB Asher Hamby and all-state OL/DL Chris Peura. A season opener against a powerhouse like Wilmington is a measuring stick/potential statement for a Seneca team whose plan is to build for a deep playoff run.

FND pick: Seneca

Dwight/Gardner-S. Wilmington (0-0) at Fieldcrest (0-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Trojans: Like Marquette and Seneca, Dwight is a founding member of the new Chicagoland Prairie Conference. Before diving into that stretch of the schedule, the Trojans have a couple of what look to be winnable games, starting with this one against a Fieldcrest program that hasn’t scored a win on the field since the COVID-altered season in the spring of 2021. Dwight returns some key components from last fall’s 2-7 squad, including QB Conner Telford, OL Terry Wilkey and LB Dylan Crouch, last year’s leading tackler.

About the Knights: Fieldcrest brings back a ton of experienced players who have taken their lumps the past couple seasons but continued to improve and build. RB/DB Eddie Lorton, WR/DB Jozia Johnson, OL/DL Aydin Stimpert, TE/LB Jackson Hakes and QB/DB Brady Ruestman all return for a Knights team anxious to prove they’re ready to return to playing competitive football. Shutting down Telford and Co. will be the top job.

FND pick: Fieldcrest

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

When: 7:15 p.m. Friday

Last meeting: Streator 52, East Peoria 0 (2022)

About the Raiders: This is the last year of the contract that renewed the former Streator-East Peoria rivalry, one that’s been dominated by the Bulldogs in recent years. That includes losses the past seven meetings over eight years for the Raiders, who snapped a 26-game losing streak after last year’s loss to Streator with a win at Aurora Central Catholic. The key component of the Raiders’ limited successes last year, big-play RB Gabe Ziegler-Harris, is gone to Monmouth College, and East Peoria will be looking for its next explosive playmaker against a Bulldogs defense that historically has been susceptible to the big play.

About the Bulldogs: Streator’s quest for its first playoff appearance since making the Class 5A field in 2017 begins Friday at Doug Dieken Stadium on a night the 1983 state championship softball team also will be honored. This year’s Bulldogs don’t have a lot of seniors (six), but they do have a surprising amount of depth thanks to large, talented junior and sophomore classes. WR Matt Williamson, OL Anthony Dominic, RB Isaiah Brown and QB Christian Benning – already the program’s all-time leading passer – headline that depth, which has led head coach Kyle Tutt to start the preseason with no planned two-way starters. The Benning-to-Williamson connection could put up some monstrous numbers this season.

FND pick: Streator

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

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Last meeting: Ottawa 13, Plano 12 (2022)

About the Pirates: Ottawa is coming off a 5-5 season and its first playoff appearance since 2012. It was a season where a lot of the little things that kept costing the Pirates victories in seasons prior were patched up, largely by a group of dedicated seniors. Now it’s a new group’s turn, led by returning starting QB Colby Mortenson, leading rusher RB Ryder Miller, WR Packston Miller, DE Cody Sprowls and Weston Averkamp, who put up eye-popping statistics at the sophomore level last fall. Big-legged K/P Cam Loomis could play a key role in close games, which based on last year’s result and the returning players seems likely.

About the Reapers: Coming off a 3-6 season that saw them lose their opener to Ottawa and then five of six down an injury-plagued home stretch, the Reapers look healthy and ready for a push back toward the postseason. RB Waleed Johnson returns for his senior season after averaging 8.7 yards per carry on his way to 1,285 a year ago, also adding 235 yards receiving. Returning QB Armando Martinez will welcome back another favorite target, WR/DB Nick Serio, while the Plano defense returns leading tackler LB Logan Scheich from a squad that held the Pirates to 13 points in 2022′s season opener.

FND pick: Plano

Manteno (0-0) at Sandwich (0-0)

When: 3 p.m. Saturday

Last meeting: Sandwich 28, Manteno 20 (2018)

About the Panthers: It’s the first meeting between the Panthers and Indians since they were members of the Interstate 8 Conference, and it’s an intriguing one. Manteno went 2-7 each of the past two seasons, but graduated only six seniors. Last year’s quarterback, the dangerous Niko Akiyama, is moving to RB/LB to take advantage of his skill set, with sophomore Connor Harrod taking over behind center. He’ll have two big-play targets in 6-3 Porter Chandler and burner Ashton Brazeau.

About the Indians: Sandwich played only a JV schedule last season because of low upper-class numbers. It should be noted, however, that the JV schedule went very well (8-1), and this year the program has numbers in the high-50s. Speedster Simeion Harris ran for more than 1,300 yards for the Sandwich JV last season behind an offensive line powered by the likes of Harley Perry, Peter Popp and Tate Frieders. Harris looks likely to be the featured guy in Sandwich’s wing-T, although how last year’s JV success translates to the varsity level is to be determined.

FND pick: Sandwich

8-man

West Central (0-0) at FCW (0-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday at Flanagan

Last meeting: West Central 50, FCW 8 (2022)

About the Heat: The defending Illinois 8-Man Football Association champions lost all-everything RB/LB Kaiden Droste to graduation but return a fair amount of last season’s loaded roster. That includes OL/DL Blake Cole, QB/DB Gage Stimpson, TE/LB Hunter Shrader, RB/DB Alex McGraw and RB/LB Isiah Stephson. The 13-0 season last fall puts the high-scoring Heat at 28-3 over the past three seasons.

About the Falcons: A strong offseason has put last year’s 2-7 season far back in the minds of the Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland football co-op, but this season is starting off a lot like the majority of last season with the Falcons opening against the defending I8FA champions. It’s a tough opener, but one the Falcons feel better prepared to compete in thanks to the return of stronger and more experienced players such as RB/DB Payton Quaintance, QB Seth Jones, TE/LB Kesler Collins and OL/DL Aydan Radke. Pulling off the upset will be a tall order, but competing well with the best and using that to set the tone for the season looks possible.

FND pick: West Central