The Times 2023 Week 2 preview: Ottawa and Streator meet for the 102nd time

Streator (1-0) at Ottawa (0-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last meeting: Ottawa 42, Streator 14 (2022)

All-time series: Ottawa leads 60-39-2

About the Bulldogs: After a slow start last week, Streator exploded for a 74-29 victory over East Peoria. Quarterback Christian Benning ran the ball 19 times for 177 yards and four touchdowns and completed 13 of 23 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns as the Bulldogs posted 530 yards from scrimmage while allowing 228. Isaiah Brown rushed for 43 yards and a touchdown, Matt Williamson caught seven passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns, and Anthony Mohr caught four passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns. On defense, Benning, Williamson and James Pawelczyk each had an interception, while Aidan Stevens recorded three tackles for a loss. One negative in the win was Streator was penalized 16 times for 137 yards.

About the Pirates: Ottawa held a two-point lead late in the third quarter last week at Plano before the Reapers scored twice in the fourth to grab a 33-20 victory. Pirates running back Ryder Miller posted 156 yards on 20 carries and a TD, Archer Cechowicz ran for 24 yards and a score and QB Colby Mortenson completed 6 of 8 passes for 61 yards, including a TD to Packston Miller (3 catches, 33 yards). Ottawa finished with 243 yards from scrimmage against Plano. Defensively, the Pirates allowed 506 total yards, including 415 on the ground and 9.4 per carry. In last season’s matchup of the state’s third-oldest rivalry dating to 1894, Ottawa bounced back from an early 14-point deficit to score 42 unanswered points at Doug Dieken Stadium.

Friday Night Drive pick: Ottawa

Madison (0-1) at Marquette (0-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last meeting: First meeting

About the Trojans: Other than the fact Madison, which is located just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis and plays an independent schedule, lost its opening game to KIPP Legacy from Kansas City 48-6, not much is known about what the Trojans will bring to Gould Stadium. “We haven’t had much luck finding out much about them other than they made the [Class 1A] playoffs last season,” Marquette coach Tom Jobst said Wednesday. “Because they aren’t a conference opponent, we aren’t obligated to exchange game film, so we don’t know much.” According to MaxPreps, Madison has a roster of 33 players, 15 being upperclassmen, and their head coach Tavares Young is in his second season.

About the Crusaders: It was a rough start for Marquette Academy in a 42-0 road loss to Aurora Christian. The usually potent Crusaders’ wing-T attack produced only 37 rushing yards on 37 attempts and 66 total yards on the night. It was the first time in 114 games, since a 45-0 Big Rivers Conference loss to Riverdale in Week 7 of the 2011 season, that Jobst’s program was blanked. Marquette was led by the hard running of Grant Dose, who totaled 32 yards on nine carries. Payton Gutierrez added 17 yards on seven tries, and Jacob Smith had 15 yards on eight attempts. Sophomore quarterback Anthony Couch was running for his life most of the night, finished 4-of-10 passing for 29 yards and was sacked four times. He finished with minus-27 yards on eight attempts. On defense, Marquette allowed 328 total yards, 221 through the air.

FND pick: Marquette

Seneca (1-0) at Lisle (1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last meeting: Lisle 48, Seneca 0 (2017)

About the Fighting Irish: Seneca’s 27-21 statement triumph over Wilmington last week was a back-and-forth game until the Fighting Irish went on a 15-play, 77-yard drive that included converting two crucial fourth-down plays. “That’s kind of what we do,” Seneca head coach Terry Maxwell said of going for it on fourth down. “We believe that we have four downs to get a first with the situations on the field, and that is what we believe that our kids can do.” A pair of sacks by Nick Grant on the Wildcats‘ final possession helped run out the clock. Seneca rushed for 321 yards on 40 carries with Nathan Grant leading the way with 113 yards on 17 carries. Nathan Neal added 109 yards on eight carries, while Asher Hamby almost hit the 100-yard club with 97 yards on 11 carries. Seneca had lost to Wilmington in the previous 16 meetings, the last Seneca victory coming Oct. 12, 2001.

About the Lions: Lisle started its season strong in last week’s 28-7 victory at Harvard, taking the contest’s opening possession 68 yards on 12 plays, ending with a 1-yard touchdown run by quarterback Drew Nigro. The senior then threw a 25-yard TD pass to sophomore Myloe Thordson before running back David Skonieczny scored on a 12-yard run. The Lions closed out the scoring with a Nigro-to-Thordson 30-yard TD pass in the third quarter. Nigro finished 11 of 17 for 131 yards while also leading Lisle in rushing with 72 yards on 14 carries. Lisle also limited Harvard to 68 yards rushing while also creating turnovers. Ramon Ortega recovered a fumble, Gael Maldonado added a sack, and Clay Hicks had an interception to lead the defense.

FND pick: Seneca

Fieldcrest (1-0) at El Paso-Gridley (1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: El Paso-Gridley 28, Fieldcrest 0 (2022)

About the Knights: Fieldcrest beat Dwight 20-19 last week to end a 17-game nonforfeit losing streak and give Nick Meyer his first win as head coach at his alma mater. After the nonconference win, the Knights move into Heart of Illinois Conference play with a crossover at EPG. The Knights have not scored against the Titans the past two years, losing 28-0 last year and 26-0 in 2021. The 20 points Fieldcrest scored in Week 1 was a higher output than any game last season when the Knights never scored more than 14 points. Eddie Lorton ran for 111 yards and three touchdowns against Dwight.

About the Titans: EPG started the season Friday night but finished its season opener Saturday. Friday’s game was postponed with seven minutes left in the second quarter due to weather. The Titans beat Macon Meridian 49-20 in a nonconference game. The Titans led 15-0 when it was postponed Friday. Kamren Schumacher ran for 225 yards and four touchdowns on 29 carries, while Skylor Clover rushed for 134 yards and a pair of TDs. EPG’s defense also scored when Conlee Landrus returned an interception 41 yards for a TD.

FND pick: El Paso-Gridley

Peotone (1-0) at Sandwich (1-0)

When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday

Last matchup: Peotone 17, Sandwich 7 (2015)

About the Blue Devils: Peotone, which finished 5-5 last season, beat Rantoul 53-6 in Week 1. Peotone has made three consecutive playoff appearances and four total in coach Apostolos Tsiamas’ eight seasons. The additions of FB/LB Jayden Rodriguez and new starting QB Ruben Velasco have the Blue Devils excited about their backfield, running behind All-Illinois Central Eight Conference OL/DL Landen Hamm. “We feel our backfield is as strong as it’s been in a long, long time,” Tsiamas said. “We actually have decent depth at our skill positions for a change. We have a lot of new faces up front.”

About the Indians: Sandwich made a triumphant return to varsity football with Saturday’s 34-14 win over Manteno, the program’s first since 2019. The Indians piled up 430 yards of offense, all on the ground, with junior Simeion Harris accounting for 178 of the yards and two TDs. Sophomore Nick Michalek had 14 carries for 119 yards. Defensively, Caleb Jones had a 24-yard interception return for a TD. Sandwich will need to clean things up offensively as its schedule toughens. The Indians lost two fumbles and committed three turnovers total in the Manteno win that was even for a half.

FND pick: Peotone

8-MAN FOOTBALL

St. Thomas More (1-0) at FCW (1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday at Woodland

Last meeting: St. Thomas More 50, FCW 18 (2022)

About the Sabers: St. Thomas More, which reached the semifinals of the Illinois 8-Man Football Association playoffs last season, pushed to a 20-0 lead at halftime in a 34-6 victory over Blue Ridge/Deland-Weldon last week. Senior running back Peace Bumba scored on TD runs of 1, 11 and 26, while also catching a 44-yard scoring pass from junior QB Reid Craddock (5 of 8, 79 yards). Sophomore back Peter Samu also tallied an 18-yard touchdown run. Bumba and Samu each finished with 84 rushing yards, while senior receiver Ben Horn caught five passes for 38 yards. The Sabers held a 298-190 advantage in total yards.

About the Falcons: The Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland football co-op stunned defending I8FA champion West Central last week in Flanagan, leading throughout the 35-20 season-opening victory, including 28-14 at halftime. Payton Quaintance rushed 21 times for 214 yards and four touchdowns for FCW, while QB Seth Jones completed three of his six passes for 86 yards, two to Connor Reed for 62 yards, including a TD, plus one for 24 yards to Kesler Collins. On defense, Aydan Radke recorded a team-best 11 1/2 tackles, followed by Emerson Weber (11), Josh Lane (8 1/2), Collins (7), Zandar Radke (7) and Toby Hansen (6 1/2), while Collins also had an interception.

FND pick: St. Thomas More