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Metamora (1-0) at La Salle-Peru (1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 16-8 Metamora (2022)
About the Cavaliers: L-P had a successful debut of its new offense in a 34-14 win at United Township, which was the Cavaliers’ 13th straight win over the Panthers. The Cavs rushed for 307 yards - with 157 from Brady Romagnoli and 103 from quarterback Brendan Boudreau - and got 159 yards passing from Boudreau. Romagnoli ran for touchdowns of 51 and 5 yards, while Boudreau scored on a 3-yard run and tossed a 26-yard TD pass to Cordell Wheatly. Seth Adams booted field goals of 39 and 37 yards for the Cavs. Defensively, L-P allowed 275 yards (124 rushing, 151 passing) and gave up a 14-yard TD run and a 49-yard TD pass. Kaleb Kennedy intercepted two passes in Week 1.
About the Redbirds: Metamora, which received votes in the preseason Associated Press Class 5A poll, knocked off 5A No. 8 Sterling 28-17 in the season opener in Metamora. It was the Redbirds’ first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 2 Highland in the 2016 playoffs. The Redbirds trailed Sterling 17-14 at halftime. The game was delayed due to weather before the second half started. In the second half, Metamora scored a pair of touchdowns - on a 24-yard pass from Nick Rhoades to Kendrick Schaffrin and on a 1-yard run by Evan Keil - to earn the win. The Redbird defense pitched a shutout in the second half and made a fourth down stop in the red zone with less than four minutes left to help seal the win. Rhoades and Schaffrin hooked up for a 60-yard TD pass in the first half, while Stephen Petri scored on a 1-yard run for Metamora’s first points of the season. The Redbirds have beaten L-P by a touchdown in each of the last two seasons - 16-8 in Metamora last year and 14-7 at Howard Fellows Stadium in 2021.
FND pick: Metamora
Mercer County (0-1) at St. Bede (1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Bruins: St. Bede beat Associated Press Class 1A No. 6 Tuscola 34-25 in the season opener in a neutral site game at Illinois Wesleyan University. Max Bray shined in his debut as the Bruins quarterback, running for 215 yards and three touchdowns and throwing for 158 yards and a TD on 15 of 22 passing. Halden Hueneburg ran for 52 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. The Bruins trailed 19-12 at halftime and 25-20 after three quarters before scoring twice in the fourth quarter to earn the win. St. Bede allowed 143 rushing yards and 179 passing yards against Tuscola.
About the Golden Eagles: Mercer County, which will take St. Bede’s place in the Three Rivers Conference next year, lost its opener 14-6 to Monmouth United. The Golden Eagles have a new coach this year in alumnus Tanner Matlick, who played on Mercer County’s 2012 state championship team. The Golden Eagles were 7-3 last year and lost in overtime in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs. While Mercer County has never played St. Bede, its predecessor, Aledo, beat the Bruins, 41-8, in the Class 2A playoff opener in 1999.
FND pick: St. Bede
Riverdale (0-1) at Hall (0-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 40-14 Riverdale (2016)
About the Red Devils: Hall lost to Orion 20-14 in Week 1 for its eighth straight seaosn-opening loss. Hall is 3-4 in its last seven Week 2 games. The Red Devils and Chargers went back and forth with Orion scoring first and the teams trading touchdowns. Hall led 14-13, but the Chargers scored in the fourth quarter to take the win. After Mac Resetich accounted for 90 percent of the team’s offense last season, the Red Devils had a more balanced attack in the opener. QB Gianni Guerrini ran for 60 yards and a TD on 20 carries, Braden Curran rushed for 72 yards and a TD and Joseph Bacidore ran for 58 yards.
About the Rams: Riverdale returned to varsity football with a 40-0 loss to Dupo in Week 1. The Rams had two fumbles and two interceptions, which helped the visiting Tigers start six of possessions from inside the Riverdale 40. The Rams did not play a varsity schedule last fall due to a lack of numbers. Riverdale has three players who saw varsity action in 2021 in DE Zac Bradley, LB Kolton Kruse and OT Kalvin Smith.
FND pick: Hall
Orion (1-0) at Mendota (0-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Trojans: Mendota got off to a rough start to the season as Morrison scored 11 seconds into the game and went on to rout the Trojans 54-0. Morrison led 34-0 after one quarter and 47-0 at halftime. The Trojans allowed 420 rushing touchdowns, one completed pass on one attempt for a 66-yard touchdowns and surrendered six offensive TDs on plays of 30 yards or more. Mendota struggled to get its offense going, managing just 40 rushing yards and 134 passing yards. Wyatt Ossman ran for 18 yards on four attempts. Justin Randolph completed 8 of 28 passes with one interception that was returned for a 40-yard TD.
About the Chargers: Orion opened the season with a 20-14 win over Hall. Orion quarterback Kale Filler, the son of coach Chip Filler, threw a pair of touchdown passes to Jake Banbridge. The pair hooked up for TDs of 22 and 48 yards. Orion’s final TD was a 2-yard run by Kaden Edmunds that was set up when the Chargers returned a punt about 40 yards down to the 2. The Chargers and Trojans have not met since Mendota joined the Three Rivers Conference in 2021.
FND pick: Orion
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Morrison (1-0) at Princeton (1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 13-12 Morrison (2016)
About the Tigers: Princeton scored on the first play from scrimmage on a 42-yard run by Casey Etheridge in a 40-0 win at Monmouth-Roseville. It was the start of a big day for Etheridge, who rushed for 234 yards and added TD runs of 93, 18 and 4 yards. Will Lott tossed a pair of TD passes in his debut at quarterback, connecting with Noah LaPorte for a 63-yard TD and Ace Christiansen for a 20-yard score. The Tigers recorded their fourth consecutive road shutout as they won their season opener for the sixth year in a row.
About the Mustangs: Morrison showed big-play ability in its 54-0 rout of Mendota, scoring six offensive touchdowns on plays of 30 yards or more. Brady Anderson ran for 124 yards, including TDs of 78 and 40 yards, on four carries, Carson Strating rushed for 112 yards with a 55-yard TD on the first play from scrimmage on six attempts and Chase Newman ran for a 35-yard TD and returned an interception 40 yards for a score. QB Colton Bielema completed his only pass for a 66-yard TD to Daeshaun McQueen. The Mustangs held Mendota to 40 rushing yards and 134 passing yards on 8 of 28 attempts.
FND pick: Princeton
Monmouth-Roseville (0-1) at Bureau Valley (1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 21-7 M-R (2019)
About the Storm: After winning one game last year, the Storm matched the total already in 2023 with a 26-7 win over Erie-Prophetstown last week. Elijah Endress ran for two touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass from Bryce Helms. The Storm QB also ran for a TD. Bureau Valley shut out the Panthers in the second half.
About the Titans: For the second year in a row, M-R couldn’t get on the scoreboard against Princeton, losing 40-0 in the season opener last week and 48-0 in the 2022 regular season finale. M-R running back Payton Thompson ran for 133 yards on 23 carries. Titan QB Andrew Myers completed 4 of 9 passes for 53 yards and rushed for 40 yards. The Titans gave up three scoring plays of 40 or more yards, including TD runs of 93 and 42 yards by Casey Etheridge (234 yards). M-R has won all three meetings against Bureau Valley.
FND pick: Bureau Valley
Amboy co-op (1-0) at River Ridge (0-1)
When: 68-14 Amboy (2022)
Last matchup: 68-14 Amboy (2022)
About the Clippers: After finishing as runner-up in the Illinois 8-Man Football Association in 2022, the Clippers lost just one starter to graduation and entered this season as the top-ranked team in eight-man football. Amboy rolled to a 46-0 win over Unity Christian in the season opener. Amboy’s first points came when Vincent Zembrzuski blocked a punt and Caleb Shugars picked it up and returned it for a touchdown. Brennan Blaine scored three TDs in the first half - two receiving and one rushing. The Clippers led 26-0 after the first quarter and 40-0 at halftime.
About the Wildcats: River Ridge lost its opener 48-0 to Milledgeville. The Wildcats gave up 48 points in the opener after allowing 48.2 points per game last fall. The Clippers scored 68 against River Ridge last year, which was one of four games the Wildcats allowed 60 or more points.
FND pick: Amboy
Fieldcrest (1-0) at El Paso-Gridley (1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 28-0 EPG (2022)
About the Knights: Fieldcrest beat Dwight 20-19 last week to end a 17-game 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 last two years, losing 28-0 last year at 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 on Friday night but finished its season opener on 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