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How do you condense a nine-week football schedule into seven weeks? Just drop the first two weeks and play ball.
The Three Rivers Conference found a simple solution for its shortened seven-game football schedule that will be instituted by the IHSA next spring. When the Three Rivers lines up in March, it will be as if they skipped the first two weeks that were scheduled and just pick up with Week 3 games.
"It was the logical move for sure. We are fortunate that our conference is large enough to have built-in crossover games," BV coach Mat Pistole said.
Teams may start practice on Feb. 15 with the 2020 season slated to kick off March 5, seven months later than originally scheduled. On that night, Princeton will play at St. Bede, Bureau Valley will host Fulton and Hall will trek to Monmouth-Roseville.
Pistole joked that he was sure glad he bought a winter Storm coat.
One crossover contest lost in the rescheduled format will be the highly anticipated Week 2 showdown between TRAC Mississippi champ Princeton and TRAC Rivers champ Newman. The Comets went on to win the 1A state title last year while Princeton reached the 3A semifinals. The Tigers led last year's clash at Sterling 21-10 at the half, only to lose, 25-21.
PHS coach Ryan Pearson said he was disappointed to lose the Newman game.
Hall also loses its Week 1 crossover vs. Newman as well as the Week 2 game with Bureau Valley.
Here's a look at next spring's schedule for each Bureau County Three Rivers team shown with their 2019 record:
Princeton (11-2)
March 5 at St. Bede
March 12 at Orion
March 19 Sherrard
March 26 at Hall
April 2 Kewanee
April 9 at Monmouth
April 16 E-P
Bureau Valley (0-9)
March 5 Fulton
March 12 at Newman
March 19 Monmouth
March 26 Morrison
April 2 at Rockridge
April 9 Orion
April 16 at Riverdale
Hall (7-4)
March 5 at Monmouth
March 12 E-P
March 19 at St. Bede
March 26 Princeton
April 2 at Sherrard
April 9 at Fulton
April 16 Kewanee
St. Bede (1-8)
March 5 Princeton
March 12 at Sherrard
March 19 Hall
March 26 at Kewanee
April 2 Monmouth
April 9 at E-P
April 16 at Rockridge