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BCR GAME OF THE WEEK
Princeton (1-0) at Orion (1-0)
Game time: Friday, 7 p.m.
Last meeting: Princeton 48-7 (2021 spring)
About the Tigers: The Tigers got off to a roaring start with a 48-7 thrashing of No. 2 2A ranked Rockridge last week. Any doubts that the Tigers graduated too much talent were vanished over 48 minutes of Bryant Field clock. They opened the preseason ranked No. 4 in 3A and stand to move up this week. .... Junior QB Teegan Davis accounted for four touchdowns, three by rushing and another by passing. He rushed for 223 yards. ... The Tigers return to the scene of their crime from April where they beat the Chargers 48-7 in Week 4 of the 2021 spring season. Two years ago, also at Orion, the Tigers ran over the Chargers 44-0. The Chargers, however, hold a 7-3 series edge over the Tigers. ... The Tigers have now won the last four season openers under fifth-year head coach Ryan Pearson, defeating Riverdale, Fulton and Lena-Winslow.
About the Chargers: The Chargers, like Princeton, opened the season with a victory in TRAC crossover play, defeating Hall 26-15. They were the only team in the Rock Division (West) to win one of the seven TRAC crossover games in Week 1. .... Orion’s Cole Kratzberg intercepted a pass against Hall and returned it 55 yards to the end zone, one of three touchdowns on the night. Kratzberg finished the night with 146 rushing yards on 20 carries and shared the team lead in tackles (seven). ... “Orion is very quick and has some veteran skill guys returning,” Pearson said. “Much like last week, we have to tackle well and not let their athletes break any big plays. We did a great job of limiting penalties and didn’t turn the ball over last week...we need to continue that trend if we want to sustain success.” ... Orion, which went 1-5 this spring, had six consecutive seasons of being .500 or better, going 48-19 in that span with six playoff appearances.
Last week: Princeton beat Rockridge 48-7, Orion beat Hall 26-15.
All-time series: Orion 7-3.
FND Pick: Princeton.
Bureau Valley (1-0) at Sherrard (0-1)
Game time: Friday, 7 p.m.
Last meeting: BV 34-21 (2016)
About the Storm: The Storm beat Riverdale 47-12 Saturday. A win never felt so good as the Storm snapped a 13-game skid dating back to Week 9 of the 2018 season. They led 34-6 at the half and never looked back. Third-year BV head coach Mat Pistole was showered with a Gatorade bucket to celebrate his first win. Pistole said he couldn’t have scripted in any better. ... Logan Hardy (13-65) and Layton Britt (5-137) each rushed for two touchdowns. ... With that win behind, the Storm set their sites on starting a streak in the opposite direction. ... The Storm have won both previous meetings with Sherrard, the last in 2016 at home, 34-21.
About the Tigers: The Tigers are under the direction of new head coach Brandon Johnston, who had a highly successful stint at Annawan-Wethersfield from 2019-18 (85-27). They are coming off a 3-1 spring season, their first winning season since 2009, but was hit heavy by graduation losses. ... “Sherrard is a young group trying to find their footing with a new coach,” Pistole said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for coach Johnston and know they will make significant improvements heading into Week 2. We are going to have to tackle well in space and take care of the ball offensively. We are focused on taking it one day at a time and trying to get better every day, if we do that, the results will come.”
Last week: Bureau Valley beat Riverdale 47-12, Sherrard lost to St. Bede 53-0.
All-time series: BV 2-0.
FND Pick: BV.
St. Bede (1-0) at E-P (0-1)
Game time: Friday, 7 p.m., Erie
Last meeting: St. Bede 24-21 (spring 2021).
About the Bruins: St. Bede and E-P have played tight games in recent years. In the spring, the Bruins won by three points and the previous three meetings were decided by one point. … St. Bede beat Sherrard 53-0 in the opener for the Bruins’ first 50-point game since beating Erie-Propehtstown 56-7 on Sept. 30, 2016 and their first win by more than 50 points since defeating River Valley 54-0 in Week 7 of the 2005 season. … Tyreke Fortney, the Friday Night Drive Week 1 MVP, racked up 286 yards and four touchdowns on just six touches in Week 1. … Ethan Sramek ran for 56 yards and a TD in Week 1, while Callan Hueneburg rushed for 42 yards and a score. … The Bruins held Sherrard to 147 yards and forced five turnovers — four interceptions and a fumble recovery. … Jayce Ladzinski led the St. Bede defense with eight tackles against Sherrard.
About the Panthers: Dual-threat quarterback Kolby Franks led the Panthers in their 24-14 loss to Mendota in Week 1, running for 72 yards and a touchdown. …. E-P’s first touchdown came on a 78-yard punt return by Trevor Cobb. … The Panthers managed 130 offensive yards against MHS and turned the ball over three times, including an interception that was returned 85 yards for a TD. … E-P surrendered 221 yards to the Trojans.
Last week: St. Bede beat Sherrard 53-0, E-P lost to Mendota 24-14.
All-time series: St. Bede 15-2.
FND Pick: St. Bede.
Hall (0-1) at Monmouth-Roseville (0-1)
Game time: Saturday, 6 p.m.
Last meeting: Hall 35-12 (2019).
About the Red Devils: Hall had success running the ball in its 26-15 loss to Orion in Week 1, rushing for 267 yards on 51 attempts. Caleb Savitch led the way with 130 yards on 17 carries, Dominic Guerrini ran for 46 yards and a pair of TDs and Mac Resetich rushed eight times for 51 yards and caught three passes for 41 yards. … The Red Devils committed 14 penalties for a loss of 88 yards and had an interception returned for a touchdown in the opener. … Hall allowed 271 yards to Orion with 241 coming on the ground.
About the Titans: Monmouth-Roseville, which went 0-5 in the spring, lost 42-8 to Kewanee in its opener. … The Titans turned the ball over five times against Kewanee, throwing three interceptions and losing a pair of fumbles. … M-R running back Derek Chandler ran for 119 yards on 15 carries in Week 1, while quarterback Silas Bruan competed 12-of-34 for 127 yards and carried the ball 10 times for 37 yards and scored the Titans’ lone TD. … The Titans recorded a safety in the second quarter for their only points of the first half. … M-R trailed 27-2 at halftime.
Last week: Hall lost to Orion 26-14, M-R lost to Kewanee 42-8.
All-time series: Tied 2-2.
FND Pick: Hall.
OTHER AREA GAMES
A-L-O (1-0) at Milledgeville, Friday, 7
Annawan-Wethersfield at West Hancock (0-1), Friday, 7
Kewanee (1-0) at Morrison (0-1), Friday, 7
Mendota (1-0) at Riverdale (0-1), Friday, 7
Metamora (1-0) at L-P (1-0), Friday, 7
Newman (1-0) at Rockridge (0-1), Friday, 7
Fieldcrest (0-1) at El Paso-Gridley (0-1), Friday, 7
Lombard Montini at Sterling (1-0), Friday, 7
Sandwich (0-1) at Geneseo (1-0), Friday, 7
Streator (1-0) at Ottawa (1-0), Friday, 7
Marquette at Chicago Christian, Friday, 7