May 07, 2025
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Bureau County teams huddling up Monday for first practice

By Kevin Hieronymus
Bureau Valley head football coach Mat Pistole looks to run a play with his players during the 7-on-7 meet on Saturday, July 15, 2023 at Princeton High School.

Bureau Valley head football coach Mat Pistole looks to run a play with his players during the 7-on-7 meet on Saturday, July 15, 2023 at Princeton High School. The Storm will join the Amboy-LaMoille, Hall, Princeton and St. Bede football teams for first fall practices on Monday. (Scott Anderson)

Monday’s the day.

It’s the first day of the fall practice schedule for the 2023 Illinois High School football season, a day circled on the calendar for all players and coaches alike.

Here’s a look at the first week of practice around the Bureau County camps:

Princeton - The first two days in the Tigers’ camp will be helmets only, meeting from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday’s practice, in “shells” will be moved up to 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. to allow for registration at 9 a.m. The Thursday and Friday’s practices will return to the 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. time slot. The freshmen will not practice Thursday due to freshmen orientation. On Saturday, the Tigers will meet from 7 to 9 a.m. for the first day of full pads and first scrimmage.

The Tigers will open the season on Friday, Aug. 25 at Monmouth-Roseville.

Bureau Valley - The Storm will start to “Pound the Stone” at 5:30 to 8 p.m. Monday and continue those hours throughout the week. Saturday’s session will start with “picture day” at 8:15 a.m. with practice to follow.

The Storm will kick off the season on Friday, Aug. 25 at Erie-Prophetstown.

Hall - The Red Devils will answer the early wake-up call at 7 a.m. Monday, through 10 a.m. The rest of the week, coach Randy Tieman said Hall will run from 4 to 7 p.m.

The Red Devils will travel to Orion for the Aug. 25 season opener.

St. Bede - The Bruins will run afternoon sessions this week, meeting from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, starting a little earlier Friday afternoon. Practice will shift to 8:30 a.m. Saturday for the first day of full pads.

The Bruins, who are joining the new Chicagoland Prairie Football League this fall, will have a neutral site for its season opener at Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington for a non-conference game against Tuscola.

Amboy-LaMoille - The Clippers are anxious to start the new season, coming off a state runner-up finish in 8-man football. They will set sail with practices from 7 to 10:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday, starting at 3:30 p.m. on Friday.

The Clippers will start the season at home at the Harbor against the Decatur Unity Christian co-op.