Interstate 8
Sycamore (6-0, 3-0) at La Salle-Peru (3-3, 1-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Cavaliers: L-P snapped a two-game losing streak with a 14-7 win over Ottawa last week. … Freshman QB Marion Persich ran for 103 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and completed 10 of 19 passes for 104 yards and a TD to Cordell Wheatly. … Adrian Arzola rushed for 98 yards on 20 attempts. … The L-P defense stopped the Pirates on fourth down on their final three drives of the game and limited Ottawa to 276 total yards – 88 rushing and 188 passing. … The Cavs were called for 12 penalties for 111 yards against Ottawa, while the Pirates had 10 penalties for 85 yards. … L-P is 0-6 against the Spartans since the schools joined the same conference, being outscored 207-26, including 145-0 in the past four meetings. The Cavs last scored against Sycamore in a 14-6 loss in 2017.
About the Spartans: Sycamore moved to 6-0 with a 35-7 win over Kaneland last week. … The Spartans beat Rochelle (25-19) and Ottawa (63-0), while L-P lost to Rochelle (48-20) and beat Ottawa twice (33-0 and 14-7). … Sycamore fell behind 7-0 to Kaneland but scored the final 35 points. … Sycamore QB Burke Gautcher, an Iowa linebacker commit, threw for 147 yards and two TDs and ran for a score against Kaneland. … Kevin Lee ran for 71 yards and two TDs on 10 attempts last week. … Cooper Bode intercepted two Kaneland passes.
Friday Night Drive pick: Sycamore
Chicagoland Prairie
St. Bede (1-5, 1-2) at Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington (3-3, 0-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Bruins: St. Bede has lost three straight games, including 35-22 to IVC last week. … The Bruins rallied from down 21-7 to take a 22-21 lead with 5:36 left against the Grey Ghosts, but St. Bede gave up two TDs in the final minutes. … Landon Marquez rushed for 105 yards and two TDs on 24 carries last week, while Gino Ferrari completed 17 of 26 passes for 127 yards and an interception and ran for a score. … The Bruins beat Dwight 31-28 last season.
About the Trojans: Dwight has lost three in a row since starting 3-0, including a 52-22 loss to Seneca last week. … The Trojans fell behind Seneca 14-0 after one quarter but rallied to tie it at 14 in the third before the Fighting Irish scored the next 32 points. … Dwight racked up 405 offensive yards, with Ayden Collom and Joey Starks accounting for 315 yards. … Collom ran for a 67-yard TD against Seneca, and Dylan Crouch rushed for a 6-yard TD. … The Trojans allowed Seneca to run for 404 yards.
FND pick: Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington
Three Rivers Mississippi
Monmouth-Roseville (6-0, 4-0) at Hall-Putnam County (1-5, 1-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Red Devils: Hall has lost three consecutive games, including 41-0 to Princeton last week. … The Red Devils had an interception returned for a TD in the first quarter against Princeton and trailed 21-0 at halftime. … Hall managed 130 rushing yards and 3 passing yards against the Tigers. … Braden Curran rushed for 53 yards on 14 carries last week, while Aiden Redcliff ran for 35 yards on 16 attempts. … The Red Devils won 34-24 over the Titans in their last meeting in 2022.
About the Titans: Monmouth-Roseville stayed undefeated with a 69-12 rout of Sherrard last week. … Payton Thompson has rushed for 904 yards and 11 touchdowns on 71 carries this season, including 95 yards on four carries last week. He also forced and recovered a fumble against Sherrard. … The Titans rushed for 357 yards and had five players score a rushing TD last week. … Bryan Huston had six tackles and two tackles for a loss against Sherrard, while Elliot Rogers intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble.
FND pick: Monmouth-Roseville
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Princeton (5-1, 3-1) at Mendota (0-6, 0-4)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Tigers: Princeton bounced back from a 31-3 loss to Monmouth-Roseville with a 41-0 rout of Hall-Putnam County last week. … Ace Christiansen returned an interception for a TD last week. … Will Lott completed 6-of-11 passes for 104 yards and two TDs, both to Arthur Burden, last week, while Casey Etheridge rushed for 134 yards and two TDs on 15 carries. … Princeton held the Red Devils to 130 rushing yards and 3 passing yards. … Princeton has won all three meetings against the Trojans since Mendota joined the Three Rivers Conference, including a 55-0 win last year.
About the Trojans: Mendota remains winless after last week’s 49-14 loss to Kewanee. … Braiden Freeman ran for 76 yards and a TD and caught nine passes for 73 yards against Kewanee. … The Trojans allowed 450 rushing yards last week, with Kewanee running back running for 291 yards and five TDs on 19 carries. … Mendota has given up 40 points or more four times and is allowing 42.2 points per game. The Trojans have scored more than 20 points twice and are averaging 14 points per game.
FND pick: Princeton
Lincoln Trail-Prairieland Large
Bureau Valley (3-3, 2-2) at Illini West (3-3, 2-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Storm: Bureau Valley lost 27-21 to Elmwood-Brimfield last week as QB Bryce Helms was stopped on first-and-goal from the 4 yard-line on the last play of the game. … The Storm have not won or lost back-to-back games this season. … Helms was 9-of-16 passing for 119 yards and ran for 60 yards on 16 carries last week, while Elijah Endress rushed for 114 yards and two TDs on 22 attempts. … Bureau Valley had three players record double-digit tackles last week. Helms led the way with 13, Endress had 12, and Blake Foster finished with 10.
About the Chargers: Illini West has won three straight games after starting 0-3, including a 32-20 win over Knoxville last week. The Chargers’ first three opponents are a combined 14-1, and their last three are a combined 2-13. … Drew Cook ran for TDs of 41 and 2 yards last week, while Max Kinnamon threw a 25-yard TD pass. … Illini West ran for 183 yards and threw for 62 against Knoxville while allowing 280 rushing yards and no passing yards.
FND pick: Bureau Valley
Heart of Central Illinois Small
Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley (6-0, 5-0) at Fieldcrest (1-5, 0-5)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Knights: Fieldcrest lost 28-14 to Fisher last week, falling behind 28-0 before scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. … Jackson Hakes had a rushing TD last week, and Braydin Eplin had a fumble recovery score. … Eddie Lorton rushed for 80 yards on 14 carries against Fisher and now has 620 yards and four TDs on 116 carries. Lorton has run for 80 yards or more in five of six games.
About the Falcons: GCMS remained unbeaten with a 34-7 win over Tuscola last week. … The Falcons have held every opponent to 21 points or less and limited three opponents to eight points or less. … GCMS is averaging 30.3 points per game. The Falcons are averaging 37.8 points over their past four games. … Ty Cribbett ran for three TDs last week, including an 80-yarder, while Ely Harden had two rushing scores.
FND pick: Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley
Illinois 8-Man Football Association West
Peoria Heights (2-4) at Amboy co-op (5-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Clippers: Amboy bounced back from its Week 5 loss with a 46-14 rout of Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland last week. … The Clippers scored 30 points in the third quarter to pull away for the win. … Amboy QB Eddie Jones set a school eight-man record with 2,175 passing yards, which ranks fourth on the Illinois 8-Man Football Association career passing list, according to nuicfootball.com. … Josh McKendry has rushed for 785 yards and 14 TDs on 63 carries this season, while Brayden Klein has 555 yards and five TDs on 54 attempts.
About the Patriots: Peoria Heights lost its first four games before winning the last two – both against Galva (20-14 and 22-20). … The Patriots won last week despite turning the ball over three times. … Peoria Heights racked up 300 total yards last week – 276 rushing and 24 passing – while allowing 241 yards – 156 rushing and 85 passing. … The Patriots scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to pull out the win last week.
FND pick: Amboy