Here is a look at the 10 Illinois 8-Man Football Association teams from markets within our Friday Night Drive footprint, including West Carroll, Polo, St. Anne, Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland, Amboy/LaMoille/Ohio, Milford/Cissna Park, Milledgeville, Hiawatha, Ashton-Franklin Center and Alden-Hebron.

Team previews

Alden-Hebron Giants

Coach: John Lalor

2024 record: 5-5

Schedule: Aug. 29 Orangeville; Sept. 5 at Cambridge; Sept. 12 at Hiawatha; Sept. 19 TBD; Sept. 26 Rockford Christian Life; Oct. 3 South Beloit; Oct. 10 Harvest-Westminster; Oct. 17 at Milledgeville; Oct. 24 Ashton-Franklin Center

Worth noting: The Giants bring back six offensive and five defensive starters from last year’s .500 squad. A-H, which is a co-op this season with Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, lost to Polo 58-20 in the first round of the playoffs after ending the regular season with three straight victories. … Head coach John Lalor made his return to the sidelines last year after leading the Giants for 17 seasons from 2003-2019. The team picked up a 36-22, Week 1 win over Orangeville in his return. … Lalor believes senior Fabian Carreno (17 catches, 242 yards, two TDs last year) can be one of the I8FA’s top tight ends. Senior QB JP Stewart, a dual-threat as a passer and runner, is back to lead the offense after throwing for 725 yards and five TDs and running for 321 yards and four scores. Other top returners include sophomore Caleb Linneman (RB/S), who ran for 779 yards and 12 TDs, sophomore Jack Stewart (TE/RB/LB) and senior Louie Bageanis (RB/LB), who joins the Giants from OLSHA and Lalor said will be one of the team’s best all-around players. … “Looking to have a strong season in 2025 after getting back to the playoffs with a very young team,” Lalor said. ... Lalor, the president of the I8FA, is proud to have led the 8-man charge in Illinois. “Alden-Hebron and its communities have supported 8-man since its beginning,” he said. “Some call it the birthplace of 8-man football in Illinois. It has been a savior for our football tradition.”

Amboy/LaMoille/Ohio Clippers

Coach: Scott Payne

2024 record: 12-1

Schedule: Aug. 29 Milledgeville, Sept. 5 at Rockford Christian Life, Sept. 12 Bushnell-Prairie City, Sept. 19 Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland, Sept. 26 at Galva, Oct. 3 at Peoria Heights, Oct. 10 Cambridge, Oct. 17 West Prairie, Oct. 24 at West Central

Worth noting: The Amboy co-op overwhelmed Milledgeville 42-14 in late November to win its second consecutive I8FA state championship and will look to be the first Illinois eight-man team to three-peat, a quest that begins with a rematch against the Missiles. Back from last season’s 12-1 Clippers are standouts such as RB/LB Jose Lopez, TE/DL Evan Flanagan, OL/DL Trevor Stenzal, WR/DB Cody Winn, TE/DL Ryan McNinch and RB/DB Colt McCoy. There will be more new starters than returning ones from the team that hoisted the big trophy last November, with three offensive and four defensive starters back penciled into the expected starting lineup for 2025. The good news? Amboy’s JV team is coming off an undefeated 2024, so reinforcements look ready to step in and keep the varsity Clippers’ winning tradition going.

Ashton-Franklin Center Raiders

Coach: Josh Stone

2024 record: 0-9

Schedule: Aug. 29 at West Prairie, Sept. 5 Biggsville West Central, Sept. 12 Milledgeville, Sept. 20 at Orangeville, Sept. 26 Polo, Oct. 3 at River Ridge, Oct. 10 at West Carroll, Oct. 17 Danville Schlarman, Oct. 24 at Alden-Hebron

Worth noting: Stone is a 1997 Oregon High School grad in his first season as head coach after serving as offensive coordinator under Dave Smith last season. He is encouraged by an increase in numbers for the Raiders this season, who finished the season with just 12 players. He said the team is up to 19 players, and limiting the big plays will be key this season to getting back in the win column.

“We didn’t get the wins, but we had some games that we were in,” he said. “Just build off some of those successes from last year.”

Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland Falcons

Coach: Todd Reed

2024 record: 6-4

Schedule: Aug. 30 at Harvest-Westminster; Sept. 5 Polo (at Woodland); Sept. 12 at Galva; Sept. 19 at Amboy/LaMoille/Ohio; Sept. 26 Cambridge (at Woodland); Oct. 3 at West Prairie; Oct. 10 West Central (at Flanagan); Oct. 17 at Peoria Heights; Oct. 24 Bushnell-Prairie City (at Flanagan)

Worth noting: The Falcons are coming off back-to-back I8FA playoffs appearances and looking to make it three in a row for the first time since the early days of the co-op when FCW was still playing the 11-man game. “Losing another great senior class from last year will create some big shoes to [fill], but we do have some solid experience coming back,” Reed said. At the top of that list is a senior class led by Times-All-Area Football Team honorees RB/LB/KR Leelynd Durbin and RB/QB/DB Logan Ruddy. They’re joined by fellow senior returnees WR/DB Jaxon Torrez, OL/DL Oliver Weber, RB/LB Darren Howell and WR/DB Riley Wallace. A handful of returning juniors will bolster the Falcons’ experienced ranks, including RB/LBs Jaxon Flahaut and Emmett Horaney, TE/QB/DL Brezdyn Simons and OL/DLs Liam Kapraun and Jose Torrez.

Hiawatha Hawks

Coach: Kenny McPeek

2024 record: 2-7

Schedule: Aug. 30 at Galva, Sept. 5 at Westminster Christian, Sept. 12 Alden-Hebron, Sept. 19 at Christian Life/Keith Country Day/Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Sept. 26 South Beloit, Oct. 4 TBD, Oct. 11 TBD, Oct. 17 Polo, Oct. 24 at West Carroll

Worth noting: The Hawks are looking to bounce back from a 2-7 season last year, missing out on the playoffs for just the second time since 2016. Aiden Cooper returns under center for the new-look offense. The senior will be taking more snaps out of the shotgun this year, according to McPeek. He has plenty of weapons, including junior running back Tim Pruitt and sophomore receiver Colby Wylde. Senior Alex Panzer returns as well at center and will anchor the defensive line, which also features Cooper. With Rockford Christian and Danville Schlarman dropping football right as practices started, the Hawks have holes in back-to-back weeks in their schedule. McPeek said the school is working on replacements for those games.

Milledgeville Missiles

Coach: Jason Wroble

2024 record: 11-2

Schedule: Aug. 29 at Amboy, Sept. 5 Madison Abundant Life (Wisc.), Sept. 12 at AFC, Sept. 19 at Polo, Sept. 26 River Ridge, Oct. 3 West Carroll, Oct. 10 Orangeville, Oct. 17 Alden-Hebron, Oct. 24 at Rockford Christian

Worth noting: The Missiles got over the hump last season to reach the I8FA state title game before falling to Amboy, and the Missiles are using that as motivation to get back. Senior Karter Livengood (OL/DL) returns after taking the reins at quarterback late last season for the postseason run. Also back for Milledgeville are Spencer Nye (RB/LB), Konner Johnson (RB/TE/LB), Kyson Francis (QB) and Evan Schenck (TE/DB).

“A lot of the seniors that we have back, they’ve gotten a lot of snaps in varsity football on quality teams and against quality opposition,” coach Wroble said. “They’ve played in big games and had some big moments, and being on the big stage isn’t something that’s going to rattle them. They know what it’s all about. They know what it takes.”

Milford/Cissna Park Bearcats

Coach: Clint Schwartz

2024 record: 6-4

Schedule: Aug. 30 at Schlarman, Sept. 5 St. Thomas More, Sept. 12 Oblong, Sept. 20 at Martinsville, Sept. 27 Pawnee/Lincolnwood, Oct. 4 Meridian, Oct. 10 at Blue Ridge/DeLand-Weldon, Oct. 16 St. Anne, Oct. 24 at Unity Christian/Mt. Pulaski

Worth noting: The move to 8-man football has been fruitful for Milford/Cissna Park. The inaugural I8FA champions in 2018 have put up an overall record of 52-17 as an 8-man program, including a 6-4 record last season. Veteran head coach Clint Schwartz said that the standard that has been set in recent years will not be any different in 2025.

“Our guys, they don’t know anything else than competing in every single game and trying to go 1-0,” he said. “The goal is to make the playoffs and hopefully be able to make a run when late October and early November rolls around.”

Dierks Neukomm is back under center to lead the way, with that center, Jaden Souders, also back to anchor the line. Mario Martinez is back as a two-way contributor at linebacker and running back, with Coy Lucht joining him on the linebacking corps and fresher faces like Skylar Estay looking to step up.

Polo Marcos

Coach: Ted Alston

2024 record: 11-1

Schedule: Aug. 29 Bushnell-Praire City, Sept. 5 at Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland, Sept. 12 at West Carroll, Sept. 19 Milledgeville, Sept. 26 at AFC, Oct. 3 Orangeville, Oct. 10 River Ridge, Oct. 17 at Hiawatha, Oct. 24 South Beloit

Worth noting: Coming off an appearance in the I8FA semifinals, the perennial 8-man state contenders will turn to JT Stephenson at quarterback following the graduation of all-stater Gus Mumford.

“JT has had some experience and played in pretty much every game we played last year at some point at quarterback,” Alston said. “We feel good about that. He’s been out there and it won’t be a big surprise for him.”

All-state senior two-way lineman Wyatt Plachno looks to anchor the trenches for Polo and classmate Damon Rowe is another returning all-conference player at defensive end/tight end. Alston also listed Korbin Cavanaugh (TE/DE) and Quinton Hart (RB/LB) as top players to watch.

St. Anne Cardinals

Coach: Alan Rood

2024 record: 8-3

Schedule: Aug. 30 at Martinsville, Sept. 5 Meridian, Sept. 12 Hutsonville/Palestine, Sept. 20 at Schlarman, Sept. 26 South Fork/Edinburg/Morrisonville, Oct. 3 at Unity Christian/Mt. Pulaski, Oct. 11 at St. Thomas More, Oct. 16 at Milford/Cissna Park, Oct. 24 Blue Ridge/DeLand-Weldon

Worth noting: A year after reviving their program from almost a 50-year slumber, the St. Anne football team made its first-ever playoff appearance of any kind when they went 8-3 and reached the Illinois 8-Man Football Association quarterfinals in 2024. As they look to solidify the program in year three of I8FA play, head coach Alan Rood said the Cardinals and their senior-heavy bunch still have to prove that they belong.

“We still have to prove it every day and earn it every day,” Rood said. “We have more experience, we’re older, so it should be going in that direction with this group because we have a lot of seniors and a couple really good juniors. They still have to earn that every day, so we’ll see.”

The state’s leading 8-Man rusher last year, Chris Link, graduated. But with a 10-man senior class that includes a bevy of starters, the Cardinals will look to replace the 2,214 yards and 34 touchdowns of total offense Link produced with a group approach.

Top players include senior RB Quinton Thompsen, senior WR/DB Matthew Langellier, senior QB/DB Grant Pomaranski, senior TE/DE Brandon Schoth and senior center Jason Bleyle.

West Carroll Thunder

Coach: Abelardo Sustaita

2024 record: 8-3

Schedule: Aug. 29 at Biggsville West Central, Sept. 5 West Prairie, Sept. 12 Polo, Sept. 19 at River Ridge, Sept. 27 at Orangeville, Oct. 3 at Milledgeville, Oct. 10 A-FC, Oct. 17 at South Beloit, Oct. 24 Hiawatha

Worth noting: The Thunder are looking to take another step forward after a successful 8-man debut last season, snapping a 24-game losing streak that dated back to 2019 in the process. Making its 8-man playoff debut, West Carroll beat Flanagan-Cornell-Woodland 20-17 last season before a 66-0 loss to Polo in the second round.

Sustaita lists his top players as seniors Winter Harrington (QB), Roger LaBorn (WR/CB), Ryker Budimlija (WR/CB), Rayce Mix (RB/LB) and leading tailback/DE Aden Bucholz.

Sustaita said continuing to improve on the fundamentals will be key if the team wants to contend against the top teams in the league. It also lost 44-0 to Milledgeville and 52-6 to Polo for its only losses in the regular season.

“We feel that we are going to give them a better game this year,” he said. “I told the kids, Milledgeville and Polo are two of the juggernauts in 8-man football. They’ve been doing what they did to us to teams since forever. If we want to get to that level we’ve just got to work very hard. It’s there for us, we can get there.”

5 players to watch

Caleb Linneman, RB/S, so., Alden-Hebron: Linneman won’t surprise anybody this year after averaging a robust 11.3 yards per carry as a freshman. Linneman ran for 779 yards and 12 touchdowns last season and added five receptions for 108 yards and a score.

Karter Livengood, OL/DL, sr., Milledgeville: Livengood helped lead the Missiles to a state runner-up finish after stepping into a QB role late last season. He had 65 tackles (36 solo), 12 TFLs, seven sacks, one interception, four passes defended, two fumble recoveries and two TDs last season as an all-state pick. He also rushed for 299 yards and five TDs.

Logan Ruddy, RB/QB/DB, sr. Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland: Durbin is the returning 1,000-yard rusher for the Falcons and looks poised for another huge year, but Ruddy may be in line for the biggest jump in opportunities as he moves into a potential timeshare at quarterback with junior Brezdyn Simons.

Aiden Cooper, QB/DE, sr., Hiawatha: Cooper started last year at quarterback for the Hawks, This year, his numbers are poised to elevate as the team incorporates more passing out of the shotgun. Colby Wylde is his top target, plus the rushing ability Tim Pruitt provides Cooper - along with his own scrambling - plenty of options.

Ryan McNinch, TE/DL, sr., Amboy/LaMoille/Ohio: A disruptor on defense, big target in the passing game and road-grading blocker on an offensive line that could become every bit as good as last year’s, McNinch is a pivotal piece for the two-time defending I8FA state champs.

5 can’t-miss matchups

Week 1 - Milledgeville at Amboy/LaMoille/Ohio: The league opens with a rematch of last year’s I8FA title game. The Clippers lost quite a bit of production to graduation, but the two-time defending champions have been perennial contenders under Scott Payne. Milledgeville won six straight games before falling 42-14 in the title game.

Week 4 - Milledgeville at Polo: Last year’s Battle for the Blacktop Trophy game was a physical contest that Polo won 30-14 to hand the Missiles their only loss of the regular season. Milledgeville got its revenge in the playoffs, however, winning 28-14 to advance to the championship game.

Week 6 – South Beloit at Alden-Hebron: Last year’s matchup was a defensive battle with the Sobos scoring on a fourth-quarter touchdown pass for a 6-0 win. The loss left the Giants at 2-4, but they rebounded to win their last three game to make the playoffs.

Week 7 - West Central at Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland: A pair of teams that went 6-3 last regular season meet up with a likely playoff bid – or two playoff bids – on the line. Of note: Due to the FCW co-op having two home fields and playing its first two home games in rural Streator, this game will not only be Flanagan-Cornell’s homecoming, but the first game at the Nest all season.

Week 7 - Ridgewood at Amboy/LaMoille/Ohio: This is a rematch of the 2023 I8FA championship game. They split two regular season matchups last year. Ridgewood reached the I8FA quarterfinals last season before falling 16-12 to Milledgeville in the final four.