The La Salle-Peru, Hall-Putnam County and Mendota games were delayed by inclement weather on Friday.

The Red Devils made it to halftime against Orion before the game was stopped for an hour and a half. Hall and Orion were tied at 21 at halftime but the Red Devils were shut out in the second half in a 40-21 loss.

Mendota trailed 7-0 in the first quarter when its game against Riverdale was delayed for an hour and 23 minutes. The Trojans went on to lose 20-0.

L-P had to wait the longest to restart its game. The Cavaliers trailed United Township 16-15 with 9:44 left in the second quarter when lightning was spotted at 7:38 p.m. Shortly after 9 p.m. the game was postponed until Saturday.

The game resumed at 1 p.m. Saturday and the Cavs lost 23-21.

STREAKS SNAPPED

Princeton’s 28-14 loss at Newman Friday snapped a couple of Tiger streaks.

It was the Tigers’ first opening-night loss in eight years. Their last Week 1 loss came at home to Riverdale 34-18 in 2017, Ryan Pearson’s first game at Princeton.

The loss also saw the end of the Tigers’ five-game win streak over the Comets. Newman last beat Princeton 25-21 in 2019 at Sterling.

While Princeton’s streaks snapped, Orion won it’s 10th straight over Hall since dropping their first meeting in the 2002 playoffs 31-6.

MAINTAINING MENTAL FRAME

St. Bede coach Jack Brady enjoyed the moment of his first victory in his head coaching debut at his alma mater, defeating Bureau Valley 47-6.

But like all coaches, he said there’s always things to improve on

“It’s just keeping us in the same mental frame that we were coming in to this game,” he said.

DEEP THREAT

L-P sophomore quarterback Marion Persich and his receivers displayed big play ability against United Township.

On L-P’s second drive, Persich connected with Landon Zellers for a 60-yard TD to get the Cavaliers into the red zone.

Late in the first quarter, Persich faked a handoff then hit Jaron Morscheiser behind the Panther defense for a 53-yard touchdown.

Persich finished 11 of 22 for 204 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 139 yards and two TDs.

NOTHING COMES EASY

When asked if the fixes for his Bureau Valley football team after their 47-6 loss to St. Bede would be easy, Storm first-year coach Pat Elder, a veteran of 23 seasons as a head coach and 30 in the game, said, “There’s nothing about (football) that’s easy. I knew that before tonight.”

On Saturday, Elder posted on X.Com, “I have woken up in better moods on a Saturday after a game but never been more motivated.”