Illinois Central Eight

Streator (1-1, 0-0) at Reed-Custer (1-1, 0-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

On Shaw Local radio: Love 98.5 FM

About the Bulldogs: It’s become a trend over the last few years for Streator to get off to an impressive start with a Week 1 win over a foe to the south, just to be dealt a decisive Week 2 loss by their closest neighbors to the north. This fall, it was a 36-14 Week 1 win over Decatur Eisenhower, followed by a 50-14 loss to Ottawa. The recipe that worked for Streator in Week 1 was used against them in Week 2 – physical domination up front and a dedication to a relentless ground attack. The Bulldogs will try to get both back on track as ICE Conference play begins and sprinkle in the big-play offensive ability shown so far by WR/DB/KR L.A. Moton.

About the Comets: Reed-Custer had to wait until Week 9 to get its first win of the 2024 season, but is ahead of the curve in 2025 thanks to last week’s surprisingly decisive 34-0 shutout of Harvard. The Comets’ ground game was on point, averaging 8.2 yards per carry en route to a 320-yard night. Jesse Tresouthick (96 yards, two TDs), Chase Isaac (87 yards) and Kaiden Klein (75 yards, two TDs) were the main beneficiaries of new head coach Joe Turek’s dedication to the running game. Streator won last year’s meeting between these teams 18-13.

Friday Night Drive pick: Reed-Custer

Kishwaukee River

Plano (0-2, 0-0) at Sandwich (0-2, 0-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Reapers: Plano would surely prefer not to be 0-2 at this point, but progress seemed to be made week to week. The Reapers only trailed by a touchdown at the half of an eventual 28-14 loss to Manteno in Week 2, and were only outgained by 45 yards. Ethan Taxis ran for 73 yards and a touchdown, and Dylan Saunders threw for 108 yards and a TD. LB Cooper Beaty is leading Plano in tackles, with 14 solos last week. The Reapers need to be prepared to better contain the run that Sandwich will feature, an element Plano struggled mightily with against Ottawa in Week 1.

About the Indians: Sandwich hosts the 114th edition of the “War on 34,” a series dating back to 1897. Sandwich has won the last three meetings with Plano, including 41-16 last year. Sandwich is 0-2 for the second straight season, but it bears noting the Indians did so last year and made the playoffs. The Indians are coming off a 49-6 loss to Wilmington, a game in which Sandwich managed just 91 yards of offense while allowing 430. Nick Michalek ran for 55 yards and a TD. Sandwich’s depth is a concern as the season progresses. The Indians dressed just 21 varsity players last Friday at Wilmington.

FND pick: Sandwich

• Joshua Welge

Heart of Central Illinois crossover

Fieldcrest (0-2) at Tremont (0-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday at Tremont Stadium

About the Knights: It’s been tough sledding so far for Fieldcrest, which followed Week 1’s 40-point loss to Tri-Valley with a 43-point defeat at the hands of El Paso-Gridley. Some of that, it should be pointed out, was a rough stretch of schedule, something that seems to lighten up this Friday night with a visit to old Midstate Conference rival Tremont. RB Lucas Anson has been an effective weapon for the Knights with 244 yards and a pair of TDs on the ground and can be expected to have another big performance if the Knights can employ a more run-centric game script in a close contest.

About the Turks: Tremont is in the midst of a 20-game losing streak dating back to a 2022 season-ending win over ... you guessed it ... Fieldcrest. Former Salt Fork coach Joe Hageman is the Turks’ new head coach after leading Salt Fork to six consecutive winning seasons with a wing-T offensive attack. Like Fieldcrest, the Turks have had a tough time being competitive against a pair of 2-0 teams, losing 38-13 to GCMS and 42-13 to Dee-Mack.

FND pick: Fieldcrest

Nonconference

La Salle-Peru (0-2) at Ottawa (2-0)

When: 7:15 p.m. Friday at King Field

About the Cavaliers: La Salle-Peru comes in at 0-2 after a somewhat surprising, 23-21, opening-week loss at United Township and a perhaps a bit encouraging 32-20 loss at home to Metamora last week. Both of those teams are now 2-0, as are four more opponents on the Cavs’ schedule – Ottawa, Morris, Rochelle and Kaneland. That probably makes this an almost must-win for L-P’s playoff hopes. Despite the 0-2 start, L-P sophomore QB Marion Persich has been as good as advertised to this point and has run for five touchdowns already this season – including three in last week’s 32-20 loss to Metamora. La Salle-Peru has won the last 11 meetings of these old rivals and leads the all-time series 72-50-5. This is the first of two meetings this season.

About the Pirates: Ottawa is off to a 2-0 start thanks to decisive decisions over former conference foes – first Plano (35-6), then Streator (50-14). The Pirates’ renewed dedication to their running game has paid off so far in positive game scripts, leading to a 309-yard performance against Streator, led by 67 yards apiece from Archer Cechowicz and Logan Mills, plus 65 more courtesy of Wes Weatherford. Thanks to the 2-0 start, there is a path open for the Pirates to make the playoffs without having to upset I-8 powerhouses Morris, Rochelle, Sycamore or Kaneland, but it requires winning at least one and likely both meetings with their archrival, starting Friday.

FND pick: La Salle-Peru

Seneca (2-0) at Clinton (0-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Fighting Irish: The Fighting Irish just keep on rolling. Last week, head coach Terry Maxwell’s team handily dispatched a second consecutive 2A playoff team from last year, 44-7 over Sangamon Valley. Gunner Varland (95 yards, four TDs) and Cam Shriey (65 yards, two TDs) led Seneca’s 307-yard rushing attack, while the defense limited Sangamon Valley to 113 yards from scrimmage. Seneca will look to close out its first stretch of nonconference games undefeated heading into three weeks of Chicagoland Prairie Conference games beginning in Week 4.

About the Maroons: Clinton has had a tough time keeping up with its two opponents so far this season, falling 42-6 in Week 1 to Central A&M, followed by a 49-12 loss to Warrensburg-Latham last Friday. It’s part of a tough opening stretch that only gets tougher for the Maroons, who, after hosting Seneca in Week 3, are scheduled to play Tuscola, Eureka and Tri-Valley in Weeks 4-6. Dual-threat QB Keaton Graves is Clinton’s most dangerous weapon.

FND pick: Seneca

Marquette (1-1) vs. Edgar, Wisc. (3-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday at DMB Stadium (DeForest, Wisc.)

About the Crusaders: Marquette Academy bounced back from an opening-week defeat by pounding Madison – the Illinois Madison, not the Wisconsin one – 56-14 at Gould Stadium. The Cru had everything firing, scoring 42 first-quarter points led by RB Grant Dose (85 yards, three TDs rushing; 25 yards receiving) and option QB Anthony Couch (82 yards, two TDs passing; 59 yards, one TD rushing). How the Crusaders match up with an out-of-state small-school power will be interesting, but Marquette’s style of play usually translates well. It is a 289-mile, one-way trip from Marquette Academy to Edgar High School, so the two are meeting near the middle and playing in DeForest, Wisc.

About the Wildcats: Edgar is the two-time defending Division 7 state champion in Wisconsin. With a listed enrollment of 193, Edgar has dominated small-school football in the Badger State, winning nine state titles overall, tied for tops in Wisconsin, and holding that state’s record for most championship game appearances with 15. To this point of the season, Edgar has a pair of blowout victories – 44-6 and 27-0 – sandwiching a close, 14-0 win. Dual-threat RB Gavin Mauer has been a force for Edgar, last week putting up 71 receiving yards, 49 rushing yards and a 66-yard punt return to paydirt.

FND pick: Edgar

Dwight (2-0) at Shelbyville (1-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Trojans: Dwight took a week longer to get on-field action after receiving a forfeit win over Lisle. The Trojans played solidly in Week 2, easily upending Rock Island Alleman, taking advantage of several short-field scoring opportunities while running for nearly 300 yards. The Trojans’, rush defense was also very good, limiting Alleman to a little over a yard per carry on 40 Pioneer rushing attempts.

About the Rams: Shelbyville might bring a little more stern a challenge to Dwight than expected. The Rams enter at 1-1,, having just been edged out by Tuscola in Week 1 (16-14) before regrouping last week for a two-touchdown victory over what appears to be a pretty solid Moweaqua Central A&M squad.

FND pick: Dwight

— Steve Soucie

Illinois 8-Man Football

FCW (1-1) at Galva (1-1)

When: 6 p.m. Friday

About the Falcons: Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland didn’t succeed in joining the conversation for the Illinois 8-Man Football Association’s elite after last week’s 40-20 loss to Polo, but all in all, the Falcons acquitted themselves fairly well and look to be in a prime position to get back on track and push for a third straight I8FA playoff berth. Logan Ruddy (125 yards receiving) and Brezdyn Simons (143 yards passing) led a balanced FCW attack in Week 2. The Falcons won a Week 9 matchup with Galva last season 49-12.

About the Wildcats: Galva has already proven it’s ahead of where it was last season. After going 0-9 in 2024 and losing this year’s opener 26-22 to Hiawatha, Galva broke through last week for a 62-12 win over a Peoria Heights team that defeated Galva in back-to-back close games last season. The Wildcats like to throw the ball and have been pretty good at it to this point, averaging 44 points per game. Pressuring the passer will be paramount for the Falcons’ defense.

FND pick: FCW