Whether it’s media, fans, parents, players or coaches, everyone has their thoughts, opinions and ideas on what a team can accomplish once the football season comes around. But it’s not until the helmets are strapped up and the Friday night lights flicker that we truly know.

Through the first five weeks of the season, we know that the area has plenty of talent once again, something my local Friday Night Drive colleagues, Steve Soucie and Adam Tumino, and I figured would be the case, as 10 of the Daily Journal area’s 15 teams have winning records through five games.

Three of those teams – Bishop McNamara, Bradley-Bourbonnais and Clifton Central – are 5-0. All three teams have won at least three games by running clocks, showcasing balanced, lethal offenses and suffocating defenses. They all have reached the five wins that, while it has lost some of its luster with the recent inclusion of some four-win teams, qualify each of them for the playoffs.

The Boilermakers locked up their fourth straight playoff trip, while the Comets will be repeat qualifiers after matching their 2024 win total. The Fightin’ Irish are snapping a program-long three-year playoff skid.

Each team will shift its sights to finishing on top of the conference championship battles. The Fightin’ Irish passed their first Chicagoland Christian Conference road test at Aurora Christian last week, but still have to face conference unbeatens Hope Academy and Wheaton Academy in Weeks 7 and 8. The Boilers have their first road game in the Southwest Valley Red at Lincoln-Way Central this week, and also have to visit Lincoln-Way West. The Comets visit fellow undefeated Westville in what will likely be the Vermilion Valley Conference championship game.

Quick recap

Here are the area’s scores from Week:

• Bradley-Bourbonnais 40, Stagg 6
• Bishop McNamara 545, Aurora Christian 42
• Kankakee 31, Thornwood 0
• Wilmington 49, Manteno 0
• Coal City 49, Reed-Custer 7
• Peotone 42, Streator 7
• Clifton Central 67, Watseka 20
• Momence 28, Iroquois West 7
• South Fork/Edinburg/Morrisonville 48, St. Anne 26
• Pawnee 50, Milford/Cissna Park 16

Editor’s note: Herscher received a forfeit victory against Lisle.

Wilmington, Coal City setting stages for Week 9 collision course

Two other proud area programs, Wilmington and Coal City, have long stood as small school powerhouses, something that’s continued into 2025, with both teams rolling into the back half of the regular season on fire at 4-1.

Since suffering a last-second loss at nonconference rival Morris in Week 1, the Wildcats have won four straight running clock games by a combined 188-26 margin. The Coalers suffered a Week 2 loss at another well-respected program of similar size, Richmond-Burton, but have been otherwise overwhelming, outscoring opponents 187-34.

Area fans know every year that the annual Wilmington-Coal City matchup in the Illinois Central Eight Conference is one to circle on the calendar. This year, that meeting comes in Week 9 at Wilmington. At this rate, both teams look primed for a regular-season finale to decide the ICE.

Kankakee over .500 with first shutout of 2025

Since allowing a combined 74 points in their season-opening losses to Nazareth and Lincoln-Way East, the Kankakee defense has only continued to show strides in the three weeks since.

The offense took the headlines for setting a school single-game record in their 82-6 win at Thornridge in Week 3, but it was the defense that stood tall when Cedric Terrell III’s pick six sealed a 28-17 win at Normal Community in Week 4. Last week, the offense was held to a mild 31 points, but the defense turned in arguably its best effort of the season and its first shutout since former defensive coordinator Ed Hazelett returned as head coach this year.

Even under former offensive-focused head coaches Derek Hart and Miles Osei, an unbelievably firm defense is what’s propelled the Kays into one of the state’s most improved programs over the past 5-10 years. The “darkside defense” mentality Hazelett brought over as an assistant never left when he did four years ago, and now seems to be picking back up in the middle third of his first year back.

Weekend’s best

Here are the area’s passing, rushing and receiving leaders for Week 5:

Passing

• Brady Shule, Clifton Central: 15 for 24, 274 yards, 2 TDs
• Grant Pomaranski, St. Anne: 15 for 24, 268 yards, 2 TDs; 10 carries, 58 yards
• Erick Castillo, Momence: 19 for 25, 227 yards, 3 TDs; 12 carries, 67 yards
• Dierks Neukomm, Milford/Cissna Park: 19 for 30, 201 yards, TD; 10 carries, 21 yards
• Ellis Johnson, Bradley-Bourbonnais: 8 for 11, 127 yards, 2 TDs

Rushing

• Nick Cronin, Peotone: 19 carries, 131 yards, TD
• Logan Natyshok, Coal City: 10 carries, 126 yards, 3 TDs; 26-yard TD reception
• Derek Meier, Clifton Central: 8 carries, 112 yards, TD
• Nate Cupples, Wilmington: 2 carries, 83 yards, TD
• Dane Van Duyne, Wilmington: 12 carries, 77 yards, TD

Receiving

• Andrew Rohlwing, Clifton Central: 4 receptions, 125 yards, TD
• Skylar Estay, Milford/Cissna Park: 7 receptions, 121 yards, TD
• Matthew Langellier, St. Anne: 7 receptions, 121 yards, TD
• Eddie Ferreira, Momence: 6 receptions, 108 yards, 2 TDs
• Cash Minard, Clifton Central: 5 receptions, 87 yards, TD

Editor’s note: Individual stats were not available for Kankakee or Bishop McNamara.