Scouting the Illinois Central Eight

Coal City

2019 record: 12-1

Coach: Dan Hutchings

Worth noting: The Coalers are coming off nine consecutive Class 4A playoff appearances including the semifinals in 2019. While a 10th isn’t in the cards for spring of 2021, another great season likely is with so many proven returning starters, such as big-play threats Ashton Harvey (RB/LB, jr.) and Asa Cooper (WR/CB, sr.) along with front-line anchors Kyle Burch (DE/TE), Austin Ellis (OL/DL), Daniel Cueller (OL/DL) and Chase Wasielewski (OL). ... A couple of new faces to keep tabs on are Kyle Gockman (DB/RB) and Nick Latta (OL/DL). ... The Week 4 showdown with Wilmington should, as always, be a great measuring stick.

Herscher

2019 record: 3-6

Coach: Dan Wetzel

Worth noting: Numbers issues forced the Tigers into playing a number of underclassmen in 2019, so the time has come to see what lessons those players learned from being thrown into the fire. Herscher returns several players in key positions, most notably quarterback Blake Holm and running back/wide receiver Camden Berns along with team’s leading tackler in linebacker Austin Joyce. The Tigers are hoping to rebuild the foundation of a program that had made five consecutive playoff appearances prior to 2019′s misstep including a Class 3A semifinal appearance in 2018.

Lisle

2019 record: 5-5

Coach: Paul Parpet

Worth noting: A Class 3A postseason qualifier the past two seasons, “The Lions will have a good group of returning players from the 2019 playoff team,” said Parpet. ... Leading that talented group is hard-nosed fullback/linebacker Mike Walker, a force on both sides who has committed to play for the College of DuPage after graduation. ... Other top Lions back include the likes of Brett Weber (RB/LB, sr.), Trevor Schertler (OL/DL, sr.) and Chris Farrell (OL/DL. so.). ... Lisle will be tested to say the least with road games at Wilmington in Week 1 and Coal City in Week 3.

Manteno

2019 record: 5-5

Coach: R.J. Haines

Worth noting: A 4A playoff qualifier in 2019, the Panthers have some standout players returning from that squad but will also be missing some good ones due to graduation and this strange spring season competing with collegiate opportunities, leaving top athletes such as Luke Trepanier (Bradley University baseball) and Josh Gesky (University of Illinois football) off the roster. ... Still, Haines feels good about the Panthers he does have, led by all-conference senior QB Caleb Borkenhagen, who threw for 1,708 yards last season. Other returning starters include Cole Jackson (WR/DB, sr.), Joey Cole (OT, sr.), Justin Lesveque (DB/WR, sr.), Brandon Hamption (LB/OL, sr.), Justin Wilson (OL/DL, sr.) as well as back-from-injury Ian Knotts (LB, sr.). ... Keep an eye on junior Logan Worobey (RB/LB) as well. ... “We have some talented players returning and coming up to varsity this season,” said Haines. “Our expectation for this group is to compete at a high level with everyone on our schedule. We lack overall depth and great numbers, but we think this group will compensate with resiliency and maturity.”

Peotone

2019 record: 6-4

Coach: Apostolos Tsiamas

Worth noting: The Blue Devils return to the field after making the playoffs in 2019 for the second time in three seasons. That goal won’t be obtainable this spring, but what is for Tsiamas’ team is the “same thing we do every single year. Night in and night out we expect to compete hard against whoever we play.” ... Ben Balmer is a force, having rushed for 815 yards in just seven games last season. “I can tell you if Balmer stays healthy for us, he’s one of the best I’ve had,” Tsiamas said. ... Balmer (RB/LB, sr.) is joined in the key-returnee category by the likes of Tyler Hendricker (DE/TE, jr.), Austin Massat (OT/DE, jr.), Joel Lee (LB/TE, jr.) and Andrew Janhanin (CB/RB, sr.). ... Varsity newcomers such as Tristan Weglarz (QB/FS, sr.), Cam Bartels (OL/DL, sr.), Sawson Piper (RB/LB, so.) and Seth Lonard (TE/DE, jr.) are expected to also fill key roles.

Reed-Custer

2019 record: 1-8

Coach: Gavin Johnston

Worth noting: The Comets will be especially young, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be dangerous. “We have a very confident sophomore class who is used to having success,” Johnston said. “We need to get off to fast starts and pick up the speed and physicality of the varsity game early in the year. We have a good mix of upperclassmen to help mentor the young players and that can be counted on to come up with the timely plays. We had a down year last season, but hoping to battle in each and every game.” ... Three-year starter Brendon Williams (OL/DL) and Elliot Cassem (RB) should be Reed-Custer’s top returnees, with junior Eric Houseman (OL/DL) expected to emerge as a leader on the lines.

Streator

2019 record: 2-7

Coach: Kyle Tutt

Worth noting: A new head coach takes over in Streator, inheriting a roster with not a ton of experience — especially without the services of returning Times All-Area First Team big-play threat Trever Murphy due to injury — but some definite talent and promise for the future. “Our expectation is just to compete,” Tutt said. ... Finding ways to get the ball to his playmakers and spread the touches around are focuses for this spring’s Bulldogs. Players such as QB/RB Tyler Luckey, RB Cade Stevens, WR/K Mason Telford, on-field leader WR/DB A.J. Benning, WR Alex Ward and promising freshman Christian Benning seem to be the top beneficiaries of that change in philosophy. ... Walker McClellan and Dan Stout are expected to lead the lines.

Wilmington

2019 record: 9-2

Coach: Jeff Reents

Worth noting: Through no fault of their own, 2021 will be the first season since 1995 — Coach Reents’ second season leading the program — that the Wildcats will not appear in a postseason. Had there been a full season, though, it’s a good bet they would have been playing into November with a trio of three-year starters returning in OL/DL Nick Gornik, OL Brad Stacy and LB/RB AJ Meyers. ... Other key Wildcats this spring will be returning DB Jack Narine, DB/RB Cody Franzen, OL/DL Luke Spangler and LB Alan Richards, as well as varsity newcomers DB/RB Ryan Banas, OL/DL Nick Sanford and DB/RB Jake Friddle. ... “I think we should be competitive in the conference,” Reents said. “It is definitely a different situation with only a five-game schedule, but I do believe the kids will play hard, (and) I am very glad this team will get some games in.”

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

• Asa Cooper, Coal City, WR/CB, sr.: Already a proven big-play machine on both sides of the ball, Cooper should only be better and more explosive his senior season.
• Ben Balmer, Peotone, RB/LB, sr.: Balmer was extremely impressive last year in a small sample size, and the Blue Devils are counting on more of the same this spring.
• Camden Berns, Herscher, RB/DB, sr.: Berns will likely be something of a utility knife for the Tigers as he racked up yards as a runner and receiver and was also the team’s second leading tackler.
• Caleb Borkenhagen, Manteno, QB, sr.: Big-armed Borkenhagen threw for 1,708 yards last season and gives the Panthers offense a dimension most teams in the IC8 do not enjoy.
• Mike Walker, Lisle, RB/LB, sr.: Walker has proven capable of being a one-man wrecking crew — be it on offense or defense — for the Lions.

SCHEDULES

FIVE CAN’T-MISS MATCHUPS

Week 1: Herscher at Peotone: The winner of this one has an excellent chance to enter the short layoff before next season coming off a winning campaign.

Week 2: Coal City at Manteno: Without Wilmington on the slate, this will be the emerging Panthers’ biggest test on the COVID-cut spring 2021 schedule.

Week 3: Manteno at Peotone: Like Week 1, this looks to be a good matchup between teams trying to break into the upper echelon of the IC8.

Week 4: Coal City at Wilmington: This showdown of the league’s top two programs seems likely to determine which of the IC8′s teams, if any, will be able to boast an undefeated 2021.

Week 5: Lisle at Streator: With no playoff spots on the line the final Friday, this season-ending matchup between teams which tend to play each other tough may be the most intriguing on the IC8 slate.

STEVE SOUCIE’S PREDICTED FINISH