Clifton Central

2019 record: 11-1

Coach: Brian Spooner

Worth noting: The Comets have earned four straight Class 2A playoff appearances, including reaching the quarterfinals in 2019, and have been postseason bound 19 times in Spooner’s previous 22 seasons as head coach. While adding to those totals isn’t possible in this shortened spring campaign, Clifton Central looks to have a number of key returning starters, especially at the skill positions, to have what it takes to capture the league title for a third consecutive time. Seniors Jay Lemenager (QB), Jacob Shoven (WR/DB), Chandler Burrow (WR/DB), Caden Perry (WR/LB), and Garrett Graham (RB/LB) will be expected to lead the way. In 2019, Lemenager passed for over 2,000 yards, Shoven had over 1,000 receiving yards and nine interceptions, Burrow also picked off nine passes, Perry is a valuable, solid two-way player, and Graham rushed for over 1,000 yards and was the Comets leading tackler. ... Spooner said with COVID-19 eliminating the fall season, “Our kids are hungry to play.”

Dwight

2019 record: 3-6

Coach: Luke Standiford

Worth noting: Standiford begins his third season leading the Trojans and will return four offensive linemen who will play a key part in a run-heavy offense — seniors Abe Rieke (LT), Jack Gallet (LG), Andrew Kapper (C), Hudson Beier (RG) and junior Malaki Slaughter (RT). Kapper is a two-way all-conference player and has been selected to play in the Shrine All-Star football game this summer. Dwight will also return its leading rusher from last year in senior Carson Crouch (RB) who finished the season with 1,289 yards and 16 TDs. Standiford says the defense will be anchored by junior Samuel Edwards (LB) who led the conference in tackles last year (25 Solo, 40 assists), while other players to keep an eye out for are newcomers sophomore Jack Duffy (WR), junior Jeremy Kapper (TE), and senior Isaac Telford (WR). ... “With the majority of our team returning from last year, we have high expectations for the 2021 season ... our biggest goal is to stay healthy and then to win every game and go 6-0,” said Standiford.

Iroquois West

2019 record: 1-8

Coach: Jason Thiele

Worth noting: Thiele enters his fourth year at Iroquois West, but his first as head coach for a program that won’t get a chance to make the playoffs for the first time since 2006. ... The new skipper says he is excited with his entire roster but hopes seniors Ty Pankey (QB) and Carson Maisonneuve (DL); juniors Clayton Leonard (OL) and Auston Miller (RB); and sophomores Cannon Leonard (OL) and Trystyn Schacht (FB), are just a few that are looking to turn people’s heads this spring. ... “This shortened spring season will mark the beginning of our #MakeFullbacksGreatAgain campaign here at Iroquois West. The ultimate goal of this spring is to build the discipline and confidence needed to make a run at a conference championship and playoff appearance in the fall,” said Thiele.

Momence

2019 record: 1-8

Coach: Wayne Walker

Worth noting: Walker begins his fifth season as head coach. ... Momence will have to replace graduated quarterback Koby Mazur, who threw for 1,997 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2019. ... The Redskins will have to improve on both sides of the ball after scoring just 138 points while allowing 349, including seven games giving up 30+ points. Momence’s lone victory came against Iroquois West in Week 4.

Paxton-Buckley-Loda

2019 record: 9-3

Coach: Josh Pritchard

Worth noting: Pritchard hopes to build on a successful rookie season as head coach, one that saw the Panthers reach the Class 3A quarterfinals. ... P-B-L returns a pair of solid receivers in Gavin Coplea (19 Catches, 572 yards, 8 TDs) and Jarred Gronsky (21 catches, 254 yards, 2 TDs) on offense. On the other side of the ball, senior defensive backs Drew Diesburg (50 tackles, 8 ints, 1 fumble recovery) and Jarred Gronsky (27 tackles, 4 ints, 2 TDs) will be looked to after solid junior seasons. Pritchard also says he’s hoping for good things from juniors Tyler Smith (RB/LB) and Wyatt Hollen (OL/DL), as well as sophomore Kayden Snelling (WR/LB). ... “It’s great to finally be out there playing the game we all love and competing. Unfortunately COVID scheduling has hindered our ability to play most of our rivals. We lost all-state RB Hunter Anderson and will be looking to find that next great star on offense. Losing many core pieces to a quarterfinal team it will be interesting how the returnees and many new young starters come together in a short season. The goal is simply to try and go 6-0 but have fun regardless. It’s our last year in the SVC and would love to go out on top.”

Seneca

2019 record: 5-5

Coach: Ted O’Boyle

Worth noting: O’Boyle embarks on his ninth season as head coach and led the Fighting Irish to its first Class 3A playoff berth since 2013 last season. The veteran coach says the quarterback and secondary spots are at the moment the biggest question marks. A pair of seniors will be key players for Seneca this season. Ryan McCauley (RB/DB) returns after posting a robust 7.5-yard-per-carry average as the Fighting Irish back ran for 836 yards and nine touchdowns, also adding a team-high eight receptions for 171 yards and three scores. Defensively, he recorded 27 tackles and an INT. Fellow 12th-grader Gavin Robertson (RB/DL) rushed for 104 yards, but it was his work on the defensive side — including 39 total tackles with 11 going for losses and three quarterback sacks — that made the most impact.

Watseka

2019 record: 7-4

Coach: Aaron Hilgendorf

Worth noting: This will be the fifth season under Hilgendorf for the Warriors, which qualified for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year in 2019, falling in the second round. Watseka returns eight players who Hilgendorf feels are primed for successful seasons in: Conner Curry (WR/RB), Tylor Durflinger (LB, 1st Team All-State), Drew Wittenborn (QB), Shawn Farris (C/DE), Maddux Rigsby (WR/RB/OLB), Brayden Haines (WR/DB), Ethan LaBelle (WR/DB), and Ashton Westerfield (OL/DL). ... “We are very thankful and excited to play this spring. We have a good senior group that has worked really hard for four years and we return a lot of experience with them. We have underclassmen that have put in a lot of work as well and will contribute this spring at the varsity level. We have a good mix of athletes and are ready to compete. We hope to play great team defense and be explosive on offense. We want to put ourselves in a position to win the SVC this year,” said Hilgendorf.

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

• Carson Crouch, Dwight, RB, sr.: With the potential for a big play every time he touches the ball, Crouch finished last season with 1,289 yards and 16 TDs. Expect some huge games from Crouch in the run-heavy Trojan offense.
• Tylor Durflinger, Watseka, LB, sr.: Durflinger returns after an all-state junior season that saw him record 112 tackles and lead a defense that allowed fewer than 17 points per game.
• Jay Lemenager, Clifton Central, QB, sr.: Lemenager will be looking to finish off a prep career that has already seen him throw for almost 3,800 yards and 43 TDs and rushed for over 1,000 yards.
• Jacob Shoven, Clifton Central, WR/DB, sr.: Shoven can be a game-changer on both sides of the ball. He recorded over 1,000 yards receiving and nine interceptions in 2019.
• Gavin Coplea, Paxton-Buckley-Loda, WR, sr.: Look for Coplea to improve on the 19 catches, 572 yards, and 8 TDs he recorded as a junior.

SCHEDULE

FIVE CAN’T-MISS MATCHUPS

Week 1: Paxton-Buckley-Loda at Seneca: Both clubs will be looking to get their respective shortened seasons off to good starts. The Panthers were victorious in last year’s Week 4 meeting, 22-18.

Week 4: Watseka at Iroquois West: After three straight road games to start the season, the Raiders hope to be on track for their first over-.500 season since 2006

Week 5: Seneca at Dwight: In what has become a solid rivalry over the past five seasons, the Trojans have lost the past three meetings by a combined 21 points.

Week 5: Paxton-Buckley-Loda at Watseka: This battle will have a big bearing on how big the Week 6 at Clifton will affect league champion chances.

Week 6: Watseka at Clifton Central: This showdown — between two of the league’s playoff qualifiers from 2019 — could possibly be one that decides the SVC championship.