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WESTERN BIG 6
Sterling (3-1) at Geneseo (2-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Golden Warriors: After dropping out of the AP Class 5A poll following the Week 2 loss to Montini, Sterling is back in the top 10 this week, ranked No. 9. ... Through two conference games, Sterling is No. 1 in the Western Big 6 in scoring defense (28 points allowed), No. 1 in passing defense (65 yards), and No. 1 in total defense (231 yards). Moline edges out Sterling for the top spot in rushing defense by 28 yards. ... Sterling has had three different quarterbacks attempt a pass this season, with Drew Kested 12-of-20 for 100 yards, Garrett Polson 12-of-24 for 112 yards, and Colt Adams 7-for-10 for 78 yards. Adams and Polson have each thrown two touchdown passes.
About the Maple Leafs: Jaiden Weinzierl has rushed 44 times for 261 yards and four touchdowns through four games. Josh Steines is second on the team with 36 carries for 122 yards and three scores. Mason Lovig has two rushing touchdowns, on two carries for 46 yards. ... AJ Weller has completed 50-of-81 passes with two interceptions for 586 yards and five touchdowns. His top targets are Weinzierl (15 catches for 260 yards) and William Taylor (18 catches for 130 yards). ... Geneseo has outscored opponents 51-14 in the first quarters of games, but has been outscored 80-43 in the other three quarters.
FND pick: Sterling
BIG NORTHERN CONFERENCE
Winnebago (2-2) at Dixon (3-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Indians: The first two weeks of the season looked much different for the Indians than the next two weeks. Winnebago opened the season with losses to Byron and Genoa-Kingston, two teams with a combined 7-1 record, by a combined score of 67-16. Since then, wins over Oregon and Rock Falls, teams with a combined 2-6 mark, have seen the Indians outscore opponents 80-14. ... For the season, Michael Cunningham has rushed for 356 yards and eight touchdowns. He scored three touchdowns, and kicked a field goal, in the win over Rock Falls, and added a pair of scores in the win over Oregon.
About the Dukes: Dixon’s Week 4 loss to Stillman Valley saw several missed opportunities. Nine penalties cost the Dukes 52 yards, with a holding call wiping out a long Tyler Shaner gain which would have set the Dukes up with first-and-goal at the Cardinals’ 8. In addition, the Dukes had a long second-quarter drive reach the Cardinals’ 11 before a turnover on downs, and a drive start in Stillman Valley territory in the third quarter thanks to a fumble recovery; that drive ended a play later due to an interception. ... Zavion Johnson didn’t touch the football until the second half of the Week 4 game at Stillman Valley, but his first carry went for a 58-yard touchdown to tie the game 6-6 in the third quarter. He finished with six carries for 110 yards.
FND pick: Dixon
Rock Falls (1-3, 1-3) at Genoa-Kingston (3-1, 3-1)
About the Cogs: Genoa-Kingston suffered its first loss of the season last week, 7-3 at Byron, in a game that figures to have major implications in the BNC title race. The Tigers have already beaten two of the three teams with one loss in the conference. ... The Cogs are sixth in the BNC is scoring offense, averaging 23 points per game. ... “We are refocused, recharged, and ready to get after it and prove that last Friday is just a speed bump. It won’t derail our goals and what we want to do moving forward,” first-year coach Cam Davekos said. “I would say our offense is not at all where we should be. We still have a lot of work to do to make sure our blocking assignments are covered, our backs are hitting the correct holes, and we’re making the right reads from the snap to the end of the play. To be honest, it’s just discipline. When we walk to to the line, we need to make sure we line up where we need to be to get the job done. We’ve done an OK job of that so far, but there is still room for improvement.”
About the Rockets: Rock Falls has lost three straight since opening the season with a 50-8 win against Rockford Christian. The Rockets have scored 16 points since, including in last week’s 14-8 loss to Rockford Lutheran. ... Running back Booker Cross had the touchdown for the Rockets. Ryan McCord had 2 1/2 tackles for a loss in the defeat. ... Rock Falls came up with a couple of big defensive stops in the Week 4 loss to Rockford Lutheran, getting a Baraka Boards interception to stop one drive and a fumble recovery by Cross to stop another.
FND Pick: Genoa-Kingston
Rockford Lutheran (1-3) at Oregon (1-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Crusaders: Up until a 14-8 win over Rock Falls in Week 4, the Crusaders had been outscored 117-25 for the season. ... In the Week 4 win over Rock Falls, Rockford Lutheran’s defense stopped the Rockets for a loss 12 times, including a safety. ... Kevin Tillman carried 15 times for 124 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Rock Falls.
About the Hawks: In its three games against teams other than Rockford Christian, Oregon has been outscored 106-13. Those three teams – Dixon, Stillman Valley and Winnebago – have a combined 8-4 record. ... Oregon’s last two games have seen opponents jump out to early leads. Stillman Valley led 14-0 after one quarter in Week 3, and Winnebago led 28-0 at halftime in Week 4.
FND pick: Oregon
THREE RIVERS
Bureau Valley (2-2) at Newman (2-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Storm: Bureau Valley has lost nine consecutive games to the Comets. The Storm’s last win over Newman was a 34-6 victory in Week 8 of the 2009 season. … The Storm have lost two in a row – 42-22 to Mendota and 49-21 to Kewanee last week. … Bureau Valley is averaging 266.8 rushing yards per game behind Jaden Michlig (446 yards, 4 TDs), Layton Britt (325 yards, 4 TDs), Levi Hardy (191 yards, 5 TDs) and QB Adam Johnson (112 yards, 4 TDs). … The Storm are allowing 109 rushing yards, 173.3 passing yards, and 27.5 points per game.
About the Comets: This is the first season since 2000 the Comets did not start 3-1 or better. … Newman lost 13-7 to St. Bede last week. … Newman is averaging 20.5 points per game and allowing 14.8 points per contest. … The Comets turned the ball over six times last week – three fumbles and three interceptions – and were held to 193 total yards (160 rushing, 33 passing). … Brennen Cook had 47 rushing yards on 10 carries against the Bruins, while Ethan VanLanduit ran for 38 yards and a TD on eight attempts.
FND pick: Newman
Morrison (0-4) at Sherrard (0-4)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Mustangs: Morrison is one of three 0-4 teams in the Three Rivers West heading into Week 5, the other two being Riverdale and Sherrard. Morrison is the only one of the three who has not been shut out in any game this season. ... In the Week 4 loss to Hall, the Mustangs got three touchdowns from Carson Strating. He rushed 38 times for 181 yards. ... Danny Mouw completed 4-of-9 passes in Week 4 for 79 yards.
About the Tigers: Sherrard has been outscored 156-20 this year. ... Brandon Johnston is in his first year as Sherrard’s head coach, having coached Annawan-Wethersfield previously. ... Sherrard and Morrison are now both in the TRAC West, but under the old divisional alignment were in separate divisions, Morrison in the Rock, Sherrard in the Mississippi. Despite being in opposite divisions, the two teams met in crossover games in 2017, 2018 and 2019, with Morrison winning all three.
FND pick: Morrison
Erie-Prophetstown (2-2) at Orion (2-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Panthers: After scoring a total of 27 points in their first two games, both losses, the Panthers scored 55 in Week 3 and 50 in Week 4 in a pair of wins over Sherrard and Rockridge. ... The backfield duo of Kolby Franks and Connor Sibley has powered the Panthers’ offensive surge the past two weeks. Franks has both rushed and passed for more than 400 yards so far this season, while Sibley put up a 119-yard rushing effort in the win over Rockridge.
About the Chargers: After scoring seven points in a Week 2 loss to Princeton and 13 in a Week 3 loss at Newman, the Chargers got back to winning ways – and back to putting points on the board – with a 41-0 win over Riverdale in Week 4. ... Cole Kratzberg rushed for 270 yards, a single-game school record, and three touchdowns against Riverdale in Week 4.
FND pick: Erie-Prophetstown
NUIC
Eastland-Pearl City (0-4) at Dakota (1-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Wildcatz: EPC’s 40 points scored is the fewest in the NUIC this season. The team’s 156 points allowed are the most. Dakota is second in both categories. ... Kellen Henze is the Wildcatz’s leading rusher with 54 carries for 266 yards. Maddux Hayden has 28 carries for 120 yards. ... Henze is 25-of-56 passing for 271 yards and a touchdown.
About the Indians: Other than their 14-6 win over Stockton, the Indians have been outscored 140-28 in three games. ... Dakota’s three losses have come against teams with a combined 10-2 record this season, including a 46-0 loss to unbeaten Lena-Winslow Week 2. ... Adrian Arellano was Dakota’s leading rusher in the Week 4 loss to Forreston, gaining 43 yards on 12 carries. Thomas Bowman completed two passes for 19 yards and was intercepted twice. ... In the game against Forreston, Dakota got a first-quarter touchdown pass from Bowman to Tug Dornink to cut the Cardinals’ lead to 8-6, but Forreston outscored the Indians 44-0 the rest of the way.
FND pick: Dakota
Forreston (3-1) at Galena (2-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Cardinals: Forreston has outscored opponents 86-19 in a pair of wins since its Week 2 loss to Durand-Pecatonica. ... Matthew Beltran had touchdown runs of 4, 2, 14, 9 and 66 yards in the Week 4 win over Dakota. He finished with 148 yards on 17 carries. McKeon Crase added 116 yards on 11 carries.
About the Pirates: Galena’s two losses have come to Fulton and Lena-Winslow, two teams with a combined 7-1 record, by a combined score of 34-14. In their other two games, the Pirates beat Madison 36-0 and Stockton 28-14. ... Ethan Hefel has completed 24 of 56 passes this year for 381 yards, 5 touchdowns and no interceptions. ... Brady Schemehorn leads the NUIC in receiving through four weeks with 15 catches for 254 yards.
FND pick: Galena
Lena-Winslow (4-0) at Fulton (3-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Panthers: Le-Win has not allowed a point since Eastland-Pearl City’s Maddux Hayden scored on a 19-yard run with 5:26 left in the second quarter of their Week 1 game. In 173 minutes and 26 seconds of football since then, the Panthers have outscored teams 150-0. ... Le-Win is the unanimous No. 1 team in Class 1A in the latest AP football poll. The Panthers are one of four unanimous No. 1 teams in the state (Loyola 8A, Rochester 5A, Joliet Catholic 4A). ... Ethan Fye is the top rusher in the NUIC through four weeks with 63 carries for 525 yards. Marey Roby is seventh in the league. Brady Eilders is eighth.
About the Steamers: Fulton responded to a Week 3 loss to Durand-Pecatonica by beating Madison 42-0 in a Week 4 nonconference game. ... The last time Fulton and Lena-Winslow met was in the playoffs in 2006, a 34-6 Panthers win in Jim Proud’s last game as Fulton’s head coach. That was Ric Arand’s sixth career playoff win; he now has 42. Patrick Lower was named Fulton’s head coach the following year. Neither program has gone through a coaching change since. ... Keegan VanKampen has rushed 49 times for 319 yards and four touchdowns this season, an average of 6.5 yards per carry. Teammate Jacob Jones averages 7.1 yards per carry, having gained 271 yards on 38 carries. ... Brock Mason leads the Steamers with 12 catches for 189 yards and three touchdowns.
FND pick: Lena-Winslow
8-man
Hiawatha (2-2) at Ashton-Franklin Center (0-4)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Hawks: Hiawatha has surrendered 50 points in the last two games after scoring 50 in the first two games of the year. ... “We’re feeling good still,” first-year coach Nick Doolittle said. “We’re hoping to bounce back this week and working on things we need to sharpen up offensively a little. We keep learning and getting better every game and we’ll show that Friday for sure.” ... Doolittle said the defense is still learning how to play at the varsity level: “I feel like we’re young – that’s probably the best way to describe the defense. We made some inexperienced mistakes, which is going to happen with young teams. I think that’s the best way to learn, though. We’re improving and doing the things in practice we need to do, just apply it to the game.” ... Offensively, Doolittle said the Hawks need to get back to running the ball more with Chris Brantley, who had 505 yards and eight touchdowns in the two wins. That should open up Chris Korb and the passing game. “We’ve go to get back to what worked at the start of the season, which is to establish the run and air out a little bit after that,” Doolittle said. “Defensively we’ve got to flow well, the linebackers need a good game, and the interior line needs to control the line of scrimmage. That will help us secure victory this week.”
About the Raiders: They are in their first full season of eight-man football, going 0-9 in the NUIC South in their last full season in 2019. Since the schools merged in 2004, the team has only made the playoffs twice, in 2004 and 2005. They last won on October 20, 2017 against Warren, 34-8. ... AFC had to forfeit last week against River Ridge, and gave up 50+ points in their first three games of the year.
FND Pick: Hiawatha
Amboy-LaMoille (2-2) at Milford-Cissna Park (0-4)
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
About the Clippers: Amboy is coming off a 60-14 rout of then-No. 1-ranked West Central. … The Clippers racked up 424 rushing yards and 77 passing yards last week. … QB Tucker Lindenmeyer has rushed for 389 yards and six touchdowns while passing for 178 yards and three scores. … RB Kye Koch ran for 181 yards and three TDs last week. … The Clippers are allowing 161 rushing yards, 76.3 passing yards and 18.5 points per game.
About the Bearcats: Milford won the 2018 8-man state title and was 2019 runner-up, but are winless this season after a 34-28 loss to Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland last week. … Last week’s game was the first this season the Bearcats were within one score. … Sawyer Laffoon threw for 188 yards and a touchdown last week, while also running for a TD. … Sam Kaeb rushed for 97 yards and a TD on 13 carries against FCW, and also caught four passes for 53 yards.
FND pick: Amboy-LaMoille
Alden-Hebron (1-3) at Milledgeville (3-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Giants: Alden-Hebron’s lone win came against a school nearly twice its size, West Prairie. The Giants have lost to two squads with smaller enrollments this season, Orangeville and Aquin, as well as to a school slightly larger, Hiawatha. ... This is the start of a three-game road trip for the Giants. After Milledgeville, Alden-Hebron has road games at AFC and South Beloit. ... Prior to the 34-8 win over West Prairie in Week 4, Alden-Hebron had been outscored 171-26 this season.
About the Missiles: Of Connor Nye’s 31 completed passes this year, 14 have gone for touchdowns; he has thrown just two interceptions. He has 139 rushing yards to go with his 482 passing yards. Bryce Aude has hauled in 11 of his completions and five of his TDs. ... Ashton Nobis had 50 carries for 351 yards this season. ... Milledgeville’s first two weeks saw two close games, a loss to Polo and a win over Amboy. Since then, the Missiles have outscored teams 124-8.
FND pick: Milledgeville