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The IHSA released the football schedule for the 2023 season. Here are the top games to watch in the NewsTribune coverage area.
Week 1: St. Bede (7-3) vs. Tuscola (9-3), 7 p.m. Aug. 25
With a move to the new Chicago Prairie League, the Bruins open the season with their first nonconference game since 2016 at St. Catherine (Racine, Wis.) and just their second nonconference game in the last 20 years.
St. Bede faces a tough test in its opener in Tuscola, which has made the playoffs in 28 of the last 30 seasons, including state titles in 2006 and 2009 and four runner-up finishes.
The game also gives the Bruins the opportunity to play in a college environment with the game being held at Illinois Wesleyan University’s Tucci Stadium in Bloomington.
Week 2: Metamora (7-4) at La Salle-Peru (5-5), 7 p.m. Sept. 1
For the third season in a row, the Cavaliers and Redbirds will meet for an early season measuring stick game when the teams meet at Howard Fellows Stadium.
The last two games have been decided by a touchdown with Metamora winning 14-7 in the fall of 2021 and 16-8 last season.
L-P is looking for its fourth consecutive playoff berth, while Metamora is a perennial playoff team with three state titles and seven runner-up finishes in its history.
Week 3: Bureau Valley (1-8) at Hall (5-5), 7 p.m. Sept. 8
The Storm were a young squad last season and are looking for a turnaround in 2023. Bureau Valley showed some promise in several games last fall, including hanging tough with Hall in the regular season finale the Red Devils won 44-34 to qualify for the playoffs.
Week 4: Hall (5-5) at Mendota (3-6), 7 p.m. Sept. 15
Last fall, the Red Devils and Trojans lit up the scoreboard for a combined 111 points with Hall winning 66-45 behind a record-setting performance from Mac Resetich (429 yards, 7 rushing TDs), who is now a defensive back at the University of Illinois. Joseph Bacidore also ran for two TDs for the Red Devils.
For Mendota, Justin Randolph threw for 199 yards and three TDs.
Week 5: Sterling (9-3) at Princeton (11-1), 7 p.m. Sept. 22
With St. Bede leaving the Three Rivers Conference and Alleman not fielding a varsity team in 2023, the Tigers and Golden Warriors each had a rare Week 5 opening for a nonconference game, which led to one of the most anticipated games of the season in the NewsTribune coverage area.
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Princeton, which is 45-9 over the last five seasons with one semifinal and two quarterfinal appearances, will be tested more than it typically is in the Three Rivers against 5A Sterling, which is 54-11 with two semifinal and one quarterfinal appearances over the last six seasons.
Week 6: Fieldcrest (1-8) at Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley (4-5), 7 p.m. Sept. 29
The Knights and Falcons have engaged in several close battles in recent seasons and will play this season with both now in the HOIC Small Division.
Even last year, when the Knights were winless in contested games, the game with GCMS was close with the Falcons winning 23-14 in the season opener. It was Fieldcrest’s closest game of the season.
Fieldcrest beat GCMS 21-14 in the shortened spring 2021 season and edged GCMS 14-6 in 2019 to snap the Falcons’ 31-game winning streak.
Week 7: Ottawa (5-5) at La Salle-Peru (5-5), 7 p.m. Oct. 6
The Cavaliers will look to maintain their control of one of the state’s oldest rivalries when L-P and Ottawa face off at Howard Fellows Stadium.
L-P has won the last eight meetings, including 31-7 last season.
The game also could have playoff implications as each team won five games last season, so a win here could be the difference between qualifying for the postseason or missing the cut.
Week 8: St. Bede (7-3) at Marquette (9-2), 7 p.m. Oct. 13
After a 12-year hiatus, the Catholic school rivalry will be renewed as St. Bede and Marquette are founding members of the newly formed Chicago Prairie League.
The Bruins and Crusaders were long-time rivals in the Big Rivers Conference before Marquette left after the 2011 season to join the Northeastern Athletic Conference until becoming an independent team since 2020, while St. Bede has been competing in the Three Rivers Conference.
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St. Bede beat Marquette 40-14 in the last meeting between the schools in 2011.
Adding extra intrigue to the rivalry game, St. Bede coach Jim Eustice is a Marquette alumnus who coached the Crusaders from 2005-09 before current coach Tom Jobst took over in 2010.
Week 9: Kaneland (7-4) at La Salle-Peru (5-5), 7 p.m. Oct. 20
In the regular season finale at Howard Fellows Stadium, the Cavaliers and Knights may be jockeying for better playoff seeding.
L-P has qualified for the postseason the last three seasons with the minimum five wins before losing in the first round of the playoffs.
Kaneland, meanwhile, has finished with five or six regular-season wins in four of the last five full seasons.
The Knights have won three of the four meetings since both teams joined the Interstate 8, which is now the Kishwaukee River/Interstate 8 White Division, including 28-7 last season.
L-P’s lone win was a thrilling 21-20 comeback victory to end the spring 2021 season.