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Here is a look at Bureau County football previews for Week 3:
BCR GAME OF THE WEEK
Princeton (1-1) at Newman (2-0)
Game time: Friday, 7 p.m., Sterling High School
Last matchup: Princeton 30-6 (2022)
About the Tigers: The last time the Tigers took a regular-season stumble, losing at Kewanee 49-21 in 2021, they came back strong the next week to beat Newman (41-0) and went all the way to make the first of two quarterfinal appearances. How they respond from last week’s 22-21 stunning loss to Morrison on a last-second field goal will go a long way in determining how the rest of their season goes. A rash of penalties and turnovers in Friday’s loss led PHS coach Ryan Pearson to say, “I don’t know who were tonight.” That loss came only two days after the Tigers were ranked No. 1 in the state for the first time in school history and will undoubtedly knock them out of it. After three throwing three interceptions, junior QB Will Lott led the Tigers to what appeared to be a winning scoring drive with two straight completions, capped by a 30-yard scoring strike to Noah LaPorte with 45 seconds left. Morrison freshman Josh McDearmon, a soccer player turned placekicker in his first football game, kicked the game-winning 27-yard field goal. ... This series has been a game of streaks. The Tigers won the first four meetings (1977-80), with the Comets taking seven out of the next eight starting in 1981 and resuming again in 2013 when PHS joined the Three Rivers. The Tigers have won the last three meetings, including the 2021 COVID spring season, and own an 8-7 series edge.
About the Comets: Newman improved to 2-0 with a 16-10 win at home over Sherrard. The Comets used a 75-yard scoring drive to clinch the Three Rivers crossover with 4:15 left to play. Quarterback Carter Rude ran 14 times for 58 yards, while Brady Grennan had nine carries for 53 yards, including the game-clincher and both two-point conversions. The Comets opened the season with a 12-7 win at Rockridge. Sophomore QB Evan Bushman, in his first varsity start, engineered a game-winning, three-minute, 92-yard scoring drive capped by a 3-yard TD pass to senior wide receiver Isaiah Williams with five seconds left to rally for the Week 1 win at Rockridge.
FND pick: Princeton.
Bureau Valley (1-1) at Hall (1-1)
Game time: Friday, 7 p.m., Nesti Stadium
Last matchup: Hall 44-34 (2022)
About the Storm: The Storm scored first on Monmouth-Roseville at home last week and played the Titans to a 14-14 game before falling late, 21-14. Junior QB Bryce Helms scored first for the Storm on a 5-yard run, and classmate Elijah Endress (18-106) added a 29-yard, game-tying score, shaking off several tacklers with 4 1/2 minutes to play. ... BV opened the season with a 26-7 win at Erie-Prophetstown, matching its win total from last year.
About the Red Devils: Hall bounced back from a 20-14 loss at Orion with a 46-6 rout over Riverdale last week. The Red Devils dominated a young and experienced Riverdale team, which didn’t field a varsity team last year. Hall didn’t allow a score until the final minute and had five different players score touchdowns – Gianni Guerrini (9-89, 2 TDs), Braden Curran (7-68), Tristan Redcliff, Aiden Redcliff and Migul Reveles. The Red Devils rushed for 271 yards on 36 carries as a team. Jack Mongan sacked Rams QB Kolton Kruse for a safety. ... The Red Devils beat the Storm 44-34 in Week 9 of the 2022 campaign to clinch a 4A playoff berth. ... Hall leads the series, 6-4, winning four out of the last five meetings with the Storm winning in 2021.
FND pick: BV
St. Bede (1-1) at Walther Christian Academy (0-2)
Game time: Saturday, 2 p.m., Melrose Park
Last matchup: Then Walther Lutheran 29-26 (2004)
About the Bruins: The Bruins kick off a new era by making their debut in the Chicago Prairie League, a two-hour bus ride to Melrose, after 23 years in the Big Rivers/Three Rivers. They are looking to rebound after last week’s 38-13 loss at home against Mercer County. St. Bede coach Jim Eustice said the Golden Eagles “wanted it more than we did.” ... The Bruins won the first meeting with the Broncos 22 years ago, winning 21-20 in second-round play on the way to a 2A semifinal berth in 2001.
About the Broncos: Then known as Walther Lutheran, the Broncos had a strong playoff tradition with 19 appearances from 1979-2008, but have not made it back since. The Broncos have fallen on hard times, going 0-9 last year and 4-23 since their last winning season (5-4 in 2018). They have been outscored 89-2 in its first two games in losses to Chicago Christ the King (40-0) and Chicago Leo (49-2). ... The Broncos won the second of two previous meetings, defeating the Bruins 29-26,in a Class 2A playoff opener in 2004. ... As Walther Lutheran, the Broncos lost its last two playoff games to area schools — 28-0 to Mendota in 2007 and 45-33 to Geneseo in 2008. ... The Melrose school made its name change 10 years ago in September 2013 from Walther Lutheran High School to Walther Christian Academy. However, it remains a Lutheran school. ... The Broncos’ field is located across the street from the school, located at 900 Chicago Ave., Melrose Park.
FND pick: St. Bede
8-man: Amboy co-op (2-0) at Martinsville (2-0)
Game time: Saturday, 2 p.m.
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Clippers: The Clippers will make the 222-mile trek to Martinsville for Week 3 of the 8-man season. It will be their first meeting against Martinsville, The Clippers will be departing at 1 p.m. Friday and staying overnight to be fresh for their Saturday matinee kickoff. ... A-L-O is off to a 2-0 start coming off its eight-man state runner-up finish. The Clippers have sailed to wins over Decatur Unity Christian (46-0) and River Ridge (80-8) by a combined margin of 126-8.
About the Blue Streaks: Martinsville, which is located in Clark County, has an enrollment of 99. It was previously a member of the Little Okaw Valley (Southeast), going 0-8 in 2018, its last year. The Blue Streaks also went 0-8 as an independent in 2019 and 1-5 in the 2021 COVID spring season. They went 7-2 in 2021 in their first year in the eight-man game and 4-5 in 2022. The Blue Streaks are off to a 2-0 start with last week’s 56-0 rout over Edwardsville Metro Lutheran. ... Martinsville went 4-11 in 15 playoff appearances from 1977 to 2003, the first in 1A and last 14 in 2A.
FND pick: Amboy
Other area games
Annawan-Wethersfield (1-1) at Rushville (0-2)
E-P (0-2) at Monmouth-Roseville (1-1)
Harvard (0-2) at Ottawa (1-1)
Marquette (1-1) at Elmwood Park (0-2)
Mendota (0-2) at Kewanee (2-0)
Orion (1-1) at Morrison (2-0)
Rock Falls (0-2) at Dixon (2-0)
Sherrard (0-2) at Warrrensburg-Latham (1-1)
Sterling (0-2) at East Moline (0-2)
Streator (1-1) at Coal City (1-1)
Woodstock North (0-2) at L-P (1-1)