NewsTribune Week 4 football capsules

L-P, St. Bede, Princeton, Fieldcrest look to stay undefeated

Ottawa (0-3) at La Salle-Peru (2-0)

When: 6 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: La Salle-Peru 35, Ottawa 14 (2019)

About the Pirates: Ottawa has stayed within a touchdown at halftime of all three games, but lost 20-7 to Plano, 27-7 to Sycamore and 35-6 to Morris. … QB Braiden Miller completed 6-of-18 passes for 57 yards with two interceptions last week after throwing for 277 yards and no picks through two weeks. … RB Javarius Whitfield provided the Pirates’ lone score against Morris with a 57-yard burst. … Ottawa managed 137 yards in Week 3 while allowing Morris QB Zach Romak to throw for 186 yards and three TDs and rush for 94 yards and a TD.

About the Cavaliers: L-P coach Jose Medina has a 5-0 record against the Pirates. … L-P has relied on its strong rushing attack and stout defense as the Cavs average 245 rushing yards while surrendering 54 rushing yards, 33.5 passing yards and 3.5 points per game. … RB Matt Carrico has rushed for 222 yards and two TDs on 39 carries. … QB Tyler Hartman will be a game-time decision after leaving last week’s game with an ankle injury. If he can’t go, junior Sean Whitfield will fill in. He threw a TD pass in last week’s 14-7 win over Plano. … DL Levi Reed had six tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks against Plano, while LB Drake Weber had 13 tackles.

FND pick: La Salle-Peru

St. Bede (3-0) at Newman (3-0)

When: Noon Saturday

Last matchup: Newman 40, St. Bede 20 (2016 Class 3A playoffs)

About the Bruins: St. Bede enters without its full roster after several key injuries. LB/RB Ethan Sramek and WR/DB Tim Croissant are out for the season, RT Rylan Heersink will miss Saturday’s game, and Nolan May and Logan Link also have injuries. … QB Braden Damerell has been a dual threat, throwing for 449 yards and four TD and running for 146 yards – 102 in last week’s 24-21 win at Erie-Prophetstown – and a pair of scores. … Tyreke Fortney has shown big-play ability, scoring his four TDs on plays of 19, 20, 51 and 70 yards. … The Bruins have not beaten Newman in 10 years, losing four games to the Comets in that span. St. Bede last beat Newman 20-18 on Sept. 17, 2011.

About the Comets: After rolling to a 43-0 opening win, the Comets grinded out a 14-7 victory over Morrison last week. … Newman controlled possession against the Mustangs, allowing Morrison only three second-half possessions. … LB Brett Newman had two sacks and an interception last week. … RB Andrew Velasquez ran for 92 yards on 18 carries and scored on runs of 14 and 4 yards. He has six TDs in two games.

FND pick: Newman

Hall (1-2) at Kewanee (1-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: Kewanee 21, Hall 13 (2019)

About the Red Devils: Hall defeated Bureau Valley 26-7 last week for its first win under new coach Nick Guerrini. … The Red Devils ran for 258 yards last week; Dominic Guerrini ran for 82 yards and a TD, while Caleb Savitch had 79 yards and a score. … Mac Resetich has 166 rushing yards and 147 receiving yards this season. … The Hall defense held the Storm to seven points, four first downs, 87 rushing yards and 66 passing yards.

About the Boilermakers: Kewanee played Princeton tough in the first half and trailed 14-7 at the break before losing 43-7. … Tayvian Taylor broke free for a 70-yard TD against Princeton and finished with 110 yards on 12 carries. … QB Will Bruno complete 9-of-12 passes for 84 yards and was intercepted twice against PHS. … The Boilermakers gave up 315 rushing yards and 111 rushing yards last week.

Rock Falls (0-2) at Mendota (0-2)

When: 6 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: Mendota 26, Rock Falls 21 (2019)

About the Rockets: Rock Falls has lost its two games by a combined score of 75-7. … The Rockets allowed North Boone QB Logan Emanuel to throw for 269 yards and three TDs in last week’s 35-0 loss. … The Rocket defense intercepted Emanuel twice – once in the end zone. … Booker Cross ran for 101 yards against North Boone. … Dillon Schueler scored the Rockets’ lone TD in their 40-7 loss to Genoa-Kingston. … Rock Falls has lost nine games in a row.

About the Trojans: Mendota’s win against Rock Falls in 2019 was the Trojans’ lone win of the season, and snapped a 20-game losing streak. … Mendota lost 49-7 to North Boone in the opener, but was competitive in a 30-26 loss to Oregon last week. … QB Ted Landgraf threw for two touchdowns, ran for a TD and caught a TD pass last week. … Emilio Perez caught six passes for 103 yards last week, while Andres Castaneda grabbed a pair of TD passes against Oregon.

FND pick: Mendota

Princeton (3-0) at Orion (1-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: Princeton 44, Orion 0 (2019)

About the Tigers: RB/LB Ronde Worrels broke Bureau County records for career rushing yards and TDs with 137 yards and three scores last week. He has 4,106 yards and 58 rushing TDs in his career. … The Tigers outscored Kewanee 29-0 in the second half last week to win 43-7. … Teegan Davis ran for 85 yards and a TD last week. He has 142 rushing yards and 72 receiving yards this season with four TDs – two on the ground and two receiving. … Cael Davis intercepted two passes and made five tackles against Kewanee.

About the Chargers: Orion edged Monmouth-Roseville 13-8 last week for its first win. The Chargers lost 26-6 to Rockridge and 45-14 to Fulton. … QB Jared Mohr tossed a 19-yard TD pass to Quinn Hoftender last week, while Cole Kratzberg ran for a 36-yard TD.

FND pick: Princeton

Erie-Prophetstown (0-2) at Bureau Valley (0-2)

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Last matchup: Erie-Prophetstown 33, Bureau Valley 14 (2019)

About the Panthers: E-P has been close in both games so far, losing 21-14 to Kewanee and 24-21 to St. Bede. … Against the Bruins, QB Kolby Franks threw for 130 yards and a TD, and ran for 54 yards and a TD. … Trevor Cobo caught three passes for 102 yards, and hauled in a 40-yard TD with 3.5 seconds left before halftime against St. Bede, while Connor Sibley ran for 60 yards and a TD.

About the Storm: Bureau Valley is looking to snap an 11-game losing streak. … The Storm scored their first points of the season last week when Adam Johnson connected with Layton Britt for a 57-yard TD in BV’s 26-7 loss to Hall. The Storm lost 42-0 to Newman in the opener. … BV lost two fumbles and threw an interception last week. … Evan Eckberg has a team-best 69 rushing yards this season.

FND pick: Erie-Prophetstown

El Paso-Gridley (0-3) at Fieldcrest (3-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: Fieldcrest 34, El Paso-Gridley 7

About the Titans: EPG has lost its three games by a combined score of 99-7, with the Titans’ lone points coming last week in a 40-7 loss to Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley. EPG also lost 16-0 to Tri-Valley and 43-0 to Eureka. … The Titans have lost seven games in a row, and have lost 12 consecutive Heart of Illinois Large Division games.

About the Knights: Fieldcrest has won 15 of its last 16 games. … QB Cory Land has thrown for 442 yards and five TDs, and run for 70 yards and a score. … Jaxon Cusac-McKay has 302 yards and a TD on the ground, along with 139 receiving yards and a TD reception. … Henry Lorton has caught 10 passes for 233 yards and four TDs. … Fieldcrest has outscored opponents 37-0 in the second half. … DL Zach Cremer had 1.5 sacks and a tackle for loss in last week’s 16-14 win over Eureka. … Jacob Joyal booted a 22-yard field goal with 26.8 seconds left against Eureka.

FND pick: Fieldcrest

Lowpoint-Washburn/Henry-Senachwine (0-2) at West Central (3-0)

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Last matchup: First meeting

About the Wildcats: LWHS lost 46-16 to Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland in Week 1, then had a week off before suffering a 56-0 loss to South Beloit last week. … Jesse Knecht has been a key two-way player for LWHS.

About the Heat: West Central has dominated its first season of 8-man football with 150 points through three games. … Last week, West Central beat defending 8-man state champion Polo 42-6. … The Heat had 414 rushing yards last week, as QB Max Carnes ran for 175 yards and four TDs, Liam Reid had 138 yards and a TD, and Kaiden Droste had 101 yards and a TD. … Jordan Roller had 11 tackles and two sacks against Polo.

FND pick: West Central

West Carroll (0-2) at Amboy-LaMoille (0-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: West Carroll 36, Amboy-LaMoille 7 (2019)

About the Thunder: West Carroll has been outscored 97-0 in two games. … The Thunder managed 82 yards in a 44-0 loss to Eastland-Pearl City, and 34 yards in a 53-0 loss to Galena. … Against EPC, freshmen A.J. Boardman and Aaron Becker connected for a 22-yard pass, while Devin Davis ran for 45 years on 10 carries, including a 31-yard run.

About the Clippers: While West Carroll lost 44-0 to EPC, the Clippers held a 13-6 halftime lead against EPC before losing 30-13. … A-L lost 38-6 to Forreston last week. … RB Sean Fitzpatrick has 199 yards and a TD on 49 ruches, while QB Lane Boehle ran for a score last week.

FND pick: Amboy-LaMoille.