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La Salle-Peru (3-0) at Morris (3-1)
When: 6 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Morris 13, La Salle-Peru 0 (2019)
About the Cavaliers: L-P has been dominant on defense through three games, allowing just 13 points and 130 rushing yards to its three opponents combined. The Cavaliers scored two defensive tourchdowns in last week’s 34-6 win over Ottawa. Defensive end Levi Reed leads the way with 20 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and four sacks. … L-P has relied on its ground game, averaging218.3 rushing yards and 25.7 points per game. … Sean Whitfield started at QB last week, running for 68 yards and a TD and throwing for 55 yards and a score. … The Cavs are 0-5 against Morris since 2009.
About the Redskins: Morris suffered its first loss of the spring last week when Sycamore scored a touchdown with 23 seconds left to beat the Redskins 21-14. … The Redskins have played all three teams L-P has, beating Rochelle (27-13), Plano (35-12) and Ottawa (35-6) compared to L-P’s wins of 29-0 over Rochelle, 14-7 over Plano and 34-6 over Ottawa. … Morris QB Zach Romak completed 17-of-29 passes for 164 yards and two TDs — a 16-yarder to his twin, Aidan, and a 48-yard screen to Sam Reddinger. Zach Romak also ran for 91 yards on 14 carries. … Joe Weltmeyer intercepted two passes against Sycamore.
FND pick: La Salle-Peru
St. Bede (3-1) at Bureau Valley (0-3)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Last matchup: St. Bede 41, Bureau Valley 33 (2018)
About the Bruins: St. Bede looks to get back on track after losing 35-6 to Newman for its first loss of the season. … The Bruins managed just 32 offensive yards against Newman, but in the first three games averaged152 rushing yards, 149.7 passing yards and 26 points. … Tyreke Fortney scored St. Bede’s lone touchdown Saturday on a 15-yard run. He has 113 yards and three TDs rushing and 246 yards and two scores receiving. … QB Braden Damerell completed 1-of-4 passes for 5 yards in wet conditions against Newman. For the season, he is 24-of-39 for 454 yards and four touchdowns while also running for 156 yards and two TDs.
About the Storm: Bureau Valley has three common opponents with St. Bede, losing to Newman (44-0), Hall (26-7) and Erie-Prophetstown (44-0), while the Bruins beat Hall (27-6) and E-P (24-21) and lost to Newman (35-6). … The Storm managed 110 yards (104 rushing, 6 passing) last week against E-P while allowing 344 yards (268 rushing, 61 passing). … BV has 240 rushing yards, 72 passing yards and seven points through three games. … The Storm have lost 12 straight games.
FND pick: St. Bede
Rockridge (4-0) at Hall (1-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Rockridge 40, Hall 26 (2016)
About the Rockets: Rockridge scored more points in Monday’s 60-25 victory over Riverdale than Hall has scored (49) in four games this season. … Sophomore Peyton Locke ran for 177 yards and a school-record six touchdowns on 14 carries against Riverdale. … QB Brayden Deem tossed a pair of touchdown passes in the win over Riverdale. Deem ran for 134 yards and threw for 162 yards and a TD in a 47-20 win over Sherrard in Week 3.
About the Red Devils: This is the season finale for Hall and first-year coach Nick Guerrini. … The Red Devils managed 204 yards — 119 rushing and 92 passing — in last week’s 42-14 loss to Kewanee. … Dominic Guerrini ran for 48 yards and a touchdown last week, while Gabe Lucas completed 8-of-12 passes for 92 yards and a TD to Otto Frontzcke. … Mac Resetich intercepted a Kewanee pass. … The Hall defense surrendered 394 yards — 190 rushing and 204 passing — against the Boilermakers.
Dixon (0-2) at Mendota (1-2)
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
Last matchup: Dixon 51, Mendota 0 (2019)
About the Dukes: Dixon has dominated Mendota, winning the last five meetings by an average margin of 39.2 points. … The Dukes lost 19-14 to Winnebago in Week 1 and 7-2 to Rockford Lutheran last week after a two-week COVID-19 quarantine. … Dixon managed 96 total yards against Lutheran. QB Jacob Gaither led the way with 56 rushing yards. … The Dukes managed to drive to the Lutheran 1-yard line in the fourth quarter but couldn’t punch it in the end zone. Dixon’s lone points came when Lutheran deliberately took a safety on fourth-and-10 from the 1 in the fourth quarter. … Dixon blocked two Lutheran punts.
About the Trojans: Mendota snapped a 20-game home losing streak last week with a 42-28 win over Rock Falls. … The Trojans got their ground game going against the Rocekets, rushing for 280 yards, including 209 in the second half. RB Damien Magallanes ran for 117 yards and four touchdowns, while QB Ted Landgraf rushed for 132 yards and a TD. … Landgraf also threw for 165 yards, including a 73-yard TD to Emilio Perez. … Mendota held Rock Falls to 58 yards in the second half with 30 coming on a halfback option pass in the waning seconds. … MHS allowed two kickoffs, including an onside kick, to be returned for TDs.
FND pick: Mendota
Princeton (4-0) at Newman (3-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Newman 25, Princeton 21 (2019)
About the Tigers: Last year, Princeton led Newman 21-10 at halftime before allowing the Comets to rally. … The Tigers have scored 40 points or more in 19 of 37 games under coach Ryan Pearson, including last week’s 48-7 win over Orion. PHS is averaging 43.8 points per game this spring. … RB Ronde Worrels has run for 426 yards and nine touchdowns this season. … QB Tyler Gibson has thrown for 594 yards and six TDs this season. He’s also run for two scores. … The PHS defense, which allows 78.5 rushing yards, 76.8 passing yards and 7.8 points per game, forced four turnovers against Orion.
About the Comets: Newman won a battle of unbeaten last week, topping St. Bede 35-6. … The Comets had 260 yards — just four passing — against St. Bede while limiting the Bruins to 32 total yards, including 15 against Newman reserves. … Andrew Velasquez ran for 106 yards and two touchdowns, Brennen Cook had 38 yards and two TDs and Marcus Williams added 46 yards and a score against St. Bede. … Newman has allowed 13 points in three games.
FND pick: Princeton
Lowpoint-Washburn/Henry-Senachwine (0-3) at Peoria Heights (1-1)
When: 7 p.m. F
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Wildcats: LWHS suffered a 64-6 loss to undefeated West Central last week. The Wildcats allowed the Heat to rush for 328 yards. … The Wildcats have been outscored 166-22 this season.
About the Patriots: Peoria Heights is in its first season of 8-man football after making five playoff appearances in 47 years in 11-man. The Patriots had 16 seasons of one or no wins. … Peoria Heights snapped a 27-game losing streak last week with a 32-8 win over Danville Schlarman. … The Patriots lost 46-20 to West Central in Week 1 before having a two-week COVID-19 pause.
FND pick: Peoria Heights
Amboy-LaMoille (1-2) at Milledgeville (3-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Amboy-LaMoille 25, Milledgeville 6 (2019)
About the Clippers: A-L earned its first win under new coach Scott Payne with a 16-8 victory over West Carroll last week. … RB Sean Fitzpatrick ran for 166 yards and both touchdowns against West Carroll. He has 365 yards and three TDs on 74 carries through three games. … A-L had 231 rushing yards on 39 attempts last week.
About the Missiles: QB Nick Smith threw a touchdown pass to Daniel Lohnes with 13.2 seconds left in the first half last week to give Milledgeville the lead for good in a 22-12 victory over Eastland-Pearl City. … Smith was 5-of-8 for 19 yards. He also scored ona 1-yard QB sneak. … Damon Miller ran for 80 yards and a TD on 19 carries, while Ryan Kendall ran for 54 yards.
FND pick: Milledgeville