NewsTribune Week 2 preview capsules

La Salle-Peru (1-0) at Metamora (0-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: 14-7 Metamora (fall 2021)

About the Cavaliers: L-P fell behind late in the third quarter of its 31-21 win over United Township in the opener but immediately responded with an 87-yard kick return touchdown by Mason Lynch that gave the Cavs a 24-21 lead. … Brendan Boudreau completed 5 of 5 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown in his first varsity start at quarterback. He also ran for 62 yards and a TD on 15 attempts. … Peyton Ellermeyer ran for 30 yards and a TD on 11 carries. … Billy Mini caught four passes for 58 yards, while Maalik Madrigal caught a 10-yard TD pass. … Seth Adams, who doubles as an L-P soccer player, kicked a 22-yard field and made four extra points in the opener. … L-P was without defensive end Connor Lorden, nose tackle Warren Mrowicki and linebacker Nolan Glynn in the opener, but some may return this week. … The Cavaliers are 0-2 all time against Metamora.

About the Redbirds: Metamora is one of the state’s most storied programs. The Redbirds have made 34 playoff appearances, won three state championships and finished runner-up seven times. “That’s a pretty good program,” L-P coach Jose Medina said. “We battled them last year here (at Howard Fellows Stadium) and lost 14-7. I think it’s going to be a good game. We’ll be a little more full strength.”… Third-year Metamora coach Jared Grebner is 8-7 in his career. … Metamora was trailing Peoria 34-16 with 8:05 left in the second quarter when the game was stopped due to a fight in the stands at Peoria Stadium. It was the first game between Metamora and Peoria at Peoria Stadium since 1991. … The Redbirds gave up several big plays, including a 64-yard touchdown pass, an 85-yard TD run, a 37-yard run and a 76-yard run. … Metamora quarterback Kaden Hartnett scored both Redbird TDs on runs of 3 yards and 1 yard. Harnett played receiver and defensive back last season but was a QB as an underclassman. … The Redbirds offensive line is anchored by Illinois State University commit Ben Wallace, who is 6-foot-5, 300 pounds.

Friday Night Drive pick: Metamora

Erie-Prophetstown (1-0) at St. Bede (1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: 15-13 St. Bede (fall 2021)

About the Panthers: E-P turned in a dominating rushing performance in a 54-34 win over Mendota in the opener, running for 501 yards. Jase Grunder led the Panther ground game, rushing for 215 yards and six touchdowns on 21 attempts, while Tyler Ballard ran for 195 yards and two scores — of 48 and 70 yards — on 11 carries. EP quarterback Jack Minssen completed 3 of 5 passes for 13 yards. … The Panthers built a 40-12 lead after three quarters. … The E-P defense gave up 520 yards to Mendota — 303 rushing and 217 passing. … E-P has won eight regular season games in a row with its last regular season loss coming last season in Week 2 against St. Bede.

About the Bruins: St. Bede has had a knack for pulling out close games against the Panthers over the last five years. The last five meetings between the teams have been decided by three points or less, including three one-point games, with the Bruins winning four of them. Last season, Stephen Shaver booted a late field goal to lift St. Bede to a 15-13 victory. … The Bruins relied heavily on the Brady twins in their 28-14 win over Sherrard in the opener. Quarterback John Brady ran for 231 yards and four touchdowns and completed 7 of 16 passes for 122 yards, while safety Ryan Brady made nine tackles, intercepted a pass, recovered a fumble and broke up two passes, including one in the end zone. … Ben Wallace caught five of Brady’s passes for 88 yards. … St. Bede limited the Tigers to 73 rushing yards.

FND pick: St. Bede

Monmouth-Roseville (1-0) at Hall (0-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: 40-32 Monmouth-Roseville (fall 2021)

About the Titans: M-R beat Kewanee 22-16 in its season opener. The Titans trailed 7-6 at halftime before outscoring the Boilermakers 16-9 in the second half. … M-R running back Jerome Jackson scored all three of the team’s touchdowns — two rushing and one passing. He ran for 123 yards on four carries and caught two passes for 19 yards. … M-R quarterback Silas Braun completed 7 of 10 passes for 79 yards, a TD and an interception while running for 56 yards on 10 attempts. … C.J. Johnson led the M-R defense, making 15 tackles, including one for a loss, and intercepting a pass. Braun had nine tackles with three for a loss.

About the Red Devils: Hall lost 42-12 to Orion in Randy Tieman’s return to the sidelines. … Hall relied heavily on senior Mac Resetich offensively, running the Wildcat to give him plenty of opportunities to touch the ball and make plays. Resetich scored a rushing touchdown and returned a kickoff for a TD against Orion. He had a third touchdown wiped out by a penalty. … The Red Devils are 2-13 in their last 15 games. … Hall has scored 31 points in its last four games.

FND pick: Monmouth-Roseville

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

Game time: 7 p.m. Thursday

Last matchup: Princeton 45-7 (2021).

About the Tigers: Princeton is playing on a short week with a Thursday game. ... The Tigers led 21-14 at the half over Rockridge last week before outscoring the Rockets 20-8 in the second half. Brady Byers provided two big plays in the first half, the first a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown and 51-yard run for another score. Augie Christiansen added a 65-yard scamper. QB Teegan Davis helped the Tigers run away with it in the second half with TD runs of 85 and 67 yards, gaining 228 yards overall. ... The Tigers have now won the last five season openers under Pearson, defeating Riverdale, Fulton, Lena-Winslow and Rockridge twice.

About the Chargers: Like Princeton, Orion had a decisive Week 1 victory. The Chargers held a 28-12 halftime lead over Hall before outscoring the Red Devils 14-0 in the second half to open up a 42-12 win. ... Orion saw its playoff streak of six straight appearances snapped last year with a 4-5 record. Veteran coach Chip Filler (86-45 in 14 years) believes the Chargers have the experience, including seven seniors, to make it back this year. ... Even though Princeton has won the last three meetings, the Chargers hold the all-time series edge at 7-3. Orion has only lost once in five games at Princeton dating back to 2009, dropping the last one, 44-0 in 2019.

FND pick: Princeton

Sherrard (0-1) at Bureau Valley (0-1)

Game time: Friday, 7 p.m.

Last matchup: BV 50-7 (2022)

About the Storm: BV coach Mat Pistole, whose team fell 33-12 in a Week 1 non-conference game at Villa Grove, said most teams make their biggest jump between Weeks 1 and 2 and that is the Storm’s goal. ... Mason Goossens scored both touchdowns for the Storm at Villa Grove on runs of 2 and 13 yards. The Storm allowed 328 yards passing (4 TDs), 464 total net yards. .... The Storm hold a 3-0 series edge, including last year’s win.

About the Tigers: Sherrard went 3-1 in the 2021 spring season in Brandon Johnston’s first year as Sherrard coach, but graduation took a heavy toll and the Tigers went 0-9 last fall. ... The Tigers fell to St. Bede 28-14 in last week’s opener. It was a 21-14 game until the Bruins tacked on a second fourth quarter score. QB Holland Anderson completed 10 of 16 passes for 217 yards and two TDs and RB Bailey Nelson rushed for 93 yards on 14 carries. The Sherrard defense allowed 227 yards rushing, 369 net yards overall.

FND pick: Sherrard

El Paso-Gridley (1-0) at Fieldcrest (0-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: 26-0 EPG (fall 2021)

About the Titans: EPG beat Meridian 51-26 in the opener. The Titans and Hawks were tied at 20 at halftime before EPG outscored Meridian 31-17 in the second half, including two touchdowns in the first six minutes of the third quarter to take control. … EPG quarterback Kamren Schumacher completed 7 of 10 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns — both to Dante Golden, who finished with 97 yards on four receptions. Schumacher also ran for 100 yards and two TDs on 15 carries. … EPG’s Hank Harlan returned a kickoff 63 yards for a TD, Dax Gentes scored two fourth quarter rushing TDs and Declan Duley booted a 25-yard field goal. Duley, a transfer from Normal U-High, is ranked top five nationally as a punter and has drawn interest from several Division I schools.

About the Knights: Fieldcrest was more competitive in Week 1 under first-year coach Nick Meyer, a Fieldcrest alumnus, than in any game last season. The Knights lost 23-14 to Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley last week in the opener. Fieldcrest’s closest game during last fall’s 0-9 season was 16 points. … The Knights struggled to run the ball last week, gaining just 12 yards on the ground. … Fieldcrest quarterback Brady Ruestman completed 7 of 16 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. He was intercepted five times. Jozia Johnson caught two passes for 84 yards and a TD.

FND pick: El Paso-Gridley

River Ridge (0-1) at Amboy co-op (1-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last matchup: First meeting in eight man

About the Wildcats: River Ridge led by two touchdowns at halftime but ended up losing 42-36 to South Beloit in three overtimes in the opener. The Wildcats lost a fumble in the third overtime to seal their loss. … George Winter ran for an 8-yard touchdown and caught a 25-yard TD pass from Sam Ries in regulation. Winter also scored on a 5-yard run in the first overtime. Ries also tossed a 42-yard TD pass to Traighton McGovern in regulation.

About the Clippers: Amboy returns for its home opener after making a statement on the road in Week 1, beating two-time defending eight-man champion Polo 28-12. The Clippers scored three touchdowns on plays of 30 yards or longer, including on back-to-back offensive plays in the first four minutes. … Amboy quarterback Tucker Lindenmeyer completed 3 of 6 passes for 74 yards and two touchdowns with all three passes going to Brennan Blaine. Lindenmeyer also ran for 76 yards and a TD on eight carries. … Kye Koch ran for 75 yards on 10 carries, including a 55-yard TD on Amboy’s first possession of the third quarter to put the Clippers up 28-6.

FND pick: Amboy