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Morris (4-0, 2-0) at La Salle-Peru (3-1, 1-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 42-0 Morris (2021 5A first round)
About Morris: Morris enters as the Associated Press Class 5A No. 1-ranked team after outscoring opponents 153-48 through four weeks, including a 41-0 win over Woodstock North last week. Woodstock North is a common opponent for Morris and L-P as the Cavaliers beat the Thunder 21-13 in Week 3. … Last week, Morris quarterback Carter Button ran for 42 yards and a touchdown and completed two passes for 46 yards and a score. Jacob Swartz ran seven times for 74 yards and two TDs. … Morris had two big special teams plays against Woodstock North as Sam Reddinger blocked a punt and Gage Phillips returned it for a TD, while A.J. Zweeres returned a punt 70 yards for a score. … Morris has won 13 consecutive regular season games.
About the Cavaliers: L-P lost to Morris twice last season — 31-7 at Howard Fellows Stadium and 42-0 at Morris in the first round of the playoffs. … After averaging 152 rushing yards per game through the first three games, the Cavaliers got their ground game going in last week’s 47-14 win over Plano last week. L-P racked up 335 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 48 carries. Quarterback Brendan Boudreau ran for 42 yards and three TDs on 11 carries, Peyton Ellermeyer rushed for 73 yards on 11 attempts, Brady Romagnoli gained 61 yards and scored a TD on four rushes, Mason Lynch had 57 yards on seven carries and Maalik Madrigal ran for 56 yards and a TD on 12 attempts. … The Cavs held Plano to 182 total yards and forced two turnovers. … Lynch returned a kickoff 85 yards for a TD against Plano for his second return TD of the season.
FND pick: Morris
Mendota (2-2, 1-1) at Hall (1-3, 0-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 43-34 Mendota (fall 2021)
About the Trojans: Mendota is 1-2 on the field after a 70-21 loss to Princeton last week. The Trojans earned a second win via forfeit due to Riverdale canceling its varsity season. … Mendota allowed 541 yards against Princeton. It was the second time this season the Trojans gave up more than 500 yards in a game. … Mendota’s Anthony Childs is second in the area in rushing with 495 yards and seven touchdowns on 74 carries. … Mendota QB Justin Randolph has completed 38 of 72 passes for 595 yards and three TDs with four interceptions. Braiden Freeman has been Randolph’s top target, hauling in 12 passes for 227 yards and one TD.
About the Red Devils: Hall lost 38-32 in overtime to Morrison last week. In OT, the Red Devils bobbled a snap on second-and-goal from the 1-yard line then lost a fumble on third down to seal the loss. … Mac Resetich has played a part in 83.2 percent of Hall’s offensive yards as he has 750 total yards — 589 rushing, 129 passing and 32 receiving — and he has accounted for 13 of the team’s 14 touchdowns with eight rushing TDs, two passing TDs, two kick return TDs and a punt return TD.
FND pick: Mendota
Kewanee (2-2, 1-1) at Princeton (4-0, 2-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 49-21 Kewanee (fall 2021)
About the Boilermakers: Kewanee had its best offensive and defensive performances of the season last week in a 40-7 win over Bureau Valley. The 40 points were double the Boilermakers’ previous best in a game this season, while BV’s seven points were the first time a Kewanee opponent scored less than double digits this season. … The Boilermakers scored on their first four possessions last week to build a 26-0 lead. … Against BV, Kewanee intercepted three passes and recovered a fumble. … Kewanee’s Alex Duarte had a big game for the Boilermakes last week, rushing for 78 yards and three touchdowns and catching a 5-yard TD pass.
About the Tigers: Princeton leads the series in one of the state’s oldest rivals 63-56-4. … The Tigers lost last fall’s matchup but won the previous three meetings by an average margin of 41.3 points per game. … Princeton has scored 226 points — an average of 56.5 points per game — including 70 last week in a 70-21 win over Mendota. … Princeton quarterback Teegan Davis had eight touchdowns last week with five passing, two rushing and one interception return. … Noah LaPorte caught four passes for a school-record 206 yards and four touchdowns last week.
FND pick: Princeton
Newman (2-2, 0-1) at Bureau Valley (1-3, 0-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 26-14 Newman (fall 2021)
About the Comets: Nolan Britt scored a touchdown on a 3-yard run last week for Newman’s only TD in a 34-8 loss to St. Bede. Britt’s TD pulled the Comets within 14-8, but Newman was outscored 20-0 the rest of the way. … Britt finished with 88 rushing yards, while Carter Rude led the Comets with 91 yards on the ground. … The Comets lost a fumble on St. Bede’s 6-yard line and had a pass intercepted last week. … Newman allowed St. Bede quarterback John Brady to throw for 230 yards and four touchdowns. … The Comets have scored 57 points this season while allowing 85.
About the Storm: Bureau Valley’s first four possessions ended with three punts and a fumble last week in a 40-7 loss at Kewanee, while the Storm allowed the Boilermakers to score touchdowns on their first four possessions. … Bureau Valley committed four turnovers — three interceptions and a fumble — against Kewanee. … The Storm’s lone touchdown last week came on a 96-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Helms to Eli Attig. … BV running back Mason Goossens is fifth in the area with 295 rushing yards. He’s scored six touchdowns.
FND pick: Newman
LeRoy (2-2) at Fieldcrest (1-3)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 34-18 LeRoy (fall 2021)
About the Panthers: LeRoy lost 29-12 to Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley last week. GCMS is a common opponent between LeRoy and Fieldcest as the Knights lost 23-14 to GCMS in the season opener. … LeRoy has scored 78 points this season while allowing 87. … Matt Stuepfert ran for 53 yards and a touchdown last week, while Bo Zeleznik ran for LeRoy’s other TD.
About the Knights: Fieldcrest’s lone win this season came via forfeit. The Knights have lost 12 games in a row. … The Knights scored 14 points in the opener but have not scored since. Fieldcrest has been outscored 105-14 this season, including 54-0 last week against Eureka. … Eddie Lorton has rushed for 124 yards on 51 carries this season, while Brady Ruestman has completed 22 of 54 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown.
FND pick: LeRoy
Amboy co-op (3-1) at Orangeville (0-4)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Last matchup: 34-12 Orangeville (2021 I8FA semifinals)
About the Clippers: Amboy lost 40-30 last week for the Clippers’ first loss of the season. … Quarterback Tucker Lindemeyer left last week’s game in the first quarter with an injury. Eddie Jones took over, completing 4 of 11 passes for 71 yards and two touchdowns. … Brennan Blaine has caught 14 passes for 372 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He’s caught two TD passes in each game. … The Clippers have four players who have rushed for 150 yards or more in Lindenmeyer, Kye Koch, Quinn Leffelman and Landon Whelchel. … After allowing just 26 points through the first two games, the Clippers have given up 76 points over the last two games.
About the Broncos: After losing in the Illinois 8 Man Football Association state title game last fall, Orangeville has lost its first four games this season, including 60-40 to Hiawatha last week. … Orangeville has allowed 60 points in each of the last two weeks and have given up 40 points or more in every game this season. … The Broncos’ 40 points last week nearly matched Orangeville’s total in the first three games combined (42 points).
FND pick: Amboy