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Kishwaukee River/Interstate 8 White
Sycamore (7-0, 4-0) at La Salle-Peru (5-2, 3-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 23-0 Sycamore (fall 2021)
About the Spartans: Sycamore has outscored opponents 280-55 after last week’s 48-15 win over Woodstock North. … The Spartans have held five opponents to seven points or less. … Over the last four seasons, L-P has only been held to less than 100 rushing yards in a game four times. Sycamore has done it the last two times it played L-P in 2019 and the fall of 2021. The Spartans won those games 23-0 and 45-0. … Last week, Eli Meier threw two touchdown passes to Burke Gautcher, who had three receptions for 82 yards, while Tyler Curtis ran for 58 yards and two TDs. … The Spartans scored on special teams against Woodstock North when Teague Hallahan blocked a punt and Diego Garcia scooped it up and returned it 20 yards for a TD. … Sycamore has won all four meetings with L-P since the teams joined the same conference in 2010.
About the Cavaliers: L-P has won its last two games by a combined score of 55-7, including a 31-7 win over Ottawa last week for the Cavaliers’ eighth consecutive victory in the series. … Mason Lynch stepped in at quarterback last week for starter Brendan Boudreau, who was injured, and rushed 18 times for 108 yards and a touchdown. Boudreau will be back this week, L-P coach Jose Medina said. … Lynch led L-P’s defense last week, intercepting three passes. Caleb Burrell also picked off a pass and returned it 28 yards for a touchdown. … The Cavs possessed the ball for 34:35 against Ottawa as they racked up 281 rushing yards. Maalik Madrigal ran for 84 yards on 15 carries and Peyton Ellermeyer added 60 yards on 14 attempts.
Friday Night Drive pick: Sycamore
Three Rivers Mississippi
Hall (3-4, 2-2) at St. Bede (6-1, 3-1)
When: 5 p.m. Saturday
Last matchup: 15-12 St. Bede (fall 2021)
About the Red Devils: Hall lost 20-18 to Newman last week when the Comets scored on the final play of the game. The Red Devils must win their final two games to become playoff eligible. … Quarterback Mac Resetich ran 37 times for 219 yards and a touchdown last week, bringing his season totals to 1,543 yards and 19 rushing TDs. … Joseph Bacidore scored two rushing touchdowns against Newman. … The Hall defense has tightened up the last two weeks, allowing 17.5 points per game over the last two games after allowing 40.8 per game through the first five weeks. … Hall lost the last two meetings with St. Bede, but the Red Devils were 6-2 against the Bruins in coach Randy Tieman’s first tenure from 2012-19.
About the Bruins: St. Bede suffered its first loss of the season last week, losing 56-7 to Princeton. After losing to Princeton last year, the Bruins beat Hall 15-12 the next week. … Quarterback John Brady scored St. Bede’s lone touchdown last week, scoring on a 1-yard run. He finished with 88 rushing yards on 19 attempts. He also threw for 77 yards. On the season, Brady has rushed for 647 yards and 10 TDs and thrown for 1,004 yards and 11 TDs. … The Bruins allowed 408 rushing yards to Princeton, but before last week St. Bede was giving up 169 yards per game on the ground. … Before the Princeton game, St. Bede had scored 28 or more points in every other game and had held every other opponent to 20 points or less.
FND pick: St. Bede
Mendota (3-4, 1-3) at Newman (4-3, 2-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 24-7 Newman (fall 2021)
About the Trojans: Mendota must win its final two games to become playoff eligible after losing 35-34 in overtime to Kewanee last week. … Last week, Anthony Childs ran the ball 52 times for 265 yards and four touchdowns. He has 1,067 yards and 13 TDs on the season. … Quarterback Justin Randolph has thrown for 1,052 yards and seven TDs. His top target has been Braiden Freeman, who has caught 24 passes for 438 yards and two TDs. … The Trojans are averaging 242.7 rushing yards, 167.2 passing yards and 38.7 points per game while allowing 271 rushing yards, 131.5 passing yards and 47.2 points per game.
About the Comets: Newman scored on a 3-yard pass from JJ Castle to Ayden Batten as time expired to lift the Comets to a 20-18 victory over Hall last week. … Castle completed 5 of 6 passes for 91 yards and ran for 45 yards and a TD against Hall. … The Comets are averaging 14 points per game. Newman has not scored more than 28 points in a game this season. … Newman is allowing 20 points per game.
FND pick: Newman
Princeton (7-0, 5-0) at Bureau Valley (1-6, 0-4)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 49-20 Princeton (fall 2021)
About the Tigers: Princeton will play in Manlius for the first time after the first three meetings between the Bureau County schools were in Princeton. … The Tigers have won the previous three games against the Storm. … Princeton is looking to finish 6-0 and claim its fifth consecutive league title. … The Tigers are averaging 53.6 points per game and have scored 55 points or more in five games. … Princeton has held its last three opponents to seven points or less. … Princeton racked up 408 rushing yards last week, led by 222 yards and three touchdowns by Augie Christiansen and 108 yards and a TD from C.J. Hickey.
About the Storm: Bureau Valley lost 33-0 to Erie-Prophetstown last week for its fifth consecutive loss. … The Storm have been shut out twice this season. … BV allowed E-P’s Jase Grunder to rush for 230 yards and four touchdowns last week. … The Storm’s Robert Novak ran for 122 yards on 23 carries last week and has 204 rushing yards over the last two games after running for 50 yards through the first five weeks.
FND pick: Princeton
8-Man
Amboy co-op (6-1) at Aquin (2-5)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 52-24 Aquin (2019)
About the Clippers: Amboy rolled to a 62-8 win over Bushnell-Prairie City last week and has now outscored its last three opponents 132-20. … Brennan Blaine caught touchdown passes of 79 and 63 yards, respectively, last week while also running for an 11-yard TD. … Landon Whelchel rushed for 144 yards and a TD and Quinn Leffelman had 76 yards and two TDs on the ground last week. … Eddie Jones has filled in at quarterback for injured starter Tucker Lindenmeyer. Last week he completed 2 of 4 passes for 142 yards and two TDs while running for a 7-yard score. He’s thrown for 293 yards and five TDs and ran for four TDs this season.
About the Bulldogs: The last time Aquin and Amboy played they were both still competing in 11-man football. … Aquin went 6-3 last season in its first season of 8-man football. … The Bulldogs won 50-0 over Rockford Christian Life last week.
FND pick: Amboy
Heart of Illinois Large
Fieldcrest (1-6, 0-3) at Deer Creek-Mackinaw (3-4, 1-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: 36-0 Dee-Mack (fall 2021)
About the Knights: Fieldcrest has lost 15 consecutive games on the field — the Knights’ lone win this season came via forfeit — including a 59-12 nonconference loss to Stockton last week. … The Knights have scored 14 points or less every game this season and have been shut out three times. … Fieldcrest is allowing 39.7 points per game.
About the Chiefs: Dee-Mack started the season 0-4 but has won three in a row with a forfeit, a 46-0 win over Tremont and a 44-6 win at LeRoy last week. … After scoring just 28 points through the first four games, the Chiefs have scored 90 over the last two. … Lucas Blumeyer has rushed for 541 yards and seven touchdowns this season, while Brent Denniston has run for 327 yards and four TDs. … Connor Huff has made a team-high 57 tackles with six tackles for a loss
FND pick: Deer Creek-Mackinaw