November 09, 2024
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2024 IHSA football schedule release: BCR area’s top games to watch, week by week

By Kevin Hieronymus
Hall football coach Logan Larson (left) talks to his team during practice on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 at Hall High School. Larson grew up in Springfield and played his first two years of high school at Sacred Heart-Griffin before playing his final two years at Pleasant Plains. He played his freshman year of college at Bowling Green State University. then transferred to SEMO after a coaching change. After college, he coached at Springfield Southeast for three years and spent the last three years at Athens. Larson was the offensive and defensive line coach and special teams coordinator for Athens.

Hall-Putnam County football coach Logan Larson (left) talks to his team during practice on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 at Hall High School. The Red Devils will open the season at home on Friday, Aug. 30 vs. Orion. (Scott Anderson)

The IHSA released its statewide football schedules for the 2024 season. Here are some top games to watch in the BCR coverage area this fall.

Week 1: Orion at Hall-Putnam County, 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30

A new era of Red Devils football kicks off under new head coach Logan Larson at Nesti Stadium in the season opener against the Chargers in a Three Rivers crossover. The Chargers went 3-6 last year, winning their first two games, including a 20-14 winner over Hall in the season opener, and their last, but had a six-game losing skid in between. The Red Devils finished 3-6 under former coach Randy Tieman.

Week 2: Princeton at Rockridge, 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 6

The Week 2 matchup pits the reigning champions from the Three Rivers with the Tigers from the Mississippi and the Rockets from the Rock. Princeton finished strong to defeat Rockridge 41-22 in their last meeting in the 2022 season opener in Edgington. The Tigers won their fifth straight conference title last season and advanced to the quarterfinals for the fourth year in a row, finishing 10-2. The Rockets went 9-2 last season, winning their second straight Rock Division championship.

Week 3: Lewistown/Cuba/Spoon River at Bureau Valley, Friday, Sept. 13

After playing in the Big Rivers/Three Rivers conferences for more than a decade, Bureau Valley will play its first conference game in Lincoln Trail/Prairieland play in the Large School Division. It will also give Storm fans their first look at the “Boys in Bolts” after playing two crossover contests on the road. The Indians went 0-7 in conference last year, 1-8 overall.

Week 4: Princeton at Kewanee, 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20

The longtime rivals will meet for the 116th time on the Boilermakers home turf. The Tigers own a 64-47-4 all-time series edge, including a 37-14 victory last year, which was Kewanee’s only regular season loss. Princeton has dominated the Three Rivers Conference Mississippi with five straight division titles.

Week 5: Amboy/LaMoille/Ohio at Ridgewood, Friday, Sept. 27

This will be the second meeting of the season in a replay of last year’s 8-Man Association State Championship game. Ridgewood will open the season at the Harbor in Amboy. The Clippers beat the Spartans 48-42 in Week 5 last year and 74-22 in the championship game. Ridgewood is the co-op of Cambridge and AlWood.

Marquette at St. Bede, Sept. 28: A bonus game for Week 5 will be a Saturday matinee for the St. Bede Homecoming game against Marquette, coach Jim Eustice’s alma mater. The Crusaders went 7-3 (6-1) last year, including a 34-20 win over the Bruins. It will be a 1 p.m. kickoff.

Week 6: Hall-Putnam County at Princeton 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4

The most anticipated game of the season in Bureau County sends the Red Devils to face the Tigers in the “Jungle.” The Tigers are coming off a 10-2, 5-0 campaign and fourth straight quarterfinal appearance. The Tigers won last year’s clash in Spring Valley 54-0.

Week 7: Bureau Valley at Illini West, Friday, Oct. 11

A trip to Carthage to face Illini West in Lincoln Trail-Prairieland Large School league play awaits the Storm in Week 7. The Chargers come off a 4-5 (3-4) campaign. The Storm look to continue to build off last year’s 4-5 campaign.

Week 8: St. Bede at Bloomington Central Catholic, 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18

The last stop on a three-game road trip sends the Bruins to face perennial powerhouse Bloomington Central Catholic. The Saints marched to a 11-1 record last year, handed its first loss in the 2A quarterfinals.

Week 9: Ottawa at St. Bede, 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25

The nonconference clash and regular season finale will be the Illinois Valley neighbors’ first meeting since 1980. The Pirates own the all-time series record of 15-6-2, winning the last five games from 1976-80. Ottawa finished 3-6 last year.