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Here is a look at Bureau County football previews for Week 2.
BCR GAME OF THE WEEK
Princeton (1-0) at Rockridge (1-0)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday in Edgington
Last matchup: Princeton 41-22 (2022)
About the Tigers: The Tigers won their season opener for the seventh straight year, defeating Newman 28-14. Both coach Ryan Pearson and All-Stater Noah LaPorte said it wasn’t a pretty win and they have things to clean up. That has been a strength of Pearson (59-17) in his eight-years at PHS, getting things corrected and coming out much better the next week. The Tigers will have to shore up their pass defense after allowing 190 yards against Newman. The Tigers have won their past two meetings with Rockridge, including their last game at Rockridge in 2022 with a strong second half. PHS holds a slim 12-11 series edge dating back to 1965, winning seven of 10 games at Rockridge. Senior line stalwart Cade Odell has committed to play for Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa.
About the Rockets: The Rockets are the defending Rock Division champions and picked in the BCR Coaches Poll to repeat. They opened the season with a 42-6 win on the road over rival Sherrard. Top returners are seniors Landon Bull (OL-TE/LB), Cullen Schwigen (QB) and Landon Wheatley (WR/DB) and juniors Jacob Freyermuth (RB) and Tanner McKeag (LT/DL). ... Rockridge won both meetings against Princeton when the two teams were in the former West Central Conference and the first two as Three Rivers foes.
FND pick: Princeton
Hall (0-1) at Erie-Prophetstown (1-0)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday
Last matchup: Hall 35-0 (2019)
About the Red Devils: The Red Devils couldn’t slow down Orion’s offense in Friday’s 42-14 loss with QB Kale Filler completing 21 of 33 passes and Aiden Fisher rushing for three TDs as the Chargers totaled 426 yards. A 75-return on the game’s opening kickoff for a score by Owen Vorhees didn’t help either. The Curran twins, Braden (13 carries, 89 yards) and Jack (7, 62), each scored one touchdown rushing. Aiden Redcliff also picked up 50 yards on 16 carries. First-year coach Logan Larson said the Red Devils will getter better and will have to come ready to play Friday against an E-P coming off a big win. Hall holds a 6-2 series edge over E-P, winning all four road games, including 35-0 in their last meeting.
About the Panthers: The Panthers opened the season with an impressive 13-6 win at Kewanee in a Week 1 Three Rivers crossover. They have now won four of their past fives games dating back to last year and look to improve on last year’s 3-6 record by adding a junior group that finished 8-1 as sophomores. Senior Demetree Larsen (RB/DB) was a two-way All-Conference first-team selection last year, rushing for 627 yards and four TDs with 402 receiving yards and four TDs. Larson said Larsen is a “dude on both sides of the ball and we’ll need to know where he’s at all times.” Senior Amen Barron (G/LB) was E-P’s top tackler last year.
FND pick: E-P
Bureau Valley (1-0) at Ridgeview/Lexington (0-1)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday in Lexington
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Storm: BV made its debut in the Lincoln Trail/Prairieland Conference with a 48-21 win over Monmouth United in a crossover contest in Friday’s season opener at Monmouth. That was the Storm’s first Week 1 win since beating Riverdale 47-12 in 2021. The Storm rushed for 350 yards, led by Elijah Endress (22-186, 3 TDs) and Brady Hartz (11-94, 1 TD). This week, the Storm step out of the league for a nonconference game to face what BV coach Mat Pistole calls a “good Ridgeview/Lexington” team before returning home to host Lewistown in its first LTC league game in Week 3.
About the Mustangs: Ridgeview/Lexington is a member of the Heart of Illinois Conference large school division with an enrollment of 312. The Mustangs opened the season with a 7-0 nonconference loss at Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley. They are coming off a 2-7 record in 2023, but are only two years removed from a 12-1 record and Class 1A semifinal run. The Mustangs beat St. Bede 47-20 in the second round of the 1A playoffs in 2021. St. Bede beat Bureau Valley 13-7 earlier that season.
FND pick: Bureau Valley
Eureka (1-0) at St. Bede (0-1)
Game time: 7 p.m., Friday.
Last matchup: Eureka 24-22 (2003)
About the Bruins: The Bruins return home for another nonconference game after falling 22-16 in a highly-contested season opener Friday at Downs Tri-Valley. They played the Vikings to a 14-13 game through three quarters. This will be the first of a four-game homestand on the St. Bede gridiron with next week’s game against Walther Christian marking their opener in Chicagoland Prairie Conference. The Bruins will also host Seneca and then Marquette for Homecoming on Sept. 28.
About the Hornets: The Hornets play out of the Heart of Illinois Conference large school division, with an enrollment of 445. They opened with a 34-8 win over Canton in a nonconference game at home. The Hornets went 5-5 last year with an early exit in the 3A playoffs, coming off an 8-3, Class 3A second-round appearance in 2022. They have 18 starters back. St. Bede coach Jim Eustice said Eureka is “an experienced team that looks very well coached. We will have our hands full.”
FND pick: St. Bede
8-Man: Amboy co-op (1-0) at Sciota West Prairie (0-1)
Game time: 7 p.m. Friday in Sciota
Last matchup: First meeting
About the Clippers: The Clippers cruised to a 36-8 win over Ridgewood in a rematch of last year’s 8-man state title game. It was smooth sailing for the Clippers’ running game, which racked up 356 yards on 40 attempts, led by Josh McKendry (8-129, 3 TDs), Quinn Leffelman (15-100) and Brayden Klein (12-110). QB Eddie Jones threw TDs to Caleb Yanos and Klein.
About the Cyclones: West Prairie went 6-3 last year, but did not qualify for the 8-Man, 16-team playoff field. It has an enrollment of 293. The Cyclones lost to Flanagan-Woodland-Cornell 36-22 in Friday’s opener. They lost to Ridgewood 52-12 last year. ALO has beat Ridgewood threes times in the last two years.
FND pick: ALO
Other area games
Geneseo (1-0) at Clinton, Wisc.
L-P (1-0) at Metamora (1-0)
Monmouth-Roseville (1-0) at Orion (1-0)
Niles Notre Dame (1-0) at Sterling (0-1)
Oregon (0-1) at Dixon (0-1)
Ottawa (0-1) at Streator (1-0)
Riverdale (1-0) at Kewanee (0-1)
Sherrard (0-1) at Mercer County (0-1)
Stark County (1-0) at Annawan-Wethersfield (1-0)