SVM_Prep Football Preview_082919

Sauk Valley Media • Football Guide 2019 • Thursday, August 29, 2019

New Beginnings

CHANGE APLENTY IN THE SAUK VALLEY IN 2019, BUT ANOTHER STRONG SEASON ON HORIZON Complete resource guide: Team rosters, schedules • Player diaries • 2019 predictions • Preseason All-Area • Much, much more in this 56-page SVM special section!

New Beginnings | Table of Contents

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

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What’s Where Player essays

Conference previews

This and that

Sterling’s Luke Heffelfinger........... 5 Dixon’s Jacob Shafer................... 8 Rock Falls’ Evan Laws................. 9 Newman’s Nate Ahlers............... 12 Polo’s Tucker Mumford.............. 13 Milledgeville’s Brandon Eye........ 15

Western Big 6............................ 4 Big Northern........................... 6-7 Three Rivers Mississippi........... 10 Three Rivers Rock.................... 11 NUIC South............................. 14

New Beginnings

Team capsule pages

Districts looming in 2021...... 16-17

Amboy..................................... 18 Ashton-Franklin Center............ 19 Bureau Valley........................... 22 Dixon....................................... 23 Eastland-Pearl City................... 26 Erie-Prophetstown................... 27 Fulton...................................... 30 Milledgeville.............................. 31 Morrison.................................. 34 Newman.................................. 35 Oregon.................................... 38 Polo......................................... 39 Rock Falls................................ 44 Sterling.................................... 45 West Carroll............................. 48

Ty Reynolds column................ 3 Preseason All-Area........... 28-29 SVM Wall of Fame................. 49 Illinois state champions......... 50 2017 final records................. 50 SVM Predictions................... 51 Games of the week.......... 52-53 Stat Leaderboard.................. 54 Week-by-week schedule........ 55

BV’s new coach................... 20-21 Dixon’s new leaders.............. 24-25 Milledgeville’s new cast........ 32-33 Newman’s new era............... 36-37 Polo’s new league ............... 40-41 Rock Falls’ new culture......... 42-43 Sterling’s new conference..... 46-47

SVM Honors > Sauk Valley Media’s Football Guide has won Top 10 awards in 11 of the Associated Press Sports Editors’ last 12 national competitions.

Best Special Section, under 40,000 circulation 2007 • 2008 • 2009 Best Special Section, under 30,000 circulation 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 2014 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018

Section Credits Editor, Designer Ty Reynolds

Reporters

Cody Cutter Eric Ingles

Brian Weidman

Photography

Alex T. Paschal Michael Krabbenhoeft

Cover design Alex T. Paschal

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COMMENTARY

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one convenient location.

As the Shaw Media umbrella extends from the northwest suburbs south to Joliet, west to Ottawa and Morris, southwest to near Bloomington/Normal, and northwest to DeKalb and us here at Sauk Valley Media, that means there are more than 100 high schools in what we call in the newspaper business as our “footprint” – and as such, game coverage from all over northern Illinois can be found each and every weekend at fridaynightdrive.com.

We will also be doing our best to expand our coverage into Chicago itself, as well as relying on Illinois high school football guru Steve Soucie to provide in-depth analysis, projections and prognostications. There are also podcasts, college recruiting news, feature stories and news items, and

far bigger exposure. That means news of the stellar performances every Friday Sports night – and some Saturday editor. afternoons and nights, too He can be reached at – around our area will be treynolds@ spread far and wide every saukvalley. week, shining a much-decom or 815served spotlight on the out625-3600, ext. 5554. standing local student-athletes that we have right here in our own backyard.

We’ll still bring you our much, much more, meaning standard football pull-out section every Saturday Friday Night Drive should morning, filled with stories be your one-stop shop for and photos from Friday all things high school footNight Lights. But now, with ball in northern Illinois.

Besides giving fans cover- your subscription to the age of many, many schools Telegraph and Gazette, you can check out even more outside the Sauk Valley in-depth coverage from area, the other exciting around northern Illinois aspect of this endeavor is with just a click of your the fact that coverage of mouse. (Subscriptions solethis area’s proud football tradition now extends from ly to the website are also available.) the Mississippi River to So make plans to spend Lake Michigan, giving our your Saturday mornings local athletes and teams

tyREYNOLDS

with us at Friday Night Drive.

Grab your cereal and coffee or juice, pull up a chair, and log into your computer or phone for all the high school football you can handle.

But as the old saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Even with a new online home for all of our high school football content, you can still count on Sauk Valley Media to provide strong game coverage, previews, features, and our weekly picks and info capsules throughout the week, culminating each and every Friday night (or Saturday afternoon or night) with reports from games throughout the area.

So buckle up for another exciting season of high school football in the Sauk Valley. We can’t wait to bring it all to you once again this fall!

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• August 29, 2019

oinciding with the theme of this year’s “New Beginnings,” we’re embarking on a few here at the newspaper.

For starters, sports reporter Adam Feiner is now the sports editor in Verona, Wisconsin, meaning we lose a valuable member of our full-time coverage team. I’m sure Adam will do great things up north, and we’re very sorry to see him go, but we wish him the best of luck on wherever his road in the journalism business takes him.

The other big change is how our football coverage can be viewed online. As many of you already know, Shaw Media has launched a company-wide football-only website called “Friday Night Drive,” where coverage from all of the Shaw Media properties from each and every Friday night can be found in

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

New home for all things prep football

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Conference Preview 2019

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

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Western Big 6 Alleman Pioneers

Enrollment: 435 Class: 3A Coach: Todd Depoorter (15-23, 5th year) 2018: 5-5 (2-3, 4th WB6) Playoff record: 35-23 (2nd in 1986, ’90, 2005, ’10, ’12) Returning all-conference: Nate Sheets FYI: The Pioneers have seen first-round exits each of their past three playoff trips, including a loss to Byron in 2018.

Quincy Blue Devils

Enrollment: 1,788.5 Class: 6A Coach: Rick Little (27-13, 6th year) 2018: 7-3 (4-1, 2nd WB6) Playoff record: 1-11 (win in 2013) Returning all-conference: Adonte Crider, AJ Miller, Nate Wilson, Drake Tournear

Sterling Golden Warriors

Enrollment: 1,021.0 Class: 5A Coach: Jon Schlemmer (60-19, 8th year) 2018: 11-2 (4-0, 1st NIB12) Playoff record: 26-31 (semis in 2017, ’18) Returning all-conference: Cooper Willman, Aidan Munoz-Ripley, Luke Heffelfinger FYI: The Golden Warriors won the last four football conference championships in the history of the NIB-12 West.

Galesburg Silver Streaks

Enrollment: 1,284 Class: 6A Coach: Michael Washabaugh (1-8, 2nd year) 2018: 1-8 (1-4, 5th WB6) Playoff record: 1-9 Returning all-conference: David Vaynerman FYI: The Silver Streaks made the first of their nine playoff trips in 1976, but did not win a playoff game until 2016.

Rock Island Rocks

Enrollment: 1,626.5 Class: 6A Coach: Ben Hammer (9-10, 3rd year) 2018 5-5 (3-2, 3rd WB6) Playoff record: 28-24 (2nd in 1997) Returning allconference: Davion Wilson, Victor Guzman

United Township Panthers

Enrollment: 1,666.5 Class: 6A Coach: Nick Welch (0-0, 1st year) 2018: 0-9 (0-5, 6th WB6) Playoff record: 4-12 (semifinals in 1981) Returning allconference: Jayvin Chandler, Tyler Berhenke FYI: At 38 games, the Panthers have the longest Western Big 6 losing streak in history, having not won a conference game since 2011.

Geneseo Maple Leafs

Enrollment: 827.5 Class: 4A Coach: Larry Johnsen Jr. (124-45, 16th year) 2018: 4-5 (2-2, 3rd NIB12) Playoff record: 76-37 (1st in 1976, ’77, ’78, ’82) Returning allconference: none (5 all-NIB-12 players, all seniors) FYI: The Leafs had qualified for the playoffs in 41 of 44 years heading into last season, but their 4-5 record in 2018 marked the first time Geneseo had a losing record in 55 years.

Moline Maroons

Enrollment: 2,061 Class: 7A Coach: Mike Morrissey (16-5 3rd year) 2018: 9-2 (5-0, 1st WB6) Playoff record: 4-20 (quarterfinals in 1979) Returning all-conference: Harrison Bey-Buie, Ben Duenas, Patrick Pray, Adam Worley, Aboubacar Barry, Nate St. Dennis, Cobie Underwood FYI: Mike Morrissey has never lost a conference game since taking over as the Maroons’ head coach, leading the team to 5-0 records in Western Big 6 play in 2017 and ’18.

WHAT FOOTBALL MEANS TO THE WARRIORS... BY LUKE HEFFELFINGER, STERLING SENIOR

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• August 29, 2019

ootball is one of those sports that simply reflects life on a day-to-day basis. The amount of hard work you dedicate toward something determines the amount of success you have.

Football has meant everything to me since the age of 10. While being taught the fundamentals of football, I was also being taught the fundamental life skills that have shaped me into the man I am today.

In the past, football was only just a game to me. I didn’t understand the true-life skills I was being taught. When high school came, that all changed.

Football has made me accept failure when it happens, but never stop trying for success. After my freshman football season, I quickly learned that if my team didn’t play as one unit, then the team was failing almost every time. That’s when football became more than a game to me.

The most important lesson football teaches you is how to be a team player. The people that try to stand out as individuals will quickly fail and completely hurt the team.

The key to having a great team besides having great athletes is discipline. Discipline is the outcome of commitment, passion, and hard work. Once your team has a great amount of discipline, winning will come naturally.

The brotherhood you build with your teammates is truly unbreakable. Playing through adversity is the best part about the game of football. The highs and the lows that football has to offer is just like life itself: it makes you persevere.

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Discipline, teamwork key for success

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Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com

Football was just a fun game for Luke Heffelfinger growing up, but now that he’s in high school, he has learned just how many life lessons he is learning from the game that has meant everything to him since the age of 10.

Football, to me, has transitioned from sport to a lifestyle.

Football has taught me to stay

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humble and play for something more than myself.

Football has truly meant every-

thing to me as a young adult; the lessons I have learned from the game will forever be cherished.

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Conference Preview 2019

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

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Big Northern Byron Tigers

Enrollment: 471 Class: 3A Coach: Jeff Boyer (61-21, 7th year) 2018: 13-1 (9-0, 1st) Playoff record: 38-24 (1st in 1999, 2nd in 2018) Returning all-conference: Drake Snodgrass, Tyler Elsbury, Ben Carlson, Isaac Stickler, Payton Lind FYI: The Tigers have qualified for the playoffs in each of the last 5 years, the second time they have that many consecutive trips to the postseason; they went to the playoffs 14 straight seasons from 1993-2006. Byron has won at least 1 playoff game in 20 of its 25 appearances all-time.

Mendota Trojans

Dixon Dukes

Enrollment: 762 Class: 4A Coach: Dave Smith (42-41, 9th year) 2018: 6-4 (6-3, 5th) Playoff record: 7-10 (quarterfinals in 2006, ’17) Returning all-conference: Aidan Schmall, Jacob Shafer, Nate Long FYI: The Dukes have been to the playoffs 5 years in a row, after making a total of five playoff trips before Dave Smith took charge of the program in 2011. Dixon lost Week 9 of the regular season in 2018 and in the first round of the playoffs. That twogame losing streak is Dixon’s longest since the end of the 2015 season.

Enrollment: 554 Class: 3A Coach: Keegan Hill (0-9, 2nd year) 2018: 0-9 (0-9, 10th) Playoff record: 14-16 (quarterfinals in ’87) Returning all-conference: Cole Stremlau, Gustavo Salinas FYI: The Trojans were shut out three times and scored a total of 62 points for the season, with 22 of those coming in a 42-22 loss to Winnebago.

Genoa-Kingston Cogs

Enrollment: 594.5 Class: 3A/4A Coach: Chad Wilmarth (16-6, 3rd year) 2018: 8-3 (7-2, tied 2nd) Playoff record: 19-17 (1st in 1977) Returning all-conference: Logan Kribs, Justin Peters, Jake Stojan, Will Franson, Sam Rice FYI: The Cogs’ three losses came by 1 point to Dixon, 7 points to Byron, and 19 points to RichmondBurton. Only one of their wins was by a touchdown or less; they beat North Boone 30-23.

North Boone Vikings

Enrollment: 513.5 Class: 3A Coach: Phil Baker (0-0, 1st year) 2018: 8-3 (7-2, tied 2nd) Playoff record: 14-18 (2nd in 1992) Returning all-conference: Cooper Baden, Josh Chudoba FYI: Only two BNC teams (Rock Falls and Mendota) allowed more points than the Vikings’ 268 last year, but North Boone still came away with a share of second place thanks to an offense that scored 416 points.

Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com

Dixon football players run through drills at Reagan Middle School on the first day of practice Aug. 12. The Dukes open the season at Stillman Valley, which handed Dixon two of its four losses last year – in Week 1 and in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs.

Conference Preview 2019

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Oregon Hawks

Rock Falls Rockets

Enrollment: 645 Class: 4A Coach: Kevin Parker (0-0, 1st year) 2018: 1-8 (1-8, 9th) Playoff record: 1-2 (win in 1992) Returning all-conference: Kyle Musselman FYI: Evan Laws took over the job of quarterbacking the Rockets midway through the 2018 season after Cade Nailor was injured, and passed for 441 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Rockford Lutheran Crusaders

Stillman Valley Cardinals

Enrollment: 596 Class: 4A Coach: Mike Lalor (179-62, 22nd year) 2018: 7-4 (6-3, 4th) Playoff record: 50-21 (1st in 1999, 2000, ’03, ’09, ’13) Returning all-conference: none (10 all-conference players last year, all seniors) FYI: The Cardinals’ playoff trip in 2018 was their first since winning the state championship in 2013.

Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com

Rock Falls players run through drills during the first day of football practice on August 12.

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

Oregon quarterback Ryker Finch runs for a gain during the Red & White Scrimmage on August 23.

Winnebago Indians

Enrollment: 454 Class: 3A Coach: Mark Helm (72-53, 13th year) 2017: 4-5 (4-5, 6th) Playoffs: 9-15 (quarterfinals in 2011, ’12, ’13) Returning all-conference: none (6 all-conference players last year, all seniors)

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• August 29, 2019

Enrollment: 422 Class: 3A Coach: Nick Schneiderman (4-14, 3rd year) 2018: 3-6 (3-6, 7th) Playoff record: 15-14 (2nd in 2000) Returning all-conference: Zachary Crandall FYI: The Hawks won three games in 2018 after three total wins in 2016 and 2017.

Oregon’s Week 1 win over Rockford Lutheran last fall snapped a six-game losing streak to the Crusaders.

Enrollment: 575.85 Class: 4A Coach: Tony Ambrogio (0-0, 1st year) 2018: 2-7 (2-7, 8th) Playoff record: 10-10 (semifinals in 2013) Returning all-conference: Tavion Hobson, Carivious Brown, D’Antone Meadows FYI: After making five straight playoff trips from 2012 through 2016, the Crusaders have not made the postseason since.

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Big Northern

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

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WHAT FOOTBALL MEANS TO THE DUKES... BY JACOB SHAFER, DIXON SENIOR

Perseverance a must on & off the field F

ootball has been a passion of mine since I was in fifth grade. I have learned that it takes hard work to accomplish the goals I set for myself so that I can be successful.

I believe that football mimics life.

You must overcome adversity in your life and work through hardships in order to succeed. I have learned to work with others and encourage them, so that together we can accomplish mutual goals.

Football has also taught me to be a better leader, knowing that my wins happen when my teammates are doing well. When you are able to take the focus off of yourself and be humble and encourage others to be great, then it makes your life and your job better and more fulfilling.

Football builds lifelong friendships and creates lifelong memories from sharing similar experiences together.

Playing football teaches you how to deal with pressure and to adjust on the fly, because you do not have a lot of time to figure things out before the next play happens.

You get knocked down a lot in football, as well as in life. From getting knocked down, you learn how to get back up when things are not going your way. The most important thing is how you get back up. Are you going to dwell in the past and take the hit, or are you going to get back up more determined than ever and persevere to get that next win?

Quitting or giving up are not options, because the moment you put your head down is the moment your opponent will blow your doors Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com off and drive you into the ground.

As a second-year starting quarterback, Jacob Shafer touches the ball on every play for the Dixon Dukes. But Football teaches many useful life the senior has learned that nothing can be accomplished on the football field by yourself, and embraces the lessons, builds friendships, and of course is a fun, physical sport to play. challenges that help build a strong bond between himself and his teammates.

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WHAT FOOTBALL MEANS TO THE ROCKETS... BY EVAN LAWS, ROCK FALLS SENIOR

H

• August 29, 2019

all of Fame quarterback Joe Namath once said, “Football is an honest game. It’s true to life. It’s a game about sharing. Football is a team game. And so is life.”

This quote encompasses what football means to me. I have always loved football, even at an early age. I can remember playing football in the backyard with my dad and older brother while wearing plastic helmets, and playing like our favorite NFL players. We practiced throwing, learned how to work together, and had fun! This is where my love for the game of football began.

I did not start playing organized tackle football until my sixth-grade year, but even in those early days of playing, football began to teach me countless life lessons. I learned to listen to direction, focus on goals, work hard, play as a team, and respect my coaches, teammates, and opponents.

Football is so much more than a sport. While football is a very physically demanding sport, it is also a very mentally challenging sport.

Getting up after a big hit is one thing, but getting up after a big hit, shaking it off, and moving on to the next play is more mentally challenging than physically challenging. Football has taught me discipline and resilience. You are never truly too tired or too exhausted to keep going. If you tell yourself to keep going, your body will follow.

I have had the opportunity over the years to play multiple positions: wide receiver, quarterback, safety, cornerback, and linebacker. I believe this has given me a unique perspective of the game. Playing these different positions has helped me to learn and respect the many roles of team members. I have learned that teamwork and team chemistry are very important; both come from trusting and respecting my coaches and teammates.

Knowing that my teammates and coaches have my back really pushes me to give 100%. I do not want to disappoint my teammates, because I know they are pushing and are giving their best effort, too.

Football also means community to me. We play for more than ourselves and our coaches; we play for our families, our school, and our community. While the team members are dedicated and work hard over the summer

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Lessons start at early age on gridiron

9

Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com

Not only does Rock Falls’ Evan Laws know he has the trust and support of every one of his teammates, he also knows their families, the community and the school all invest strongly in football as well. and throughout the season, the school and community strongly invests in a football season, too.

Our coaches and families support our practice schedules and weekly commitments. Community members support our fundraisers and

show great interest in our games.

The RFHS marching band, cheer and dance teams, school peers, administration, faculty, and staff members work hard to make the football games positive and special. Football is truly an effort of

the whole community.

So what does football mean to me? The idea of what football means to me has evolved over the years, but one idea remains constant: to me, football is definitely more than just a game.

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

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Conference Preview 2019

Three Rivers Mississippi Erie-Prophetstown Panthers

Enrollment: 440 Class: 2A Coach: Jesse Abbott (1-8, 2nd year) 2018: 1-8 (1-5, tied for 6th) Playoff record: 1-4 (win in 2013) Returning all-conference: Carson Wiebenga FYI: The Panthers’ lone win of 2018 came in a Week 4 17-16 win over St. Bede when Erie-Prophetstown rallied from a 14-0 halftime deficit and Mat Garrison kicked a game-winning 23-yard field goal to win it.

Monmouth-Roseville Titans

Hall Red Devils

Enrollment: 426.5 Class: 2A Coach: Randy Tieman (38-35, 7th year) 2018: 7-4 (5-1, tied for 1st) Playoff record: 37-23 (1st in 1995, 2001) Returning all-conference: Alek Vasic, Greg Larsen, Max Puentes, Cole Wozniak FYI: The Devils had the Mississippi’s most prolific offense last year, putting up 380 points in 11 games.

Princeton Tigers

Enrollment: 517 Class: 3A Coach: Ryan Pearson (10-10, 3rd year) 2018: 7-4 (5-1, tied for 1st)

Kewanee Boilermakers

Enrollment: 557.5 Class: 3A Coach: Brad Swanson (0-0, 1st year) 2018: 2-7 (1-5, tied for 6th) Playoff record: 4-10 (quarterfinals in 1999) Returning all-conference: None (2 all-conference players last year, both seniors) FYI: The Boilermakes made the playoffs in 2016 and 2017, but could not keep that streak going in 2018 thanks in part to a four-game losing streak to end the season.

Sherrard Tigers

Enrollment: 468.5 Class: 2A Enrollment: 522 Coach: Scott Monson (2-16, Class: 3A 3rd year) Coach: Jeremy Adolphson 2018: 2-7 (2-4, tied for 4th) (36-50, 9th year) 2018: 9-3 (5-1, tied for 1st) Playoff record: 14-10 (2nd, ’89) Playoff record: 12-15 Playoff record: 3-4 Returning all-conference: (semifinals in 1974) Returning all-conference: Ronde Worrels, Daniel Returning all-conference: Crowe, Grant Foes, Cole Tabor Lindsey, Jakob Bryce Davis Reynolds, Sam McClure, Thomas, Austin Johnson FYI: The Tigers’ 20-19 win Jacob Starr FYI: The Titans had a over Kewanee on Sept. 28 major turnaround in 2018, FYI: Over the last 4 weeks last year was their first win going from 3-6 in 2017 and of the regular season, the since 2016.

Tigers went on a tear, with an 0-1 start to the 2018 a 43-0 win over E-P, a season, then winning nine 49-3 win over Kewanee, a of their next 10 games before a loss to Herscher in 21-0 win over MonmouthRoseville, and a 33-6 win the quarterfinals. over St. Bede.

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St. Bede Bruins

Enrollment: 281.5 Class: 2A Coach: Jim Eustice (18-20, 5th year; 31-52 overall) 2018: 4-5 (2-4, tied for 4th) Playoff record: 8-16 (semifinals in 2001) Returning all-conference: Nick Pearse, Caleb Boucher, Braden Damerell, Trevor Mooney FYI: The Bruins got off to a 3-0 start last year with wins over Fulton, Bureau Valley and Sherrard, but then lost four in a row.

Conference Preview 2019

11

Bureau Valley Storm

Newman Comets

Enrollment: 374.55 Class: 2A Coach: Brandon Kreczmer (0-0, 1st year) 2018: 10-2 (5-1, 2nd) Playoff record: 65-25 (1st in 1990, ’94, 2004, ’10, ’13) Returning all-conference: Connor McBride, Nate Ahlers, Daniel Feltes, Hunter Buser FYI: The Comets have had 12 1,000yard rushers in the past 9 years, including 2 in the same season 3 times: Easton Bianchi & Cade Gorzny in 2017, Brady Rude & Nolan McGinn in 2014, and Brian Bahrs & Tim Wilson in 2011.

Enrollment: 292.5 Class: 1A/2A Coach: Patrick Lower (58-58, 13th year) 2018: 5-5 (4-2, 3rd) Playoff record: 23-18 (1st in 1976, ’91) Returning all-conference: Ethan Rash, Dylan Bridgeman, Max Pannell, Kyler Pessman FYI: The Steamers started last season 0-2 before going on a threegame winning streak to keep their playoff hopes alive. Fulton has now been to the playoffs four of the past five seasons.

Orion Chargers

Enrollment: 342.5 Class: 2A Coach: Chip Filler (75-34, 11th year) 2018: 11-1 (6-0, 1st) Playoff record: 18-17 (semifinals in 2007) Returning all-conference: Ben Dunlap, Coby Schultz FYI: The Chargers shut out four teams last year: Riverdale, Rockridge, Bureau Valley and Sherrard. In those four games, Orion scored an average of 51.5 points.

Rockridge Rockets

Morrison Mustangs

Enrollment: 270 Class: 1A/2A Coach: Ryan Oetting (2-7, 2nd year) 2018: 2-7 (0-6, 7th) Playoff record: 29-22 (1st in 2009, ’11) Returning all-conference: Keegan Anderson, Riley Wilkens, Colin Roberts, Nick Allen FYI: The Mustangs’ roster features four players who were part of a state-championship 4x800 relay team during the 2019 track season.

Hunter Newman, Nathan Mickley and Nick Allen ran in the prelims before Keegan Anderson took Allen’s spot in the final.

Riverdale Rams

Enrollment: 327.5 Class: 2A Coach: Guy Dierikx (7-20, 4th year) 2018: 2-7 (1-5, 6th) Playoff record: 2-4 (wins in 2000, ’01) Returning all-conference: Bryan Caves FYI: The Rams’ 2 wins last season were by a total of three points.

Riverdale beat Morrison 9-7 in Week 6, then beat Sherrard 7-6 Week 8.

In their 7 losses, the Rams were outscored 304-55.

Enrollment: 358.5 Class: 2A Coach: Steve Disler (0-0 1st year) 2018: 7-4 (3-3, 4th) Playoff record: 23-20 (1st in 1994) Returning all-conference: Niko Zarlantanes, Cole Rusk FYI: The Rockets have made the playoffs every season so far this decade, winning at least one postseason game in five of those seasons. Their quarterfinal trip in 2014, losing to Eastland-Pearl City, was their deepest playoff run since falling to Aledo in the state championship game in 1998. Over the course of this run, they have been eliminated by a Three Rivers team: Morrison in 2010, Fulton in 2016 and Orion in 2018.

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Enrollment: 341 Class: 2A Coach: Mat Pistole (0-0, 1st year) 2018: 3-6 (2-4, 5th) Playoff record: 17-9 (1st in 2005, 2nd in 2004) Returning all-conference: Mac Nugent FYI: The Storm are hungry after missing the playoffs the past two seasons. Five of Bureau Valley’s six losses last year came to playoff teams: Fulton, Monmouth-Roseville, Newman, Rockridge and Orion.

Fulton Steamers

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Three Rivers Rock

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

12

WHAT FOOTBALL MEANS TO THE COMETS... BY NATE AHLERS, NEWMAN SENIOR

Camaraderie big thing for Blue Machine P

laying football has always been an important part of my life.

I learned to love the game from a very young age. Growing up, I was surrounded by people who loved football.

My father, Dean Ahlers, was a scholarship football player at Iowa State University. During his senior year with the Cyclones, my dad earned the spot of starting defensive end.

My father was not my only inspiration, however. My friends in grade school and middle school also shared my love of the game.

We grew up dreaming of being Newman football players.

This desire to become a Comet was fueled by many things. One of these things was the success of the program. During my years leading up to high school, I was able to witness Newman win three state championships. As a little kid, the players on these state championship teams seemed like juggernauts to me. These players and their success motivated me as my football career approached high school.

The success of the program was not the only reason I wanted to be a part of the Blue Machine, however. Even as a little kid, I could tell there was something special about Newman. Comets football has never just been about the trophies.

Newman alumni and fans have always felt like an extension of my family, and I have always wanted to make them proud.

As I matured, I began to appreciate this camaraderie more and more. By the time I reached high school, I was ready to become a member of the Blue Machine.

As a senior at Newman this year, I can definitely say that the wait to become a Comet was worth it.

With 3 years of being a Newman football player under my belt, you may be wondering what my experience has been with the team.

The biggest change I noticed when joining Newman’s football team was the demand for excellence.

The coaches at Newman constantly emphasize limiting mistakes and focusing on the details.

This pursuit of excellence helps turn our players from immature freshmen into seniors ready for the next step in their lives. This is the ultimate goal of the Newman football program.

Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com

Newman senior Nate Ahlers has wanted to be a part of the Blue Machine all his life – and not just because he saw the Comets win three state championships as he was growing up. He will be grateful for the chance to be a part of the camaraderie of the Newman program for the rest of his life.

Yes, winning is always a bonus, but teaching the players important life lessons is what the coaches strive to do.

Our coaches constantly tell us to not look at the scoreboard.

Although this seems rather cliché, the coaching staff truly means it.

After our loss in the quarterfinals last season, it was clear that

the coaching staff was proud of the way our team left everything we had out on that field. We were all visibly upset, but our sadness was not because we lost the game; it was because that was the last moment our team would ever be able to take the field together.

As I enter my senior season, it is hard to imagine that this is my

last year with the Blue Machine.

Although my time as a Newman football player will eventually come to an end, I know that the lessons I learned and memories I made will always stick with me.

Playing the game of football and being a part of the Blue Machine has helped build me into the young man I am today.

WHAT FOOTBALL MEANS TO THE MARCOS... BY TUCKER MUMFORD, POLO SENIOR

I

Community is More Than Part of Our Name.

Good luck to all area teams on your upcoming season!

Dixon • Fulton • Morrison • Rock Falls • Sterling www.commstbk.com

• August 29, 2019

have grown up playing football for what feels like my whole life.

It all started for me when I was 7 years old and would take the trips to Sterling every weekend to play with the Newman team in Northern Illinois Youth Tackle Football games. I fell in love with the sport almost instantly, and have continued playing it ever since.

It has always offered an escape of sorts for me, a way to get away from everything going on all around me.

Nowadays it’s that 2 hours every Friday night or Saturday afternoon where I don’t have to worry about anything but what I love to do. It allows you to take all of your emotions out on the field.

If I was never introduced to football, I feel like I would be a much different person. I matured faster due to the toughness it requires to play the sport, and have seen a huge increase in size, which helps with confidence on the field.

Football will always be an important Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com part of my life because it was the first sport I fell in love with, and a sport that Polo senior Tucker Mumford can’t imagine what his life would be like had he not been introduced to I will always enjoy for the rest of my life. football at the age of 7.

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Football is a lifelong love for Marco

13

Conference Preview 2019

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

14

NUIC South Amboy Clippers

Aquin Bulldogs

Enrollment: 341.5 (2A) Coach: Gary Jones (132119, 26th year) 2018: 3-6 (3-5, 6th) Playoff record: 26-18 (1st in 1984) Returning all-conference: Marcus Winn FYI: The Clippers went 3-6 for the third year in a row in 2018. They faced four teams (Milledgeville, Eastland-Pearl City, LenaWinslow and Forreston) which all won at least 10 games (Forreston won a state championship), and another (Dakota) which was a playoff team at 8-4.

All of those teams except Dakota are on the Clippers’ schedule again this year.

Enrollment: 103.5 (1A) Coach: Broc Kundert (4-5, 2nd year) 2018: 4-5 (3-4, 5th) Playoff record: 25-20 (1st in 2005, ’07, ’11) Returning all-conference players: William Gustafson, Brady Carlisle, Ethan Yount FYI: Of Aquin’s 23 postseason losses, 14 have been to NUIC teams, including three losses in the past decade to Dakota, losses to Lena-Winslow in 2013 & ’17, and a loss to the Milledgeville team that reached the semifinals in 1999.

Forreston Cardinals

Milledgeville Missiles

Enrollment: 257 Class: 1A Coach: Kyle Zick (12-2, 2nd year) 2018: 12-2 (6-2, 3rd) Playoff record: 32-21 (1st in 2014, ’16, ’18) Returning all-conference players: Derek DeVries, Jakob Boomgarden, Ethan Mulder FYI: The Cardinals won three playoff games against other NUIC teams in 2018, beating Milledgeville, Dakota and Lena-Winslow.

Enrollment: 167 Class: 1A Coach: Jason Wroble (36-59, 11th year) 2018: 10-1 (7-0, 1st) Playoff record: 18-22 (semifinals in ’98, ’99, ’08) Returning all-conference players: Marcus McKenna FYI: The Missiles’ 435 points scored in 2018 were the most in the NUIC Upstate, and their 135 points allowed were the fewest.

West Carroll Thunder

Enrollment: 340.5 Class: 2A Coach: Matt Leitzen (19-20, 5th year) 2017: 3-6 (2-6, 6th) Playoff record: 2-5 (wins in 2007, ’17) Returning all-conf.: Zach King, Michael Popkin, Kody Sipe, Aiden Sullivan FYI: The Thunder’s highest scoring output of the 2018 season came in a loss. West Carroll fell 28-26 to AmboyLa Moille in Week 3.

AFC Raiders

Enrollment: 159 (1A) Coach: Brad Winterland (22-50, 8th year) 2018: 0-9 (0-7, 8th) Playoff record: 7-4 (quarters in ’94, ’03, ’05) Returning all-conference players: None (two allconference players, both seniors) FYI: The Raiders will finally get to face their closest NUIC rival in Week 9 when they host Amboy.

Since Amboy joined the conference in 2016, the two schools had been in opposite divisions until the conference realligned this year. The two schools are 15 miles apart.

Eastland-P.C. Wildcatz Enrollment: 330 (2A) Coach: Jared McNutt (2nd year) 2018: 12-1 (8-0, 1st) Playoff record: 15-11 (1st in 2014) Returning all-conference: Eli Dertz, Bryson Sturtevant, Braeden Heeren FYI: The Wildcatz recorded two shutouts in 2018 (against East Dubuque & Pecatonica-Durand) and held four other teams to 10 points or fewer, including in the quarterfinals when they beat Orion 30-3. Though two teams in the Northwest scored more points than they did for the season, their 138 stood as the fewest points allowed.

Go Amboy Clippers!

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WHAT FOOTBALL MEANS TO THE MISSILES... BY BRANDON EYE, MILLEDGEVILLE SENIOR

E

• August 29, 2019

very football player will have a different answer to what football means to them, but there are three reasons why it means a lot to me.

The first is brotherhood. Whether you talk to each other in school, after school, or not at all, as soon as you step on the field you’re all brothers. You walk onto the practice field and game field knowing if you go down, your team has your back.

Football goes beyond being just friends. Football is family. You work, play, condition, and lift together. If you’re a lineman, you also might go to the buffet together.

You pour every ounce of sweat on the practice field together. We have our differences and fight like brothers, but in the end we have each other’s backs.

The second reason is delayed gratification. Football isn’t a natural athlete sport. You have to work hard in the offseason, conditioning yourself and waiting a whole year to prove your progress.

Speed and strength don’t build in one season. In fact, it might take a whole year to notice a difference. Some may give up after a couple weeks with no results, and others continue to push. But the people who continued to work get the gratification, while the others watch them bask in the glory of victory.

This means a lot because it shows who truly believes in themselves and their own future. These types of people tell themselves, “I will make my mark on the field.” These people are destined leaders and truly define what a team is. It is a hidden life lesson in the great game of football.

The final reason that makes football meaningful to me is perseverance.

This goes hand-in-hand with delayed gratification, except this can be shown right away.

I have played with many people who truly have perseverance. They have it in the weight room, during practice, and during the game.

From soreness to concussions to broken bones, these people do not stop.

They also may not be vocal leaders, but they still drive their team to become better. They always have the “I will beat you no matter what it takes” attitude. They give you

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Football is family that fights together

15

Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com

Three things make football a favorite of Milledgeville senior Brandon Eye: brotherhood, delayed gratification for hard work, and perseverance. Those combined to mean that the team that sticks together through thick and thin will have far more success than a team full of individuals playing for themselves. confidence and the final push you need to win a game.

These are the three reasons why football means the most to me,

because they truly separate an It’s not just a game of who can hit the average team from a championship hardest and run the fastest. team.

It’s a game of life lessons and I believe my reasons define football. passion.

NEW BEGINNINGS | SPOTLIGHT ON DISTRICTS

| FOOTBALL 2019

Statewide shift on the horizon

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

16

Districts will change landscape of high school football in Illinois

By SVM Sports Staff

As much as high school football teams go through changes every season – different players, different schedule, different road trips – there’s one of the biggest adjustments looming on the horizon.

At least, for now.

After a proposal to move IHSA football from the conference format to districts was passed by member schools in December, teams all over the state were left scratching their heads and wondering what was coming next.

In May, undoubtedly after hearing some rumblings about teams and leagues not liking that idea, the IHSA released mock district pairings showing what the system would look like if each class had been broken into eight 8- or 9-team districts for the 2019 season.

Despite those mocks likely meaning little when the time comes to actually splitting up the football teams around the state in 2 years, they again fired up the already-heated debate between those in favor of the change and those against it.

There is plenty of scuttlebutt – it actually started immediately following the announcement that the districts proposal had passed by a mere 17 votes, 324-317, with 69 schools voting no opinion and more than 100 not even voting – that counter-proposals are in the works to overturn the December vote and keep things the way they are.

But as of now, the IHSA is operating under the assumption that the decision will stand. If that’s the case, then this is the penultimate season for conference football in the state of Illinois.

So area football coaches and athletic directors are bracing themselves for the biggest change in football since playoffs were implemented in 1974.

While the why of this change gaining traction is straightforward – the hunting for the necessary 5 wins to become playoff eligible had resulted in conference-hopping and the decimation of leagues all over the state – there are several facets and angles from which to view the issue and approach the change.

Let’s break things down by some of the issues involved in the change.

1. Travel. This was a big bugaboo when the mock districts were released in May. Some schools won’t see much difference, if there are plenty of schools the same size in a specific area. Others who play in multiple-class conferences will see their mileage increase dramatically in order to play schools the same size as them.

Area teams fall into both categories. Things wouldn’t necessarily change a whole lot for the smaller schools around the Sauk Valley, since many are not too far from other schools of the same size.

Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com

In the first mock district breakdown revealed by the IHSA in May, Newman and Eastland-Pearl City would be in the same district, meaning games like this one in the 2013 playoffs would become an annual occurrence.

to be too big of a change for us.”

Sterling, on the other hand, would range from the Quad Cities to Rockford, south to Morris • In the district format, teams are separated and Streator. into 8 districts in each of the 8 classes, with 2. Scheduling. The biggest draw of conferences each district composed of 8 or 9 teams. Each is having the same teams on your schedule year team plays every one of its district foes, then in and year out, making it easy to plan out the has to schedule 1 or 2 out-of-district games season. This is especially true in leagues like the to fill its 9-game schedule. The idea is to have Big Northern currently, or the Three Rivers for every school playing other schools of the same a while a few years back, when there were 10 size, rather than multi-class conferences. teams and you played everybody else once for a “Originally we were always kind of indifferent on nine-game schedule. Even conferences like the current Three Rivers or the NUIC make things it,” AFC coach Brad Winterland said. “When we easy for ADs to figure out the scheduling, as you evaluated things based on our location, to us, it was six of one, half dozen of the other. Either way, play everyone in your division and rotate games against teams in the other division of the league travel time is going to be about the same for us.” as crossover opponents.

“Ours didn’t change a whole lot,” Erie-Prophetstown coach Jesse Abbott said. “It’s not going SHIFT continued on 174

What are districts?

NEW BEGINNINGS | SPOTLIGHT ON DISTRICTS

17

Many pros and cons of proposed system

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

SHIFT

CONTINUED FROM 16

t

and tweaks and figures out this system, one of the biggest considerations is how to measure playoff eligibility. Is it the top four teams from each of the eight districts in each class? Is if still playoff points, meaning strength of schedule comes into it? Is it just in-district games that count toward your postseason eligibility?

In that last scenario, teams in an eight-team district that would have only seven district games would play two out-of-district games, ostensibly against teams from other districts in the same class. But what if those two non-district games don’t count toward the playoffs?

“Those non-conference games wouldn’t mean anything,” WinterAlex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com land said. “They’re basically just In the proposed district system’s first mock-up released in May, all of scrimmages.” the area’s 1A schools, including current NUIC foes Milledgeville and Some coaches are afraid this is AFC, would be in the same district. the first step toward joining every other IHSA sport in which every team qualifies for the postseason.

“I like the way it is, I’m a traditionalist,” Morrison’s Ryan Oetting said. “I think the fact that we’re the one sport in high school you have to qualify for the playoffs makes it kind of neat.”

These are just a few of the issues that the IHSA and its schools are dealing with; there are myriad others, and even more with surely crop up as the transition continues.

“I really don’t know how it’s going to turn out,” longtime Amboy coach Gary Jones said, echoing the sentiments of almost everybody else who delves into this topic. “I guess it will be on a trial-and-error basis to see how it works.”

But no matter how things work out, no matter how many tweaks will need to be made over time, it’s all going to come down to the 120-by-53 yard space at the cen1397 N N. Galena Ave Ave., Dixon ter of it all.

288-5626 In the end, the kids will decide things on the field.

708 First Avenue, Rock Falls “I think districts have some 622-6655 pros, but they also have some cons that need to be addressed,” Winterland said. “It’s one of those Hours deals where you just play who Mon - Fri 10-6 • Sat 9-3 you’re assigned.”

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• August 29, 2019

The district proposal wouldn’t be that straightforward. With districts being only eight or nine teams each, that creates a week or two in every schedule where a team has to find a playing partner. Ostensibly this is so teams can continue traditional rivalries with schools who are no longer in the same district as them.

But it’s likely going to prove to be a lot more complicated than that.

“Everyone’s schedule is going to be a little chaotic, trying to find out where their non-district games are going to come from,” Oregon coach Nick Schneiderman said. “I know athletic directors are already scrambling.

They’re already putting out feelers on who’s available and who’s not.”

3. Rivalries. This is the one of the biggest rallying cries for the traditionalists who oppose this change. Longtime entrenched rivalries between conference foes who may now have different school sizes may not be able to continue their annual matchups.

4. School size. This is where the issue is divided along specific lines. The larger teams in current multi-class conferences tend to like things the way they are; the smaller schools would rather play schools their own size to try and get those coveted 5 wins.

“We are a school that voted for the districts, and we very much believe in the district system,” Fulton coach Patrick Lower said. “We are a small school in a big conference. We feel if we are going to be judged against schools our size, we should play teams that are mostly our size.

There are a lot of years we’ve been 4-5 or 5-4 and we’ve played a team that ended up being a 3A quarterfinalist.”

“When you’re the smallest 3A school in a conference that almost hits 5A, that’s tough,” Schneiderman agreed. “It’s already competitive as it is, and when you go against schools almost twice your enrollment, it puts you behind a little bit.”

5. Some games might not mean as much. As the IHSA tinkers

Amboy

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

18

Team Notebook

Head Coach

Gary Jones • 26th season at Amboy • 132-119 (.526) • 13 playoff appearances

2018 Results

Points scored: 216 Points scored avg.: 24.0 Points allowed: 291 Points allowed avg.: 32.3 Playoff teams faced: 5 At home: 0-4 On road: 3-2

Returning starters in bold

Best player in the area: Isaiah Bruce of Lena-Winslow. Just his height and the way he runs with the ball. There’s so much authority with it.

Toughest place to play: Forreston.

They have a good team, and it makes it a little difficult.

Best pre-game hype song: Eye of the Tiger, by Survivor.

Best looking uniforms & helmets: West Carroll.

2018

2018 By Numbers

Roster

Sean Fitzpatrick chats about the Clippers

• 3-6 overall • 3-5 NUIC Northwest (5th place)

Milledgeville 36, Clippers 7 EPC 26, Clippers 16 Clippers 28, W. Carroll 26 Clippers 24, Du-Pec 6 E. Dubuque 27, Clippers 21 Le-Win 72, Clippers 37 Dakota 22, Clippers 14 Clippers 35, Galena 14 Forreston 62, Clippers 34

Conference: NUIC South Enrollment: 341.50 Projected class: 2A

14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 12 21 25 26 35 36 38 47 52 53 54 55 60 66 75 76 77 78 79 80 83

Clippers Win Report 9-2

•• 6-4

•••• 9-3

•

9-3

8-3

6-4

•• 5-5

4-5

• 5-5

9-3

•

•••• 3-6

2-7

3-6

Zachary Wicaryus Tanner Schrock Marcus Winn Lane Boehle Jordan Gully Preston Henkel Brady Jones Trevor Vaessen Caden Wittenauer Maxim Ryjov Luke Moore Zack Ceretto Dylan Daniels Joe Quest Dylan Tornow Austin Norman Tucker Lindenmeyer Corey Pinter Brad Garza Seth Browning Haden McCoy Jairon Hochstatter Frank Montantes Chandler Pohl Phillip Stewart J.J. Wicaryus Aiden Smith Brian Murphy Sean Fitzpatrick Bernard Carvalho

5-5 5-9 5-10 6-1 5-8 6-0 5-11 5-10 5-9 6-2 5-6 5-9 5-6 5-11 5-8 5-10 5-8 5-10 5-5 6-0 5-10 5-10 5-10 5-11 6-2 5-10 6-1 6-0 5-10 6-0

140 140 150 150 135 160 165 125 125 185 135 125 130 170 170 180 115 185 150 200 190 180 225 260 206 255 240 210 175 150

Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. So. So. Sr. Fr. Sr. Jr. Sr. So. So. Jr. So. Fr. So. Fr. Jr. Jr. Jr.

Back End End End End QB QB End End End/K End End End End End Back End Line Line Line Line Line Line Line Line Line Line Line End K

3-6

2-7

’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18

Schedule

2017 Stat Leaders

Rushing

Att. Yds TD Austin Norman 111 467 5 Mitchell McLaughlin 111 206 8 Jake Schaver 47 106 0 Marcus Winn 17 72 1 Zach Wicaryus 2 30 0 Passing

C-A-I Yds TD Mitchell McLaughlin 102-232-11 1,641 16

GOING ON VACATION? Keep in touch with the news of the Sauk Valley

Game time Fri., Aug. 30, 7 Fri., Sept. 6, 7 Fri., Sept. 13, 7:30 Fri., Sept. 20, 7 Fri., Sept. 27, 7 Fri., Oct. 4, 7 Fri., Oct. 11, 7 Fri., Oct. 18, 7 Fri., Oct. 25, 7

Receiving

Rec. Yds TD Marcus Winn 48 916 8 Hunter Zimmerly 22 281 3 Preston Henkel 20 263 3 Logan Welchel 5 70 1 Hunter Walzer 3 66 1 Hayden Montavon 2 24 0 Sean Fitzpatrick 1 11 0 Jake Schaver 1 10 0

GO

O D L U CK

Area Teams

Opponent 2018 at Durand-Pecatonica 3-6 Lena-Winslow 11-2 at Forreston* 12-2 West Carroll* 3-6 at Aquin* 4-5 at Galena 2-7 Eastland-Pearl City* 12-1 Milledgeville* 10-1 at AFC* 0-9

* NUIC South game Homecoming: Week 4 Radio: 101.7 FM

Good Luck To All Area Teams!

Have a great season!

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Team Notebook

Head Coach

Brad Winterland • 9th season at AFC • 22-50 (.306) • 0 playoff appearances

2018

• 0-9 overall • 0-7 NUIC Upstate (8th place)

2018 Results

2018 By Numbers

Points scored: 50 Points scored avg.: 5.6 Points allowed: 366 Points allowed avg.: 40.7 Playoff teams faced: 5 At home: 0-5 On road: 0-4

Cameron Thomas chats about the Raiders

Returning starters in bold 1 Zane Murphy 5-9 6 Ethan Drew 5-8 7 Rodney Ramirez 5-7 10 Tyson Davidson 6-0 11 Carson Rueff 5-4 12 Lane Koning 6-0 14 Michael Cochrane 5-10 15 Dylan Moore 5-10 16 Matt Thompson 6-0 18 Cameron Thomas 5-8 19 Sean Lauer 5-5 24 Mason Munroe 5-7 25 Sam Lauer 6-1 26 Peyton Lanning 6-0 28 Tyler Crowell 5-11 29 Auden Polk 5-4 34 Levi Near 5-4 51 Michael Meadors 5-4 52 Jonah Hilliker 5-10 54 Justin Friday 5-7 56 Josh Meyers 5-8 58 Tyler Reyes 5-10 66 Matt Nelson 5-8 67 Bryant Rasmussen 5-7 68 Jaden Joseph 6-0 74 Xavier Contreras 5-10 75 Aaron Case 5-9 77 Brody Willstead 6-0

Best player in the area: EPC’s Eli Dertz. He’s a tough guy. He likes to lift, so he’s going to be a threat on the line.

Toughest place to play: Aquin. They like to get into it, and their fans get into it too.

Best pregame hype song: Power, by Kanye West.

Best looking uniforms & helmets: Aquin. I like the color, and they’ve got little lines on there.

14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Team Win Report 11-1

•

•

Fr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Fr. So. Sr. Jr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Fr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr.

RB QB/FS RB/FS RB/FS WR QB/LB FB/LB RB/LB FB/LB RB/CB RB RB/LB WR/FS RB/FS WR/LB WR/LB RB/CB C/DT C/DE OT/G OT/DE OT/DT OG/DT LB OL/DE OG/DT NG OG/LB

5-4

7-4

• 3-6

1-8

•

•• 2-7

3-6

1-8

•

•• 4-5

1-8

•

•• 4-5

3-6

•• 3-6

2-7

Did You Know?

0-9

•

’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18

2018 Stat Leaders

Rushing

Att. Yds TD Caleb McBride 127 383 0 Matt Thompson 69 171 2 Marcus Cater 29 121 1 Dylan Moore 37 90 0 Jeremy Etes 23 84 1 Cameron Thomas 12 40 1 Rodney Ramirez 3 20 0 Mason Munroe 3 2 0

112 135 140 170 100 145 150 190 195 150 110 147 158 175 170 115 110 130 170 253 168 215 210 145 170 215 300 170

Passing

C-A-I Yds TD Caleb McBride 7-49-9 65 0 M. Ball-Alexander 3-5-1 41 0 Receiving

Rec. Yds TD Austin Williams 2 37 0 Marcus Cater 2 27 0 Caleb McBride 2 21 0 Jeremy Etes, AFC 2 11 0

Game time Fri., Aug. 30, 7 Fri., Sept. 6, 7 Fri., Sept. 13, 7 Fri., Sept. 20, 7 Fri., Sept. 27, 7 Fri., Oct. 4, 7 Fri., Oct. 11, 7 Fri., Oct. 18, 7 Fri., Oct. 25, 7

• The Raiders’ last winning season was in 2012, when they went 5-4.

That was head coach Brad Winterland’s second season at AFC.

Schedule

Opponent 2017 at East Dubuque 3-6 Orangeville 5-5 at Stockton 7-3 Forreston* 12-2 at West Carroll* 3-6 at Milledgeville* 10-1 Aquin* 4-5 at Eastland-Pearl City* 12-1 Amboy-LaMoille* 3-6

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* NUIC South game

Homecoming: Week 7

• August 29, 2019

River Ridge 22, Raiders 0 Dakota 49, Raiders 6 Aquin 41, Raiders 6 Orangeville 56, Raiders 0 South Beloit 26, Raiders 14 Stockton 52, Raiders 0 Milledgeville 46, Raiders 6 Polo 42, Raiders 18 Warren 32, Raiders 0

Roster

19

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Ashton-Fr. Center

Conference: NUIC South Enrollment: 150 Projected class: 1A

NEW BEGINNINGS | SPOTLIGHT ON BUREAU VALLEY STORM

| FOOTBALL 2019

Change Storms into Manlius

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

20

Bureau Valley adjusting to life with new coach and his new system

BY ERIC INGLES eingles@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5555 @Eric_Ingles

Bureau Valley has a new football coach this fall in Mat Pistole, and Pistole is hoping the new era will have a new attitude.

That new attitude, Pistole hopes, will be part of a winning formula.

“More than anything is we know what it takes to get this place successful,” he said. “There are people on staff that have been here, and then we have some young guys on the coaching staff that really bring an energy level to it and a confidence level. I think what’s changed more than anything is our belief in them. We believe in the kids, and we want them to be successful in everything, and the kids have really bought into that.”

The Bureau Valley alumnus hasn’t had much time to settle in.

He was hired in June to replace Joe Schmidt after Schmidt took a teaching and assistant coaching position at Annawan-Wethersfield.

Far from shying away from the challenge or reeling from the change, Pistole feels his team has embraced it.

“This senior group, I’m their third head coach that they’ve had since they’ve been here,” Pistole said.

“They’ve dealt with a lot of adversity in their time here, and they’ve seen some negativity. I think just the positive energy that the coaching staff brought and the seniors have really embraced the fact that we want to change things, and we’re here to stay and here to do big things, and that’s been a really big deal for us.”

Recent vintages of Bureau Valley football have been adept at airing out the ball.

The aerial assault of the Spencer Davis years saw Drake Davis throw for 1,402 yards in 2015 and 1,734 yards in 2016. Even when the Davis family left, Tyler Gustafson lit up the skies over Manlius to the tune of 2,027 passing yards and 20 touchdowns in 2017, and Kevin Hironymus/Shaw Media 1,778 passing yards and 14 passing Bureau Valley’s new coach, Mat Pistole (middle), shows Storm players a new play on his phone during the touchdowns in 2018. first day of practice on Aug. 12 in Manlius. Pistole, a BV alum, took over the program after serving as an CHANGE continued on 214 assistant coach at Newman.

NEW BEGINNINGS | SPOTLIGHT ON BUREAU VALLEY STORM

21

Bureau Valley has lots of depth in backfield

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

CHANGE

CONTINUED FROM 20

t

• August 29, 2019

Pistole has a re-tooled offense that will look to be a bit more grounded. It won’t exactly be the run, run, and then run some more of Newman, where Pistole served as an assistant coach, but it will be more focused on the ground game than previous BV teams.

“We’ve got a whole new playbook and a whole new defense,” Storm lineman Matt Philhower said. “And then just learning how Coach Pistole coaches, but other than that, it’s pretty much the same.”

Dalton Dean is now the man under center, but he is just as much a threat to run the ball as he is to throw it – not an entirely new concept at Bureau Valley, where Drake Davis led the team in rushing in 2016.

Behind Dean will be a versatile crop of backs who can throw a little of everything at opposing defenses.

“We have two big running backs who are ready to run the ball, and we also have one speed back who Shaw Media file photos is just super quick,” senior Mac Bureau Valley seniors Mac Nugent (24, above) and James Macklin (25, below) will be a bigger part of the Nugent said. “I definitely think Storm offense this season, as new coach Mat Pistole looks to have more balance between the ground and we’re ready to make the change.” passing attacks. The speedy Tucker Hartz will round out the triumvirate of BV backs.

Tucker Hartz is the player providing that speed, a senior who lined up at wide receiver last year.

“James Macklin is our power guy, he can just run people over,” Nugent said. “I’m kind of the balance guy, speed and power so I can run people over and juke fast, and Tucker is just fast.”

Dean will still have targets like Evan Eckberg out wide to throw to, but the multi-faceted run game gives the Storm a versatility that Pistole likes to see.

“It’s more about staying on schedule,” Pistole said, “and getting first downs and having that ability to run between the tackles, but then get on the edge, but also having a couple quarterbacks we trust who can run the ball too.

That makes us pretty dynamic offensively.”

Despite the coaching transition, things seem to be going smoothly in Manlius.

“We’re looking pretty good,” Philhower said. “Our offensive line looks really good. The defense is coming along well. We’re just looking solid overall.”

Bureau Valley

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

22

Team Notebook

Head Coach

Mat Pistole • 1st season at BV • 0-0 (.000) • 0 playoff appearances

2018

• 3-6 overall • 2-4 TRAC Rock (5th place)

2018 Results Storm 28, Erie-P’town 16 St. Bede 41, Storm 33 Fulton 20, Storm 12 Mon.-Rose. 36, Storm 18 Storm 49, Riverdale 14 Newman 75, Storm 14 Rockridge 22, Storm 14 Orion 57, Storm 0 Storm 14, Morrison 7

2018 By Numbers

Points scored: 182 Points scored avg.: 20.2 Points allowed: 288 Points allowed avg.: 32.0 Playoff teams faced: 5 At home: 2-2 On road: 1-4

Conference: Three Rivers Rock Enrollment: 341 Projected class: 2A

Roster

Matt Philhower chats about the Storm

Returning starters in bold

Toughest place to play: Fulton, the noise and every time they score a touchdown they have an annoying train that goes around.

Best looking uniforms: Newman, I like the different blues.

Best pre-game hype song: ‘Started from the Bottom’ by Drake.

Favorite Coach Pistole quote: “Be geared different.”

Storm Win Report

•••

14 13 12 11 10 13-1 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

12-1

14-0

10-2

•

• 3-6

•• 7-3

6-4

• 2-7

•• 4-5

3-6

• • • • 6-4

5-4

4-5

4-5

• 3-6

’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18

2018 Stat Leaders

Rushing

Att. Yds TD Mac Nugent 72 436 6 James Macklin 28 100 0 Eric Schoff 33 70 1 Tucker Hartz 4 43 1 Colin Kruse 10 15 0 Nate Paup 3 2 0 Ben Shipp 1 2 0 Logan Hardy 1 1 0

Passing

C-A-I Yds TD Tyler Gustafson 111-203-7 1,778 14 Nate Paup 5-19-1 56 0 Receiving

Rec. Yds TD Kale Barnett 32 637 3 Ben Shipp 24 366 2 Nate Paup 18 421 3 Tucker Hartz 14 174 3

Game time Fri., Aug. 30, 7 Fri., Sept. 6, 7 Fri., Sept. 13, 7 Fri., Sept. 20, 7 Fri., Sept. 27, 7 Fri., Oct. 4, 7 Fri., Oct. 11, 7 Fri., Oct. 18, 7 Fri., Oct. 25, 7

1 2 3 4 6 7 9 12 13 16 22 24 25 30 32 33 42 44 51 52 55 56 58 62 63 65 66 68 72 76 78 80 82 84 88

Logan Hardy Devan Batten Dalton Dean Tucker Hartz Egan Schiedel Layton Britt Evan Eckberg Adam Johnson Levi Hardy Drew Spencer Jared Sterzinger Mac Nugent James Macklin David Dietz Justin Kopp Colin Kruse Jimi Davis Nevin Bolin Carter Haney Austin Longmire Trevin Cade Matt Foster Isaac Pond Tom Blanford Eli Kruse Matt Philhower Brady Higgins James Krieger Hudson Blondin Bryce Taylor Brodie Hansen Logan Johnson Noah Harris Quintin Scott Brock Foster

Schedule

6-1 6-2 6-0 6-0 5-8 5-9 6-1 6-0 6-0 5-6 5-7 6-0 5-10 5-8 5-9 5-10 5-11 6-1 5-11 5-8 6-1 5-8 5-11 5-10 5-10 6-0 6-1 6-1 5-8 6-1 5-8 6-0 5-6 5-11 5-10

140 190 170 170 160 140 175 155 170 150 170 200 190 140 160 200 125 175 175 210 215 250 230 195 175 240 180 280 225 230 240 155 135 125 140

Opponent 2018 at Erie-Prophetstown 1-8 Hall 7-4 at Fulton* 5-5 Newman* 10-2 at Mon.-Roseville 9-3 at Morrison* 2-7 Rockridge* 7-4 at Orion* 11-1 Riverdale* 2-7

Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. So. So. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. So. Sr. So. So. So. So. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. So. Sr. So. Sr. So. So. So. So. So.

WR/DB WR/DL QB/DB RB/DB RB/DB RB/DB QB/DB QB/DB RB/LB RB/DB RB/LB RB/LB RB/LB RB/LB RB/LB RB/DL WR/DB QB/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB RB/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB

* TRAC Rock game Homecoming: Week 7 Radio: 98.1 FM

Call Classifieds at

815-625-3600 to announce Birthdays and graduations in Celebrations!

Team Notebook

Head Coach

Dave Smith • 9th season at Dixon • 43-38 (.531) • 5 playoff appearances

Roster

Garrett Helfrich chats about the Dukes

Returning starters in bold

2018

• 6-4 overall • 6-3 Big Northern (tied for 4th place)

2018 Results Stillman 42, Dukes 13 Dukes 65, Rock Falls 14 Dukes 27, Oregon 6 North Boone 28, Dukes 20 Dukes 36, Mendota 7 Dukes 38, R. Lutheran 28 Dukes 21, G.-Kingston 20 Dukes 23, Winnebago 20 Byron 55, Dukes 21 4A playoffs Stillman 28, Dukes 13

14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

2018 By Numbers

Points scored: 277 Points scored avg.: 27.7 Points allowed: 248 Points allowed avg.: 24.8 Playoff teams faced: 4 At home: 2-3 On road: 4-1

Dukes Win Report 10-2

•

• 1-8

•

• 4-5

8-3

8-3

8-4

••••• 1-8

2-7

3-6

2-7

2-7

0-9

•

•

•

•

•

• 6-4

6-4

3-6

Jaylen Carr Jacob Sibley Nate Long Jacob Gusse Jacob Shafer Cal Kyker Jacob Gaither Aidan Schmall Hunter Gehrt Jericho Kirby Garrett Helfrich Brody Potter Quinn Staples Sebastian Quintana Cameron Varden Eli Dever Patrick Grossman Dre Jackson Zach Bass Kade Frey Tristan Cornell Ben Fassler Michael Bivins Cameron Rogers Kaeden Rice Nick Engle Cole Jones Noah Williams Riley Riggen Payton Simmons Zach Gaston Hunter Pate

5-8 5-10 5-10 6-3 5-10 6-2 6-3 5-11 5-9 6-1 5-10 5-11 5-11 5-7 6-0 6-1 6-2 6-0 5-7 6-0 6-0 5-9 6-1 5-11 5-10 6-2 5-8 5-11 5-10 5-9 5-10 6-0

157 141 155 173 169 173 170 184 158 180 170 188 164 195 166 171 170 280 178 178 245 194 213 250 234 274 218 2-4 207 150 156 191

Jr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Jr. So. Sr. So. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr.

RB/DB WR/DB WR/DB QB QB WR/DB WR/DB WR/LB WR/LB RB/DB WR/LB WR/LB RB/LB RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL WR/DB WR/DB WR/DL

’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18

Schedule

2018 Stat Leaders

Rushing

Att. Yds TD Tyler Christiansen 243 1,493 17 Bryce Christiansen 17 100 2 Sebastian Quintana 10 67 2 Passing

C-A-I Yds TD Jacob Shafer 150-245-6 1,551 14

GOOD LUCK DUKES

Receiving

Rec. Nate Long 37 Kade Callison 36 Brayden Forrest 29 Tyler Christiansen 17 Isaic Sanchez 11 Talbir Chima 7 Joseph Heckert 7

Yds TD 439 3 381 4 342 3 136 1 89 1 90 1 51 1

Game time Fri., Aug. 30, 7 Fri., Sept. 6, 7 Fri., Sept. 13, 7:15 Fri., Sept. 20, 7 Fri., Sept. 27, 7:15 Fri., Oct. 4, 7:15 Fri., Oct. 11, 7 Fri., Oct. 18, 7:15 Fri., Oct. 25, 7

Good Luck Sterling Warriors | Dixon Dukes es and all other surrounding area football teams!

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Opponent 2018 at Stillman Valley* 7-4 at Rock Falls* 1-8 Oregon* 3-6 at North Boone* 8-3 Mendota* 0-9 Rockford Lutheran* 2-7 at Genoa-Kingston* 8-3 Winnebago* 4-5 Byron* 13-1

* Big Northern game Homecoming: Week 5 Radio: 1460 AM

Good Luck This Season!

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• August 29, 2019

Team you can’t wait to play: Byron.

That’s definitely our main school that we look forward to seeing every year, and the one we’re most prepared for and most focused for.

Best pregame hype song: “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC. That’s a good song, kind of old-school. Our old defensive coordinator, he’d just sit us in the gym and just blast that song, and we’d just be sitting there in the dark getting psyched up. I like that a lot.

23

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Dixon

Conference: Big Northern Enrollment: 762 Projected class: 4A

NEW BEGINNINGS | SPOTLIGHT ON DIXON DUKES

| FOOTBALL 2019

Consistency keys Dukes again

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

24

New faces ready to take their turn stepping up and leading way for Dixon

BY TY REYNOLDS treynolds@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5554 @STyReynolds

While change seems to be a constant around the Sauk Valley football landscape, the Dixon Dukes have been a constant since Dave Smith arrived to take over the program at his alma mater.

Entering his ninth season at the helm in Dixon, Smith has guided the Dukes to the playoffs in each of the last 5 years – doubling the number of postseason berths in program history.

After the team’s second-ever trip to the quarterfinals in 2017, the Dukes reloaded with another senior-laden team last season and finished 6-4, losing to powerhouse Stillman Valley in the first round of the playoffs; the Cardinals also topped Dixon in the opener last year.

But as consistent as Dixon has been in recent seasons – the 48-16 record is the best 5-year stretch in program history – there are some subtle changes going on around the program this fall.

The most obvious are the new faces manning positions all over the field. The Dukes bring back just nine starters total – five on offense, four on defense – and must replace a 1,000-yard rusher (for the second straight season) and all but two of their front seven on defense.

But there’s no panic whatsoever around A.C. Bowers Field.

“It’s their turn,” senior linebacker Aidan Schmall said about the new starters, “and they are going to prove it to everybody that they could’ve been there last year, but they just didn’t have the opportunity behind some really good seniors.”

“That’s a great feeling,” senior defensive end Kade Frey added, “because you know the guy right next to you is hungry for playing time, so it’s a great competition and he’s going to make the most of it.”

While the Dukes are forced to fill so many new positions this season, they feel the returning starters are spread out in strategic places.

Jacob Shafer will be in his second year commanding the offense at quarterback, Nate Long is back as

Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com

Dixon football players run through drills during the first day of practice on Aug. 12 at Reagan Middle School.

The Dukes lost several starters on both sides of the ball from last year’s playoff team, but a new cast of characters is ready to step up in 2019 and try to keep Dixon’s school-record postseason streak alive. a starting receiver to help the other skill-position guys, and Patrick Grossman, Noah Williams and Nick Engle are all back on the offensive line, meaning Shafer and the new backs and receivers have plenty of protection up front to figure things out.

Those returning starters have taken it upon themselves to show the new guys the ropes, and lead vocally and by example.

“Us starters, we’re just trying to get them up to the plate and get them used to it,” Frey said, “because they’re going to be starters now themselves. They’ve just got to get used to it, and they’ll be just fine.”

One of the new faces – running back Sebastian Quintana – is already drawing praise from teammates; he’s been referred to as “a powerhouse” by two different teammates already this preseason.

On the other side of the ball is where big change No. 2 comes in.

The Dukes have installed a new

defensive scheme under firstyear coordinator Keith Pawlicki, a young guy from Cypress Ranch High School near Houston, Texas, who takes over for the veteran Rich Crabel.

He will be joined by defensive backs coach Tyler Matteson, a former state champ at Morris as a player and at Wilmington as an assistant coach. Smith says Matteson is Pawlicki’s “soul mate” as a defensive coach, and likes how the new faces are meshing with veteran Dixon coaches like Brandon Woodward, Bruce Luther, Jon Empen, and JD Gieson and Matt Hamel at the lower levels.

“I’m really excited about my coaching staff; some of them are new, some of them have been here a while, and it’s a really good mixture,” Smith said. “We’re all working hard, and even switching things up on certain days by having the varsity staff work with the fresh-soph kids, so we’re getting a good assessment of everybody,

[grades] 9 through 12, and I’m really happy right now.”

The players are equally excited about Pawlicki’s new defense, which brings in new elements but keeps the same attitude the Dukes had under Crabel.

“We have a new defensive coordinator and a whole new defense, but it’s the same aggressiveness we’ve had in the past,” Schmall said. “It’s a little bit of a struggle sometimes as we learn it, but as a team we’re getting through it together and figuring it out. We’re a very smart group, too, so we’re learning quick. I think it’s going to be a really good year.”

With so many new faces on the defense, the Dukes believe it’s actually the perfect time to bring in a new system. New players don’t have to un-learn old habits from the heat of game situations, and can just take the new habits out onto the field with them.

CONSISTENCY continued on 254

NEW BEGINNINGS | SPOTLIGHT ON DIXON DUKES

25

Next group of seniors keeping culture alive

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

CONSISTENCY

CONTINUED FROM 24

t

• August 29, 2019

“We’ve got some really good new players who are stepping up on defense, and I think the returning starters have improved a lot since last year, too,” Engle said.

Those returning starters are Frey, Schmall, Long and Quintana, but they’re also spread throughout the defense: Frey in the trenches, Schmall at the second level, and Long and Quintana on the back end.

To a man, the Dukes all say the key for a successful season comes down to their interactions and chemistry on the field. They feel like they’ve got the talent in place, and are confident that they’ll gel just fine under the Friday Night Lights.

“It’s just us bonding as a team, hanging out, making sure that we’re giving the new guys positive reinforcement and pushing each other to play our best,” Williams said. “We know they’re going to do a good job keeping up with the team, and we want to make sure they’re confident in themselves, too.”

The veteran coach likes the balance he has for 2019, both between veteran leaders and younger talent, and also between the linemen in the trenches and the skill players on the perimeter.

And that mixture and meshing of players and personalities is the main reason the Dukes have been so consistent since Smith arrived: he builds a culture that starts with the seniors and permeates throughout the rest of the classes.

The 12th graders pass along what they learned from the class ahead of them to the group behind them, and that tradition continues year after year.

“That’s how we set the program up,” Smith said. “I’m a ‘seniors’ coach, and I talk a lot about seniors.

Everybody’s going to be a senior one day, and everybody works hard to be on A.C. Bowers Field as a senior. We always tell the players, ‘When you’re a freshman and sophomore, everybody plays. But when you’re a junior, you’ve got to earn your right to get on that field.’ So we have some juniors that did not see the field as much as they would’ve liked, and now it’s their turn.

“That’s how this program is going

Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com

Dixon’s Nate Long hauls in a pass before turning upfield and outrunning the Stillman Valley defense to the end zone for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of last year’s Class 4A first-round playoff game at A.C. Bowers Field. The Dukes graduated most of their starting lineup on both sides of the ball, but Long is one of the few returning starters who is poised to help his senior class pick up the leadership reins in 2019. to work, that’s how we are efficient, that’s how we’re strong every year, and why we play well in the fourth quarter, all those things.

We put everything into our senior

leadership. I have younger kids in the lineup, but the seniors are going to lead us, and the sophomores and juniors have to know their role. That’s to protect the

team; everything that you do in your life is protect your family and your team, so when you’ve got a decision to make, those are the two things we think about.”

Eastland-P.C.

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

26

Team Notebook

Head Coach

Jared McNutt • 2nd season at EPC • 12-1 (.923) • 1 playoff appearance

2018

• 12-1 overall • 8-0 NUIC Northwest (1st place)

2018 Results

Wildcatz 28, E. Dubuque 0 Wildcatz 26, Amboy 16 Wildcatz 36, Du-Pec 0 Wildcatz 34, Forreston 8 Wildcatz 20, Le-Win 14 Wildcatz 34, Galena 7 Wildcatz 40, W. Carroll 12 Wildcatz 21, Dakota 10 Wildcatz 42, Polo 14 2A playoffs Wildcatz 58, Chi. Harlan 26 Wildcatz 48, Ch.Christian 14 Wildcatz 30, Orion 3 GCMS 14, Wildcatz 7

2018 By Numbers

Points scored: 424 Points scored avg.: 32.6 Points allowed: 138 Points allowed avg.: 10.6 Playoff teams faced: 8 At home: 6-1 On road: 6-0

Conference: NUIC South Enrollment: 330 Projected class: 2A

Roster

Bryson Sturtevant chats about the Wildcatz Important new change: We have new kids coming in, and it’s been really special these first weeks working together.

Did you do anything different to prepare for this season: We [seniors] stepped up and took their role and shared to the underclassmen what it takes to be a successful program.

Interesting new opponent: We take one step at a time.

14 13 12 10-2 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Returning starters in bold 1 Lane Christians 6-0 3 Jaxson Sturtevant 5-9 10 Jase Sheffey 6-3 11 Braydin Preston 6-3 15 Tyson Clark 6-1 17 Thomas Owens 5-10 18 Jaxson Dobish 6-3 20 Travis Kaney 5-11 21 Oliver Petta 5-6 22 Logan Krell 5-9 24 Bishop Groezinger 5-7 25 Evan Rausch 6-2 26 Jack Fischer 5-8 28 Riley Schauer 5-11 32 Mason Brenner 5-8 43 Braeden Heeren 6-0 51 Bryson Sturtevant 6-2 53 Paul Sturtevant 5-8 62 Caden Kuberski 5-7 64 Braden Diddens 5-11 66 Gavin Sigel 6-3 68 Riley McKenna 5-8 69 Wyatt Hammer 6-0 70 Christian Fischer 5-9 71 Lowden Preston 6-0 72 Ben Haas 5-9 73 Cadin Colehour 6-0 75 Ben Bremmer 6-1 76 Eli Dertz 5-10 84 Carson Clouse 6-3

Wildcatz Win Report

•

•

1-8

••• 6-4

••• 9-2

8-3

••

12-1

•

14-0 8-2

•

10-1

9-1

7-4

6-4

5-5

•

•

•

Rushing

Att. Yds Jayden Kempel 221 1,801 Jarod Kempel 89 789 Braeden Heeren 94 423 Colin Colehour 28 158 Travis Kaney 29 97 Braden Smargiassi 50 75 Jett Iske 5 11 Aiden Gassman 1 5

TD 19 15 9 1 1 3 0 0

QB/DB WR/DB TE/LB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/LB RB/DB WR/DB RB/DB RB/LB WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB RB/DL RB/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/LB WR/LB

• More than three-quarters of last year’s returning starters came from Pearl City. This year, more are from Eastland H.S.

2-7

Passing

C-A-I Yds TD Braden Smargiassi 82-153-5 1,056 9 Receiving

Rec. Yds TD Lucas Peterson 37 526 5 Jarod Kempel 20 194 3 Jayden Kempel 8 117 2 Travis Spong 6 100 0 Brock Smargiassi 5 54 0

Sr. So. Jr. Sr. So. So. Jr. Sr. So. Jr. Jr. So. So. So. So. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. Sr. So. So. Sr. So. So. So. Jr. So. Sr. Sr.

Did You Know?

5-5

’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18

2018 Stat Leaders

160 135 175 165 160 195 190 160 120 175 170 155 135 155 210 210 250 195 200 190 330 160 230 260 240 205 210 220 225 195

Schedule

Game time Fri., Aug. 30, 7 Fri., Sept. 6, 7 Fri., Sept. 13, 7 Fri., Sept. 20, 7 Fri., Sept. 27, 7:30 Fri., Oct. 4, 7 Fri., Oct. 11, 7 Fri., Oct. 18, 7 Fri., Oct. 25, 7

Opponent 2018 at Lena-Winslow 11-2 Durand-Pecatonica 3-6 at West Carroll* 3-6 Milledgeville* 10-1 at Dakota 8-4 Aquin* 4-5 at Amboy-LaMoille* 3-6 AFC* 0-9 at Forreston* 12-2

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* NUIC South game Homecoming: Week 6 Radio: 100.3 FM (Wks. 3, 4, 8)

Team Notebook

Head Coach

Jesse Abbott • 2nd season at E-P • 1-8 (.111) • 0 playoff appearances

2018

• 1-8 overall • 1-5 TRAC Mississippi (tied for 6th place)

2018 Results

2018 By Numbers

Points scored: 74 Points scored avg.: 8.2 Points allowed: 300 Points allowed avg.: 33.3 Playoff teams faced: 5 At home: 0-4 On road: 1-4

Carson Wiebenga chats about Panthers Favorite Coach Abbott quote: For some reason he says “by and large” a lot. I don’t know what that means, but he says it a lot.

What do you want to improve on the most: Being more physical, being more tough.

Pregame song to get hyped up: A lot of the guys like rap, but I’m more of a classic rock guy, so my favorite is ‘Kickstart My Heart’ by Mötley Crüe. I really love the opening guitar riff to that.

14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Panthers Win Report

5-5

•• 3-6

3-6

1-8

1-8

1-8

•••

•• 3-6

3-6

1-8

•

• 8-3

• 6-4

•

• 4-5

2-7

••• 1-8

1-8

’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18

2018 Stat Leaders

Rushing

Att. Yds TD Tyler Nipper 90 323 1 Mat Garrison 76 301 2 Ross Purvis 70 233 0 Carson Wiebenga 22 84 0 Jacob Ryan 51 55 4

Jacob Ryan

Passing C-A-I Yds TD 45-110-9 505 3

Receiving

Rec. Yds TD Ross Purvis 18 140 2 Carson Wiebenga 10 190 1 Tyler Nipper 9 87 0 Clayton Johnson 5 78 0

Game time Fri., Aug. 30, 7 Fri., Sept. 6, 7 Fri., Sept. 13, 7 Fri., Sept. 20, 7 Fri., Sept. 27, 7 Fri., Oct. 4, 7 Fri., Oct. 11, 7 Fri., Oct. 18, 7 Fri., Oct. 25, 7

Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Jr. Sr. So. So. Sr. So. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. So. Jr. So. Jr. So. So. So. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. So. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. So. So. Sr. Sr.

QB/DB TE/LB RB/LB RB/LB QB/DB WR/DB QB/DB WR/DB RB/DB RB/DB WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB RB/LB RB/DB RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB WR/LB RB/LB WR/LB TE/LB WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL TE/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL TE/LB WR/LB WR/DB

Schedule

Opponent 2018 Bureau Valley, at Erie 3-6 at Riverdale 2-7 at Sherrard* 2-7 Hall*, at Erie 7-4 at Kewanee* 2-7 Monmouth-Roseville* 9-3 Morrison, at P’town 2-7 at St. Bede* 4-5 Princeton*, at P’town 7-4

* TRAC Mississippi game

Homecoming: Week 4

Good Luck To All Area Teams!

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210 175 136 200 160 175 140 160 185 160 150 170 160 100 165 145 170 180 135 140 155 160 180 160 160 125 165 160 200 210 170 215 195 210 180 165 240 205 205 270 220 175 175 130

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SAUK VALLEY

daily GAZETTE TELEGRAPH www.rockriverag.com

• August 29, 2019

BV 28, Panthers 16 Rockridge 40, Panthers 8 Mon.-Rose. 37, Panthers 0 Panthers 17, St. Bede 16 Kewanee 19, Panthers 14 Princeton 43, Panthers 0 Sherrard 28, Panthers 6 Hall 49, Panthers 0 Fulton 40, Panthers 13

Roster

Returning starters in bold 2 Eric Robinson 6-4 3 Brady Abell 6-2 4 Trevor Cobo 6-0 5 Hunter Olesen 6-2 6 Jaime Miner 5-9 7 Damion Thompson 5-8 8 Kolby Franks 6-0 10 Mike Biba 5-10 12 Ross Purvis 5-8 15 Mason Misfeldt 5-11 16 Zak Jensen 5-11 18 Jakob Grunder 6-0 20 Chase Foree 5-7 21 Damon Wiemken 5-4 22 Connor Sibley 6-0 23 Carson Wiebenga 6-0 24 Gunnar Wuebben 5-10 25 Hunter Woodworth 6-2 31 Braxton Froeliger 5-10 33 Gaige Gehrking 5-10 34 Robert Munther 5-8 39 Corey Barnes Jr. 5-9 42 Cameron Stout 6-2 44 Tommy Fajardo 6-0 47 Jacob Johnson 5-11 49 Peyton Ivey 5-7 50 Logan Wheeler 5-7 51 Nate Beckner 5-4 52 Nick Ballard 6-3 54 Mack Foy 5-11 55 Dean Otten 6-0 58 Gabe Bohms 6-0 60 Brady Ballard 5-9 62 Brody Naftzger 6-2 64 Jacob Otten 5-10 65 Connor Poff 6-1 67 Max Jones 6-3 71 Blake Misfeldt 6-0 77 Colin Rosenow 6-1 78 Elijah Friedrichsen 6-3 79 Jaeson Gaylord 6-1 80 Tucker Jepson 5-10 81 Levi Cole 6-2 89 Logan Johnson 6-1

27

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Erie-P’town

Conference: TRAC Mississippi Enrollment: 440 Projected class: 3A

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

28

Preseason All-Area Team Sauk Valley Media picks 24 players to watch this fall Portraits by Alex T. Paschal & Michael Krabbenhoeft Nate Ahlers

Keegan Anderson

Nate Beyer

Ben Blackburn

Newman • Sr. • QB/K

Morrison • Sr. • RB/DB

Sterling • Sr. • OL/DL

Rock Falls • Jr. • OL/DL

Hunter Buser

Zachary Crandall

Eli Dertz

Junior Farnham

Newman • Sr. • OL/DL

Oregon • Sr. • RB/LB

EPC • Sr. • OL/DL

Sterling • So. • OL/DL

Braeden Heeren

James Macklin

Connor McBride

Marcus McKenna

EPC • Sr. • RB/LB

Bureau Valley • Sr. • RB/LB

Newman • Sr. • RB/CB

Milledgeville • Sr. • RB/CB

Sauk Valley Media picks 24 players to watch this fall Portraits by Alex T. Paschal & Michael Krabbenhoeft Tucker Mumford

Aidan Munoz-Ripley

Kyle Musselman

Oregon • Sr. • RB/DL

Polo • Sr. • QB

Sterling • Sr. • OL/DL

Rock Falls • Sr. • TE/DE

Kyler Pessman

Michael Popkin

Aidan Schmall

Jacob Shafer

Fulton • Jr. • RB/LB

West Carroll • Sr. • WR/CB

Dixon • Sr. • LB

Dixon • Sr. • QB

Bryson Sturtevant

Matt Thompson

Cooper Willman

Marcus Winn

EPC • Sr. • OL/DL

AFC • Jr. • FB/LB

Sterling • Sr. • QB

Amboy • Sr. • WR

• August 29, 2019

Garret Moser

29

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Preseason All-Area Team

Fulton

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

30

Team Notebook

Head Coach

Patrick Lower • 13th season at Fulton • 58-58 (.500) • 5 playoff appearances

1 2 4 5 6 7 8 10 12 13 17 19 21 22 23 24 30 33 34 42 43 45 51 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 63 66 68 69 74 75 79

What Steamer will have a breakout year: Ethan Rash will have a great season. He’s a strong little man, knows how to play and get through the hole.

2018 Results

Points scored: 212 Points scored avg.: 21.2 Points allowed: 256 Points allowed avg.: 25.6 Playoff teams faced: 5 At home: 2-2 On road: 2-3 Neutral site: 1-0

Returning starters in bold

Toughest player to play against: Nick Eddinger, Newman, he knew how to play his game. He was tough, knew how to hit hard, and knew what he was supposed to do.

2018

2018 By Numbers

Roster

Nate Portz chats about the Steamers

• 5-5 overall • 4-2 Three Rivers Rock (3rd place)

St. Bede 27, Steamers 20 Mon.-Rose. 33, Steamers 16 Steamers 20, BV 12 Steamers 35, Rockridge 6 Steamers 14, Morrison 12 Orion 44, Steamers 7 Steamers 26, Riverdale 6 Newman 47, Steamers 12 Steamers 40, Erie-P’town 13 1A playoffs Milledgeville 56, Steamers 12

Conference: Three Rivers Rock Enrollment: 292.50 Projected class: 2A

Favorite Coach saying: “Do your job so you don’t have to do it again.”

14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Steamers Win Report 9-3

•• 3-6

•• 6-4

5-5

• 4-5

3-6

• 2-7

• 4-5

•

•

•• 5-4

4-5

6-4

• •

7-4

•

• 5-5

4-5

2-7

’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18

2018 Stat Leaders

Rushing

Att. Yds TD Ethan Rash 158 583 9 Kyler Pessman 88 442 4 Max Lemke 58 371 8 Kevin Arnold 39 177 1 Nick McQuistion 25 148 0 Travis Hill 12 85 1 Larson Barnett 1 12 0 Kyle Schipper 2 3 0

Max Lemke

Passing C-A-I Yds TD 60-11-5 754 7

Receiving

Rec. Nick McQuistion 26 Kyler Pessman 14 Kyle Schipper 6 Anthony Miller 5

Yds TD 360 2 179 0 52 2 58 0

Brock Mason Connor Barnett Eathan Long Jake Pannell Patrick Lower Jacob Jones Tristan Toppert Hunter Gossard Ryan Snyder Michael Apostolos Davis Ludin Logan Graham Noah Ford Bradlee Damhoff Will Conner Zach Dykstra Kraig Schipper Ethan Rash Kyler Pessman Keegan VanKampen Clayton Howard Josh Huizenga Xander Walling Joey Huizenga Alex Brown Kole Schipper Cameron Glazier Max Pannell Trae VanZuiden Evan Bly Connor Howard Nate Portz Konner Correll Jakob North Dylan Bridgeman Spencer Moore Kaleb Schipper

Schedule

Game time Fri., Aug. 30, 7 Fri., Sept. 6, 7 Fri., Sept. 13, 7 Fri., Sept. 20, 7 Fri., Sept. 27, 7 Fri., Oct. 4, 7 Fri., Oct. 11, 7 Fri., Oct. 18, 7 Sat., Oct. 26, noon

Opponent at Princeton St. Bede Bureau Valley* at Morrison* Rockridge* at Orion* Riverdale* at Hall at Newman*

6-0 6-2 5-10 6-0 6-1 6-1 5-11 6-0 5-11 5-10 5-7 5-11 5-10 6-5 6-0 5-9 6-4 5-7 6-2 6-2 5-10 6-0 5-7 6-1 5-10 6-2 5-8 5-9 6-4 6-0 5-11 5-11 6-0 6-3 6-4 6-0 5-11

170 160 155 180 145 150 155 155 165 150 125 140 140 190 175 145 180 180 180 190 160 190 165 190 140 185 145 230 265 210 170 265 215 240 280 220 210

2018 7-4 4-5 3-6 2-7 7-4 11-1 2-7 7-4 10-2

So. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. So. So. So. So. So. Jr. Sr. So. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr.

E/DB QB/DB E/DB RB/DB QB/DB RB/LB E/DB E/DB E/DB E/DB RB/DB E/DB E/DB E/DL E/LB E/LB E/DL RB/LB RB/LB RB/LB RB/LB E/DL OL/DL OL/DL E/DB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL

* TRAC Rock game Homecoming: Week 5 Radio: 1390 AM

Call Classifieds at

815-625-3600 to announce Birthdays and graduations in Celebrations!

Team Notebook

Head Coach

2018

• 10-1 overall • 7-0 NUIC Upstate (1st place)

Toughest place to play: Stockton. They’re very passionate about football up there.

Their fans are really into it.

Missiles 36, Amboy 7 Missiles 26, Polo 8 Missiles 34, Stockton 8 Missiles 61, Blue Ridge 0 Missiles 20, Orangeville 14 Missiles 46, Warren 6 Missiles 46, AFC 6 Missiles 54, River Ridge 14 Missiles 36, Aquin 28 1A playoffs Missiles 56, Fulton 22 Forreston 22, Missiles 20

Best looking uniforms & helmets: Stockton. I like their color pattern.

14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Missiles Win Report 12-1

•

•

8-3

• • • 4-5

1-8

4-5

• 2-7

Rushing

Att. Yds TD Carson Boyer 96 1,115 21 Cayde Gusloff 129 689 11 Nate Rahn 84 683 13 Jack Munz 45 296 4 Ryan Kendall 10 112 3 Damon Miller 17 80 1 Christian Toms-Smith 8 55 1 Ashton Nobis 7 21 0

••• 0-9

0-9

Jack Munz Nate Rahn

Receiving

Rec. Carson Boyer 10 Nate Rahn 9 Grant Schurman 4

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3-6

Passing C-A-I Yds TD 29-57-3 408 3 1-2-1 35 0

BUILDING REMODELING

444 N. Main Ave.•Milledgeville, IL

••

1-8

•• 4-5

•

•

8-3

5-5

3-6

’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18

2018 Stat Leaders

CK GOOD LUS! MISSILE

10-1

Mon-Fri 7-5, Sat 7-3

Yds TD 141 1 85 0 136 1

Game time Fri., Aug. 30, 7 Fri., Sept. 6, 7 Fri., Sept. 13, 7 Fri., Sept. 20, 7 Fri., Sept. 27, 7 Fri., Oct. 4, 7 Fri., Oct. 11, 7 Fri., Oct. 18, 7 Fri., Oct. 25, 7

4 6 9 11 14 16 24 33 36 40 46 48 52 55 64 66 68 70 73 74 75 76 82 89

Ryan Kendall Izaac Toms-Smith Nicholas Smith Ashton Nobis Marcus McKenna Payton Sarber Connor Eubanks Andrew Lapp Kacen Johnson Dimetri Garza Bryce Aude Damon Miller Chase Sarber Tyson Helfrich Logan Meiners Daniel Lohnes Hunter Gallentine Brandon Eye Maxwell Phillips Dawson Hook Blake Schurman Nathan Stong Gage Wilk Kolton Wilk

6-1 5-7 6-0 5-8 5-11 5-7 5-5 5-5 5-9 5-8 5-7 5-9 5-6 5-11 5-8 5-11 5-5 6-0 5-7 5-9 5-11 5-10 6-0 5-7

180 145 160 140 185 140 125 120 125 130 115 180 170 190 215 160 180 240 180 250 260 210 165 140

Jr. So. Jr. So. Sr. So. Sr. So. Fr. So. Fr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. Sr. So. Jr. So. Fr.

RB/LB TE/DL QB/LB RB/DL RB/CB RB/CB RB/CB RB/LB RB/CB RB/LB RB/CB RB/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB TE/LB

Did You Know?

• The Missiles were eliminated from the playoffs by eventual state champions the past two seasons.

Lena-Winslow won state in 2017, while fellow NUIC member Forreston achieved that feat in 2018.

Schedule

M

Opponent 2018 at Stockton 7-3 East Dubuque 3-6 Aquin* 4-5 at Eastland-P.C.* 12-1 Forreston* 12-2 AFC* 0-9 at West Carroll* 3-6 at Amboy-LaMoille* 3-6 Orangeville 5-5

* NUIC South game Homecoming: Week 5 Radio: 100.3 FM (Wks. 1, 4, 7)

Go Missiles!

451 N. Main Ave., Milledgeville 815.225.7171 • www.milledgevillebank.com

• August 29, 2019

Best pregame hype song: Mercy, by Kanye West.

Points scored: 435 Points scored avg.: 39.5 Points allowed: 135 Points allowed avg.: 12.3 Playoff teams faced: 5 At home: 5-1 On road: 5-0

Returning starters in bold

Best player in the area: Isaiah Bruce of Lena-Winslow. He’s just a freak. He’s very large and quick, which makes him very dangerous out on the field.

2018 Results

2018 By Numbers

Roster

Nick Smith chats about the Missiles

SM-ST1692981

Jason Wroble • 11th season at M’ville • 36-59 (.379) • 3 playoff appearances

31

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Milledgeville

Conference: NUIC South Enrollment: 167 Projected class: 1A

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

32 NEW BEGINNINGS | SPOTLIGHT ON MILLEDGEVILLE MISSILES

Trying to recapture some magic New core of Missiles learned from last season, want to keep building program

BY BRIAN WEIDMAN bweidman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5551 @BrianWeidman

​Every once in a while, a high school football team captures the imagination of its town.

That happened in Milledgeville in 2018. A group of seniors had stuck together through some rough times, playing varsity ball as underclassmen and taking some lumps in the rugged NUIC. A narrow first-round playoff loss to a then-undefeated Ottawa Marquette club and a 5-5 record in 2016 only heightened long-range expectations.

In 2017, the Missiles took another step forward. They won a playoff game against Abingdon-Avon before falling to eventual state champion Lena-Winslow in the second round of the 1A playoffs to wind up with an 8-3 record. The core of the team, however, consisted of juniors.

By 2018, the Missiles were ready for takeoff.

Through 10 games, they were 10-0 and had outscored opponents 415-113. Only two games, against Orangeville and Aquin, were decided by as little as a touchdown.

Milledgeville had its bubble burst in the second round of the playoffs by eventual state champion Forreston, but the 2018 club will still be recognized as one of the top teams in school history.

Now the question is what can the 2019 team do for an encore?

If the Missiles are to have some success, it will be with a new cast of characters. There are just four seniors on the team, and two of them – running back/cornerback Marcus McKenna and lineman Brandon Eye – are the lone fulltime returning starters.

Juniors Damon Miller and Ryan Kendall were part-time starters a year ago. But it will be McKenna and Eye who take over a leadership role for the 2019 Missiles.

“Marcus is really good in the weight room and being more vocal on the field,” Eye said. “He was telling us every day, ‘Get in here. We’ve got to lift to get bigger. We’ve got to make a statement this year. A lot of people are counting us out and saying we’re not as big and you don’t have the talent.’

“It was our job to be as prepared as possible this offseason, and I feel we did that.”

Eye noted the team had 3 mandatory lifting days a week during the summer. Some players were in the room pumping iron 5 days a week, and the really hard-core trainers were in for two sessions on some lifting days.

That work ethic did not go unnoticed by 11th-year head coach Jason Wroble, who was Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com hoping his current team would prepare like last Milledgeville runs through an offensive play during practice last week. Despite losing almost all year’s. of their starters to graduation, the Missiles are hoping a new group of players can step in and MAGIC continued on 334 pick up where last year’s team left off.

NEW BEGINNINGS | SPOTLIGHT ON MILLEDGEVILLE MISSILES 33

MAGIC

CONTINUED FROM 32

t

• August 29, 2019

“I keep telling the guys, ‘They were an excellent example of what you guys need to be.

They were excellent leaders, but now it’s your turn to take that on,’” Wroble said. “I try not to reference last year too much, because I don’t want them living in that shadow. I want them to be on their own and realize that they’re not last year’s team. They have to be who they are.

“I think we have some kids who are nervous about that role, but we also have some kids who are ready to step up.”

Even with a lack of seniors, the Missiles’ cupboard is not bare. A host of juniors saw playing time in routs last season, so they won’t be coming into the season totally blind about competing at the varsity level.

Miller was one of those players who worked his way into the lineup toward the end of the season, though a broken wrist cut his season short. He’s healthy now, and eager to show what he and his classmates can do this season – and beyond.

“There’s still enough talent,” Miller said.

“I think we’ll be all right. We’ve got different goals than last year, obviously. We’re kind of rebuilding, getting ready for next year, but there’s plenty of people that will be back next year. This is a lot like 2 years ago with the other team. A lot of us will be back next year.”

Wroble has to handle practices with kid gloves, so to speak, as he has just 24 players to work with. Hitting is limited, because losing players to injury in practice would be devastating. There are only a few substitutes for scrimmages.

“Our numbers aren’t great,” Wroble said.

“We’ve been struggling with that on and off now for 10 years or so, but a lot of schools are.

The kids that were here, they were around all summer working out. They came to summer practices and team camp. We have one of the more inexperienced teams we’ve had in the last 4 or 5 years. There’s a lot of new faces, so we’ve got a lot of growing up to do, but the kids have bought in and are eager to show what they can do.”

In the rejiggered NUIC, now divided by geography instead of enrollment, Milledgeville has five repeat opponents (Amboy-LaMoille, Stockton, Orangeville, AFC and Aquin) on its schedule, as well as games against East Dubuque, Eastland-Pearl City, Forreston and West Carroll.

On paper, it’s a tougher slate for the Missiles in 2019. Running the table is unlikely, but anything is possible, according to Miller.

“It’s a lot different this year,” Miller said.

“We’re not expected to be 9-0 and do all these great things. No one really knows what’s going to come from us. We’ve got nothing to lose. We just work hard and see what happens.”

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Coach wants 2019 Missiles to be themselves

Earleen Hinton/Shaw Media

Milledgeville’s Marcus McKenna (left) and Grant Schurman watch as Forreston celebrates on Floyd Daub Field after the Cardinals won their second-round playoff game last season. McKenna is one of only two full-time starters back for the Missiles this season, and has stepped up as a leader during the offseason training program.

Morrison Ryan Oetting • 2nd season at Morrison • 2-7 (.222) • 0 playoff appearances

2018

• 2-7 overall • 0-6 Three Rivers Rock (tied for 7th place)

2018 Results Mustangs 14, Sherrard 6 Hall 41, Mustangs 0 Mustangs 18, Kewanee 0 Newman 55, Mustangs 8 Fulton 14, Mustangs 12 Riverdale 9, Mustangs 7 Orion 49, Mustangs 13 Rockridge 37, Mustangs 25 BV 14, Mustangs 7

2018 By Numbers

Points scored: 104 Points scored avg.: 11.6 Points allowed: 225 Points allowed avg.: 25.0 Playoff teams faced: 5 At home: 1-3 On road: 1-4

Conference: Three Rivers Rock Enrollment: 270 Projected class: 2A

Team Notebook

Head Coach

Roster

Kolten Sage chats about the Mustangs

Returning starters in bold

Best pregame hype song: There’s a lot of those. ‘Hell’s Bells,’ that’s a good one.

2 TC Ottens 4 Alex Anderson 6 Keegan Anderson 8 Jevin Smith 9 Nick Allen 12 Koda Staples 13 Brenden Stearns 15 Nathan Mickley 16 Nathan Helms 20 Kolten Sage 21 Brayden Swaim 23 Hunter Newman 24 Evan Wiebenga 32 Kayden White 33 Ryan Kennedy 34 Thomas Dauphin 39 Isaak Shetler 41 Riley Wilkens 44 Brhenan Linke 51 Cooper Darby 52 Tyson Smith 55 Braxton Houzenga 56 Owen Hayenga 58 Aaron Wolf 59 Nathan Schaefer 60 Collin Roberts 61 Eric Jackson 66 Justice Brainerd 67 Thomas Schlafer 70 Aaron Freeman 71 Carver Findley 73 Tyler Schambaugh 75 Beau Brackemeyer 81 Gauge Richmond 88 Trey Strating

Best looking uniforms: Kewanee’s look pretty nice. I think they just got new ones.

Favorite Coach Oetting saying: “Try not to suck” What Mustang will have a breakout season: Riley Wilkens. He just went through hell [in basic training], and he’s a lot stronger and way more fit.

14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Mustangs Win Report

•

• 8-3

••

11-2 11-1

•

14-0

•

•

•

13-1

10-2

8-3

• 6-4

5-5

•• 1-8

2-7

•••• 4-5

3-6

3-6

2-7

’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18

2018 Stat Leaders

Rushing

Att. Yds TD Keegan Anderson 53 288 3 Riley Wilkens 75 268 1 Brandon Zigler 42 238 1 Jevin Smith 31 66 0 Nick Allen 13 52 0 Jake Schlegel 18 34 0 Nathan Mickley 11 32 0 John Winkleman 1 32 0

Passing

C-A-I Yds TD Nate Helms 35-63-2 420 5 Jake Schlegel 19-42-1 159 3 Receiving

Rec. Yds TD Keegan Anderson 14 271 3 Jarrett Wiebenga 11 118 2 Ryan Kennedy 6 41 0 Nick Allen 6 25 0

GOING ON VACATION? Keep in touch with the news of the Sauk Valley

6-7 175 Jr. E/LB 5-9 155 So. RB/DB 6-1 180 Sr. RB/DB 5-7 165 Sr. RB/LB 5-6 140 Sr. RB/DB 6-0 140 So. E/DB 6-1 175 Sr. E/DB 6-1 185 Sr. RB/LB 6-1 160 Jr. QB/DB 6-2 190 Sr. E/LB 5-8 160 So. E/LB 6-0 165 So. QB/DB 5-9 155 Sr. RB/LB 5-11 170 So. RB/LB 5-9 155 Sr. RB/LB 6-0 170 Sr. E/DB 6-1 170 Sr. RB/LB 6-2 185 Sr. RB/DL 5-8 155 Jr. RB/LB 5-11 215 Sr. OL/DL 6-2 205 Jr. OL/DL 5-8 165 So. OL/LB 5-10 160 So. OL/DL 5-11 185 Jr. OL/LB 6-2 205 So. OL/DL 6-1 210 Sr. OL/DL 6-3 185 Sr. OL/DL 6-1 185 So. OL/DL 6-2 285 So. OL/DL 6-0 175 So. OL/DL 5-9 170 So. OL/DL 6-2 290 So. OL/DL 6-3 230 So. OL/DL 5-10 160 Jr. E/LB 6-1 160 So. E/LB

Schedule

Game time Fri., Aug. 30, 7 Fri., Sept. 6, 7 Fri., Sept. 13, 7 Fri., Sept. 20, 7 Sat., Sept. 28, 7 Fri., Oct. 4, 7 Fri., Oct. 11, 7 Fri., Oct. 18, 7 Fri., Oct. 25, 7

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Opponent 2018 at St. Bede 4-5 Sherrard 2-7 at Riverdale* 2-7 Fulton* 5-5 at Newman* 10-2 Bureau Valley* 3-6 at Erie-Prophetstown 1-8 at Rockridge* 7-4 Orion* 11-1

* TRAC Rock game Homecoming: Week 6

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| FOOTBALL 2019

34

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Team Notebook

Head Coach

Brandon Kreczmer • 1st season at Newman • 0-0 (.000) • 0 playoff appearances

2018

• 10-2 overall • 5-1 Three Rivers Rock (2nd place)

2018 Results

2018 By Numbers

Points scored: 517 Points scored avg.: 43.1 Points allowed: 116 Points allowed avg.: 9.7 Playoff teams faced: 8 At home: 5-2 On road: 5-0

Riley Wescott chats about the Comets

Returning starters in bold

Best player in the area: Morrison’s Keegan Anderson. He’s just an allaround good athlete, a track star, and he’s going to be a good threat to us this season.

Toughest place to play: Orion. They beat us last year, but without [Iowa freshman] Logan Lee, I’m pretty sure we’ll be good this year.

Best pregame hype song: All Me, by Drake. It always gets us hyped.

Comets Win Report

•

•

14 13 12 11 13-1 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

11 12 13 14 17 20 21 22 23 24 25 30 33 50 51 54 55 61 70 71 74 75 76 77 84

• 9-2

14-0

•

••• 8-3

8-3

•

•••

12-1

10-2

8-4

11-1

•••

11-1

13-1

•

12-1

Brycen Bartel

Passing C-A-I Yds TD 19-50-3 315 3

Receiving

Rec. Yds TD Luke Olson 6 58 1 Andrew Wilson 4 88 0 Connor McBride 4 75 2 Colin Roberts 3 68 1

Good Luck Newman Comets!

Dixon Glass C O M P A N Y

414 W. 1st St., Dixon 815-288-3000

180 210 175 185 230 200 160 145 170 185 175 180 195 250 230 185 235 230 230 220 235 225 250 285 160

Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr.

Back Back Back End Back End Back Back Back Back End Back End Line Line Line Line Line Line Line Line Line Line Line End

Did You Know?

• Mike Papoccia won 340 games in 39 seasons guiding the Comets. It is a total surpassed by just three coaches: Ken Leonard (Gridley; Sacred Heart-Griffin), Frank Lenti (Mt. Carmel) and Rich Zinanni (McNamara).

’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18

Rushing

Att. Yds TD Luke Olson 102 1,032 16 Connor McBride 109 982 16 Chase Graham 61 574 12 Brody Ivey 82 536 7 Brycen Bartel 39 318 7 Dylan Schmall 36 165 6 Nick Clevenger 16 89 0 Kade Decker 5 74 1

5-10 6-2 6-0 6-1 6-4 6-2 6-0 5-5 5-11 5-11 6-2 6-0 5-8 6-2 6-2 6-1 6-0 6-0 5-10 6-0 5-10 6-1 5-11 6-5 5-8

10-2

9-2

6-4

2018 Stat Leaders

Andrew Velasquez Kye O’Brien Nate Ahlers Brett Newman Andrew Wilson Devin Lorenzen Connor McBride Brady Partington Jacob Ackman Brady Stevens Kade Decker Ethan Van Landuit Jose Luna Nolan Vesley Mason Berge Nate Neubauer John Simpson Lake Moore Daniel Feltes Ryan Waldschmidt Riley Wescott Hunter Buser Jack Bontjes Jaxson Schabacker Jacob Kolb

Schedule

Game time Fri., Aug. 30, 7 Sat., Sept. 7, 7 Fri., Sept. 13, 7 Fri., Sept. 20, 7 Sat., Sept. 28, 7 Fri., Oct. 4, 7 Sat., Oct. 12, noon Fri., Oct. 18, 7 Sat., Oct. 26, noon

Opponent 2018 at Hall 7-4 Princeton 7-4 at Kewanee 2-7 at Bureau Valley* 3-6 Morrison* 2-7 at Rockridge* 7-4 Orion* 11-1 at Riverdale* 2-7 Fulton* 5-5

* TRAC Rock game

Homecoming: Week 7 Radio: 102.7 FM

• August 29, 2019

Comets 48, Kewanee 0 Comets 40, Princeton 0 Orion 20, Comets 17 Comets 55, Morrison 8 Comets 42, Rockridge 0 Comets 75, BV 14 Comets 27, Hall 0 Comets 47, Fulton 12 Comets 54, Riverdale 7 2A playoffs Comets 54, R. Christian 14 Comets 46, Illini West 14 GCMS 27, Comets 12

Roster

35

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Newman

Conference: Three Rivers Rock Enrollment: 374.55 Projected class: 2A/3A

NEW BEGINNINGS | SPOTLIGHT ON NEWMAN COMETS

| FOOTBALL 2019

Something’s missing at Newman

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

36

Legendary coach not overseeing Comets for first time in 4 decades

BY BRIAN WEIDMAN bweidman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5551 @BrianWeidman

It was business as usual at a recent Newman football practice.

On the east side of the practice field, the varsity went through a series of running plays, and worked in an occasional pass. It was a blur of blue and silver, crashing into each other, then helping each other up.

On the west side of the field, a coach chastised a fresh-soph player who seemed to be loafing a bit – a trend the coach wanted to nip in the bud right away at this early juncture of the season.

After practice, everybody gathered around the tree on the west side of the practice field. Coaches assessed that day’s practice, and stressed the need for consistent

improvement heading into the season opener on Aug. 30 at Hall.

Still, something was missing.

It was Mike Papoccia, who was nowhere to be found for the first time in more than 4 decades as Newman prepared for a new season.

“You get used to seeing his presence – the ‘Silver Fox,’ as some of us called him,” new head coach Brandon Kreczmer said. “He’s a legend, not just from football, but for what he’s done for the school. It’s definitely an adjustment for the coaches and the kids, but he’s welcome to come out here at any time.”

Papoccia resigned in December with a 340-99 record as head coach, five state championships, and 28 playoff appearances. His win total is surpassed by only three coaches: Ken Leonard, who was 379-75 at Gridley and Springfield Sacred-Heart Griffin; Frank Lenti,

who was 374-77 at Chicago Mt. Carmel; and Rich Zinanni, who was 353-140 at Kankakee McNamara.

Todd Messer played for Papoccia in the late 1980s and is currently Mike Papoccia in his second stint as Former an assistant coach. coach He noted there is just a different vibe to the Comets’ practices without Papoccia around.

“It’s different not having him out here,” Messer said. “Not having him on the field for 7-on-7s and then the coaches’ meetings, they were just different this year. I’d always look for him to be coming out in his [golf] cart. I still do that.”

Tim Nelson, a 1985 Newman graduate, was the defensive coordinator on many of the Comets’

finest teams. He has served as an assistant coach since 1990.

Nelson noted Newman football will still operate the same way in many respects, as the majority of the coaching staff remained intact, and other traditions such as the “Walk of Champions” on the first day of practice were held as well.

“You look around and you expect to have him there, and he’s not there,” Nelson said. “We’re doing a lot of the same same stuff because you don’t fix what’s not broken, but we’re tweaking it with what Brandon’s bringing to the table – newer drills, a few changes.

“It is weird, because sometimes I’ll see him over at his house and I’ll be like, ‘OK, come on over.’ He doesn’t see me. It’s just different because he was such a figure on the field. He was always there.”

MISSING continued on 374

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First-year Newman head coach Brandon Kreczmer (left) has said that Hall of Fame coach Mike Papoccia (right) is welcome at practices for the Comets, but so far the man who ranks fourth on the IHSA all-time wins list has kept his distance in his first fall since retiring.

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Players, coaches miss Papoccia’s humor most

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Papoccia ran a tight ship with the Comets, but was not above joking around with his players a bit. Senior tight end/safety Andrew Wilson misses that side of his former head coach.

“When he’s in a good mood, he’s really funny, cracks a lot of jokes and just messes around with everyone,” Wilson said. “I miss that a lot.”

Papoccia is still the Newman Athletic Director, and was at the football team’s “Meet the Comets” festivities on Saturday. Thus far, however, he’s kept his distance when it comes to practice.

“I’d love to have him out here, but I can understand why he’s not coming out here,” Kreczmer said.

“I think he’s enjoying retirement.

Him and his wife [Mary] were able to celebrate their wedding anniversary by going to Galena for the first time in a long time. I think he’s Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com enjoying it.

Newman players work on blocking drills during the first day of football practice on Aug. 12 in Sterling. The “I think he misses being around drills and hard work are the same. but this is the first time in more than 40 years that Mike Papoccia hasn’t the coaches – well, maybe the been watching over the Comets’ practice. coaches, but definitely the kids.”

Oregon

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

38

Team Notebook

Head Coach

Nick Schneiderman • 3rd season at Oregon • 4-14 (.222) • 0 playoff appearances

2018

• 3-6 overall • 3-6 Big Northern (7th place)

2018 Results Hawks 27, R. Lutheran 21 G.-Kingston 35, Hawks 7 Dixon 27, Hawks 6 Byron 48, Hawks 0 Stillman 29, Hawks 7 Hawks 43, Rock Falls 12 Winnebago 27, Hawks 7 North Boone 26, Hawks 6 Hawks 32, Mendota 0

2018 By Numbers

Points scored: 135 Points scored avg.: 15.0 Points allowed: 245 Points allowed avg.: 27.20 Playoff teams faced: 5 At home: 2-3 On road: 1-3

Conference: Big Northern Enrollment: 430.50 Projected class: 3A

Roster

Ryker Finch chats about the Hawks

Returning starters in bold

Best player in the area: Byron’s Tyler Elsbury. He’s bigger, stronger and faster than people at his position.

Toughest place to play: Stillman Valley. They’ve got a wild student section.

Best student section: Stillman Valley. A lot of them show up, and they cheer loud.

Best pregame hype song: Love Sosa,

by Chief Keef.

Best looking uniforms & helmets: Rock Falls. I like the green.

14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

4 5 6 7 8 12 14 15 16 21 22 24 26 28 31 32 33 34 36 45 51 52 53 55 56 58 65 67 70 72 74 79 84 85

Hawks Win Report 12-1

•

•• 8-3

8-3

•• 3-6

7-4

••• 6-5

••

6-4

6-5

•

4-5

2-7

6-5

•• 3-6

2-7

1-8

•

• 3-6

’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18

2018 Stat Leaders

Rushing

Att. Yds TD Dalton Hermes 128 776 6 Zach Crandall 44 211 1 Jake Mennen 37 205 4 Carter Fruin 36 168 2 Jacob Milliman 13 103 2

Ryker Finch

Passing C-A-I Yds TD 9–51-8 111 2

Receiving

Rec. Yds TD Jacob Milliman 6 86 2 Dalton Hermes 1 13 0 Carter Fruin 1 3 0 Calvin Sullivan 1 3 0

Ryker Finch Jacob Milliman Nolan Thomas Andrew Herbst Breccan Berns Terrance Harris Wylee Rice Issac Reber Jacob Smith Daniel Dominguez Dre Smith Shaun Blake Gatlin Good Ethan George Jared Glendenning Garret Moser Brody Massolle Zachary Crandall Kainalu Barcai Kaden Wendt Trenten Bettner Jaden Hall Kaydin Reber Wayde Reimer Miguel Vazquez Kyle Strite Adam Glendenning Anjel Chavez Ricky Logan Jacob Davis Cody Bailey Colton Manser LeRoy Brooks Austin Ebert

Schedule

Game time Fri., Aug. 30, 7 Fri., Sept. 6, 7 Fri., Sept. 13, 7:15 Fri., Sept. 20, 7 Fri., Sept. 27, 7 Fri., Oct. 4, 7 Fri. Oct. 11, TBA Fri., Oct. 18, 7 Fri, Oct. 25, 7

6-4 5-7 6-3 5-7 5-11 5-9 5-11 6-2 5-11 6-0 5-10 5-6 6-0 5-9 5-10 5-8 6-4 6-1 6-0 5-10 5-8 6-4 5-10 5-11 5-9 5-11 6-1 6-0 6-1 6-1 6-1 6-6 5-10 6-1

205 125 175 145 170 145 180 185 160 180 155 125 180 140 140 205 185 210 180 150 185 225 215 180 215 215 205 260 255 255 250 305 145 180

Opponent 2018 Rockford Lutheran* 2-7 at Genoa-Kingston* 8-3 at Dixon* 6-4 Byron* 13-1 Stillman Valley* 7-4 at Rock Falls* 1-8 at Winnebago* 4-5 North Boone* 8-3 at Mendota* 0-9

Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. So. Jr. So. So. So. Jr. So. So. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. Jr. So. So. So. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. So. Jr. Jr. Jr.

* Big Northern game Homecoming: Week 4 Radio: 95.7 FM

Look for our weekly football pull out section every Saturday! publishers of

daily Gazette, Telegraph & Sauk Valley Weekend

QB/S WR/CB WR/DB WR/S QB/LB QB/CB RB/S RB/LB WR/LB RB/LB WR/CB WR/DB RB/LB WR/DB WR.LB RB/DL RB/LB RB/LB WR/LB WR/LB OL/DL OL/DL Ol/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL RB/LB WR/LB

Team Notebook

Head Coach

Jeff Bumsted • 4th season at Polo • 16-13 (.552) • 2 playoff appearances

2018

• 5-5 overall • 4-3 NUIC Upstate (tied for 3rd place)

2018 Results

2018 By Numbers

Points scored: 210 Points scored avg.: 21.0 Points allowed: 224 Points allowed avg.: 22.4 Playoff teams faced: 5 At home: 2-2 On road: 3-3

Alex Davies chats about the Marcos

Returning starters in bold

Toughest place to play: Princeville last year in our playoff game. We weren’t used to that long bus ride. The weather was not helpful at all.

1 3 7 8 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 18 20 22 23 24 25 27 28 31 32 35 42 52 54 58 61 67 68 72 75 79

Best student section: Forreston, they get pretty crazy.

Toughest player to play against: Half of EPC’s team last year

14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Marcos Win Report 11-1

•

•

•• • • 6-4

7-3

8-4

5-5

7-3

• 8-3

• 4-5

2-7

•• 4-5

1-8

•

•

••• 6-4

5-4

5-5

3-6

Isaac McBride Caleb Scott Ryelan Lindaas Tyler Merdian Jesse Powell Wyatt Queckboerner Logan Hudson Parker Wolber Brian Lopez Brody Glawe Tucker Mumford Weston Woodin Avery Grenoble Alex Davies Cayden Webster Cole Faivre Carson Jones Brady Wolber Braydon Altheer Jace Coffey Matthew Call Kahlil Sankey Waylon Harris Brady Clark Joey Bardell Devin Rucker Blake Diehl Daniel Engel Teburden Miller Julian Warczak Scott Prerost Cooper Blake

5-6 5-11 6-2 5-10 5-10 5-9 5-9 5-9 5-8 5-7 6-4 6-1 5-8 6-0 5-10 5-10 6-0 5-4 5-5 5-10 5-10 6-2 5-9 5-9 5-10 5-6 5-10 6-1 6-1 5-7 6-0 6-1

105 140 130 155 155 160 95 150 235 140 170 175 135 160 145 195 125 155 130 200 190 180 150 215 145 195 205 220 265 180 175 260

Jr. Sr. Fr. So. Jr. So. Fr. Jr. Fr. Sr. Sr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Jr. Fr. Fr. So. Sr. So. So. Fr. Jr. Jr. So. So. So. Fr. Jr. Sr. So.

’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18

Schedule

2018 Stat Leaders

Rushing

Att. Yds TD Tucker Mumford 106 550 8 Braiden Soltow 126 532 7 Brady Webb 34 224 5 Parker Wolber 11 55 0 Cole Faivre 10 20 0 Jace Coffey 8 15 0 Ethan Phillips 4 9 0 Jesse Powell 2 3 0

Passing

C-A-I Braiden Soltow 72-128-13 Receiving

Rec. Ethan Phillips 26 Tucker Mumford 21 Jace Coffey 15 Jesse Powell 3 Johnny Crumley 3

Yds TD 979 6 Yds TD 315 2 313 2 223 2 25 0 24 0

Game time Fri., Aug. 30, 6 Sat., Sept. 7, 2 Fri., Sept. 13, 7 Sat., Sept. 21, 1 Fri., Sept. 27, 7 Fri., Oct. 4, 7 Fri., Oct. 11, 7 Fri., Oct. 18, 7 Sat., Oct. 26, 2

Opponent 2018 Schlarman no team at Ill. School-Deaf 3-4 Bunker Hill 0-9 at West. Christian no team Metro-East Lutheran 0-6 at Alden-Hebron 6-4 Lake Forest Academy 6-1 River Ridge 4-5 at Pawnee 1-8

* All games 8-Man Homecoming: Week 7 Radio: 94.3 FM

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• August 29, 2019

Marcos 34, Orangeville 31 Milledgeville 26, Marcos 8 Marcos 49, Metro-East Lutheran 12 Marcos 28, Aquin 20 Marcos 28, Warren 14 River Ridge 6, Marcos 0 Stockton 20, Marcos 0 Marcos 42, AFC 18 EPC 42, Marcos 14 1A playoffs Princeville 35, Marcos 7

Roster

39

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Polo

Conference: 8-Man Enrollment: 172.50 Projected class: 8-Man

NEW BEGINNINGS | SPOTLIGHT ON POLO MARCOS

| FOOTBALL 2019

Fewer players, faster pace

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

40

Marcos excited about introducing area to 8-man football this fall

BY ERIC INGLES eingles@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5555 @Eric_Ingles

A new era has dawned in Polo, with the Marcos switching from 11-man football to the 8-man game this year. But for some of the players, 8-man is not an entirely new concept. Polo played 8-man football at the fresh/soph level last year, and even played 9-man football at times at the fresh/soph level 2 years ago due to low numbers.

“Really what’s changed for us is the field’s not as wide,” Polo senior quarterback Tucker Mumford said. “A lot of our plays have gotten skinnier because we have to adjust. Other than that, everyone’s coming out here with intensity.

We’re not acting like we have no clue what to do because, honestly, it hasn’t changed as much as people thought it would.”

Players in an 8-man game will still tackle, block, run and pass, just as they would on an 11-man field. But there are a few differences.

The field is 40 yards wide instead of 53 yards, 1 foot wide. In Illinois, as in several other states playing 8-man football, the field will still be 100 yards from goal line to goal line. Missouri, and several other states, use an 80-yard field in 8-man.

Games tend to be more high-scoring, but defenses aren’t completely helpless. Individual defensive players may be in a position where they have to make a play because there is no teammate backing them up.

“With fewer guys on the field, there’s a lot more open-field tackling,” Cole Faivre said. “We have to really work on being sure tacklers. You make one mistake or miss a read, that could be six points. In 11-man, there are three more guys on the field, a little more room for error.”

Teams can line up their defenses in a variety of ways, but the Marcos will run a base 4-2-2.

“Usually you have a free safety in 11-man; in 8-man, a lot of times no one has a free safety, so the middle of the field is wide open,” Polo coach Jeff Bumstead said. “Defensively, it’s harder to contain people, and that’s why you see the scores higher. There’s a lot of one-on-one matchups.”

In other states where 8-man is more established, scores that look like something from an up-tempo basketball game are not uncommon.

An 8-man game in Missouri in 2017 ended with a 102-0 final score. The highest score any team in Illinois put up last year was the 98 points Illinois School for the Deaf scored against the Wisconsin School for the Deaf. Milford-Cissna Park averaged 56.8 points per game and had a 78-34 win over Alden-Hebron in the regular season before beating them 66-14 in the state chamMichael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com pionship game. Judah Christian beat Rockford Polo senior quarterback Tucker Mumford will be facing fewer defensive players this fall as Christian Life in a 62-58 shootout. the Marcos embark on their first season of 8-man football, but the offense is still going to FEWER continued on 414 operate out of the I-formation, as it has done for the past few years.

NEW BEGINNINGS | SPOTLIGHT ON POLO MARCOS

41

New foes may be bigger change than new style

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

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• August 29, 2019

Offenses play with three linemen instead of five, and five players have to be on the line of scrimmage at the snap instead of seven.

Often, offenses in 8-man football have used a variation of the spread offense with one running back and three wide receivers, but Polo is going a different route.

“We’re going I [formation] and tight, but if I had to guess, I’d say spread [offense] is most efficient for other teams because with 8-man, most defenses lose a safety,” Mumford said.

“The middle of the field’s going to be open a lot. But we’re going to mix it up.”

Polo has used the power-I in years past. Now that will be a straightforward I-formation with fewer people on the field. The Marcos also plan to run double-tight, so even with three offensive linemen instead of five, it will be similar to a five-man O-line (though, of course, those tight ends can run passing routes).

“It changes my reads, and who I have to read on the secondary, too,” Mumford said.

The more wide-open field can lead to a more up-tempo brand of football.

“We have to condition a bit more because anybody and everybody is going to have a huge role,” Alex Davies said. “On a play, you Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com don’t have that 350-pound center that just While there will be fewer linemen to block at the line of scrimmage, Polo coach Jeff Bumsted snaps the ball and stands around all day. On (below, middle) still plans to keep a strong balance of run and pass in his offense this season. our team, I think we all might have to work a little bit harder. We can push our pace a little faster.”

On special teams, the return team has to have four players on the front line, and the kicking team can have no more than four players on one side of the kicker.

Perhaps the biggest change for Polo will be just in the teams the Marcos will be facing.

Gone are the typical NUIC foes like Milledgeville and AFC. There are 16 teams in Illinois suiting up in 8-man football this year, so Polo will be making road trips to Elgin, Jacksonville, Pawnee and Hebron. Danville Schlarman and Metro East Lutheran will themselves make long road trips to Polo this fall.

“We have no clue what they’re going to do, we don’t know their tendencies,” Mumford said. “I think the bus rides are going to be tougher on us, sitting on those buses for a few hours on those super-far away games, it’s going to be tough getting off the bus and having that energy.”

It will look a bit different, but Polo is adapting to it well.

“I love it,” Jace Coffey said. “At first, I was a little iffy. I didn’t know how it was going to be, and all the adjustments we were going to have to make. But I love it after seeing it. It’s a lot more exciting, a lot more fast-paced, a lot of things happen a lot quicker.”

NEW BEGINNINGS | SPOTLIGHT ON ROCK FALLS ROCKETS

| FOOTBALL 2019

Changing of the culture at RF

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

42

New coach has started rebuilding the Rockets from the ground up

BY BRIAN WEIDMAN bweidman@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5551 @BrianWeidman

First-year Rock Falls head coach Kevin Parker knows how a football powerhouse operates.

After all, he is a 1990 Geneseo graduate and played 4 years of football for the “Green Machine,” as the Maple Leafs are known. With a tough-to-stop Wing-T attack and stout defense that is taught when players are in grade school and fine-tuned in high school, Geneseo trots out good to great teams nearly every single year.

Parker was part of a rebuild at Orion, where he began coaching in 1997. The Chargers were a top-notch basketball school at the time, but football – not so much.

There wasn’t a culture of winning, not unlike the struggles the Rock Falls football program has been dealing with for decades. It’s a situation Parker is looking forward to turning around. “[Rock Falls has] great cultures in other sports that have been here for a long period of time,” Parker said. “That’s tough to change. When I walked into Orion in 1997, that was definitely there too. I remember when I walked into the weight room, there was one kid there. It was a basketball school. I think if you ask people out that direction now what type of school it is, you’d get a lot of people saying it was a football school.

“That was advantageous for me to go through those struggles. There are ups and downs every year. It’s about getting more kids to buy in.”

Parker came to Rock Falls on July 17, 15 days after the Rockets’ previous head coach, Steve Disler, announced he was leaving to teach in Andalusia and be the head football coach at Rockridge.

Parker quickly assembled a staff, met with returning players, and assessed strengths and weaknesses the best he could. The initial participation numbers for a school with an enrollment of 646 students – in the low 20s for the entire program – were very low.

In late July, football programs across the state hold week-long camps in which offenses and defenses are traditionally installed, so that when practices begin on Aug. 12, it’s less about conditioning and more about preparing for the first games on Aug. 30.

That wasn’t the case at Rock Falls.

“You’d like to call it a camp, but it wasn’t necessarily that,” Parker said. “It was just getting the basics in – blocking, tackling, getting steps right – we went back to the beginning. We’ve continued to grow, and as we get closer to Week 1, things SVM file photo have to speed up a little bit. We’re still in that A group of Rock Falls tacklers take down a Mendota ballcarrier during last season’s Week 8 mode. We still have a ways to go, and we have to game in Mendota. The Rockets picked up their only win of the season in that game, and take advantage of every minute that we have.” returning players like Izaih James (12) hope to form a strong foundation for the rebuild of the REBUILDING continued on 434 Rockets program under new head coach Kevin Parker.

NEW BEGINNINGS | SPOTLIGHT ON ROCK FALLS ROCKETS

43

Rockets looking for more offensive balance

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

REBUILDING

CONTINUED FROM B1

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• August 29, 2019

Parker noted things have been heading in the right direction.

He was able to hire one of his mentors from Orion, Bob Mitton, to be his defensive coordinator.

Also, the numbers have gotten much better.

By the beginning of practice, about 40 Rockets were on board, and more have been trickling in.

As of Aug. 20, there were nearly 50 players participating in practice.

Scheme-wise, Parker would not commit to what he plans to do with his club. He called the Wing-T attack he grew up with “a good base,” but also wants to be able to throw the ball.

“I think every program would like to be close to 50/50, if they can do that,” Parker said of a run/ pass split. “Again, you have to identify your skill set and your strengths every single year, and depending on what you have that year, you may have to change what you’re running. A goal would be to be able to run lots of different fronts, but that remains to be seen yet.”

Junior lineman Ben Blackburn likes what he’s seen in the preseason.

“Everybody’s been working a lot more together as a team,” Blackburn said. “We actually have been helping each other more than we’ve been bashing each other.

Before, we used to never have the type of motivation to want to help each other out as much as we are now. We’re working really hard as a team to put everything together and get ready for the next game against Genoa-Kingston.”

The Rockets are sure to have their hands full in the always-difficult Big Northern Conference, and Parker stressed to not put too much emphasis on wins and losses in 2019.

“We want to make sure that we are competing all of the time,” Parker said. “Wins and losses, those are awesome, but again, to establish the foundation that we work hard every single day, and Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com being willing to do what others aren’t, that’s what’s going to make New Rock Falls head coach Kevin Parker talks to the Rockets during the first day football practice on Aug. 12. Parker started by working on the basic fundmentals as soon as he arrived in mid-July, and the Rockets us better and catch up with are honing their skills and looking to speed things up as the season goes on. people.”

Rock Falls Kevin Parker • 1st season at Rock Falls • 0-0 (.000) • 0 playoff appearances

2018

• 1-8 overall • 1-8 Big Northern (9th place)

2018 Results G.-Kingston 41, Rockets 13 Dixon 65, Rockets 14 Byron 52, Rockets 6 Stillman 55, Rockets 38 Winnebago 51, Rockets 38 Oregon 43, Rockets 12 North Boone 49, Rockets 18 Rockets 34, Mendota 6 R. Lutheran 36, Rockets 20

2018 By Numbers

Points scored: 192 Points scored avg.: 21.3 Points allowed: 398 Points allowed avg.: 44.2 Playoff teams faced: 5 At home: 0-4 On road: 1-4

Returning starters in bold 1 Payton Short 6-0 3 Alan Carter 6-2 5 Logan Young 6-2 7 Evan Laws 6-1 10 Kamerin McGlown 5-7 10 Gavin Nelson 6-0 12 Izaih James 5-10 13 Reiley Dowd 5-10 15 Jonathan Davenport 6-1 20 Ty Hudson 6-0 21 Richard Reyes 5-11 23 Booker Cross 5-10 28 Calen Bull 5-8 28 Jordan Jones 5-10 28 Chris Moore 6-2 32 Marcus Mendoza 5-6 34 Michael Lage 5-9 40 Cameron Matajeka 5-10 42 Braxton Law 5-9 44 Noah Schueler 6-0 52 Khassid Thompson 6-2 54 Austin Cernich 5-1 55 Nolan Roberts 5-10 57 Blake LeFevre 6-0 60 Isaac Lee 5-6 62 Breyman Dile 6-2 71 Nathanial Ramirez 5-10 75 Tristan Shaw 5-11 75 Jacob Tuft 6-1 78 Lyden King 6-0 79 Ben Blackburn 6-1 80 Payton Smith 5-5 81 Kyle Musselman 6-4 82 Cyd Meiners 6-3 84 Max Parker 5-11 85 Landon Bennett 5-8 85 Joshua Woodard 6-0 88 Hayden Lee 6-2

Best player in the area: Isaac Stickler of Byron. He is a very, very good athlete, and very hard to take down.

Best pregame hype song: Till I Collapse,

by Eminem. The lyrics are all about fighting, keep going until your legs drop, and keep going till the lights go out.

Best student section: Winnebago.

When we went to Winnebago last year, I couldn’t even hear my quarterback’s cadence. They were so loud and so hyped. It was awesome.

14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Rockets Win Report

0-9

•

•••• 2-7

2-7

2-7

3-6

•

5-4

1-8

•• 0-9

• 3-6

3-6

1-8

••• 0-9

0-9

3-6

••

1-8

•

’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18

Rushing

Att. Yds TD Xzaviar Epps 110 444 5 Evan Laws 32 123 3 Nate Wiles 8 122 1 Austin Sandrock 16 101 0 Passing

C-A-I Yds TD Cade Nailor 71-137-8 988 9 Evan Laws 19-40-6 441 5

Receiving

Rec. Yds TD Keyon Wolber 21 515 8 Nate Wiles 18 284 2 Alec Akerman 16 262 3 Austin Sandrock 11 112 0 Dylan Leaf 10 135 0 Dominic Schick 5 7 0 Xzaviar Epps 4 32 0 Skylar Abell 1 19 1

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Roster

Ben Blackburn chats about the Rockets

2018 Stat Leaders

Angelo’s

Conference: Big Northern Enrollment: 646.50 Projected class: 4A

Team Notebook

Head Coach

SM-ST1692666

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

44

Game time Fri., Aug. 30, 7 Fri., Sept. 6, 7 Fri., Sept. 13, 7 Fri., Sept 20, 7 Fri., Sept. 27, 7 Fri., Oct. 4, 7 Fri. Oct. 11, 7 Fri., Oct. 18, 7 Fri. Oct. 25, 7

145 150 205 170 170 170 160 180 160 175 140 155 150 155 205 140 145 140 150 220 250 150 210 230 180 275 185 230 226 290 260 125 215 195 175 170 190 160

Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. So. So. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. So. Sr. Jr. So. Sr. Fr. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. Sr. So. Jr. So. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. So.

RB/DB TE/DB TE/LB QB/DB RB/DB QB/DB RB/DB RB/LB RB/DB RB/LB RB/DB RB/DB RB/LB QB/DB TE/DE RB/LB TE/DB RB/DB RB/DB RB/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DE OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL TE/DB TE/DE TE/DE RB/DB OL/DL TE/LB RB/DB

Schedule

Opponent 2018 at Genoa-Kingston* 8-3 Dixon* 6-4 at Byron* 13-1 at Stillman Valley* 7-4 Winnebago* 4-5 Oregon* 3-6 at North Boone* 8-3 Mendota* 0-9 Rockford Lutheran* 2-7

* Big Northern game

Homecoming: Week 8

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Team Notebook

Head Coach

Jon Schlemmer • 8th season at Sterling • 60-19 (.759) • 6 playoff appearances

2018

• 11-2 overall • 4-0 NIB-12 West (1st place)

2018 Results

2018 By Numbers

Points scored: 477 Points scored avg.: 36.7 Points allowed: 188 Points allowed avg.: 14.5 Playoff teams faced: 9 At home: 6-1 On road: 5-1

Nick Simester chats about the Warriors

Returning starters in bold 1 Adam Ogg 5-10 2 David Tessman 5-9 3 Nicolas Allison 5-11 4 Isiah Yarbrough 6-1 5 Gage Burrow 5-10 6 Dante Coppotelli 5-9 7 Luke Heffelfinger 5-8 8 Quintin Spaulding 6-2 9 Noel Aponte 5-10 10 Nick Simester 5-10 11 Tyree Kelly 6-1 12 Cooper Willman 6-0 13 Xavier Arreola 5-9 14 Michael Hanrahan 6-4 15 Carter Ryan 5-11 16 Drew Kested 5-9 17 Josh Olson 5-7 20 Adrian Herrera 5-7 21 Mauricio Garcia 5-9 23 Jahshawn Howard 5-9 26 Brennan Pierceson 6-1 30 Zarek Jenkins 6-1 38 Alex Knapper 5-9 42 Javon Criss 5-10 48 Isaiah Jiminez 6-2 53 Nathaniel Beyer 6-5 54 Esai Olalde 5-9 55 Cade Lyons 5-11 56 Ryan Heffelfinger 5-10 58 Jason Farnham 5-9 63 Adan Ramirez 5-11 64 Isaac Chumacero-Caudillo

5-8 65 Keith Port 6-0 66 Amarion Green 5-10 68 Xavier Cavazos 5-8 70 Alejandro Arellano 6-0 71 Micha Canady 6-3 72 Santiago Martinez 5-11 73 Damari Johnson 6-0 74 Gannon Fiorini 6-1 75 Cameron Beasley 6-2 76 Aidan Munoz-Ripley 6-2 77 Elias Moreno 6-1 79 D’Angelo Young 6-0 83 Trevon Jordan 6-5 90 Evan Adami 6-2

Breakout star: Our middle linebacker Zarek Jenkins, he’s doing great. He’s super strong in the weight room, super fast on the field, can’t wait to see him play.

Pregame playlist: We have a great playlist.

All the songs get us so hyped.

Best uniform: I’d say Moline has some pretty cool uniforms.

Toughest place to play: Last year, the toughest place to play was Rochelle.

14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Golden Warriors Win Report

•••

11-2

11-1

•

•• 9-1

7-3

9-3

•

•••• 9-2

8-3

8-3

9-2

6-4

12-1

•• 6-4

•• 7-4

8-3

5-4

’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18

Schedule

2018 Stat Leaders

Rushing

Att. Yds TD Negil Bruce 91 876 14 Cooper Willman 78 737 7 DJ Johnson 103 599 4 Marquez Williams 81 572 13 Xavier Arreola 50 200 1 Isaiah Ryan 15 162 5 Camden Bailey 51 113 3 Jashawn Howard 7 88 1

Passing

C-A-I Cooper Willman 50-70-2 Camden Bailey 44-73-2 Receiving

Rec. Weston Sisson 24 Alek Duran 20 Dylan Bryant 19 Luke Heffelfinger 7

Yds TD 771 9 483 4 Yds TD 485 6 235 3 172 0 109 1

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Jr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. Sr.

WR/DB RB/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/DB WR/LB WR/DB WR/LB QB/DB H/LB H/LB QB/DB RB/LB WR/DB WR/DB QB/LB WR/DB K WR/DB RB/DB H/LB RB/LB WR/LB WR/LB H/LB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL

220 Sr. OL/DL 220 Jr. OL/DL 250 Jr. OL/DL 240 Jr. OL/DL 205 So. OL/DL 285 Sr. OL/DL 225 Sr. OL/DL 235 Sr. OL/DL 190 Sr. OL/DL 290 Jr. OL/DL 275 Sr. OL/DL 325 Sr. OL/DL 315 Sr. OL/DL 235 Jr. H/DL 200 Jr. H/DL

Opponent 2018 Marengo 9-3 Pekin 4-5 Alleman* 5-5 at Geneseo* 4-5 Quincy* 7-3 at Rock Island* 5-5 Moline* 9-2 at United Township* 1-8 Galesburg* 1-8

Good Luck

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155 145 170 175 150 185 140 170 155 170 180 170 170 160 165 140 140 150 150 155 175 215 165 175 180 270 205 225 240 220 255

* Western Big 6 game

Homecoming: Week 7 Radio: 105.5 FM

• August 29, 2019

Warriors 48, Marengo 8 Warriors 49, Pekin 14 Warriors 42, Alleman 7 Warriors 42, Kaneland 24 Warriors 43, Geneseo 7 Warriors 42, Ottawa 0 Warriors 23, Rochelle 20 Warriors 49, LaSalle-Peru 12 Sycamore 35, Warriors 7 5A playoffs Warriors 49, Chi. Phoenix 0 Warriors 55, Chi. Brooks 12 Warriors 10, Boylan 7 Montini 42, Warriors 20

Roster

45

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Sterling

Conference: Western Big 6 Enrollment: 1,021 Projected class: 5A

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

46 NEW BEGINNINGS | SPOTLIGHT ON STERLING GOLDEN WARRIORS

Sterling primed for new league Golden Warriors ready to get first look at Western Big 6 foes in 2019

BY ERIC INGLES eingles@saukvalley.com 815-625-3600, ext. 5555 @Eric_Ingles

Sterling enters a new era this fall, joining a conference with a proud half-century of tradition.

The Golden Warriors find themselves with a new set of rivals, fighting for a conference title with some unfamiliar teams. Sterling coach Jon Schlemmer with be matching up with some coaches he has seen before, like Geneseo’s Larry Johnsen and Alleman’s Todd Depoorter, while also facing some new foes.

“We’re going to have to wait and see how that shakes out as far as who they are as coaches,” Schlemmer said. “They’re good guys.

They’re good coaches. It’s just program-wise how their programs are run. We can do everything we know we can do to prepare to have success on Friday nights.”

The Golden Warriors have been facing the Maple Leafs in conference play for years, and have had Alleman on the schedule in recent years in nonconference games.

Those will be Sterling’s first two conference matchups in the Western Big 6, but there are unfamiliar names like Moline and Rock Island looming later in the year.

The Warriors have not done too much yet to scout some of those teams.

“By the time we run into them later on in the meat of the season, we’ll have enough film on them to have a good idea of who they are this year,” Schlemmer said. “But you have a little familiarity with their style of offense and defense and what they hang their hat on.”

The Western Big 6 kept a stable membership of Rock Island, Moline, Alleman, United Township, Quincy and Galesburg for nearly half a century before the dominoes of conference realignment fell to make Geneseo, just a few miles from the Quad Cities, and Sterling, just a bit further up I-88, available.

“I’m very excited about Geneseo and Sterling,” Galesburg coach Michael Washabaugh said. “I have a great relationship with Coach Johnsen, and just getting to meet Coach Schlemmer last year at the

SVM file photo

Sterling’s Cooper Willman (12) pitches the ball to Marquez Williams during last season’s Week 5 game in Geneseo, as Dakota Cantu (73) and Nate Beyer (53) take care of their blocks. The Golden Warriors will continue their rivalry with the Maple Leafs, as both teams join the Western Big 6 this fall.

Western Big 6 meetings. Steeped in a rich tradition, guys that prepare their programs to be at the highest level and have done that, so very excited to start playing Sterling and to play Geneseo again, because they were a nonconference [game] last year.”

Here is a team-by-team look at Sterling’s new conference rivals, in the order they will face the Warriors: Alleman The Warriors open their conference slate against a team they faced in nonconfrence play last year, a 42-7 Sterling win.

That marked the start of a threegame losing streak for the Pioneers, who still rebounded to reach the playoffs.

Alleman has 23 postseason trips, including seven this decade, and has reached the state championship game five times, most recently in 2012.

Alleman has to find a replacement for Sam Mattecheck, the all-conference quarterback Sterling was able to hold in check last year when he completed 5 of 13 passes for 66 yards and was intercepted twice.

“Those 70-yarders that Sam used to run will be about 10-yarders now,” Depoorter said. “We have two kids competing at that position, and they’re going to do a great job for us.”

Geneseo The team the Warriors know better

than anyone, Sterling has won the last four meetings against the Maple Leafs, including last year’s 43-7 game at Bob Reade Field.

Colten Pischke and Mason Jones, who combined for 19 carries for 100 yards against Sterling last year, are both back. Isaiah Rivera, the star of the Leafs’ basketball team, is out for football this year.

However, with a lot of new faces and heading into a new conference, there are a lot of question marks.

“I don’t know what to expect right now,” Johnsen said. “It’s totally new. We’re still early on. We’re still evaluating players, and just trying to get better.”

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NEW BEGINNINGS | SPOTLIGHT ON STERLING GOLDEN WARRIORS 47

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CONTINUED FROM 46

t

• August 29, 2019

Quincy Quincy was an early powerhouse when the conference formed, winning the Western Big 6 title in 1971, ’73 and ’74, but had to wait until 2016 to win a fourth WB6 crown.

The Blue Devils reached the playoffs last year, losing 34-14 to Sacred Heart-Griffin in the first round.

That marked Quincy’s sixth postseason trip in a row, the longest active playoff streak in the conference.

The 2018 Blue Devils outscored teams 467-213, starting the year off with a 58-0 win over Chicago North Lawndale Charter and putting up 63 points three times, in wins over United Township, Alleman and Quincy Notre Dame.

Rock Island Ben Hammer’s Rocks went from 4-5 and just out of the playoffs in 2017 to 5-4 and just in last fall, losing in the first round to Oak Lawn Richards.

Rock Island games were often high-scoring affairs in 2018, as the Rocks were outscored 306-280 for the season in 10 games.

Historically, the Rocks have been the class of the league, with 17 titles (tied with Alleman for the most) and 10 outright championships. Rock Island was also the home of Vic Boblett, the former Geneseo coach who holds Western Big 6 records for wins (79) and conference titles (11) by a coach.

Hammer believes the 2019 squad is as athletic a team as he has had, but it is smaller up front.

“If there is a low point or a weakness, we are very young,” Hammer said. “Our senior class is small, but they’re coachable, they work hard, they play together, and we’re really excited about where our numbers are everywhere under our senior class.”

Moline The two-time defending champions had the most interesting offseason, when coach Mike Morrissey briefly resigned to take a coaching position closer to the Chicago suburbs, then wound up back with the Maroons 3 weeks later.

After losing 28-14 in Week 2 to Benet Academy last year, Moline

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Moline looking for third straight WB6 crown

Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com

Sterling’s DJ Johnson (6) and Alleman’s Anthony Dockery-Jackson reach for a fumble during the first quarter of their nonconference game during Week 3 last season at Roscoe Eades Stadium. The Golden Warriors have faced the Pioneers in each of the last two seasons, and will play them as conference foes this fall. went on an eight-game winning streak until falling in the second round of the playoffs to Batavia, 59-32.

The Maroons had two first-team all-conference picks on the offensive line last fall in Ben Duenas and Patrick Pray, as well as honorable mention offensive lineman Aboubacar Barry. All of them are back.

Also back is Harrison Bey-Buie, the running back who churned out 1,386 yards and 22 touchdowns for the Maroons.

“We’re excited about the kids that we’ve got coming back, not because they’re starters, but because they’re great kids,” Morrissey said. “The standard and the expectations they set for our football program set them apart from some of the other kids that have come before them.”

United Township Recent years have not been kind to UT, which went 1-8 last year and winless in Western Big 6 play. After a nonconference 14-12 win over

East Peoria Week 2, the Panthers were outscored 326-38 the rest of the way.

The Panthers last won a conference title in 1999, sharing the crown with Moline and Rock Island. They have won eight conference titles in the Western Big 6, but only two of those were outright titles, winning back-to-back in 1987 and ’88.

United Township last won a conference game in 2011, the 38-game conference losing steak setting a Western Big 6 record.

Nick Welch is in his first year at the helm at UT, and hopes to instill in the Panthers a physical style of play.

“We need to bring that effort, the attitude and the toughness that we see in the conference every Friday night,” Welch said. “And I look forward to instilling that in the kids with my coaching staff.”

Galesburg The Silver Streaks are trying to rebound from a 1-8 year, with

the one win being against United Township.

Galesburg struggled to get the offense going early, scoring seven, zero and eight points in the first three games. The offense was better the rest of the way, but the defense became more generous as well, culminating in a 60-27 loss to Granite City to close the season.

Washabaugh, feeling the team lacked some strength up front last year, has taken over working with the linemen this year, and there have been players shuffled around.

“Cain Johnson was our center last year, at 6-3, 270, he’s moving back out to tackle, his natural position,” Washabaugh said. “[He] kind of had to play there out of necessity last year just because of talent and numbers.”

The Silver Streaks also bring back David Vaynerman, an all-conference pick who was their leading receiver on offense and broke the school record for tackles on defense.

West Carroll

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

48

Team Notebook

Head Coach

Matt Leitzen • 5th season at W. Carroll • 19-20 (.487) • 2 playoff appearances

2018

• 3-6 overall • 2-6 NUIC Northwest (tied for 6th place)

2018 Results Le-Win 37, Thunder 8 Thunder 6, Du-Pec 0 Amboy 28, Thunder 26 Thunder 18, Stockton 12 Galena 10, Thunder 0 Dakota 34, Thunder 12 EPC 40, Thunder 12 Forreston 48, Thunder 6 Thunder 18, E. Dubuque 7

2018 By Numbers

Points scored: 106 Points scored avg.: 11.8 Points allowed: 216 Points allowed avg.: 24.0 Playoff teams faced: 5 At home: 1-4 On road: 2-2

Conference: NUIC South Enrollment: 340.50 Projected class: 2A

Roster

Kody Sipe chats about the Thunder

Returning starters in bold 1 2 4 6 7 11 12 14 20 21 27 33 34 38 42 50 51 55 59 64 66 72 73 76 77 78

Anything different at all this year from last year: It’s pretty much the same people and the same stuff. We just got bigger, faster and smarter.

Did you do anything new in the offseason to prepare for this season: I went to the Wartburg camp and did offseason workouts on my own.

Toughest place to play at: Dakota or Galena

14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Thunder Win Report

••• 6-5

1-8

•

5-5

5-5

••• 4-5

3-6

3-6

••• 2-7

3-6

3-6

1-8

•

•• 5-5

4-5

•

Rushing

Att. Yds TD Derek Tracy 115 490 6 Kody Sipe 79 280 3 Aiden Sullivan 33 150 1 Timothy Fosdick 19 69 0 Devin Davis 11 33 0 Passing

C-A-I Yds TD Derek Tracy 77-174-14 1,230 6

Receiving

Rec. Yds TD Michael Popkin 30 643 4 Timothy Fosdick 14 147 1 Colton Ballard 10 169 1 Grant Mangler 5 37 0 Carson Rice 4 60 0 Aiden Sullivan 4 57 0 Kody Sipe 3 37 0

5-11 5-10 6-2 5-8 6-0 5-9 5-9 6-2 5-9 5-10 5-6 5-10 5-10 5-8 5-7 5-10 5-9 5-7 5-4 5-8 5-6 6-1 6-4 6-1 6-0 5-10

145 150 190 130 180 135 135 180 140 170 175 195 140 195 160 190 180 200 200 220 185 250 325 180 190 300

Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. So. So. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. Jr.

WR/DB WR/DB QB/S FB/LB TE/DE WR/DB WR/CB WR/CB RB/CB WR/LB RB/DT FB/LB RB/LB RB/LB WR/DB OG/LB OG/DT OG/DT OG/DT OT/DT OG/DT OT/DT OT/NG TE/DE OT/DT C/NG

Did You Know?

7-4

•

• This season is the 15th year of the West Carroll football program. It began as a co-op with Savanna and Mount Carroll in 2004 before the school district formed in 2005.

3-6

’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18

2018 Stat Leaders

Colton Ballard Jackson Miller Derek Tracy Tommie Falk Kelden McCombie Ashton St. Ores Ian McCombie Michael Popkin Desmond Simpson Aiden Sullivan Kody Sipe Devin Davis David Young Camren Simpson Carson Rice Zach King Thomas Johnson Jorge Rodriguez Angel Esquival Brad Tuftee Haiden Bates Brady Handel Tashan Smith Ashton Miller John McCombie Alex Mull

Game time Fri., Aug. 30, 7 Fri., Sept. 6, 7 Fri., Sept. 13, 7 Fri., Sept. 20, 7 Fri., Sept. 27, 7 Fri., Oct. 4, 7 Fri., Oct. 11, 7 Fri., Oct. 18, 7 Fri., Oct. 25, 7

Schedule

Opponent 2018 at Galena 2-7 Dakota 8-4 Eastland-Pearl City* 12-1 at Amboy-LaMoille* 3-6 AFC* 0-9 at Forreston* 12-2 Milledgeville* 10-1 at Durand-Pecatonica 3-6 at Aquin* 4-5

* NUIC Southgame Homecoming: Week 5 Radio: 100.3 FM (Wks. 2, 3, 7, 9)

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Wall of Fame

49

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

SVM Players & Coaches of the Year 2018 Player: Isaiah Ryan, Sterling sr. LB Coach: Jason Wroble, Milledgeville

2017

• August 29, 2019

Co-Players of the Year: Arthur Cox (Dixon sr. RB) & Nyrel Sullivan (Sterling sr. RB) Coach: Mike Papoccia, Newman

2016 Player of the Year: Arthur Cox, Dixon jr. RB Coach: Jon Schlemmer, Sterling

2015 Player: Sterling Thornton, Sterling sr. QB Coach: Andrew Hofer, Polo

2014 Player: Brady Rude, Newman jr. RB/LB Coach: Randy Asche, EPC

2013 Player: Nick Williams, Erie-Prophetstown sr. FB Coach: Mike Papoccia, Newman

2012 Player: Brian Bahrs, Newman sr. FB/LB Coach: Chuck Milem, Erie-P’town

SM-ST1692219

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

50

Illinois state champions 1974-2018

Class 1A 1974 – Flanagan (12-0) 1975 – Triopia (13-0) 1976 – Hampshire (13-0) 1977 – Genoa-Kingston (13-0) 1978 – Arcola (11-1) 1979 – Hampshire (13-0) 1980 – Atwood (14-0) 1981 – Aquin (13-0) 1982 – Ziegler-Royalton (12-0) 1983 – Yorkwood (13-0) 1984 – Routt (13-0) 1985 – Arcola (14-0) 1986 – Aquin (12-2) 1987 – Bloomington C.C. (12-2) 1988 – Arcola (13-1) 1989 – Orangeville (12-2) 1990 – Newman (12-2) 1991 – Stockton (14-0) 1992 – Calhoun (14-0) 1993 – Calhoun (13-1) 1994 – Newman (14-0) 1995 – Carthage (14-0) 1996 – Chenoa (12-2) 1997 – Galena (14-0) 1998 – Carthage (14-0) 1999 – Carthage (14-0) 2000 – Carthage (14-0) 2001 – Wethersfield (13-1) 2002 – South Beloit (13-1) 2003 – Galena (11-3) 2004 – Alexis United (13-1) 2005 – Aquin (13-1) 2006 – Tuscola (14-0) 2007 – Galena (14-0) 2008 – Triopia (14-0) 2009 – Tuscola (11-3) 2010 – Lena-Winslow (13-1) 2011 – Dakota (12-2) 2012 – Maroa-Forsyth (13-1) 2013 – Lena-Winslow (11-3) 2014 – Forreston (13-1) 2015 – Arcola (14-0) 2016 – Forreston (14-0) 2017 – Lena-Winslow (14-0) 2018 – Forreston (12-2)

Class 2A 1974 – St. Teresa (13-0) 1975 – St. Teresa (13-0) 1976 – Fulton (13-0) 1977 – Mahomet-Seymour (12-1) 1978 – Stockton (12-1) 1979 – St. Teresa (12-1) 1980 – Schlarman (13-0) 1981 – Schlarman (12-1) 1982 – Bloomington C.C. (12-1) 1983 – Woodstock Marian (13-0) 1984 – Amboy (13-0) 1985 – Casey-Westfield (14-0) 1986 – Woodstock Marian (12-2) 1987 – Woodstock Marian (13-1) 1988 – Carlyle (14-0) 1989 – Woodstock Marian (14-0) 1990 – Seneca (14-0) 1991 – Fulton (14-0) 1992 – Richmond-Burton (11-3) 1993 – Coal City (14-0) 1994 – Rockridge (12-2) 1995 – Hampshire (12-2) 1996 – LeRoy (14-0) 1997 – Central A&M (14-0) 1998 – Aledo (12-2) 1999 – Stillman Valley (12-2) 2000 – Stillman Valley (14-0) 2001 – Aledo (13-1) 2002 – Aledo (14-0) 2003 – Iroquois West (13-1) 2004 – Newman (13-1) 2005 – Dakota (14-0) 2006 – Maroa-Forsyth (14-0) 2007 – Dakota (14-0) 2008 – Immaculate Conception (10-4) 2009 – Morrison (14-0) 2010 – Newman (14-0) 2011 – Morrison (13-1) 2012 – Mercer County (14-0) 2013 – Newman (13-1) 2014 – Eastland-Pearl City (14-0) 2015 – Tri-Valley (14-0) 2016 – Deer Creek-Mackinaw (13-1) 2017 – GCMS (14-0) 2018 – GCMS (14-0)

Class 3A 1974 – West Chicago (13-0) 1975 – Metamora (13-0) 1976 – Geneseo (13-0) 1977 – Geneseo (12-1) 1978 – Geneseo (13-0) 1979 – Mascoutah (13-0) 1980 – Morris (12-1) 1981 – Mount Carmel (13-0) 1982 – Bishop McNamara (12-0) 1983 – Monmouth (12-1) 1984 – Anna-Jonesboro (12-1) 1985 – Bishop McNamara (14-0) 1986 – Bishop McNamara (11-3) 1987 – Bishop McNamara (12-2) 1988 – DuQuoin (14-0) 1989 – Althoff (13-1) 1990 – Althoff (13-0) 1991 – Driscoll (14-0) 1992 – DuQuoin (14-0) 1993 – Pontiac (13-1) 1994 – Bloomington C.C. (13-1) 1995 – Hall (13-1) 1996 – Carterville (14-0) 1997 – Kaneland (14-0) 1998 – Kaneland (14-0) 1999 – Byron (14-0) 2000 – Harrisburg (14-0) 2001 – Hall (13-1) 2002 – Immaculate Conc. (13-1) 2003 – Stillman Valley (13-1) 2004 – Driscoll (12-2) 2005 – Bureau Valley (14-0) 2006 – Plano (14-0) 2007 – Plano (13-1) 2008 – Illini West (14-0) 2009 – Stillman Valley (14-0) 2010 – Illini West (14-0) 2011 – Aurora Christian (13-1) 2012 – Aurora Christian (13-1) 2013 – Stillman Valley (12-2) 2014 – Wilmington (14-0) 2015 – Bishop McNamara (13-1) 2016 – IC Catholic (14-0) 2017 – IC Catholic (13-1) 2018 – Monticello (14-0)

Class 7A 2001 – Prospect (14-0) 2002 – Prospect (12-2) 2003 – Oswego (13-1) 2004 – Libertyville (14-0) 2005 – Prospect (13-1) 2006 – St. Rita (13-1) 2007 – Lake Zurich (13-1) 2008 – East St. Louis (13-1) 2009 – Wheaton Warrenville South (13-1) 2010 – Wheaton Warrenville South (14-0) 2011 – Boylan (14-0) 2012 – Glenbard West (14-0) 2013 – Chi. Mt. Carmel (13-1) 2014 – Providence (13-1) 2015 – Glenbard West (14-0) 2016 – East St. Louis (14-0) 2017 – Batavia (13-1) 2018 – Nazareth Academy (13-1)

Class 8A 2001 – Downers Grove South (12-2) 2002 – Lockport (13-1) 2003 – Lockport (12-2) 2004 – Downers Grove North (12-2) 2005 – Lincoln-Way East (14-0) 2006 – Wheaton Warrenville South (14-0) 2007 – Naperville North (13-1) 2008 – Maine South (14-0) 2009 – Maine South (14-0) 2010 – Maine South (12-2) 2011 – Bolingbrook (13-1) 2012 – Chicago Mt. Carmel (13-1) 2013 – Naperville Central (11-3) 2014 – Stevenson (14-0) 2015 – Loyola Academy (14-0) 2016 – Maine South (11-3) 2017 – Lincoln-Way East (14-0) 2018 – Loyola Academy (10-4)

Most championships 1. Joliet Catholic 14 2018 2. Chicago Mt. Carmel 12 2013 3. Providence 10 2014 4. Driscoll 8 2007 4. East St. Louis 8 2016 6. Wheaton Warrenville South

7 2010 6. Rochester 7 2017 8. Carthage/Illini West 6 2010 8. Montini 6 2015 8. Maine South 6 2016 11. Newman 5 2013 11. Stillman Valley 5 2013 11. Sacred Heart-Griffin 5 2014 11. Bishop McNamara 5 2015 11. IC Catholic 5 2018 16. Arcola 4 2015 16. Bloom. Cent. Cath. 4 2008 16. Geneseo 4 1982 16. Woodstock Marian 4 1989

2018 BNC

2018 TRAC Rock

2018 NIB-12 West

Conf. All Sterling 4-0 11-2 Rochelle 3-1 5-5 Geneseo 2-2 4-5 LaSalle-Peru 1-3 3-6 Ottawa 0-4 0-9

Conf. All Byron 9-0 13-1 Genoa-Kingston 7-2 8-3 North Boone 7-2 8-3 Stillman Valley 6-3 7-4 Dixon 6-3 6-4 Winnebago 4-5 4-5 Oregon 3-6 3-6 Rkfd. Lutheran 2-7 2-7 Rock Falls 1-8 1-8 Mendota 0-9 0-9

Orion Newman Fulton Rockridge Bureau Valley Riverdale Morrison

Conf. All 6-0 11-1 5-1 10-2 4-2 5-5 3-3 7-4 2-4 3-6 1-5 2-7 0-6 2-7

Class 4A 1974 – Rockford East (13-0) 1975 – Joliet Catholic (13-0) 1976 – Joliet Catholic (12-1) 1977 – Joliet Catholic (13-0) 1978 – Joliet Catholic (13-0) 1979 – Wheaton North (12-1) 1980 – Althoff (12-1) 1981 – Wheaton North (13-0) 1982 – Geneseo (12-1) 1983 – Woodstock (11-2) 1984 – Morris (13-0) 1985 – Washington (13-1) 1986 – Tinley Park (12-2) 1987 – Providence (13-1) 1988 – Richards (14-0) 1989 – Richards (14-0) 1990 – Joliet Catholic (14-0) 1991 – Providence (14-0) 1992 – Oswego (13-1) 1993 – Chicago Hts. Marian (14-0) 1994 – Belvidere (12-2) 1995 – Providence (14-0) 1996 – Providence (14-0) 1997 – Providence (13-1) 1998 – Glenwood (14-0) 1999 – Joliet Catholic (14-0) 2000 – Joliet Catholic (14-0) 2001 – Driscoll (12-2) 2002 – Driscoll (13-1) 2003 – Driscoll (14-0) 2004 – Montini (13-1) 2005 – Driscoll (14-0) 2006 – Driscoll (13-1) 2007 – Driscoll (14-0) 2008 – Bloomington C.C. (14-0) 2009 – Metamora (13-1) 2010 – Rochester (14-0) 2011 – Rochester (12-2) 2012 – Rochester (13-1) 2013 – Rochester (13-1) 2014 – Rochester (12-2) 2015 – Chicago Phillips (14-0) 2016 – Rochester (13-1) 2017 – Rochester (14-0) 2018 – IC Catholic (14-0)

Class 5A 1974 – Glenbrook North (12-0) 1975 – Deerfield (13-0) 1976 – St. Laurence (13-0) 1977 – East Leyden (13-0) 1978 – St. Rita (13-0) 1979 – East St. Louis (12-0) 1980 – Chicago Mt. Carmel (13-1) 1981 – Joliet Catholic (13-0) 1982 – Guilford (13-0) 1983 – Glenbard West (13-0) 1984 – Richwoods (13-0) 1985 – Rockford East (11-3) 1986 – Wheaton North (13-1) 1987 – Joliet Catholic (12-2) 1988 – Richwoods (14-0) 1989 – Chicago Mt. Carmel (13-1) 1990 – Chicago Mt. Carmel (14-0) 1991 – Chicago Mt. Carmel (12-2) 1992 – Wheat. Warrenville S. (14-0) 1993 – Belvidere (14-0) 1994 – Providence (14-0) 1995 – Maine South (12-2) 1996 – Chicago Mt. Carmel (14-0) 1997 – Woodstock (14-0) 1998 – Chicago Mt. Carmel (14-0) 1999 – Chicago Mt. Carmel (13-1) 2000 – Chicago Mt. Carmel (13-1) 2001 – Joliet Catholic (13-1) 2002 – Providence (14-0) 2003 – Joliet Catholic (13-1) 2004 – Joliet Catholic (14-0) 2005 – Sacred Heart-Griffin (14-0) 2006 – Sacred Heart-Griffin (14-0) 2007 – Metamora (14-0) 2008 – St. Francis (13-1) 2009 – Montini (10-4) 2010 – Montini (12-2) 2011 – Montini (12-2) 2012 – Montini (12-2) 2013 – Sacred Heart-Griffin (14-0) 2014 – Sacred Heart-Griffin (14-0) 2015 – Nazareth Academy (12-2) 2016 – Peoria Central (13-1) 2017 – Chicago Phillips (14-0) 2018 – Joliet Catholic (10-4)

Class 6A 1980 – Gordon Tech (12-1) 1981 – Brother Rice (11-2) 1982 – Reavis (12-1) 1983 – East St. Louis (13-0) 1984 – East St. Louis (13-0) 1985 – East St. Louis (14-0) 1986 – Buffalo Grove (14-0) 1987 – Hersey (12-2) 1988 – Chicago Mt. Carmel (14-0) 1989 – East St. Louis (14-0) 1990 – Thornton (12-2) 1991 – East St. Louis (13-1) 1992 – Naperville North (12-2) 1993 – Loyola (12-2) 1994 – Homewood-Flossmoor (13-1) 1995 – Wheaton Warrenville South (12-2) 1996 – Wheaton Warrenville South (13-1) 1997 – Lincoln-Way (14-0) 1998 – Wheaton Warrenville South (14-0) 1999 – Naperville Central (14-0) 2000 – Maine South (13-1) 2001 – Providence (14-0) 2002 – Chicago Mt. Carmel (13-1) 2003 – Mundelein Carmel (14-0) 2004 – Providence (13-1) 2005 – Morris (14-0) 2006 – Normal (14-0) 2007 – Joliet Catholic (13-1) 2008 – Sacred Heart-Griffin (13-1) 2009 – Cary-Grove (14-0) 2010 – Boylan (14-0) 2011 – Prairie Ridge (13-1) 2012 – Crete-Monee (14-0) 2013 – Batavia (13-1) 2014 – Nazareth (14-0) 2015 – Montini (14-0) 2016 – Prairie Ridge (14-0) 2017 – Prairie Ridge (14-0) 2018 – Cary-Grove (14-0)

Top 40 team records in Illinois history School Years W-L-T 1. East St. Louis 1925-2018 780-204-36 2. Chicago Mount Carmel 1924-2018 754-246-31 3. Tuscola 1895-2018 726-331-43 4. Arcola 1894-2018 717-343-39 5. Chicago/Wilmette Loyola 1909-2018 702-359-42 6. Wheaton Warrenville South 1912-2018 695-287-28 7. Champaign Central 1894-2018 684-366-41 8. Carthage/Illini West 1895-2018 687-321-54 9. Geneseo 1915-2018 671-305-19 10. Rock Island 1890-2018 668-417-46 11. Oak Park-River Forest 1891-2018 666-397-38 (tie) Joliet Catholic/DeLaSalle 1920-2018 666-314-23 13. Normal Community 1897-2018 650-354-35 14. Peoria Central 1890-2018 647-441-60 15. Moline 1890-2018 644-416-44 16. Bloomington 1892-2018 642-427-51 (tie) Naperville Central 1910-2018 642-327-19 18. Chicago Lane Tech 1908-2018 641-320-30 (tie) Evanston 1889-2018 641-330-36 20. Carlinville 1913-2018 636-321-42 21. Morris 1900-2018 634-372-31

2018 TRAC Mississippi

Conf. All Princeton 5-1 7-4 Mon.-Roseville 5-1 9-3 Hall 5-1 7-4 St. Bede 2-4 4-5 Sherrard 2-4 2-7 Kewanee 1-5 2-7 Erie-P’town 1-5 1-8

22. Chicago St. Rita 1908-2018 629-323-35 23. Mt. Carmel 1920-2018 627-300-31 24. Sterling 1899-2018 620-362-44 25. Sacred Heart-Griffin 1930-2018 617-251-23 26. Auburn 1909-2018 615-336-26 27. Greenfield-Northwestern 1899-2018 605-422-40 28. Casey-Westfield 1921-2018 603-319-21 29. Danville 1904-2018 602-459-41 30. Belleville Althoff/Cathedral 1930-2018 601-384-47 31. Stockton 1919-2018 599-285-34 32. DuQuoin 1928-2018 594-311-29 33. Newman 1925-2018 582-302-31 34. Aledo/Mercer County 1910-2018 581-324-26 35. Monticello 1914-2018 580-356-33 36. Pontiac 1895-2018 576-392-45 37. Taylorville 1907-2018 572-391-44 38. Rkfd. Boylan/St. Thomas 1911-2018 575-321-25 39. New Trier 1915-2018 570-302-19 40. Harrisburg 1902-2018 567-419-28 Credit: Tom Sikorski (historian) & Kev Varney (site author) Illinois High School Glory Days (illinoishsglorydays.com)

2018 NUIC Upstate

Milledgeville Stockton Orangeville Polo Aquin River Ridge Warren AFC

Conf. All 7-0 10-1 6-1 7-3 4-3 5-5 4-3 5-5 3-4 4-5 3-4 4-5 1-6 1-8 0-7 0-9

2018 NUIC NW

Conf. All Eastland-P.C. 8-0 12-1 Lena-Winslow 7-1 11-2 Forreston 6-2 12-2 Dakota 5-3 8-4 Amboy-LaMoille 3-5 3-6 Durand-Pecatonica 2-6 3-6 West Carroll 2-6 3-6 East Dubuque 2-6 3-6 Galena 1-7 2-1

Record Forecast

51

AFC

BV

Dixon

EPC

E-P

Fulton

M’ville

Morrison Newman

Oregon

Polo

RF

Sterling

WC

Cody Cutter

2-7

1-8

6-3

7-2

5-4

2-7

5-4

4-5

6-3

8-1

3-6

7-2

2-7

8-1

6-3

Eric Ingles

1-8

1-8

6-3

6-3

6-3

4-5

5-4

5-4

5-4

8-1

2-7

7-2

2-7

8-1

3-6

Chris Johnson

2-7

3-6

5-4

6-3

7-2

4-5

6-3

8-1

5-4

8-1

2-7

8-1

4-5

7-2

5-4

Ty 4-5 Reynolds

1-8

5-4

7-2

5-4

3-6

6-3

4-5

4-5

8-1

3-6

7-2

2-7

7-2

5-4

Brian 2-7 Weidman

2-7

5-4

5-4

6-3

6-3

7-2

2-7

7-2

7-2

5-4

7-2

1-8

7-2

3-6

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• August 29, 2019

Amboy

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

SVM’s sports staff picks how all 15 local teams will finish the regular season

Games of the week

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

52

Here are the week-by-week destination games in the Sauk Valley

Week 1 Schlarman at Polo

Week 2 Dixon at Rock Falls

Week 3 Bureau Valley at Fulton

Week 4 Sterling at Geneseo

When: 6 p.m. Aug. 30 Where: Aplington Middle School Radio: 107.7 FM Streak: None Last meeting: First meeting Breakdown: The Marcos make their first foray into 8-man football in 2019, and this is the first chance for them to see what it’s going to be like – and for curious fans to see what the brand of football is all about. Schlarman did not have a football team last season, so both teams will be on equal footing when it comes to familiarity with the 8-man game – but Polo at least took to the gridiron in 2018.

When: 7 p.m. Sept. 6 Where: Hinders Field Radio: 1460 AM Streak: Dixon 6 Last meeting: 2018 Week 2, Dixon 65, Rock Falls 14 Breakdown: The Dukes have won every game in this local rivalry since both teams became members of the Big Northern Conference, and they even won the last matchup back when it was a crossover contest in the old NCIC. The Rockets are looking to snap another winless streak at home, while Dixon wants a strong start for a record-continuing sixth straight playoff appearance.

When: 7 p.m. Sept. 13 Where: Fulton High School Radio: 98.1 FM, 1390 AM Streak: Fulton 8 Last meeting: 2018 Week 3, Fulton 20, BV 12 Breakdown: The Storm have a new coach in Mat Pistole, while the Steamers are once again under the steadying hands of Patrick Lower. Look for both teams to run the ball quite a bit, as Fulton likes to ground and pound, and Pistole – a BV alum and former Newman assistant – is trying to get Bureau Valley back to a more balanced attack between the run and pass.

When: 7 p.m. Sept. 20 Where: Bob Reade Field Radio: 105.5 FM Streak: Sterling 4 Last meeting: 2018 Week 5, Sterling 43, Geneseo 7 Breakdown: The Golden Warriors have had the upper hand in this series as of late, winning 7 of the 9 matchups since the longtime NCIC rivals moved to the NIB-12 West; this is the first time they’ll square off as Western Big 6 rivals. Sterling has won the last 3 games in the series by a combined 137-22, and have taken the last two in Geneseo by a 92-14 margin.

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Physician Assistant Josh Wade, PA-C, M.S.

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Games of the week

53

Week 6 Oregon at Rock Falls

When: 7 p.m. Sept. 28 Where: Roscoe Eades Stadium Radio: 102.7 FM Streak: Newman 7 Last meeting: 2018 Week 4, Newman 55, Morrison 8 Breakdown: Even with the Comets dominating this series the last 6 years (by a 280-16 margin), the longtime TRAC rivals still provide plenty of entertainment in the form of two hard-nosed, tough, physical football teams who pound on each other for 48 minutes.

When: 7 p.m. Oct. 4 Where: Hinders Field Radio: 95.7 FM Streak: Oregon 1 Last meeting: 2018 Week 6, Oregon 43, Rock Falls 12 Breakdown: The Hawks snapped a two-game losing streak against the Rockets last season at Landers-Loomis Field, and will be looking for their first win at Hinders Field since 2015. Rock Falls was 0-4 at home last year, after finishing 3-2 at Hinders in 2017.

Week 7 Moline at Sterling When: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11 Where: Roscoe Eades Stadium Radio: 105.5 FM Streak: Sterling 1 Last meeting: 2012 Week 1, Sterling 26, Moline 22 Breakdown: The Golden Warriors will host the twotime defending Western Big 6 champs late in the season, with a chance to make a statement in their first year in a new conference.

Sterling has won 3 of the 4 meetings in this millenium, but is 8-11 in the series that dates back to 1906.

Good Luck this Season to ALL area teams!

Hours: Monday-Friday 7-7, Saturday & Sunday 8-5 www.acehardwaredixon.com • www.acerentalplacedixon.com

Week 8 Milledgeville at Amboy When: 7 p.m. Oct. 18 Where: The Harbor Radio: 101.7 FM Streak: Milledgeville 2 Last meeting: 2018 Week 1, Milledgeville 36, Amboy 7 Breakdown: The Clippers have finished 3-6 in each of their 3 years since joining the NUIC, and the Missiles have contributed one of those losses in each of the past 2 years – and Amboy has scored just 13 points in 2 games against Milledgeville.

The Missiles, meanwhile, have scored 50 points.

Week 9 Byron at Dixon When: 7 p.m. Oct. 25 Where: A.C. Bowers Field Radio: 1460 AM Streak: Byron 2 Last meeting: 2018 Week 9, Byron 55, Dixon 21 Breakdown: In what has become somewhat of a rivalry game, as both teams have been in the hunt for Big Northern Conference titles in recent years, the Dukes will look to avenge last year’s loss & a 43-13 defeat the last time they played prior to that, at home in 2015. Dixon won 42-28 in Byron in 2014.

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• August 29, 2019

Week 5 Morrison at Newman

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

Here are the week-by-week destination games in the Sauk Valley

By the numbers: 2018 final leaders (returning players in bold)

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

54

RUSHING YARDS

RUSHING YARDS

Attempts Yards TDs Jayden Kempel, EPC 221 1,801 19 Tyler Christiansen, Dixon 243 1,493 17 Carson Boyer, Milledgeville 96 1,115 21 Luke Olson, Newman 102 1,032 16 Connor McBride, Newman 109 982 16 Negil Bruce, Sterling 91 876 14 Jarod Kempel, EPC 89 789 15 Dalton Hermes, Oregon 128 776 6 Cooper Willman, Sterling 78 737 7 Cayde Gusloff, Milledgeville 129 689 11 Nate Rahn, Milledgeville 84 683 13 DJ Johnson, Sterling 103 599 4 Ethan Rash, Fulton 158 583 9 Chase Graham, Newman 61 574 12 Marquez Williams, Sterling 81 572 13 Tucker Mumford, Polo 106 550 8 Brody Ivey, Newman 82 536 7 Braiden Soltow, Polo 126 532 7 Derek Tracy, West Carroll 115 490 6 Austin Norman, Amboy 111 467 5 Xzaviar Epps, Rock Falls 110 444 5 Kyler Pessman, Fulton 88 442 4 Mac Nugent, Bureau Valley 72 436 6 Braeden Heeren, EPC 94 423 9 Caleb McBride, AFC 127 383 0 Max Lemke, Fulton 58 371 8 Tyler Nipper, Erie-Prophetstown 90 323 1

Attempts Yards TDs Brycen Bartel, Newman 39 318 7 Mat Garrison, Erie-Prophetstown 76 301 2 Jack Munz, Milledgeville 45 296 4 Keegan Anderson, Morrison 53 288 3 Kody Sipe, West Carroll 79 280 3 Riley Wilkens, Morrison 75 268 1 Brandon Zigler, Morrison 42 238 1 Ross Purvis, Erie-Prophetstown 70 233 0 Brady Webb, Polo 34 224 5 Zach Crandall, Oregon 44 211 1 Mitchell McLaughlin, Amboy 111 206 8 Jake Mennen, Oregon 37 205 4 Xavier Arreola, Sterling 50 200 1 Kevin Arnold, Fulton 39 177 1 Matt Thompson, AFC 69 171 2 Carter Fruin, Oregon 36 168 2 Dylan Schmall, Newman 36 165 6 Isaiah Ryan, Sterling 15 162 5 Colin Colehour, EPC 28 158 1 Aiden Sullivan, West Carroll 33 150 1 Nick McQuistion, Fulton 25 148 0 Evan Laws, Rock Falls 32 123 3 Nate Wiles, Rock Falls 8 122 1 Marcus Cater, AFC 29 121 1 Camden Bailey, Sterling 51 113 3 Ryan Kendall, Milledgeville 10 112 3 Jake Schaver, Amboy 47 106 0

PASSING YARDS

RECEPTIONS

C-A-I Tyler Gustafson, Bureau Valley 111-203-7 Mitchell McLaughlin, Amboy 102-232-11 Jacob Shafer, Dixon 150-245-6 Derek Tracy, West Carroll 77-174-14 Braden Smargiassi, EPC 82-153-5 Cade Nailor, Rock Falls 71-137-8 Braiden Soltow, Polo 72-128-13 Cooper Willman, Sterling 50-70-2 Max Lemke, Fulton 60-11-5 Jacob Ryan, Erie-Prophetstown 45-110-9 Camden Bailey, Sterling 44-73-2 Evan Laws, Rock Falls 19-40-6 Nate Helms, Morrison 35-63-2 Jack Munz, Milledgeville 29-57-3 Brycen Bartel, Newman 19-50-3 Jake Schlegel, Morrison 19-42-1 Ryker Finch, Oregon 9–51-8 Caleb McBride, AFC 7-49-9 Nate Paup, Bureau Valley 5-19-1 Malachi Ball-Alexander, AFC 3-5-1 Kyler Pessman, Fulton 1-5-1 Nate Rahn, Milledgeville 1-2-1 Kyle Schipper, Fulton 2-2-0 Tucker Mumford, Polo 2-3-1

Yards TDs 1,778 14 1,641 16 1,551 14 1,230 6 1,056 9 988 9 979 6 771 9 754 7 505 3 483 4 441 5 420 5 408 3 315 3 159 3 111 2 65 0 56 0 41 0 39 0 35 0 27 1 27 0

Catches Yards TDs Marcus Winn, Amboy 48 916 8 Lucas Peterson, EPC 37 526 5 Nate Long, Dixon 37 439 3 Kade Callison, Dixon 36 381 4 Kale Barnett, Bureau Valley 32 637 3 Michael Popkin, West Carroll 30 643 4 Brayden Forrest, Dixon 29 342 3 Nick McQuistion, Fulton 26 360 2 Ethan Phillips, Polo 26 315 2 Weston Sisson, Sterling 24 485 6 Ben Shipp, Bureau Valley 24 366 2 Hunter Zimmerly, Amboy 22 281 3 Keyon Wolber, Rock Falls 21 515 8 Tucker Mumford, Polo 21 313 2 Preston Henkel, Amboy 20 263 3 Alek Duran, Sterling 20 235 3 Jarod Kempel, EPC 20 194 3 Dylan Bryant, Sterling 19 172 0 Nate Paup, Bureau Valley 18 421 3 Nate Wiles, Rock Falls 18 284 2 Ross Purvis, Erie-Prophetstown 18 140 2 Tyler Christiansen, Dixon 17 136 1 Alec Akerman, Rock Falls 16 262 3 Jace Coffey, Polo 15 223 2 Keegan Anderson, Morrison 14 271 3 Kyler Pessman, Fulton 14 179 0 Tucker Hartz, Bureau Valley 14 174 3 Timothy Fosdick, West Carroll 14 147 1

Sauk Valley single-season stat leaders | 2005-2018 (new additions from last season in bold) Passing (Minimum 1,000 yards)

Rushing Year 2017 2009 2013 2016 2006 2008 2018 2013 2006 2017 2015 2008 2006 2014 2010 2009 2014 2009 2018 2009 2006 2010 2017 2005 2007 2008 2015 2009 2015 2012 2006 2017 2014 2010 2016 2014 2016 2013 2012 2005 2008 2005 2012 2007

Player Arthur Cox Josh Vos Nick Williams Arthur Cox Daniel Saunders Cody Richardson Jayden Kempel Jake Snow Nick Vandermyde Nyrel Sullivan Brady Rude Matt Scholl Garrett Barnas Dylan Binion Joe Blessman Alex Maurer Brady Rude Michael Weidner Tyler Christiansen Cody Richardson Mike Ridgway Tim Wilson Austin Schroeder Chaz Josephsen Matt Scholl Nick Snyder Will Konneck Corey Judd Brooks Grobe Jake Kaecker Nathan Black Easton Bianchi Sterling Thornton Aaron Reed Michael Pidde Nolan McGinn Tristen Aguilar Austin Regenwether Nick Rude Daniel Saunders Nick McKeown Garrett Barnas Eric Schaney Jerime Coombes

School Dixon Morrison Erie-P’town Dixon Amboy Amboy EPC Newman Morrison Sterling Newman Polo Bureau Valley Erie-P’town Newman EPC Newman Bureau Valley Dixon Amboy Dixon Newman Fulton AFC Polo Oregon Bureau Valley Sterling Polo AFC Bureau Valley Newman Sterling EPC Fulton Newman Polo Fulton Newman Amboy Oregon Bureau Valley EPC EPC

Att. 215 262 262 283 289 252 221 185 215 228 221 250 148 194 189 219 138 186 243 238 216 193 172 114 175 162 147 216 118 174 170 128 254 197 198 105 149 198 186 155 170 196 133 162

Yds. 2,115 2,115 2,097 2,063 1,994 1,905 1,801 1,756 1,715 1,710 1,689 1,647 1,644 1,631 1,561 1,552 1,548 1,519 1,493 1,436 1,423 1,396 1,386 1,380 1,378 1,373 1,369 1,355 1,353 1,305 1,292 1,256 1,255 1,247 1,244 1,241 1,239 1,233 1,206 1,195 1,184 1,175 1,171 1,150

TD 39 31 24 24 23 22 19 30 22 33 23 20 20 23 21 17 24 20 17 14 12 23 17 X 17 18 14 21 17 13 16 20 22 15 16 18 19 18 15 X 14 X 18 8

FRIDAY

Year 2017 2012 2016 2013 2017 2016 2014 2014 2018 2010 2010 2016 2008 2011 2005 2015 2018 2009 2018 2014 2006 2010 2006 2013 2015 2014 2012 2017 2016 2005 2012 2017 2014 2008 2018 2016 2014 2008 2015 2007 2015 2013 2018 2013

Player Noah Wilcox Jacob Mammosser Logan Pillars Jacob Mammosser Tyler Gustafson Noah Wilcox Drake Davis JD Gieson Tyler Gustafson Justin Pitzer Danny Dennehey Drake Davis Carson Walker Danny Dennehey Garrett Barnas Nathan Gascoigne Mitchell McLaughlin Tyler Renkes Jacob Shafer Deven Heeren Jared Shellhause Dylan Koeppen Garrett Barnas JD Gieson Drake Davis Brody Grobe Kameron DawTyne Kody Plattenberger Tyler Sweenie Darin Schneider J.D. Gieson Trey Morse Noah Junis Tyler Renkes Derek Tracy Trey Morse Jordan Harris Dylan Koeppen Sterling Thornton Evan Banks Logan Pillars Deven Heeren Braden Smargiassi Shaun Magill

School Dixon Rock Falls Rock Falls Rock Falls Bureau Valley Dixon Bureau Valley Dixon Bureau Valley AFC Morrison Bureau Valley EPC Morrison Bureau Valley Dixon Amboy Fulton Dixon EPC EPC Rock Falls Bureau Valley Dixon Bureau Valley Polo Milledgeville West Carroll Fulton West Carroll Dixon Sterling Rock Falls Fulton West Carroll Sterling Milledgeville Rock Falls Sterling Fulton Rock Falls EPC EPC West Carroll

C-A-I 200-280-3 180-268-8 160-270-4 227-385-9 152-241-10 177-280-4 94-162-10 131-247-12 111-203-7 127-286-23 91-186-4 110-188-7 115-208-131 96-168-7 75-125-11 142-239-9 102-232-11 140-251-13 150-245-6 99-163-10 108-205-10 114-209-10 67-127-6 113-231-13 76-140-6 71-126-8 114-208-16 85-165-10 85-159-7 79-159-4 122-240-17 84-141-5 96-212-17 102-200-9 77-174-14 81-124-4 99-206-11 98-173-10 90-156-5 100-187-13 87-188-8 67-100-3 82-153-5 63-138-6

Receptions Yds. TD 2,550 29 2,485 23 2,316 21 2,226 21 2,027 20 1,912 21 1,828 21 1,820 24 1,778 14 1,773 18 1,734 21 1,734 17 1,694 21 1,679 14 1,657 15 1,646 16 1,641 16 1,580 13 1,551 14 1,548 17 1,480 12 1,458 15 1,444 15 1,425 8 1,402 16 1,387 19 1,378 13 1,345 15 1,338 11 1,334 X 1,326 11 1,307 14 1,302 6 1,263 7 1,230 6 1,178 16 1,152 11 1,143 7 1,106 9 1,102 11 1,092 9 1,077 20 1,056 9 1,038 11

NIGHT

Year 2013 2014 2017 2015 2012 2017 2014 2016 2012 2013 2012 2014 2012 2007 2017 2018 2014 2007 2016 2005 2008 2007 2016 2016 2017 2013 2014 2016 2010 2018 2018 2013 2005 2018 2016 2009 2008 2013 2008 2010 2008 2006 2012 2018 2015 2017

Player Austin Donoho Connor Cain Jared Harrison Kyle LeBlanc Jordan Harris Kale Barnett Cody Kluck Michael Berentes Alex Leaf Daegan Wharff Steven Armoska Matt Coffey Austin Babcock Randy Whitmore Oscar Van Sickle Marcus Winn Kyle LeBlanc Tim Jacobs Bryan Herr Teddy Swan Cole Miller Anthony Wells Roger Carlson Arthur Cox Tyler Christiansen Matt Coffey Parker Neuhalfen Jared Harrison Nate Fahs Lucas Peterson Nate Long Connor Cain Patrick Smith Kade Callison Jay Edlefson Alex Wherry Tony Dunlap Trevor Jones Koty Schwarz Brennan Coward Brandon Borkovec Dustin Clark Justin White Kale Barnett Jordan Asbury Nate Paup

School Rec. Yds. TD Rock Falls 87 887 8 Rock Falls 69 1,071 7 Dixon 67 935 15 Dixon 56 755 10 Milledgeville 56 695 4 Bureau Valley 53 961 10 EPC 53 605 12 Rock Falls 52 747 6 Rock Falls 52 628 6 Rock Falls 52 599 6 Rock Falls 51 792 10 Dixon 51 672 10 Rock Falls 50 622 3 Fulton 50 593 7 Dixon 49 660 7 Amboy-LaMoille 48 916 8 Dixon 48 932 11 Rock Falls 47 600 2 Bureau Valley 46 825 9 West Carroll 44 831 X EPC 44 493 4 Amboy 43 959 16 Rock Falls 42 640 8 Dixon 40 410 6 Dixon 39 359 2 Dixon 38 462 2 Bureau Valley 37 976 12 Dixon 37 482 5 AFC 37 470 3 EPC 37 526 5 Dixon 37 439 3 Rock Falls 37 384 4 Bureau Valley 36 798 X Dixon 36 381 4 Bureau Valley 35 500 7 Fulton 35 474 2 EPC 34 550 9 West Carroll 34 547 4 Rock Falls 34 465 3 Rock Falls 34 398 6 Erie-P’town 34 385 6 EPC 33 569 6 Dixon 33 340 2 Bureau Valley 32 637 3 Sterling 32 515 4 Bureau Valley 32 422 2

LIGHTS

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8/30 AWAY: vs. Stillman Valley Youth Football & Cheer Night Play By Play: John Kutz Color: Chad Weigle

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8/30 AWAY vs. Durand/Pecatonica Play By Play: Steve Marco Color: Hunter Varga

red zone plays

SM-ST1689214

30 MINUTES AFTER THE GAME ON LINE.

When and where to see or hear your favorite team each week Week 1 Friday, Aug. 30

Week 2 Friday, Sept. 6

Week 3 Friday, Sept. 13

• Dixon at Rock Falls, 7 (1460 AM) • Oregon at Genoa-Kingston, 7 (95.7 FM) • Hall at Bureau Valley, 7 (98.1 FM) • St. Bede at Fulton, 7 (1390 AM) • Sherrard at Morrison, 7 • Erie-Prophetstown at Riverdale, 7 • Lena-Winslow at Amboy, 7 (101.7 FM) • Orangeville at AFC, 7 • Durand-Pecatonica at Eastland-Pearl City, 7 • East Dubuque at Milledgeville, 7 • Dakota at West Carroll, 7 (100.3 FM) • Pekin at Sterling, 7:15 (105.5 FM)

Saturday, Sept. 7

• Alleman at Sterling, 7 (105.5 FM) • Rock Falls at Byron, 7 • Newman at Kewanee, 7 (102.7 FM) • Bureau Valley at Fulton, 7 (98.1 FM, 1390 AM) • Morrison at Riverdale, 7 • Erie-Prophetstown at Sherrard, 7 • AFC at Stockton, 7 • Eastland-Pearl City at West Carroll, 7 (100.3 FM) • Aquin at Milledgeville, 7 • Bunker Hill at Polo, 7 • Oregon at Dixon, 7:15 (95.7 FM, 1460 AM) • Amboy at Forreston, 7:30 (101.7 FM)

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Friday, Sept. 20

• Sterling at Geneseo, 7 (105.5 FM) • Dixon at North Boone, 7 (1460 AM) • Rock Falls at Stillman Valley, 7 • Byron at Oregon, 7 (95.7 FM) • Newman at Bureau Valley, 7 (102.7 FM, 98.1 FM) • Fulton at Morrison, 7 (1390 AM) • Hall at Erie-Prophetstown, 7 • West Carroll at Amboy, 7 • Forreston at AFC, 7 • Milledgeville at Eastland-Pearl City, 7 (100.3 FM)

Saturday, Sept. 21

• Polo at Westminster Christian, 1

• Polo at Illinois School for the Deaf, 2 • Princeton at Newman, 7 (102.7 FM)

Friday, Sept. 27

• Winnebago at Rock Falls, 7 • Stillman Valley at Oregon, 7 (95.7 FM) • Bureau Valley at Monmouth-Roseville, 7 (98.1 FM) • Rockridge at Fulton, 7 (1390 AM) • Erie-Prophetstown at Kewanee, 7 • Amboy at Aquin, 7 (101.7 FM) • AFC at West Carroll, 7 • Forreston at Milledgeville, 7 • Metro-East Lutheran at Polo, 7 • Mendota at Dixon, 7 p.m. (1460 AM) • Quincy at Sterling, 7:30 (105.5 FM) • Eastland-Pearl City at Dakota, 7:30

Friday, Oct. 4

• Oregon at Rock Falls, 7 (95.7 FM) • Newman at Rockridge, 7 (102.7 FM) • Bureau Valley at Morrison, 7 (98.1 FM) • Fulton at Orion, 7 (1390 AM) • Monmouth-Roseville at Erie-Prophetstown, 7 • Amboy at Galena, 7 (101.7 FM) • AFC at Milledgeville, 7 • Aquin at Eastland-Pearl City, 7 • West Carroll at Forreston, 7 • Polo at Alden-Hebron, 7 • Rockford Lutheran at Dixon, 7:15 (1460 AM) • Sterling at Rock Island, 7:30 (105.5 FM)

Saturday, Sept. 28

• Morrison at Newman, 7 (102.7 FM)

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Friday, Oct. 11

Friday, Oct. 18

Friday, Oct. 25

• Dixon at Genoa-Kingston, 7 (1460 AM) • Rock Falls at North Boone, 7 • Oregon at Winnebago, 7 (95.7 FM) • Rockridge at Bureau Valley, 7 (98.1 FM) • Riverdale at Fulton, 7 (1390 AM) • Morrison at Erie-Prophetstown, 7 • Eastland-Pearl City at Amboy, 7 (101.7 FM) • Aquin at AFC, 7 • Milledgeville at West Carroll, 7 (100.3 FM) • Lake Forest Academy at Polo, 7 • Moline at Sterling, 7:30 (105.5 FM)

Saturday, Oct. 12

• Orion at Newman, noon (102.7 FM)

• Sterling at United Township, 7 (105.5 FM) • Mendota at Rock Falls, 7 • North Boone at Oregon, 7 (95.7 FM) • Newman at Riverdale, 7 (102.7 FM) • Bureau Valley at Orion, 7 (98.1 FM) • Fulton at Hall, 7 (1390 AM) • Morrison at Rockridge, 7 • Erie-Prophetstown at St. Bede, 7 • Milledgeville at Amboy, 7 (101.7 FM) • AFC at Eastland-Pearl City, 7 (100.3 FM) • West Carroll at Durand-Pecatonica, 7 • River Ridge at Polo, 7 • Winnebago at Dixon, 7:15 (1460 AM)

• Sterling at Galesburg, 7 (105.5 FM) • Byron at Dixon, 7 (1460 AM) • Rockford Lutheran at Rock Falls, 7 • Oregon at Mendota, 7 (95.7 FM) • Riverdale at Bureau Valley, 7 (98.1 FM) • Orion at Morrison, 7 • Princeton at Erie-Prophetstown, 7 • Amboy at AFC, 7 (101.7 FM) • Eastland-Pearl City at Forreston, 7 • Orangeville at Milledgeville, 7 • West Carroll at Aquin, 7 (100.3 FM)

Saturday, Oct. 26

• Fulton at Newman, noon (1390 AM, 102.7 FM) • Polo at Pawnee, 2

• August 29, 2019

• Danville Schlarman at Polo, 6 • Marengo at Sterling, 7 (105.5 FM) • Dixon at Stillman Valley, 7 (1460 AM) • Rock Falls at Genoa-Kingston, 7 • Rockford Lutheran at Oregon, 7 (95.7 FM) • Newman at Hall, 7 (102.7 FM) • Bureau Valley at Erie-Prophetstown, 7 (98.1 FM) • Fulton at Princeton, 7 (1390 AM) • Morrison at St. Bede, 7 • Amboy at Durand-Pecatonica, 7 (101.7 FM) • AFC at East Dubuque, 7 • Eastland-Pearl City at Lena-Winslow, 7 • Milledgeville at Stockton, 7 (100.3 FM) • West Carroll at Galena, 7

55

FOOTBALL 2019 | Sauk Valley Media

2019 Master Schedule

Sauk Valley Media • August 29, 2019

| FOOTBALL 2019

56

Follow the Golden Warriors and Comets with your hometown radio stations...all season long!

Sterling Golden Warriors

Newman Comets

Station: WSSQ Q105.5 FM

8/30 9/6 9/13 9/20 9/27 10/4 10/11 10/18 10/25

7:00 .............. H 7:15............... H 7:00 .............. H 7:00 .............. A 7:30 .............. H 7:30 .............. A 7:30 .............. H 7:00 .............. A 7:00 .............. H

Marengo Pekin Rock Island (Alleman) Geneseo Quincy (Sr.) Rock Island (H.S.) Moline (H.S.) East Moline (United) Galesburg (H.S.)

Station: WZZT 102.7 FM

8/30 9/7 9/13 9/20 9/28 10/4 10/12 10/18 10/26

7:00 .............. A 7:00 .............. H 7:00 .............. A 7:00 .............. A 7:00 .............. H 7:00 .............. A 12:00 ............ H 12:00 ............ A 12:00 ............ H

Here’s To A Great Season!

SM-ST1692765

Spring Valley (Hall) Princeton Kewanee (H.S.) Manlius (Bureau Valley) Morrison Taylor Ridge (Rockridge) Orion Port Byron (Riverdale) Fulton (H.S.)