Normal Community vs. Champaign Central
When: 5:30 p.m. today
Where: Memorial Stadium, Champaign
Records: Both teams 1-1 overall, 1-1 Big 12
Conference
FYI: This is the third straight early start for the
Ironmen and part of a double-header at the University of
Illinois, with the second game pitting Champaign
Centennial against Rock Island ... NCHS is trying to
bounce back from last week's 24-20 loss to Bloomington
in which NCHS enjoyed a 20-12 lead late in the third
quarter. Champaign Central is coming off a 14-7 victory
over Urbana, limiting the Tigers to 75 yards rushing on
33 carries and 146 yards of total offense .... NCHS will
be without senior safety/punter Erik Phillips (deep
ankle bruise). Allen Hays will take Phillips' spot on
defense, while quarterback Jake Hopper will serve as
punter.
• Quoting: "This game is all about us, our mindset.
We have to come out and set the tone every game. We want
to do that against Central. We want to establish our
tempo and do like we did in the first game (a 62-33
victory at Danville)." -- NCHS coach Hud Venerable.
Normal West vs. Danville
When: 5:30 p.m. today
Where: Danville High School
Records: West 1-1, 1-1 Big 12; Danville 0-2, 0-2
FYI: Normal West tries to get its offense going after
dropping a 14-0 decision to Decatur Eisenhower in last
week's Intercity Tripleheader. The Wildcats might have
found a defense to their liking. Danville has given up
106 points in losses to Normal Community and Mattoon ...
West is promoting two sophomores -- linebacker Joe
McCowan and tailback Josh Lacombe -- in an effort to
keep players fresh. Senior Jamie Tillman will
concentrate on defense in the secondary instead of
playing some on offense at tailback ... West's secondary
should get quite a test from Danville quarterback Tyler
Blue, who has completed 48 of 92 attempts for 576 yards
and six touchdowns.
Quoting: "They're very athletic. They have a great
quarterback who worries me with his running ability and
throwing. They have outstanding athletes on the
perimeter. If we don't tackle and get 11 to the
football, it will be an eventful night." -- West coach
Darren Hess.
Rantoul vs. Bloomington
When: 7 p.m. today
Where: Fred Carlton Field, Bloomington
Records: Rantoul 0-2, 0-2 Big 12; BHS 2-0, 2-0.
Radio: WJBC, 1230-AM
FYI: A running clock in the second half would seem
likely for the Purple Raiders' home opener. Bloomington,
ranked No. 6 in the Class 6A state poll, has won 36
straight regular-season games. Rantoul, which will move
to the Corn Belt Conference next year, has been
outscored 87-0 against Normal West and Champaign
Centennial ... BHS will be without defensive tackle Matt
Logsdon (concussion) and free safety John Hamrin
(hyperextended knee), who will be out three to four
weeks. Tim McAvoy will get more playing time on the
defensive line, while sophomore Brent Holtz takes over
for Hamrin. Holtz came in last week against Normal
Community and made 10 tackles.
Quoting: "Practices have not been sharp. It's a
combination of that feeling of confidence and also the
emotion of a big game being completed. It wasn't just
one big game. In the off-season we stressed the
importance of weeks one and two. There's been a little
lax in steps not only with the kids, but maybe even with
the coaches subconsciously. We feel comfortable what's
going to happen, but we still want to look good." -- BHS
coach Rigo Schmelzer.
Herscher vs. University High
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Where: Hancock Stadium, Normal
Records: Both teams 2-0 overall, 1-1 Corn Belt
Conference.
Radio: WJBC, 1230-AM
FYI: University High better not have a letdown after
last week's 57-14 victory over arch-rival Central
Catholic. The Pioneers' run defense will be severely
tested. Herscher junior tailback Aaron Daverin has
gained 652 yards on 67 carries and scored 10 touchdowns.
He scored seven TDs and amassed 352 rushing yards last
week in a 49-36 victory at Olympia ... U High is seeking
a 3-0 start for the second straight year. The Pioneers
won at Herscher, 16-8, last season ... U High senior
offensive tackle Alex Idelman, who was injured in the
opener against Farmington, has a torn anterior cruciate
ligament and is out for the season.
Quoting: "Daverin is one of the best running backs I
have seen at the high school level. They do a great job
getting him the ball and doing different schemes to give
him the best chance to get as many yards as possible.
They look like they have good size, and their kids play
hard." -- U High coach Kurt Olson.
Central Catholic vs. Pontiac
When: 7:45 p.m. today
Where: Williamson Field, Pontiac
Records: Central Catholic 1-1, 0-1 Corn Belt; Pontiac
1-1, 1-0.
Radio: Thunder 93.7-FM
FYI: Pontiac, ranked No. 6 in Class 5A, has won 29
straight Corn Belt Conference games since losing 28-21
to Central Catholic in the fourth week of the 1996
season ... Ryan Benning is Pontiac's leading rusher with
172 yards. Benning moved from halfback to fullback last
week when Matt Zehr was injured and scored two
fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 28-21 victory at
Mahomet-Seymour ... Zehr, who made 19 tackles in the
opening 13-0 loss to Morris, will be out until late in
the season because of a knee injury. Taking Zehr's spot
at linebacker will be sophomore Kale Minnaert ...
Central Catholic junior linebacker John Wulf is out at
least three weeks after suffering a separated shoulder
in last week's 57-14 loss to U High. Sophomore Zach
Harroun will take Wulf's place. The Saints' leading
rusher, Josh Monk (195 yards), is questionable with a
groin pull ... This is Pontiac's home opener. Pontiac
coach Mick Peterson, who was suspended last year by the
Illinois High School Association, has not coached at
Williamson Field since a 40-27 victory over Byron in a
Class 4A second-round playoff game in 2001.
Quoting: "It's a group effort, win or lose. We've got
to get 11 kids going in the right direction. Hopefully
this week the effort and execution will be better." --
Central Catholic coach Bobby Moews.
"Defensively we had three great quarters against
Morris, but our offensive linemen were like the Bears
last week. We had to do a lot of soul searching and the
kids had to find out what hard work was again. They had
to get back to basic understanding. Offensively it took
a while to get going, but once we did we did a lot of
good things." -- Pontiac coach Mick Peterson.
From Pantagraph staff
