Seneca-Marquette rematch, Streator at home hoping for 3rd victory: The Times Week 8 preview

A look at Week 8 across The Times coverage area, including matchups for Ottawa, Streator, Sandwich, Marquette, Seneca, Fieldcrest and Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland.

Interstate 8 Rochelle (6-1, 3-1) at Ottawa (1-6, 0-4)When:

About the Hubs: Nobody expected Rochelle to struggle exactly when it rejoined its Interstate 8 Conference mates after the dissolution of the I-8′s brief football merger with the Kishwaukee River Conference. The Hubs , however, have perhaps done a bit better than expected, starting 3-1 in the I-8 including a stunning 37-15 home win over Morris, a 52-24 blowout of Kaneland on Friday and a close 25-19 loss to Sycamore back in Week 4. It's been a little while since the Pirates have faced Rochelle, but not a lot has changed. The Hubs offense was led in their handling of Morris by sophomore WB Dylan Manning (217 rushing yards, four touchdowns), while the Rochelle defense forced three turnovers and limited weapons-filled Morris to 277 yards of offense and no points through three quarters.

About the Pirates: Ottawa couldn't get much of anything going in Friday's 59-0 loss to Morris. It's been an unfortunate trend for the Pirates, who have scored more than three touchdowns only once (versus Streator in Week 2) this season and have been shut out three times over the past five weeks by Morris, Sycamore and La Salle-Peru. Ottawa is averaging just over 200 yards of offense per game (96 passing, 110 rushing) while surrendering 320 (128 passing, 192 rushing), which looks like a mirror opposite of what Rochelle has been able to do through seven weeks. To win, QB Mark Munson and Co. are going to have to find a way to hold onto the ball and prevent the Hubs wing-T offensive machine from wearing down the Ottawa defense. Rochelle outlasted Ottawa 39-38 in an overtime thriller the last time the two old NCIC rivals met in the spring season of 2021.

Friday Night Drive pick:

Illinois Central Eight Reed-Custer (0-7, 0-5) at Streator (2-5, 1-4)When:

About the Comets: Reed-Custer came tantalizingly close to its first win of the 2024 season Friday, losing a 27-19 heartbreaker to a Manteno team that defeated Streator 42-8 in Week 4. Unfortunately, it's been a recurring theme for the Comets, who in addition to lopsided losses to ICE powerhouses Wilmington (41-7), Coal City (50-0) and, at the time, Peotone (42-7), have fallen in a series of close contests to El Paso-Gridley (23-6), Harvard (21-14), Herscher (8-7) and last week to Manteno. QB Jacob Reardon has been a dangerous dual-threat for the Comets, who have surrendered fewer points than the Bulldogs (212 to Streator's 240), but scored less than half of Streator's total (60 to 126).

About the Bulldogs: Streator returned very few defensive regulars from last season to this season's starting 11, and it's shown. That includes last week's 52-14 loss in Peotone, a game in which Streator surrendered a Peotone school-record 300 rushing yards to Blue Devils RB Chase Rivera. Streator's D isn't facing such a proficient attack this week, but will need to perform better to avoid a loss in its home finale. The Bulldogs' offense – averaging an even 18 points per game, most coming over the past three weeks in a 31-30 loss at Herscher, a 41-13 victory over Lisle and last week's defeat at Peotone – has evolved into a multifaceted attack featuring QB Isaiah Weibel, WR Matt Williamson, FB Tristan Finley and RB Jordan Lukes. All cylinders may need to be firing against a Comets defense that has been more than solid outside of its three blowout defeats to likely playoff teams.

FND pick: Reed-Custer

Chicagoland Prairie Marquette (5-2, 3-0) at Seneca (7-0, 3-0)When:

About the Crusaders: Marquette Academy almost certainly is in the playoffs, but there's a big difference between being a 5-4 at-large team likely playing an undefeated team on the road to open the postseason and being a 7-2 squad with a reasonable hope of hosting another at-large team in the opening round. That difference, in addition to natural geographic rivalries, is what the Crusaders will be playing for these final two weeks as they rematch with a Seneca team they lost to 48-13 in Week 3 and a Dwight/GSW team Marquette defeated 26-21 in Week 4. Marquette's wing-T has produced multiple single-game leaders such as RB Grant Dose and his 184 yards and five TDs in last week's win over Aurora Central Catholic, but the defense deserves its accolades as well after allowing 24 or fewer points in five of the Cru's six games played on the field this season. It will have its work cut out, though, continuing that trend.

About the Fighting Irish: Seneca is coming off a forfeit bye from Walther Christian, the same as Marquette received the week before. Excluding that official 1-0 result, the Fighting Irish haven't truly been challenged this season, outscoring their opponents by an average score of 43.3-11.5 – not that far off from the result the first time the Irish played the Crusaders. It's reasonable to expect a closer result this time around, much like nearby Ottawa and La Salle-Peru's second meeting this season. To get there Marquette will have to find a way to slow down power-T standouts such as RBs Brody Rademacher, Nick Grant and Cameron Shriey, as well as QB Paxton Giertz. This game will decide the champion of the Chicagoland Prairie Conference, which Seneca won in the league's inaugural season in 2023.

FND pick:

Kishwaukee River Sandwich (4-3, 4-1) at Woodstock North (6-1, 4-1)When:

About the Indians: Sandwich bounced back from Week 6′s thudding loss to Richmond-Burton with a workmanlike 28-14 triumph over Woodstock. It was a win that made the Indians' playoff path much more manageable, likely needing only one win between this matchup with the surprising Thunder and the regular-season finale at home versus 4-3 Marengo. RB Nick Michalek and Simeion Harris continued to lead Sandwich's run-heavy attack against Woodstock, accumulating 132 yards from scrimmage and also starring on the defensive side.

About the Thunder: Woodstock North exploded out of the gates this season with a 6-0 start. The Thunder now, however, have to figure out how to bounce back from a loss after last week's decisive 35-0 shutout at the hands of Richmond-Burton. The Thunder were limited to 125 yards from scrimmage while allowing 334 to the Rockets, who led 21-0 by halftime. FB David Randecker's 71 yards on 17 carries led Woodstock North in the defeat. Regardless of the outcome, the Thunder has clinched their first playoff appearance since 2018.

Friday Night Drive pick: Woodstock North

Heart of Central Illinois Small Fieldcrest (1-6, 0-6) at Tuscola (4-3, 4-3)When:

About the Knights: Fieldcrest has had a rough go this fall aside from a Week 4 bright spot against Westmont, a 54-0 home victory. Winnable games turned into losses to 2-5 Macon Meridian (34-28 in Week 1) and 2-5 Fisher (28-14 in Week 6), leaving the Knights trying to snap their second three-game losing skid of the season. RB Eddie Lorton has been an effective workhorse, but Fieldcrest will need more to keep up with a Warriors team that has found a way to win most of its close battles this season and is playing for a postseason berth.

About the Warriors: A perennial Class 1A/2A powerhouse, Tuscola was eliminated in the first round of the 1A postseason last season for the first time since 2013. This year, the Warriors find themselves needing a victory either Friday or in Week 9 against 4-3 Illini West – a game played a neutral site, Sacred Heart-Griffin in Springfield – to return to the postseason and has looked uncharacteristically vulnerable. Tuscola has close wins over 4-3 Moweaqua Central A&M (18-13) and last week against 2-5 Heyworth (25-20), but was blown out by GCMS (34-7) and LeRoy (57-7). It should be noted that both teams still are undefeated.

Friday Night Drive pick:

Illinois 8-Man FCW (5-2) at Ridgewood Co-Op (6-1)When:

About the Falcons: Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland secured a statement win Friday, defeating previously unbeaten West Central 41-26 in the middle game of FCW's brutal three-game stretch against some of the Illinois 8-Man Football Association's best. Now comes a rematch with a Spartans team that handed FCW a 30-7 loss in Week 3 in Flanagan. A loss to defending I8FA state champ Amboy aside, the Falcons have gotten stronger overall and more well-rounded offensively – led by RB Leelynd Durbin and QB Seth Jones – week after week since that Sept. 13 defeat. This is a chance to test how much they've improved.

About the Spartans: Since a season-opening loss to defending state champ Amboy, Ridgewood has rattled off lopsided victory after lopsided victory. The Spartans' 23-point win over FCW in Week 3 is the closest game the team has played aside from its 12-point Week 5 vengeance win over Amboy. RB Roy Sandberg slashed the Falcons in their first meeting, churning up 159 rushing yards with three first half touchdowns. As a team, Ridgewood outgained the Falcons 328-133 on the ground. Stopping the run has to be Job 1 for FCW.