Central Catholic vs. Olympia
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Olympia High School, Stanford
Records: Central Catholic 2-1, 2-1 in Corn Belt
Conference; Olympia 0-3, 0-3
FYI: Central Catholic tries to rebound from a
disappointing shutout loss to Rantoul, while Olympia
seeks its first win ... Andrew King and quarterback Matt
Pelton have each rushed for 129 yards, while King leads
the area with four interceptions ... Saints' running
back Ryan Waldron and cornerback Pat Knutson are both
questionable with ankle injuries ... Darin Stappenbeck,
Olympia's first-year quarterback, has completed 32 of 56
passes for 241 yards and leads the area with a punting
average of 43.0.
Quoting: "We realize we can't turn the ball over.
We're working on getting ourselves better up front and
we're going to need it. We're defending the long ball a
little bit better than at the beginning of the year.
We've put a lot of time into it and it's paid off. They
(Olympia) are playing much better than the first two
weeks. They are controlling the ball better offensively.
Their kids are starting to get used to their offense."
--Central Catholic coach Bobby Moews
"We spend a lot of time on fundamentals as young and
inexperienced as we are. There were a lot of positives
last week (in a 44-22 loss to Eureka). I thought our
offensive line grew up a little bit. Darin gets better
at quarterback every week. I'm happy (Saints' end and
Illinois recruit) Michael (Hoomanawanui) is graduating.
I'm tired of looking at him. He promised me he was going
to graduate this year." -- Olympia coach Mike Goodwin
Champaign Central vs. Bloomington
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Fred Carlton Field, Bloomington
Records: Champaign Central 2-1, 2-1 in Big 12
Conference; BHS 2-1, 2-1
FYI: A key game for both teams as the loser drops two
games out of the Big 12 lead ... Champaign netted 563
yards of offense last week in a 62-39 win over Decatur
Eisenhower ... Maroons' tailback Cory Leman rushed for
209 yards for the second straight game and has 499 yards
for the season ... BHS will start Brent Holtz at
quarterback, while Stephen Esch also will see time at
the position ... Purple Raiders' tailback David Simmons
has rushed for 421 yards. He is bothered by a sore back
but is expected to play today.
Quoting: "Their offense can put points on the board.
They've got a good tailback in Leman and the quarterback
(Mike Martinie) can throw and run. They run a lot of
shot gun and spread it out. They're throwing more than a
Central team usually throws. We are still looking for a
certain character on offense, something we can hang our
hat on. The kids have to get a little more tenacious,
get after people and get more comfortable in what
they're doing. Both (Holtz and Esch) are winners. It's
how they fit in the scheme with our other personnel." --
BHS coach Rigo Schmelzer
Normal Community vs. Champaign Centennial
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Tommy Stewart Field, Champaign
Records: NCHS 3-0, 3-0 in Big 12 Conference;
Centennial 3-0, 3-0
FYI: Two of the three remaining undefeated Big 12
teams meet in a rematch of a 27-24 thriller won by NCHS
last season in four overtimes ... Centennial is 3-0 for
the first time since 1998 and has outscored its
opponents, 107-29. But those teams have a combined 1-8
record ... Chargers' sophomore tailback Mikel Leshoure
has rushed for 399 yards including 225 in a win over
Danville last week ... Centennial linebacker Matt Moore
is a Division I college prospect ... NCHS has been hit
with several injuries at receiver with Sheldon Harper,
Dan Frantz and Shea Lierman sidelined and Marcus King
questionable today with a knee injury. David Lammers and
Jake Detmers will be joined by converted tailback
Kennedy Freeman and Trevor Troutman as receivers today.
Quoting: "The No. 1 thing this week was to polish up
our blocking schemes. Defensively, we have to adjust to
all the formations Centennial throws at you. They give
you everything but the kitchen sink. (Correct) Alignment
is our No. 1 goal. Harper is getting his stitches out
this week. He's anxious to start therapy (after knee
surgery). I think he'll play in the regular season, but
I don't know when." -- NCHS coach Hud Venerable
Normal West vs. Danville
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Danville High School
Records: West 3-0, 3-0 in Big 12 Conference; Danville
0-3, 0-3
FYI: The Wildcats are ranked seventh in Class 6A and
have allowed only 25 points in three games ... West
tailback Josh Lacombe is the area's leading rusher with
493 yards, while quarterback Andy Dicken has passed for
259 yards and four touchdowns ... Wildcats' coach Darren
Hess reports no major injuries ... According to Hess,
West has been getting fine play from, among others,
offensive lineman Danny Hafley and cornerback Cory
Phillips ... The Wildcats will continue to rotate Jordan
Flex and Cole Lamberti at fullback ... Danville has lost
to Bloomington, Mattoon and Champaign Centennial but
scored at least 16 points in each game.
Quoting: "Danville presents different types of
problems. They run a spread type formation and are
probably about 60 percent pass. They're big up front. We
know any team can knock off any team in the Big 12. They
have always played us tough. We're not too far removed
to remember how it is on the other side." -- West coach
Darren Hess
