Danville vs.
Normal Community
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Normal Community High School
Records: Danville 1-6, 1-6 Big 12 Conference; NCHS
6-1, 6-1
FYI: NCHS, which is ranked No. 9 in the Class 6A
state poll, is celebrating its homecoming ... The
Ironmen, tied with Bloomington for the Big 12 Conference
lead, will be without three players who were injured in
last week's 33-26 victory at Decatur MacArthur.
Cornerback Joey Anderson will miss at least three weeks
with a knee injury, while offensive tackle Tyson Pittman
and strong safety Jon Gannon are out this week with
concussions. Charles Turner (cornerback), Tyler Sadlo
(tackle) and freshman Andrew Hamer (safety) will start
tonight.
Quoting: "Our mindset right now is pretty good. Our
kids are learning every week and every day you have to
come ready to play and practice. We're not a finished
product by any stretch. We're not satisfied where we're
at. We control our destiny with the conference
championship. That's No. 1 on our agenda." -- NCHS coach
Hud Venerable
Central Catholic vs. Prairie Central
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Lewis Field, Fairbury
Records: Central Catholic 5-2, 5-2 Corn Belt
Conference; Prairie Central 6-1, 6-1
FYI: This is homecoming and Senior Night for Prairie
Central, which is tied with Mahomet-Seymour for the Corn
Belt Conference lead ... Central Catholic knocked
Pontiac from the Corn Belt lead last week with a 21-14
victory. Matt Pelton leads the Saints, completing 62 of
106 attempts for 1,130 yards and 15 touchdowns. Tight
end Michael Hoomanawanui has 29 receptions for 454 yards
and 8 TD. The Saints hope defensive tackle A.J. Eyer
(knee) will return after several weeks out .... Cody
Freed (925 yards passing) and Ben Herr (374 yards
rushing) pace Prairie Central, which is ranked No. 9 in
Class 4A and has won 18 straight home games.
Quoting: "They're running more than they have in
years past, but they're better running than they have
been. Ben Herr is a big kid and they get him the
football. We won a big ball game last week. It's like
when you win a big game in the playoffs, you've got to
play another good team the next week and not be
satisfied with that." -- Central Catholic coach Bobby
Moews
"They've got some great athletes. Their front three
(defensively) are as good as we're going to see. Their
linebackers are all 175-pound kids who are just athletic
and like to run. We have to get body on body and try to
get three or four yards a pop on the run and maybe hit
some big plays in the passing game." -- Prairie Central
coach Brian Hassett
Bloomington vs. Decatur Eisenhower
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Decatur Eisenhower High School
Last year's records: Bloomington 6-1, 6-1 Big 12
Conference; Eisenhower 1-6, 1-6
FYI: Bloomington, ranked No. 10 in Class 6A, is
coming off impressive victories against Champaign
Centennial and Normal West in which senior tailback
Valshun Powe has rushed for 393 yards ... The Purple
Raiders have lost standout tight end-defensive end Ryan
Kernes for the season with a knee injury ... Eisenhower
won its first game last week, beating winless Urbana
28-26. Leading the Panthers offensively are quarterback
Todd Sabley (28 of 97, 530 yards) and tailback Brandon
Jelks (409 yards).
Quoting: "I think our kids will be ready to play.
It's a reality they've had three difficult teams in a
row. We've taken it easy on them this week knowing they
had a tough test (last week). Hopefully we'll come to
play and we'll have them ready. We hope they realize
it's close to the playoffs and they have to keep
improving." -- BHS coach Rigo Schmelzer
Normal West vs. Mattoon
Time: 7 p.m.
Place: Mattoon High School
Last year's records: West 5-2, 5-2 Big 12 Conference;
Mattoon 3-4, 3-4
FYI: West is trying to bounce back from last week's
33-12 loss to Bloomington that knocked the Wildcats out
of a share of the Big 12 Conference lead. Mattoon is
coming off a 20-10 upset victory against then-Big 12
co-leader Champaign Centennial 20-10 .... West tailback
Josh Lacombe continues to lead the area in rushing with
1,051 yards. The Wildcats have beaten Mattoon the last
two years .... Mattoon, which needs a victory to keep
its playoff hopes alive, might be without sophomore
quarterback Jeremy Jordan (45 of 105, 760 yards, 7
touchdowns), who was injured last week.
Quoting: "They're big up front. They average 260-270
(pounds) across. They do a great job running the
football and controlling tempo that way. We did some
good things against Bloomington and some things we need
to work on. We're trying to emphasize the positive and
look forward to knowing we have two hard games left
(next week against Centennial)." -- West coach Darren
Hess
University High vs. Eureka
Time: 7:45 p.m.
Place: Eureka High School
Records: U High 1-6, 1-6 Corn Belt Conference; Eureka
2-5, 2-5
FYI: This is Senior Night for Eureka, which hasn't
beaten U High since 1965. The Pioneers have won 11
straight games against the Hornets in that span,
including a 38-14 victory last season .... U High is
trying to break a six-game losing streak, while Eureka
has lost four straight ... Eureka's Zach Hunt set a
school record with 11 receptions last week against
Mahomet-Seymour. The Hornets will be without wide
receiver Dan Eastman (concussion) and two-way lineman
Adam Layne (ankle).
Quoting: "They're very comparable and similar to us.
They're not real big, although they have some big kids
up front. Mostly they're athletic, fast type of kids.
Overall we match up well with them, more so than most
teams in our conference. We have to contain the pass and
run game because they mix it up." -- U High coach Kurt
Olson
"We have some good senior leaders. They're doing a
good job keeping the kids focused. Zach Hunt is a
tremendous receiver. I think we have three or four
talented receivers. It takes a year or so to get
involved in our system." -- Eureka coach Kurt Barth
Compiled by Jim Benson
