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Predicting every Illinois high school football game in the Peoria area for Week 1 of 2023

adam duvall, peoria journal star
·7 min read

Here are the predictions for Week 1 of the high school football season around the Peoria area. All games are Friday unless noted. Last season, the picks in this space went 131-41 (.762). Last year's records are in parentheses.

Every preview story: Ultimate guide to Peoria-area high school football for 2023

Big 12

  • Rochester (11-2) at Peoria High (12-2), 7:30 p.m. at Peoria Stadium: Peoria High comes off last season's Class 5A state runner-up finish with many of the key pieces back in the mix. QB Tino Gist, WRs TQ Webb and Sean Franklin along with LB/WR Gary Rutherford are just a few of the names looking to win a state championship and will start with a big-time test. Three key defensive players — Karter Reiss, Parker Lyons and Lance Ingold — return for Rochester, which made the Class 4A state semifinals. The new artificial turf at Peoria Stadium will make its debut. These teams didn't meet last season. Peoria High 56, Rochester 27

  • Manual (1-8, 1-6) at Peoria Notre Dame (3-6, 2-6), 7 p.m. at Richwoods Stadium: This Big 12 Conference game proves to have a lot of intrigue following the 2022 season opener. Manual QB London Toliver threw for 293 yards with 5 TDs on 8-for-11 passing. PND RB Jack Hanley rushed for 100 yards and two TDs as the teams combined for 43 second-half points. Last season, PND won 40-38. PND 42, Manual 41

  • Richwoods (1-8, 1-7) at Bloomington (3-6, 3-5), 7 p.m.: Richwoods has two offensive lineman starters in the mix led by Zion Franklin, along with Colin Clark. The Purple Raiders return their entire offensive line and starting QB A.J. Codron along with their leading rusher Kyveon Chestnut and receiver Garrick Dickerson. Last season, Bloomington won the Big 12 game 28-26. Bloomington 27, Richwoods 20

Every game, Week 1 to Week 9: Here are the Peoria area's high school football schedules for the 2023 season

Mid-Illini

  • Mahomet-Seymour (11-1) at Morton (4-5), 7:30 p.m.: Defense will be Morton's bread and butter in 2023 under first-year coach Adam O'Neill, who brings back a pair of linebackers Brett Michel and Noah Losey. The Bulldogs will have a new starting QB Luke Dyer, who replaces all-stater and Iowa State freshman Wyatt Bohm. Last season, M-S won 51-14. Morton 14, Mahomet-Seymour 13

  • Canton (2-7) at Eureka (8-3), 7:30 p.m.: Graduation hit the Hornets hard, but there's a good crop of talent back paced by John McDonald and Mason Boles. The Little Giants has two dynamic skill guys in WR Korbin Woerly and RB Sam Parry. Last season, Eureka won 25-7. Eureka 28, Canton 8

  • Washington (6-4) at Maple Park Kaneland (7-4), 7:30 p.m.: Washington starts its season with back-to-back tough nonconference games, going on the road to this perennial playoff contender. Look for the Panthers defense led by Jase Harlan and Carter Prina to limit teams offensively. Kaneland was one of five teams from the Interstate 8 to make the playoffs in 2022. These teams didn't meet last season. Washington 34, Kaneland 20

  • Sterling (9-3) at Metamora (7-4), 7:30 p.m.: The Redbirds defense may be a big surprise in this season, expecting big play from Gavin O'Laughlin, Sam Begole and Kendrick Schaffrin. Sterling coach Jon Schlemmer, a Metamora grad, led the Golden Warriors to a 2022 Class 5A quarterfinal appearance. Malone Field will debut its artificial turf. These teams didn't meet last season. Metamora 34, Sterling 28

  • Dunlap (5-5) at Galesburg (3-6), 7:30 p.m.: Dunlap comes into the season with a question mark at QB with a pair of sophomores in Mack Sutter and John Bargen dueling for the job. The Silver Streaks ended last season on a two-game win streak following a five-game skid. Last season, Dunlap won 27-13. Dunlap 40, Galesburg 19

  • Limestone (0-9) at Mt. Zion (6-4), 7:30 p.m.: This could be the week that the Rockets snap a 13-game losing streak as a slew of senior starters led by QB Caleb Bieneman, RB Izaiaz Aguliar-Nunez and WR Kenyon Johnson. Although making the playoffs, Mt. Zion lost three of its last four to end 2022. Last season, Mt. Zion won 48-7. Limestone 21, Mt. Zion 13

  • East Peoria (2-7) at Streator (2-7), 7 p.m.: After a 2-1 start last season, the Raiders dropped their last six, but will look to QB Andrew Kaufmann to halt that streak. Streator lost its final six games of 2022 following a 2-1 start. Last season, Streator won 52-0. Streator 34, East Peoria 12

  • Pekin (11-1) at Rolling Meadows (4-5), 7:30 p.m.: Pekin, which made a run to the Class 7A quarterfinals last season, has some big-time lineman featuring Jace Hackman and Blayne Thomas. Rolling Meadows started 4-1 last season before losing its final four games. These teams didn't meet last season. Pekin 40, Rolling Meadows 34

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Heart of Illinois

  • Deer Creek-Mackinaw (4-5) at Chicago Academy (6-3), 4 p.m.: Six starters are back for Dee-Mack, which will be led by RB/LB Brent Denniston and WR/LB Tyce Albritton. Chicago Academy is a member of the Chicago Public League - White-Northwest Conference, which isn't eligible for the playoffs. These teams didn't meet last season. Dee-Mack 42, Chicago Academy 6

  • Clinton (4-5) at Tremont (2-7), 7 p.m.: First-year coach Benny Prather has a three-headed monster with a trio of senior running backs in Ty Fuller, Riley Miller and Josh Geyer. Clinton carries some momentum into this season, having won its last three games of 2022. These teams didn't meet last season. Tremont 27, Clinton 22

  • Dwight (2-7) at Fieldcrest (1-8), 7 p.m.: Fieldcrest, which hasn't won an on-the-field game since Week 4 of the pandemic-shortened 2021 spring season, looks to bounce back with QB Brady Ruestman and FB/LB Jackson Hakes. Dwight coops with Gardner-South Wilmington and plays in the Chicagoland Prairie Conference. These teams didn't meet last season. Fieldcrest 22, Dwight 6

Illini Prairie

  • Paxton-Buckley-Loda (5-5, 4-4) at Illinois Valley Central (3-6, 2-6) 7 p.m.: The Grey Ghosts will debut a new QB Bryce Ratcliff as IVC won its final two games in 2022. Paxton started the season 5-0, then lost its final five games including two defeats to Fairbury Prairie Central. Last season, PBL won 28-20. IVC 27, PBL 24

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LincolnLand

  • Knoxville (9-3) at Elmwood/Brimfield (6-4), 7 p.m.: The Trojans have plenty of personnel back with offensive lineman Elijah Davis and Aaron Brown leading the way. Knoxville, which has been to the nine successive playoff appearances, will debut a new QB in Will Shreeves. These teams didn't meet last season. Knoxville 35, Elmwood/Brimfield 27

  • Farmington (8-3) at Illini West (4-5), 8 p.m.: Farmington has three impact juniors in QB Lane Wheelwright, RB Logan Utt and OL Caden Mowen. Illini West was shut out three times and scored 14 points in each of the other two losses. Last season, Farmington won 49-0. Farmington 41, Illini West 27

  • Abingdon/Avon (1-8) at Princeville (4-5), 7 p.m.: Princeville has two playmakers in the backfield with QB Logan Carruthers and RB Tayshaun Kieser. Abingdon lost its final six games, scoring a combined 41 points in those defeats. Last season, Princeville won 42-0. Princeville 49, Abingdon-Avon 8

8-player

  • Peoria Heights (1-8) at Polo (7-2), 7 p.m.: The Patriots return all but one starter including do-it-all Jayden Dominguez, who can line up on all three levels on defense. Polo reached the Illinois 8-man state semifinals last season. These teams didn't meet last season. Polo 42, Peoria Heights 35

  • Peoria Quest (First season) at Danville Schlarman (3-6), 7 p.m.: Quest begins its foray into 8-player football under coach Mauriece Coates, a former Peoria High standout, and first-year starting QB Terry Broadway. The Hilltoppers lost their final four games after beginning 2022 at 3-2. These teams didn't meet last season. Schlarman 48, Quest 28

Correction: Sean Smith plays for Manual. His school was incorrect in previous versions of this story.

Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA football predictions: Peoria-area high school picks for Week 1