Week 4 football recap: State-ranked shootout and Mid-Illini madness across Peoria

State-ranked Peoria High again was part of a high-scoring game, and the Mid-Illini Conference race got pretty interesting Friday night as the Illinois high school football season rolled on across the Peoria area.

We're back for more in Week 4 here at Journal Star preps experience — your one-stop shop as we look around the Peoria-area football landscape this weekend:

Looking for the Week 4 scoreboard? You can find that here

Who's gonna win? Week 4 predictions are here

11:40 p.m. — Washington coach surpasses a legend

Retiring Washington football coach Darrell Crouch won his 148th career game as head coach of the Panthers on Friday night, surpassing hall of fame coach John Venturi for the most in school history.

Crouch now is 148-52 overall in his 19th and final season as coach — a tenure that includes 15 successive playoff appearances and seven seasons with 10 or more wins. State-ranked Washington (3-1, 2-0) defeated Pekin 35-0 as the program's 100th season continued.

Venturi was 147-60 in 20 years as head coach at the school, from 1979 to 1998. He led the Panthers to the 1985 Class 4A state championship.

Both Crouch and Venturi more than doubled third place on the all-time list, the namesake of the program's home field Golden Babcook, who was 72-52-5 in 15 seasons from 1938 to 1952.

10:18 p.m — Logjam atop the Mid-Illini

It's a three-team race atop the Mid-Illini Conference.

Morton, Washington and Dunlap each had convincing victories in Week 4 — and all sit at 2-0 after two weeks of league play.

What a three-week stretch of games we'll get later this season. Have a look at this finish!

• Oct. 6 — Washington at Dunlap

• Oct. 13 — Morton at Dunlap

• Oct. 20 — Washington at Morton

9:46 p.m. — East Peoria back in the win column

David Hartwell and Joe Clark each scored a pair of touchdowns to lead East Peoria past Canton, 25-20. It is EP's first win over Canton since 2018.

EP (2-2, 1-1) bounces back after losing a two-touchdown lead last week against Limestone.

9:35 p.m. — Peoria High and Normal crack 100

The state-ranked showdown certainly had some points.

Class 7A No. 5 Normal Community defeated 5A No. 7 Peoria High 63-42 in a wild slugfest for Big 12 Conference supremacy.

9:15 p.m. — But how's the popcorn?

Popcorn and preps expert Adam Duvall provided his daily popcorn update — this one from Morton.

To those unaware, Duvall has been chronicling his popcorn consumption, vowing to eat the tasty snack every day for a year. Seemed like the usual fare in Morton, aside from the price point:

9:10 p.m. — Some separation in the Mid-Illini

After tight starts, the Mid-Illini games are starting to tilt.

Washington (vs. Pekin) and Dunlap (vs. Limestone) are in control of their games, while Morton (vs. Metamora) and East Peoria (vs. Canton) are keeping their opponents at arm's length.

After tonight, we're likely to have three teams at 2-0 in league play atop the standings in Morton, Dunlap and Washington — and lots of M-I football left to play.

9 p.m. — Up and down the field they go

Peoria High and Normal Community have scored a combined four touchdowns so far in the third quarter — ticking up the scoreboard nearly as fast as we can provide updates.

Normal Community leads 56-36. Well, for now.

8:15 p.m. — Peoria High down at halftime

After some back-and-forth fireworks early, Normal Community took control in the first half of its game against Peoria High.

Quarterback Kyle Beaty has been part of six touchdowns to push NCHS to a 42-22 lead in the Big 12 Conference showdown between state-ranked teams.

8:08 p.m. — Early returns in Mid-Illini games

Some tight games so far in the Mid-Illini Conference.

Washington leads Pekin 7-0 early, while Morton is ahead of Metamora 3-0. Dunlap grabbed an early 13-0 lead over Limestone, while David Hartwell continues his roll for East Peoria, which is tied with Canton at 7-7 before halftime.

Should be a fun night as we build momentum in league play.

7:44 p.m. — Notre Dame running away

The Irish are rolling past rival Richwoods (1-2), leading 28-0 just one play into the second quarter. Ben Mullens has a pair of touchdowns so far for the Irish (2-1).

7:36 p.m. — What a 60 seconds!

Normal Community and Peoria High combined for three touchdowns in the final minute of the first quarter of a Big 12 Conference showdown between state-ranked teams. Normal 21, Peoria High 14 after 12 minutes.

Whew!

Peoria High (2-1) is No. 4 in Class 5A. Normal (3-0) is No. 5 in Class 7A.

7:29 p.m. — Vote for the best helmet in Peoria!

We're holding a vote to find out which high school football program has the best helmet in the Peoria area.

This week, teams from the Mid-Illini and Big 12 are up for vote. The small schools are next week. Which lid do you like? Vote by tapping here!

5:25 p.m. — Quest won't play this week

Peoria Quest is in its first year as a football program, part of the growing 8-player format.

After an 0-3 start, Its growing pains continued Friday when a combination of injuries and illness forced the team to forfeit its Week 4 game at Amboy/LaMoille.

Read the details here.

Morton football celebrates the Pumpkin Festival

The Morton Potters football team will have a new look this weekend.

Morton will sport a very cool orange jack-o'-lantern sticker on the sides of their silver helmets on Friday as a way to celebrate the village's annual Pumpkin Festival.

Coach Adam O'Neill debuted the sticker on his social media this week ahead of the 7:30 p.m. Mid-Illini Conference game against Metamora.

Take a look below to see them on the field, via the Journal Star's Adam Duvall.

Game of the week: Peoria High at Normal Community

Peoria High will face another state-ranked opponent this week, this time to possibly determine the Big 12 Conference champion.

The Class 5A No. 4-ranked Lions (2-1) take on the Class 7A No. 5-ranked Ironmen (3-0) in a 7 p.m. game in Normal. Peoria High opened the season with a 40-14 loss to Rochester, the top-ranked team in Class 4A.

Do you have a great video clip?

The ROWVA/Williamsfield football team was included on the IHSA's Friday Night Five this week when Talan Hull's interception return for a touchdown was selected No. 2 statewide for Week 3.

Hull sniffed out the screen pass, jumped the throw and took the pick 45 yards for the score. Take a look at the play below:

To send a highlight to the IHSA, submit video to FridayNight5@ihsa.org or via social media with the hashtag #FridayNight5. Each Tuesday, the IHSA releases the top five plays, culminating with the "Undeniably Dairy Play of the Week."

The school with the top play each week will receive a $250 gift certificate from Dick’s Sporting Goods for their football program.

Hey, and if you send a play the way of the IHSA — send it our way, too. We want to see your highlights or pictures here! Send your videos and photos to sports@pjstar.com or tag us on X.com at @pjstarsports.

Kickoff 2023: Peoria high school football preview coverage

Dig into the Journal Star's preview coverage of the 2023 season. We have top players, returning coaches and much, much more. Find nearly 25 stories right here.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Illinois high school football scores: IHSA Week 4 reap around Peoria