Week 4 predictions for high school football games in the Springfield area
Only six unbeaten high school football teams remain in the Springfield area.
That includes Chatham Glenwood and Rochester in the Central State Eight Conference; Athens and Williamsville in the Sangamo; Pana in the South Central; and Taylorville in the Apollo.
Here are this week’s predictions after going 18-7 last week (but perfect marks in the CS8 and Sangamo).
More: Rochester's rugged D, Sacred Heart-Griffin's surge top Week 3 takeaways in the SJ-R area
CENTRAL STATE EIGHT
Chatham Glenwood (3-0) at Springfield High (1-2): The Senators logged their first win of the season, 29-12 over Lincoln. Sophomore QB Brody Scheffler threw two TD passes but also three INTs. Kameron Beckman’s 70-yard TD run in the third quarter helped seal the win. Glenwood throttled Decatur Eisenhower 58-0. Sophomore QB Colton Knoedler tossed two TDs and ran for another for the Titans. Glenwood 35, SHS 14
Lanphier (0-3) at Decatur Eisenhower (0-3): Lanphier bowed to Champaign Central 55-14. Lanphier 20, Eisenhower 16
More: Appetite for football: Top lineman relishes time with brothers at Chatham Glenwood
Decatur MacArthur (1-2) at Normal University (2-1): MacArthur’s playoff hopes just may ride on this matchup. U-High QB Alek Weiland went 13-for-22 for 238 yards and three TDs in a 42-26 win over Southeast. MacArthur 35, U-High 28
Jacksonville (2-1) at Rochester (3-0): Jacksonville not only dropped 51-10 to Sacred Heart-Griffin at Kraushaar-Rosenberger Field but also lost senior QB Mani Moore to an injury. Class 4A top-ranked Rochester has eight INTs defensively while junior QB Bryan Zulauf has the offense clicking. Rochester 49, Jacksonville 0
More: How this 5-8 QB keeps Rochester’s offense flowing despite missing star player
Peoria Manual (0-3) at Lincoln (2-1): Lincoln’s playoff aspirations took a hit with the 29-12 loss to SHS. Its next two opponents have a combined 0-6 record but the final four opponents — Jacksonville, Rochester, U-High and Glenwood — have a combined 10-2 record. Lincoln 41, Manual 0
Southeast (0-3) at Sacred Heart-Griffin (2-1): The Cyclones proved they are still among the CS8’s best. Senior running back Christian Pollard ran for 85 yards and five TDs on 14 carries against the Crimsons. SHG 56, Southeast 6
More: Top performers from Week 3 of high school football in the Springfield area
SANGAMO
Auburn (2-1) at Athens (3-0): Athens survived the last meeting, 21-14 in overtime on Camren Bigard’s short TD run and is coming off a gritty 14-6 win over Stanford Olympia. Bigard and Cory Craig Jr. Have rushed for a combined 658 yards and nine TDs for the 2A No. 4 Warriors. Senior QB Talin Kern leads Auburn. He has completed 55 of 77 attempts for 601 yards and seven TDs with four picks. Athens 35, Auburn 16
Maroa-Forsyth (3-0) at Riverton (0-3): 2A No. 1 Maroa torched winless Petersburg PORTA 63-0 and has won its first three games by an average margin of 51.7 points per game. Maroa 59, Riverton 0
More: Athens football will rely on run again in playoff pursuit
New Berlin (2-1) at Pittsfield (1-2): Head coach James Dambacher has the Pretzels pointing in the right direction. Their only loss was 20-13 to Auburn in Week 1. Otherwise, they would be in the driver’s seat for the playoffs. Senior QB Lucas Bixby is 28-for56 for 363 yards and four TDs with two picks. He’s also ran for 229 yards and three scores. Pittsfield is coming off a gauntlet with losses to Athens (41-7), Olympia (35-14) and 3A No. 2 Williamsville (49-13). New Berlin 28, Pittsfield 14
Pleasant Plains (0-3) at Petersburg PORTA (0-3): The Cardinals seem poised for a run. Their next three opponents have a combined 0-9 record. Pleasant Plains 49, PORTA 13
Williamsville (3-0) at Stanford Olympia (2-1): This is Williamsville’s first major test. The Bullets last bested the Spartans 41-21 in the 3A quarterfinals en route to second place but with more experience. Olympia also returns eight starters on both sides of the ball, with six playing both ways. Williamsville 35, Olympia 12
More: It's in the genes: Williamsville senior shares school record for longest TD with dad
SOUTH CENTRAL
Staunton (1-2) at Carlinville (1-2): Senior Trace Trettenero surprisingly led the Bulldogs to a 35-21 win over Hillsboro. He rushed for 157 yards and one TD. Drake Rose added 81 rushing yards and two scores. The Cavaliers had no answer for Vandalia QB Andrew Kelly in a 47-22 loss. Kelly ran for four TDs and threw for three scores. Carlinville 28, Staunton 7
Gillespie (0-3) at Hillsboro (1-2): Gillespie had a scare in a 33-0 loss to Greenville. A player, Hunter Hegel, was airlifted to a hospital in the third quarter following a tackle but has been reported to be doing well, according to the Gillespie Miners Football Facebook page. Hillsboro 21, Gillespie 7
Litchfield (1-2) at Greenville (3-0): The Comets have allowed just seven points in its first three games. Litchfield senior RB A.J. Sypherd amassed 343 rushing yards and six TDs on 39 carries in a 42-21 win over North Mac. Greenville 26, Litchfield 13
Pana (3-0) at North Mac (1-2): Pana's Isaiah Harbert caught a 7-yard pass from QB Wyatt Kile to score the game-winning touchdown in a 30-22 win over Piasa Southwestern. The Panthers have won their first three games by an average of 10 points. Pana 49, North Mac 13
More: Big CS8 soccer wins, volleyball aces: Vote for the SJ-R's athlete of the week
APOLLO
Mount Zion (3-0) at Taylorville (3-0): Taylorville QB Baron Odam threw a 29-yard TD pass to Finn Niemann for a 7-0 lead in the first quarter before Thomas Gettings punched in a 2-yard TD run in a 15-0 win over Columbia. Mount Zion’s wins include Bartonville Limestone (42-6), Troy Triad (39-28) and Salem (48-6). Mount Zion 35, Taylorville 14
WESTERN ILLINOIS VALLEY (NORTH)
Jacksonville Routt (2-1) at Beardstown (1-2): Junior QB Kellen Creviston and the Rockets have quickly bounced back after a 50-14 season-opening loss to Hardin Calhoun with dominant wins over White Hall North Greene (48-0) and Concord Triopia (33-6). Routt 36, Beardstown 6
LINCOLN TRAIL-PRAIRIELAND (SMALL)
Toulon Stark County (3-0) at Havana (0-3): The Ducks are coming off a 28-6 loss to South Fulton. The Rebels blanked Abington-Avon 35-0 after winning its first two games by a combined six points. Stark County 20, Havana 7
Abingdon-Avon (0-3) at Rushville-Industry (0-3): Rockets have lost their first three games by an average margin of 8.7 points per game, lately falling to Kewanee Wethersfield 29-20. Rushville 20, Abingdon 6
LINCOLN PRAIRIE
Niantic Sangamon Valley/Buffalo Tri-City (2-1) at Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond (3-0): The Storm brewed up a 28-16 win over Cerro Gordo-Bement but meets a prolific ALAH offense that has averaged 36.3 points per game. ALAH 36, Sangamon Valley 16
Nokomis (1-2) at Cerro Gordo-Bement (1-2): Nokomis dropped 19-12 to Villa Grove. Nokomis 20, Cerro Gordo 6
8-MAN
St. Anne (1-2) at Kincaid South Fork (2-1): The Ponies bowed 20-14 to Champaign St. Thomas More. South Fork 38, St. Anne 20
Biggsville West Central (0-3) at Pawnee (2-1): Pawnee decimated Ashton-Franklin 66-6 for its second straight blowout win. Pawnee 55, West Central 23
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Week 4 predictions for every football game in the Springfield area
