Week 8 predictions for high school football games in the Springfield area
Rochester and Sacred Heart-Griffin each share the lead in the Central State Eight Conference.
Neither can look past their next opponents before they meet up at Ken Leonard Field for Week 9. Class 4A top-ranked Rochester hosts Chatham Glenwood while 5A No. 5 Sacred Heart-Griffin visits Decatur MacArthur this Friday.
Here are the Week 8 high school football predictions in the Springfield area after going 21-4.
More: Rochester's dominance, Williamsville's tough loss top Week 7 takeaways in Springfield area
CENTRAL STATE EIGHT
▸Chatham Glenwood (5-2) at Rochester (7-0): Both teams have a knack for takeaways. Senior Henry Buecker returned two interceptions for touchdowns in Rochester’s 55-0 victory over Lincoln. The Rockets now have 20 INTs this season. Glenwood junior Colten Haacke recovered two fumbles while senior Jack Dettro had his sixth INT of the season in a 35-0 win over Normal U-High. The Titans have 13 INTs this fall, but face a Rochester offense that averages 54.3 points per game. Rochester 42, Glenwood 14
▸Champaign Centennial (5-2) at Decatur Eisenhower (1-6): Eisenhower is coming off a 64-6 loss to Sacred Heart-Griffin ahead of its crossover game against the Big 12, which leads the season series against the CS8, 6-4. Centennial 56, Eisenhower 0
▸Sacred Heart-Griffin (6-1) at Decatur MacArthur (4-3): The host Generals have won three straight games and dispatched Lanphier 54-0 in their Week 7 contest. Seven different SHG players scored in the rout against Eisenhower. That included two rushing TDs from Christian Pollard. SHG, unbeaten in the CS8 at 6-0, welcomes co-leader Rochester in Week 9. SHG 35, MacArthur 20
More: Top performers from Week 7 of high school football in the Springfield area
▸Springfield High (2-5) at Jacksonville (3-4): Seniors Cam’Ron Mitchell and Mani Moore combined for more than 300 rushing yards in Jacksonville’s 35-8 win over Southeast. The Senators fell to 6A state-ranked Normal West 35-7 in a crossover game against the Big 12. Jacksonville needs a win here and at Normal U-High in Week 9 to become playoff eligible for a third straight season. Jacksonville 28, SHS 21
▸Lincoln (5-2) at Normal University (5-2): Both teams are coming off lopsided losses but have still surged beyond expectations by becoming playoff eligible. U-High 28, Lincoln 20
▸Southeast (0-7) at Lanphier (0-7), Saturday, 1 p.m.: Southeast only trailed Jacksonville 14-0 at halftime and won its last meeting against the North Side, 28-6. Southeast 30, Lanphier 13
SANGAMO
▸Riverton (0-7) at Athens (6-1): Senior running back Camren Bigard ran for 272 yards and three TDs in 2A No. 8 Athens’ 55-20 win over New Berlin. That vaulted him up to 1,018 rushing yards and 10 scores this season ahead of senior teammate Cory Craig Jr., who has 972 rushing yards and 15 TDs. Athens 50, Riverton 6
▸Auburn (5-2) at Stanford Olympia (5-2): 3A No. 10 Olympia has been a tough cookie at home. The Spartans upended 3A No. 6 Williamsville 27-20 and its two home losses were against ranked opponents, Athens and Maroa-Forsyth, by a combined 17 points. Auburn senior QB Talin Kern went 23 of 29 for 295 yards and four touchdowns in a 33-13 win over Pittsfield to become playoff eligible for a second straight season. Kern has now thrown for 2,006 yards and 21 TDs with six INTs this season. Olympia 35, Auburn 28
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▸Maroa-Forsyth (7-0) at New Berlin (3-4), Saturday, 2 p.m.: Maroa senior QB Kaiden Maurer dashed Williamsville again with a game-winning 11-yard TD pass to Grant Smith to escape with a 25-21 win. He previously threw a GW 43-yard TD pass to Mitch Williams with just over a minute remaining in last year’s meeting. He threw for 186 yards and one score and added 99 yards and two TDs on the ground. Maroa 56, New Berlin 14
▸Petersburg PORTA (1-6) at Pittsfield (0-7): The Bluejays picked up their first win of the season, 48-6 over Riverton. Pittsfield 22, PORTA 20
▸Pleasant Plains (3-4) at Williamsville (5-2): Williamsville’s two losses have come against ranked opponents by a combined 11 points. Junior running back Braddock Cates ran for 139 yards and a score in the loss to 2A top-ranked Maroa. Plains is coming off a 61-21 loss to Olympia. Williamsville 52, Plains 16
More: High school football Week 7: Scores, schedule from around the Springfield area
SOUTH CENTRAL
▸Carlinville (4-3) at Hillsboro (3-4): This is a must-win for Hillsboro following a 27-3 loss to Vandalia. Carlinville dropped to South Central leader Greenville, 41-7. The Cavaliers also close the season at home against Gillespie in Week 9. Carlinville 21, Hillsboro 7
▸Vandalia (5-2) at Gillespie (0-7): The host Miners bowed to Pana 43-9. Vandalia 44, Gillespie 8
▸Piasa Southwestern (4-3) at Greenville (7-0): Greenville clinched at least a share of the SCC title with the win over Carlinville. It closes the season at North Mac in Week 9. Greenville 45, Piasa 13
▸Pana (5-2) at Litchfield (4-3): Litchfield is aiming for its first playoff berth since 2005. Litchfield senior running back A.J. Sypherd ran for 218 yards and three scores in a 37-0 rout against Staunton. Pana junior QB Wyatt Kile threw for 133 yards and three TDs and ran for 103 yards in the win over Gillespie. Pana 28, Litchfield 26
▸Staunton (2-5) at North Mac (1-6): North Mac senior QB Dane Vance has set a new school record with 1,672 career passing yards, but the Panthers came up short in a 20-19 loss at Piasa Southwestern. Staunton’s Drake Rose ran for 101 yards in the loss against Litchfield. North Mac 28, Staunton 27
More: How this senior QB is laying a foundation for the future for North Mac football
APOLLO
▸Charleston (5-2) at Taylorville (4-3): The Tornadoes rallied to a 28-21 victory over Mattoon. Junior QB Baron Odam scored the go-ahead TD on a sneak. Taylorville visits 2-5 Bethalto Civic Memorial to close out the regular season. Charleston fell to Mount Zion 28-14 and is playoff eligible for the first time since 2012. Charleston 27, Taylorville 14
WESTERN ILLINOIS VALLEY (NORTH)
▸Jacksonville Routt (3-4) at Greenfield/Northwestern (7-0): Routt snapped a three-game skid with a 39-30 win over Mount Sterling Brown County, but visits 1A No. 5 Greenfield/Northwestern. The Tigers edged Carrollton 14-0 to secure at least a share of the WIVC South title. Greenfield 42, Routt 14
▸White Hall North Greene (0-7) at Beardstown (3-4): Beardstown dropped its second straight game, 35-0 to Mendon Unity, but is still in the playoff hunt. It closes the season against 4-3 Hardin Calhoun in Week 9. Beardstown 40, North Greene 6
LINCOLN TRAIL-PRAIRIELAND (SMALL)
▸Monmouth United (2-5) at Havana (0-7): Havana fell to Abingdon-Avon 14-12. The Red Storm has lost five straight. Monmouth United 28, Havana 14
▸Rushville-Industry (2-5) at Princeville (4-3): Rushville dropped its second straight game, 45-16 to Oneida ROWVA. Princeville 30, Rushville 14
LINCOLN PRAIRIE
▸Niantic Sangamon Valley/Buffalo Tri-City (2-5) at Villa Grove (4-3): The Storm lost their fourth straight game, 35-14 to Arcola. Villa Grove edged Argenta-Oreana 27-26 for its third straight win. Villa Grove 19, Sangamon Valley 14
▸Toledo Cumberland (5-2) at Nokomis (3-4): Nokomis fell to unbeaten Sullivan 30-22. Cumberland won its second straight game, 55-12 over Oakland Tri-County. Cumberland 30, Nokomis 20
8-MAN
▸Pawnee (4-3) at Kincaid South Fork (5-2), Saturday, 6 p.m.: Pawnee lost to one of the top 8-man teams in the state, 42-18 against Milledgeville. South Fork also fell 42-38 against Martinsville, which claimed the outright 8-Man South Conference lead. Pawnee won last year’s meeting 26-8 over the Ponies. Pawnee 34, South Fork 30
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Week 8 predictions for every football game in the Springfield area
