ILLINOIS FB PREVIEW: Season kicks off Friday

Aug. 26—As usual, unless it's the year that a global pandemic invades the Midwest, Illinois football teams are starting their season one week after Indiana teams.

That means they'll be kicking off Friday night and, as usual, there are questions involving Wabash Valley high schools west of the state line before that occurs.

Will Paris put forth its sixth straight winning season? Will Martinsville's eight-on-eight squad adapt to the departure of coach Shane McDearmon? Will Marshall win its first game since before the coronavirus arrived?

Let's try to get an idea of where these and other teams stand in August:

—Paris — Beginning his seventh season at the helm, including last year's 7-4 campaign that ended with a Class 4A playoff loss to powerful Rochester, Jeremy Clodfelder likes what he's seen from the Tigers during the preseason.

"I really like the preparation that we've been through from December until now," Clodfelder told the Tribune-Star. "We feel like it has been the first normal off-season back since COVID.

"Our team chemistry is really, really good right now and the culture is just where we want it. We understand fully that the schedule itself is very challenging. We play our typical LIC [Little Illini Conference] schedule along with two nonconference teams in Tolono Unity, which played for the state title a year ago, along with a long bus trip to Harrisburg, which has been a consistent 4A playoff team for years."

Clodfelder said Paris' offense begins up front with five senior linemen that "we are looking to help us establish our identity."

Other key offensive players mentioned by the Tigers' coach are 5-foot-10, 180-pound senior quarterback Brady Crippes, 6-5, 165-pound senior wide receiver Tre Lee, 6-1, 150-pound senior wide receiver Adi Patel, 6-2, 185-pound junior tight end Robert Wells and 6-4, 150-pound sophomore QB Drew Rogers, a name you'll likely need to remember for future seasons. Running backs include junior Ethan Curl (6-1, 220), senior Jaiden Quinn (5-7, 140), junior Kalvin Rigdon (6-1, 200), sophomore Mason Byrnes (5-10, 175) and junior Christian Miller (5-10, 175).

"On the defensive side, again we feel very solid up front with linebackers who run to the ball and a back end that has continually improved throughout the summer," Clodfelder added.

Paris, which finished fourth in the LIC last season with a 4-3 mark, will visit Casey (tied for second in the LIC in 2021 at 5-3) on Friday.

—Marshall — If any program should feel jinxed by the arrival of the pandemic in 2020, it's Marshall.

If you recall, the fall 2020 IHSA season was postponed to the spring of 2021. The Lions went 0-6 then, followed by 0-9 in the fall of 2021.

Fifth-year head coach Jared Boyll promises a strong effort this fall.

"We are going to be a blue-collar, hard-working team," he emphasized. "On offense, we will continue to try and establish the run. We will rely heavily on our offensive line to control the line of scrimmage and help establish this while also leaning on veteran running backs to help.

"On defense, our main goal is getting 11 hats to the football, making a play when you have the opportunity and tackling. This also will be a hard-nosed, blue-collar group of young men. We will rely on experienced linebackers and defensive backs to help get this done."

Returnees named by Boyll are senior lineman Raidyn Franklin (6-0, 240); junior running back/defensive back Kaden Matzke (5-10, 165); junior fullback/tight end/linebacker Blayne Francis (5-10, 200); senior wide receiver/defensive back Ethan Hendrix (5-9, 140); junior running back/defensive back Kyden Boyer (5-11, 145); and junior tight end/defensive end Luis Lopez (6-1, 170).

Significant newcomers to the lineup include senior fullback/linebacker Colin Smitley (5-9, 155); sophomore running back/fullback/linebacker Dom Huisinga (5-9, 165); junior running back/defensive back Rielly Wallace (5-10, 160); and sophomore quarterback/defensive back Trey Scott (5-9, 135).

Regarding the LIC, Boyll said a lot of parity exists this season and "it could be anybody's victory on any given night."

Mount Carmel, the defending conference champion (8-0 LIC, 12-0 overall), will travel to Marshall on Friday to see if Boyll was correct with his last statement.

—Robinson — When asked to assess his 2022 squad, fifth-year coach Casey Pinnell did not hesitate to elaborate.

"We return quite a few players from last year since we graduated a very small class in 2022," he explained. "Wes Jackson [6-0, 200] is a four-year starter at QB. Seniors Korbin Rawlings [6-3, 230] and Jacob Shick [5-11, 310] and junior Payton Skaggs [5-10, 280] are all returning starters on our offensive line. We have some guys who played heavy minutes up front last year who return like junior Remington Spencer [6-2, 230] and senior L.J. Olinger [6-0. 250]. We return some talented skill guys on offense as well. Seniors Nathan Wernz [6-0, 190] and Dylan Johnson [5-8, 160] return in our backfield. Junior Judson Pinkston [5-8, 160], senior Brayden Shipman [5-8. 135], junior Julian Parker [6-0, 160] and senior Wesley Liston [5-9, 185] are all talented guys who played good minutes last year returning at WR.

"On the defensive side of the ball we return a ton of minute guys. Defensive lineman who played last year include sophomore Jevan Wampler [5-11, 180], senior Branden Baker [5-8. 180], senior Dalton Woods [6-2, 245], Rawlings and Spencer. We return our entire linebacking core from last year — junior Eli Rosborough [5-11, 185], senior Colby McGahey [6-0, 170], Wernz and Jackson will anchor that group. Pinkston and Parker return in the defensive backfield, giving us some really good experience back there."

Pinnell added then names of younger players and newcomers to the varsity roster who may contribute this season — freshmen A.J. Knoblett (5-9, 150, WR, DB) and Blake Trivett (6-3, 295, OL, DL).

"Blake Green [5-10, 160] is a sophomore skill guy who played some last year that we are highly excited about," the Maroons' coach added. "He's a very talented football player and will get to showcase those talents this year and will be a monster player for us on both sides of the ball. Khyzaiah Poole [6-1, 170] is another sophomore whom we are excited about. He has amazing upside and loves the game and had a really great summer."

Despite his enthusiasm, Pinnell acknowledged that defeating Mount Carmel and Paris will be difficult. But he didn't say "impossible."

The Maroons (3-6 last season) will travel to Roxana on Friday.

—Martinsville — After going 7-2 in eight-on-eight action, McDearmon is no longer coaching and Beard is in his place.

Coach Beard listed the Bluestreaks' returning seniors as Korbin Baird (5-10, 150) and Josh Coleman (5-9, 205), returning juniors Victor "Boogey" Herrera (5-10, 195) and Clint Kemper Jr. (5-10, 180) and returning sophomores as Adam Parcel (6-2, 170), Eli Knifley and Dominick Hills (5-11, 165).

"We expect a lot of good things from [Korbin Baird and Herrera]," the new coach stressed. "[Senior] Lucas Skinner is the starting QB and he's a first-year high school player, but he has football experience and good knowledge of the game. He has a good arm and can find open receivers. Hills, Parcel and [first-year sophomore] Kaiden Simons will be our primary receivers and all are quick with good hands. The offensive line has experience with Coleman and Kemper Jr. having been starters. Knifley is stepping up as a starter this year and also will help us.

"On defense, [senior] Tristan Holmes [6-2, 190] and Parcel will work as our D ends mostly, with Coleman and Kemper in our middle. With Boogey, Dominick [Hills], Lucas and Korbin will be our outside linebackers and corners. Kaiden Simons is our safety. As a team, expectations are high. The previous year with coach McDearmon was successful and we hope to continue that success into this year."

Mitch Baird's first game as head man on the sideline will be Friday at Metro East Lutheran.