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Predicting every Illinois high school football game in the Springfield area for Week 5

bill welt, state journal-register
·7 min read
Rochester High School's Keeton Reiss gets off a pass while in the grip of Sacred Heart-Griffin's Richard Jackson during the game at SHG Friday August 26, 2022. The pass was complete but short of the distance needed for a first down.
Rochester High School's Keeton Reiss gets off a pass while in the grip of Sacred Heart-Griffin's Richard Jackson during the game at SHG Friday August 26, 2022. The pass was complete but short of the distance needed for a first down.

This week features two big, ranked clashes in the Springfield area: Class 6A No. 5 Chatham Glenwood visits 4A No. 5 Rochester, while 3A No. 2 Williamsville heads to 1A No. 2 Athens.

Here are this week’s predictions after going 19-3 last week in this space:

CENTRAL STATE EIGHT

Chatham Glenwood (4-0) at Rochester (3-1): The Titans are off to a sizzling start that includes wins over Jacksonville (64-23) and Decatur MacArthur (53-13). Glenwood outscored both teams 73-6 in the second half combined. Rochester has reeled off three straight blowout wins since a 62-27 loss to 4A No. 2 Sacred Heart-Griffin in Week 1. This contest features a pair of top quarterbacks in the Central State Eight Conference. Glenwood senior Jack Knudson has thrown 43 of 59 passing for 839 yards and 10 touchdowns with just one interception. Rochester senior Keeton Reiss has tossed 47 of 66 passes for 741 yards and 10 TDs with 2 INTs while rushing for 160 yards and five TDs. Rochester 35, Chatham Glenwood 28 

Jacksonville (2-2) at Springfield High (2-2): Springfield High nabbed three interceptions in a 32-13 CS8 win over Normal University. Jacksonville senior QB Elijah Owens hasn’t thrown any picks yet this season and is 23-of-36 passing for 483 yards and five TDs. He has also rushed for 229 yards and four TDs. The host Senators have won four straight against the Crimsons. Jacksonville 28, Springfield High 20 

More football:Jacksonville tried to slow down the SHG football team. It worked — until it didn't

Lanphier (0-4) at Southeast (0-4), Saturday, 1 p.m.: Southeast has a slight 15-14 edge against Lanphier since the inception of the CS8 in 1993. The Spartans have used two quarterbacks this season. Shyne Hart is 16-of-29 passing for 147 yards and one TD with two INTs while Anthony Williams is 11-of-20 for 212 yards and one TD with one INT.  Southeast 21, Lanphier 14 

Decatur MacArthur (3-1) at Sacred Heart-Griffin (4-0): MacArthur’s only loss of the season came against Chatham Glenwood 53-13 in Week 2, after getting outscored 40-0 in the second half. The Cyclones just continue to steamroll the competition. They are coming off a 55-14 CS8 win over Jacksonville. Sacred Heart-Griffin 56, Decatur MacArthur 14 

SANGAMO

Williamsville (4-0) at Athens (4-0): Athens survived an overtime thriller 22-14 at Auburn and must regroup for one of the top Sangamo Conference matchups of the season. The visiting Bullets will look to air it out with senior QB Jake Seman, who is 63-for-88 with 958 yards, 12 TDs and no picks. Athens uses the ground game in the Wing-T with a trio of backs: Cory Craig Jr., Camren Bigard and Camden Austin. They combined for 251 yards and three TDs against Auburn.  Williamsville 35, Athens 14 

Auburn (2-2) at Petersburg PORTA (0-4): Juniors Talin Kern, the quarterback, and Tre Lancaster, the running back, nearly led the Trojans to a key Sangamo win over Athens but a turnover late in the fourth quarter dashed those hopes. Lancaster continues to churn up yards and has 549 rushing yards and three TDs this season. Auburn 49, Petersburg PORTA 7 

More football:How state-ranked Athens dashed Auburn's upset bid with dramatic overtime victory

New Berlin (3-1) at Stanford Olympia (2-2): This is a key matchup for both teams in their bid for the playoffs. The Pretzels’ next three opponents are ranked: Williamsville, Athens and Maroa-Forsyth. New Berlin running back Kevin Howell has rushed for 441 yards and 10 TDs. Olympia challenged Athens in a 22-8 loss in Week 3 before dropping 42-14 against Williamsville. Stanford Olympia 28, New Berlin 21 

Pleasant Plains (1-3) at Riverton (0-4): Plains will seek its second straight win after dispatching Petersburg PORTA 49-22. That included a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior Seth Kieninger. Pleasant Plains 49, Riverton 14 

SOUTH CENTRAL

Carlinville (1-3) at Staunton (0-4): The Cavaliers also picked up their first win of the season 48-0 over Gillespie. Junior Jack Rouse totaled 30 carries for 191 yards and four TDs. Carlinville 48, Staunton 0 

Vandalia (3-1) at Gillespie (1-3): The once state-ranked Vandals bounced back convincingly with a 43-18 South Central Conference win over Hillsboro. Gillespie has lost three straight after opening with a 24-18 win over Litchfield. Vandalia 45, Gillespie 7 

Greenville (3-1) at Litchfield (1-3): The Comets have reeled off three straight wins after falling 13-7 to Hillsboro. They end the season with a gauntlet against North Mac, Pana, Carlinville and Vandalia. Litchfield is coming off a 43-6 loss to 2A No. 5 North Mac. Greenville 49, Litchfield 14 

More football:How this Rochester grad helped Southern Illinois pull off an upset of Northwestern

Hillsboro (2-2) at North Mac (4-0): Both of these teams have changed the SCC landscape. Hillsboro has planted itself as a possible playoff team while North Mac has claimed sole possession of first place in its first year in the league. Hillsboro running backs Blaze Helton and Dylan Lessman have combined for 531 yards and six TDs. North Mac senior QB Kaden Brown has 614 all-purpose yards and eight TDs. North Mac 35, Hillsboro 21 

Pana (3-1) at Piasa Southwestern (2-2): Pana senior QB Max Lynch ran for 250 yards and three TDs in a 28-3 win over Staunton. He has totaled 817 rushing yards and 11 TDs while also tossing 31 of 63 for 370 yards and three TDs with one INT. The Piasa Birds are coming off a 26-13 loss to Greenville. Pana 34, Piasa Southwestern 21 

APOLLO

Taylorville (1-3) at Effingham (2-2): The Tornadoes dropped their second straight contest 21-6 against Mount Zion. The Flaming Hearts blanked Mattoon 34-0.  Effingham 35, Taylorville 13 

Lincoln (2-2) at Mount Zion (3-1): The Railsplitters fell 63-14 to Class 5A No. 3 Mahomet-Seymour for their second straight loss. Mount Zion 30, Lincoln 14 

WESTERN ILLINOIS VALLEY

Mount Sterling Brown County (3-1) at Beardstown (2-2): Beardstown senior QB Owen Quigley ran for 171 yards and three TDs while also throwing a 24-yard TD to junior tailback Christy Domitien in a 54-14 win over rival Concord Triopia. The Hornets lost 30-0 to Class 1A No. 4 Camp Point Central.  Brown County 36, Beardstown 7 

Camp Point Central (4-0) at Jacksonville Routt (3-1), Saturday, 1 p.m.: The host Rockets were off to their first 3-0 start since 2011 until running into a 42-14 setback at Mendon Unity. Routt also visits Mount Sterling Brown County the following week. Camp Point Central 35, Jacksonville Routt 21 

PRAIRIELAND

Havana (1-3) at Astoria South Fulton (2-2): The Ducks have lost three straight after starting with a 26-6 win over Lewistown. South Fulton is coming off a 38-12 win over Lewistown. South Fulton 35, Havana 14 

Carthage Illini West (2-2) at Rushville-Industry (2-2): The Rockets claimed their second straight win with a 36-12 victory over Havana.  Rushville-Industry 40, Carthage Illini West 16 

LINCOLN PRAIRIE

Niantic Sangamon Valley (1-3) at Cerro Gordo-Bement (0-4): Sangamon Valley head coach Carl Spath picked up his first career win with a 30-14 triumph over winless Argenta-Oreana. The Broncos’ losses in Weeks 2 and 3 were by a combined three points. Niantic Sangamon Valley 20, Cerro Gordo-Bement 19 

INDEPENDENT

Nokomis (1-3) at St. Joseph Ogden (2-2): Nokomis chalked up its first win of the season 28-14 at Heyworth. The Spartans are coming off a 41-14 win over Chillicothe Illinois Valley Central after losing their previous two games against ranked opponents. St. Joseph Ogden 42, Nokomis 14 

I8FA

Edwardsville Metro-East Lutheran at Kincaid South Fork, Saturday, 1 p.m.: The Ponies claimed their third straight win with a 40-36 nail-biter over Farmer City Blue Ridge. Kincaid South Fork 49, Metro-East Lutheran 14 

Pawnee (3-1) at Champaign St. Thomas More (2-2), Saturday, 7 p.m.: Sophomore running back Carson Wort rushed for more than 100 yards in all but one game this season and has totaled 442 rushing yards and four TDs. The Sabers have wins over Flanagan Cornell-Woodland (50-18) and Bushnell-Prairie City (42-28). Pawnee 50, St. Thomas More 44 

Contact Bill Welt: (217) 788-1545, bill.welt@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/BillWelt

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: IHSA football predictions: Springfield high school picks for Week 5