Game Night Guide: Week 3 of prep football
Friday’s Schedule
Moline (1-1) at Quincy High School (1-1), 7 p.m.
Marceline (2-0) at Quincy Notre Dame (2-0), 7 p.m.
Hannibal (2-0) at Fort Zumwalt West (1-1), 7 p.m.
Central (2-0) at Unity-Payson (2-0), 7 p.m.
• Central Illinois Sports on YouTube
• Unity athletic department on YouTube
Triopia (1-1) at Brown County (2-0), 7 p.m.
• BC Hornets Sports on YouTube
Auburn at Pittsfield (1-1), 7 p.m.
• Central Illinois Sports on YouTube
Carrollton (1-1) at Pleasant Hill (0-2), 7 p.m.
Palmyra (0-2) at Macon, 7 p.m.
South Shelby (1-1) at Monroe City (2-0), 7 p.m.
Highland (2-0) at Clark County (1-1), 7 p.m.
Mark Twain (2-0) at Van-Far (0-2), 7 p.m.
First and 10
Ten tidbits to know about this week’s slate of games:
• Moline visits Flinn Stadium for the start of Western Big 6 Conference play with a rare scenario facing the league. Not one of the eight teams is ranked in the state polls. Sterling, which has won the league title in its only two seasons in the WB6, is the only team receiving votes. And only two WB6 teams are undefeated so far, one of which is United Township.
• Moline wide receiver Matthew Bailey leads the WB6 with 15 catches for 280 yards and five touchdowns. Only four wide receivers in the league have two or more touchdown catches, including QHS sophomore Jack Mettemeyer.
• Quincy Notre Dame is playing Marceline for the first time and both teams are mentioned in their respective state polls. The Raiders are ranked fourth in Class 4A in Illinois, while the Tigers are receiving votes in the Class 1 poll in Missouri.
• Marceline beat Brookfield 20-0 last week to win the “Bell Game,” one of the oldest prep football rivalries in Missouri. This was the 86th time the Show-Me State rivals played. The Tigers won 20-0 while limiting the Bulldogs to 188 total yards. Marceline is a Class 1 program which went 10-2 last fall and reached the state quarterfinals.
• Fort Zumwalt West is two years removed from a Class 6 state semifinal appearance. The Jaguars’ first two weeks of the season have been role reversals. Fort Zumwalt West lost 52-24 to Eureka in Week 1 and rebounded for a 49-14 victory at Belleville West. Five of the Jaguars’ next six opponents are undefeated through two weeks.
• Unity-Payson hasn’t beaten Central since the 2016 season, but the Panthers responded to the loss by winning the next four games and finishing the regular season with a 7-2 record and another Class 1A playoff appearance.
• Unity-Payson is averaging 10.8 yards per carry as a team with Cecil Hunt averaging 19.7 yards per carry. Hunt has 393 yards and five touchdowns on just 20 carries.
• Clarence Cannon Conference play begins with state-ranked Monroe City playing its home opener against South Shelby. The Panthers won both road games and are sitting No. 2 in the Class 1 state poll. The last time Monroe City played South Shelby in Week 3 was 2017, and the Panthers went 15-0 and won the state championship.
• Highland started last season 3-1 with the only blemish being a 26-14 loss in Week 3 to Clark County — this week’s opponent. The Cougars have not started 3-0 any season in the last decade and have won more than three games only twice in the last decade.
• Mark Twain is looking for its first 3-0 start since 2015 when the Tigers went undefeated in the regular season, beat five teams with a better than .500 record and lost in the postseason to perennial power Ste. Genevieve Valle.
Game Night Grub
• Pregame appetites vary. BK’s Restaurant in Monroe City has everyone covered. For the light appetites, there’s the everything-you-might-want salad bar and a variety of appetizers on the menu. For the heartier appetites, go with the fried chicken. Seriously, order the fried chicken. The pork chops and the philly cheesesteaks and other entrees are delectable, but go with the homemade crispy fried chicken. You won’t be disappointed.
• Did you know Paloma was originally known as Pickleville? In the 1800s, local pickle producers used to ship their product to nearby Quincy on the railroad from a platform just west of the township. I’m not sure how many locals produce pickles any longer, but the Paloma Diner is pumping out tasty food. This is another place with stellar fried chicken along with a solid menu of sandwiches and entrees, and don’t forget a slice of pie.
• Pizza is always a good fill-you-up option before a big game. So why not stop at Gianni’s Pizza in Pittsfield for a stuffed pizza, some toasted ravioli or a chicken parmesan sandwich? Gianni’s has a full and varied menu and offers traditional Italian desserts like cannolis and tiramisu. Any night is a good night for pizza, but Friday night football makes the pizza taste better.
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