By Ryne Turke
Quincy Notre Dame (2-1) @ Jacksonville (3-0)
The ground game has never looked better for Jacksonville. The Crimsons rushed for 409 yards in their 42-7 road win over Springfield. Quarterback Rylan Rees has totaled 533 yards, on the season, while running back Darren Henry is up to five rushing touchdowns. With an experienced offensive line leading the way for the Crimsons, they’re off and running as they meet their toughest test of the season.
QND is rolling with home wins over Carbondale and Lanphier and their lone loss coming against undefeated St. Teresa. The Raiders shutout Jacksonville 28-0 in last year’s matchup. A win for Jacksonville would keep them undefeated heading into a huge showdown at SHG.
Camp Point (3-0) @ Beardstown (2-1)
Camp Point’s defense collected its second shutout victory of the year, defeating Triopia 53-0. The Panthers rushed for 244 yards and six touchdowns on the night, jumping out to a 37-0 lead in the first quarter and never looking back. I’m sold, what’s it going to take to slow down Camp Point?
It was another strong Friday night for Beardstown as they handed Mendon Unity a 55-16 loss. Through three weeks, the Tigers’ offense has scored 107 points. That’s more than the 92 they scored all last year during their 1-8 campaign. Good things are happening in Beardstown.
Greenfield Northwestern (2-1) @ Pleasant Hill (1-2)
GNW got the better of their old rivals, beating Carrollton 40-6. Quarterback Ty Bowman looks so comfortable in this offense, tossing touchdowns to Carter Chapman and Jason Hoots Friday night. Carter Murphy would add a rushing score and a punt return touchdown. If that wasn’t enough, the offensive line is dominating the line of scrimmage. GNW checks every box for a team bound for big things.
It’s been a true 180-degree experience for the Wolves over the first three weeks of the season. After kicking off their season with a 60-0 win over Mendon Unity, Pleasant Hill has struggled against the best of the best in the WIVC, losing to Brown County and Calhoun. The Wolves will look to regain that early magic at home.
Triopia (1-2) @ Routt (0-3)
Some games just don’t go your way. What makes a team great is how you respond after nights like Week 4’s loss to Camp Point. I’ve seen firsthand what this team is capable of. They’ve got a tough crew of tailbacks led by Jakob Browning that can get the job done. Despite facing Calhoun, Camp Point and Brown County all in the first five weeks of the season, this team has the tools to make the postseason. But Saturday is a must-win against the Rockets.
Routt is still searching for its first points of the season following a 67-0 loss to Brown County. Losing Owen Smith to injury will give Jackson Place and Brady Rhodes an opportunity to emerge in the backfield. It’s been a gauntlet of a schedule for the Rockets to start their season, but a win over Triopia will give this team a much-needed jolt in the right direction. I’ll be on the call for this one!
Carrollton (1-2) @ West Central (2-1)
It was a competitive first quarter, but Carrollton couldn’t contain the GNW attack. Quarterback Brady Clendenen went wild on the Hawks’ opening drive with several impressive runs and would add some completions to Buddy Holmes and Carter Randolph throughout the night. If the line can protect Clendenen, they’re in store for a solid second half of the year.
It was another huge night for West Central’s Eli Crain, who rushed for 239 yards and three touchdowns in the Cougars’ 41-7 win over North Greene. The West Central defense is legit, as they held the Spartans to under 50 yards of offense. The Cougars are proving their name belongs among the top teams in the WIVC. This is my GAME OF THE WEEK!
Calhoun (3-0) @ North Greene (0-3)
Calhoun has yet to be tested in 2026, scoring 50+ points in each of their games. The Warriors scored seven rushing touchdowns in their win over P-Hill and dropped 28 points in the first quarter. Quarterback Earl Elmore has been nearly perfect, averaging 161 passing yards per game. Running back Jacob Brannan has scored five touchdowns, and receiver Lane Eilerman has 259 receiving yards. I don’t know how you game-plan for this offense, and what’s scary is the defense is just as good.
Coming off their loss to West Central, the Spartans will most certainly be underdogs against Calhoun. The North Greene motto, “brick by brick,” continues to be a focal point of this season, and Coach Nicholas Mellenthin is building something here. Freshman Fabian Grisby’s Week 3 kickoff return touchdown is exactly what the Spartans want to see. Trust the process, Spartans.
I’ll be in the broadcast booth for this one, too. Can the Spartans bring a challenge to Calhoun and their mission for a state title? Can’t wait to find out.
OTHER AREA GAMES TO WATCH
Mendon Unity (0-3) @ Brown County (3-0)
PORTA AC (2-1) @ New Berlin (0-3)
Rochester (3-0) @ MacArthur (3-0)
Sacred Heart Griffin (2-1) @
Springfield (0-3)
Photo/Amy McCombs
The Jacksonville High School Crimsons Football team races onto Memorial Stadium prior to their 42-7 win over Springfield.
