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2025 Central State Eight Updates.

All..... Chatham getting in on the "action." Show choir no less. Sigh.... 😱 Ratsy

Well shoot, I guess at least we can start calling it a "South County" calamity... but then again that's not fair to the true south Sangamon folk... Lowder, Thayer, Divernon, Pawnee, Glenarm, Auburn and the like... I guess we can call it the Lake Springfield Crisis... must be something in the water...
 
This one time, at band camp ....
american pie jims dad GIF
 
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Well shoot, I guess at least we can start calling it a "South County" calamity... but then again that's not fair to the true south Sangamon folk... Lowder, Thayer, Divernon, Pawnee, Glenarm, Auburn and the like... I guess we can call it the Lake Springfield Crisis... must be something in the water...
Also, upon reading, sounds familiar... They (Hard R and that school on Plummer Blvd) hate each other, until they need each other's lawyers... 😁
 
All.... The QND schedule for 2025. Ratsy


8-22 Decatur St. Teresa Scimmage V/JV 6pm (A)
8-29 Soldan International (H)
9-5 Alton (Marquette) (H)
9-12 Southeast (A)
9-19 Sacred Heart-Griffin (A)
9-26 Springfield (H)
10-3 Lanphier (A)
10-10 Jacksonville (H)
10-17 Lincoln (A)
10-24 Decatur (MacArthur) (H)
 
All.... Tentative schedules subject to change. Source il.8to18.com, Big teams.com and Hudl. I did not come across Southeast and Rochester but one can cross reference the other schedules below and get an idea who they play and the dates. Ratsy

Sacred Heart- Griffin -

8-29 Christian Brothers College (H)
9-5 Mascoutah (A)
9-12 Jacksonville (A)
9-19 QND (H)
9-26 Lanphier (A)
10-3 Southeast (H)
10-10 Springfield (H)
10-17 Chatham (A)
10-24 Rochester (H)

Springfield -

8-28 Champaign (Central) 6PM (A) Showing Thursday?
9-5 MacArthur (H)
9-12 Lanphier (H)
9-20 Southeast (H) 1PM
9-26 QND (A)
10-3 Jacksonville (A)
10-10 SHG (A)
10-17 (Rochester) (A)
10-24 Chatham (H)

Jacksonville -

8-29 Highland (H)
9-5 Eisenhower (A)
9-12 SHG (H)
9-19 Lanphier (A)
9-26 Southeast (A)
10-3 Springfield (H)
10-10 QND (A)
10-17 Macarthur (A)
1024 Lincoln (H)

Lanphier -

8-29 Lincoln (H)
9-5 East Peoria (A)
9-12 Springfield (A)
9-19 Jacksonville (H)
9-26 SHG (H)
10-3 QND (H)
10-11 Southeast (H) 1PM
10-17 Eisenhower (A)
10-24 Normal University (A)

Chatham -

8-29 Edwardsville (A)
9-5 Bonne Terre (North County) (H)
9-12 Eisenhower (H)
9-19 Rochester (A)
9-26 MacArthur (H)
10-3 Normal University (H)
10-10 Lincoln (A)
10-17 SHG (H)
10-24 Springfield (A)

Normal University -

8-29 Peoria (Manual) (A)
9-5 Bloomington (H)
9-12 MacArthur (A)
9-19 Lincoln (A)
9-26 Rochester (H)
10-3 Chatham (A)
10-10 Eisenhower (H)
10-17 Southeast (A)
10-24 Lanphier (H)

Lincoln -

8-29 Lanphier (A)
9-5 Southeast (H)
9-12 Rochester (A)
9-19 Normal University (H)
9-26 Eisenhower (A)
10-3 MacArthur (A)
10-10 Chatham (H)
10-17 QND (H)
10-24 Jacksonville (A)

Decatur (MacArthur) -

8-29 Mattoon (H)
9-5 Springfield (A)
9-12 Normal University (H)
9-19 Eisenhower (H) 5PM
9-26 Chatham (A)
10-3 Lincoln (H)
10-10 Rochester (A)
10-17 Jacksonville (H)
10-24 QND (A)

Decatur (Eisenhower) -

8-29 Streator (A)
9-5 Jacksonville (H)
9-12 Chatham (A)
9-19 MacArthur (A) 5PM
9-26 Lincoln (H)
10-3 Rochester (H)
10-10 Normal University (A)
10-17 Lanphier (H)
10-24 Southeast (A)
 
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Thanks Ratsy. Do you know or have you heard anything on who SHG is going to scrimmage with this year and if it will be home or away?
 
Thanks Ratsy. Do you know or have you heard anything on who SHG is going to scrimmage with this year and if it will be home or away?
All.... I have not. Was wondering if they they were going to mix it up with ESTL again. Couldn't find any info on their week 0 opponent either. Ratsy
 
The deal is SHG is supposed to come to ESL
All.... A great setting the house of pain.... Enjoyed my time when visiting in 2019 as the Flyers whacked Chatham. Hoping for a early scrimmage time in that zero week game. Big Mamma's closes at 8 and a stop is a must for pork steak, cooter fries, and cake. The ultimite on the road dining experience as I make my way back to Springfield. 😇 Ratsy
 
Per scattered news reports/press releases Rochester will host Gibson Southern (IN) on Saturday August 30 at 2pm and will play Mt. Zion in Week 2, although I haven't seen a venue for the latter.
 
All.... Congrats to these four and an outstanding 2024 season. It will be interesting to see after graduating a bunch of CS8 stars on both sides of the ball what kind of season they can put together.

The new qb likey will be Jr. Owen Kirby. Not a ton of varsity experience. Pioneers should handle their opener with Manual. The schedule is top loaded with week two against Bloomington and then East play opens up. One bright note is they have coming back for his senior year Cade Cunningham who had a great year at WO with just under 1400 yards in receptions along with 16td's. It's a start. Ratsy

 
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All.... Congrats to these four and an outstanding 2024 season. It will be interesting to see after graduating a bunch of CS8 stars on both sides of the ball what kind of season they can put together.

The new qb likey will be Jr. Owen Kirby. Not a ton of varsity experience. Pioneers should handle their opener with Manual. The schedule is top loaded with week two against Bloomington and then East play opens up. One bright note is they have coming back for his senior year Cade Cunningham who had a great year at WO with just under 1400 yards in receptions along with 16td's. It's a start. Ratsy

Amazing group to have played with, very proud of what they've managed to accomplish, and I wish them the absolute best of luck over their next chapter.

Barring injury, the QB will be Kirby. He's a renowned basketball prospect for his class, and his athletic capabilities have been very fun to watch as he's been developed by Walworth. I don't foresee nearly as much success for the Pioneers next year compared to this past year, but they should continue to be a playoff team under Kirby.
 
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All.... Somewhat CS8 related. I have wondered for years why this had not been in the works and done. Finally.... Springfield Cyclones Youth Football. A team composed of 7th and 8th grade Catholic and Private School Players entering those grades for the 2025/2026 school year. Playing teams around the state August through November. Looking forward to see if the turnout is good. Go Cycs!

I can't tell you how many times in the past I have talked with SHG football parents whose kid has never played a stich of organized football until their freshman year at SHG. HC for the team is Ken Boyle. That name I immediately recognized. If it's "that" Ken Boyle he was an all state TE for Chatham . I remember one of the best catches I have ever seen when the then Redskins played Geneseo on the road in a semi playoff game and eventually winning in OT. A sliding 24 yard grab on a 3 third and twenty during a critical drive. The following week Chatham completed their undefeated season winning class 4A defeating Bishop Mac in the final. Ratsy
 
All.... Somewhat CS8 related. I have wondered for years why this had not been in the works and done. Finally.... Springfield Cyclones Youth Football. A team composed of 7th and 8th grade Catholic and Private School Players entering those grades for the 2025/2026 school year. Playing teams around the state August through November. Looking forward to see if the turnout is good. Go Cycs!

I can't tell you how many times in the past I have talked with SHG football parents whose kid has never played a stich of organized football until their freshman year at SHG. HC for the team is Ken Boyle. That name I immediately recognized. If it's "that" Ken Boyle he was an all state TE for Chatham . I remember one of the best catches I have ever seen when the then Redskins played Geneseo on the road in a semi playoff game and eventually winning in OT. A sliding 24 yard grab on a 3 third and twenty during a critical drive. The following week Chatham completed their undefeated season winning class 4A defeating Bishop Mac in the final. Ratsy
Good news for the Cyclones, particularly as the Springfield JFL program which I assume includes some future Cycs each year, is not what it once was.

Other than going to state in '85, Chatham's program hit a dry spell for about ten years from around '83 to '93. Not sure when the CCFL started in Chatham but developing it was a big priority for then Coach Dan Rourke. By '97, the Ken Boyle/Griff Jurgens/Chris Ross trio took them to the Quarters. Next year, they won the title and now rarely miss the playoffs.
 
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All.... I frequently look at future schedules because they can change before the season starts. So far this is what I have come across for week 0 checking today. 8-22 and 7PM unless noted. Ratsy
(Subject to change)
Eisenhower - Intrasquad Scrimmage
Normal University - Intrasquasd Scrimmage
Lincoln (H) Pleasant Plains
Chatham (H) Metamora
MacArthur (A) Centennial (6:00)
Sacred Heart-Griffin (H) Centralia (4:30) (Sigh.... Big Mamma's will have to wait.)
 
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All.... Somewhat CS8 related. I have wondered for years why this had not been in the works and done. Finally.... Springfield Cyclones Youth Football. A team composed of 7th and 8th grade Catholic and Private School Players entering those grades for the 2025/2026 school year. Playing teams around the state August through November. Looking forward to see if the turnout is good. Go Cycs!

I can't tell you how many times in the past I have talked with SHG football parents whose kid has never played a stich of organized football until their freshman year at SHG. HC for the team is Ken Boyle. That name I immediately recognized. If it's "that" Ken Boyle he was an all state TE for Chatham . I remember one of the best catches I have ever seen when the then Redskins played Geneseo on the road in a semi playoff game and eventually winning in OT. A sliding 24 yard grab on a 3 third and twenty during a critical drive. The following week Chatham completed their undefeated season winning class 4A defeating Bishop Mac in the final. Ratsy
Aye! Big news there, Ratsy. Always good to have an in-house program for the youth.

QND's version "Quincy Raiders" now offers 5th-8th grade teams. It's been a lot of fun to watch this program grow and see many faces go from stud in grade school to stud in high school. That and a lot of the coaches for these teams are QND High School alum or parents of.

I think your program as a whole will get a lot out of it, as long as you're putting in to it, as the saying goes. Hopefully the two youth programs can get games on the schedule in the near future. Always nice to see other private schools getting youth programs off the ground and why not start the "rivalry" that could be develop and simmer starting at the early years of their football playing careers.
 
Anyone care to share their very early 2025 CS8 standings predictions??
Really early, but here goes:

West
1-QND, based chiefly on a favorable non-conference schedule. SHG a slight favorite in their head-to-head with QND.
2-SHG. Gets Christian Brothers, QND, and Rochester at home. Expecting a big year from their Jr QB.
3-Springfield. 3rd year starting for their QB and they have good numbers returning.
4-Jacksonville, running team that is losing most of their OL and main RB's.
5-Southeast. Went 2-7 last year under a new Coach. Almost beat East Peoria Week 1 but also almost lost to Eisenhower.
6-Lanphier. 1-26 the last 3 seasons.

East
1-Chatham. 44-member Senior class will try to improve on two straight 6A Quarterfinal appearances. Big 3 returners QB Knoedler, RB Mueller, and WR Lehnen will put up lots of points.
2-Rochester. Lots of skill players return, with multiple Soph's and Jr's to start/get major time. How fast can the younger players progress? Will the defense be more like the '23 or '24 version?
3-U High. Losing QB Weiland will hurt but Coach Walworth appears to have made U High into an annual playoff team.
4-MacArthur. A down year in '24 but they were starting a Freshman at QB at times.
5-Eisenhower. Almost beat Southeast in Week 9 and played better the second half of the season. Still young.
6-Lincoln. Went 4-5 last year but is losing their QB and best RB's. They do have one OL that is getting some D-1 looks.

I will say the difference between 4th through 6th in the East is likely to be pretty small and the order could easily be reversed.
 
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