Best ‘Friday Night Lights’ Experience

[FormerCrusaderNowHawk]

Looking at the whole state, what towns and teams have the best overall high school football experience?

I grew up in Chicago and now the nearby suburbs and Maine South is awesome to follow but it isn’t like the town shuts down for them. When I played for Holy Cross years ago we traveled to Jerseyville for a game. I remember driving down Main Street and business were closed for the game and banners all downtown for the game. Was almost surreal.

What towns have that true, it’s Friday night and that is the high school football game time experience?

 

[eagles2k3]

Great question but I don’t think you find that anymore near Chicago. I would say the closest you’ll find to what you’re talking about is maybe Morris or Wilmington.

 

[SiuCubFan8]

Lockport recently is a great experience.

 

[doctor_d]

Great question but I don’t think you find that anymore near Chicago. I would say the closest you’ll find to what you’re talking about is maybe Morris or Wilmington.

Wilmo and Morris for sure. Reed-Custer - at least this year. I've never been, but I imagine if you went out west to a Lena-Winslow game it would be similar. Good brewery out in Lena off Route 20. Maybe i need a road trip.

 

[Sterling Warrior]

Sterling

 

[FormerCrusaderNowHawk]

Dated a girl from sterling before. She moved to the city though. Was the prom queen and talked of fun Friday nights at the football games. Ha.

 

[SiuCubFan8]

Sterling

Looking forward to that trip next year for SF.

 

[FormerCrusaderNowHawk]

I remember when we played Pontiac in the playoffs in 2001. Showed up at the game hours before it started and there were mobile homes in our parking lot of people tailgating. Granted, it was in River Grove, but pretty interesting and fun to see from high school game

 

[Fishwater41]

Back in the day, Geneseo and Morris were great (80's and 90's).

 

[NapervilleBuck]

Growing up in Ohio, The Pit at Cincy Elder was the ultimate FNL experience. The Greater Catholic League in Cincy, with Elder, Moeller, and St. Xavier, was and still is next level on a Friday Night.

 

[doctor_d]

That's an amazing looking stadium!

 

[NapervilleBuck]

That's an amazing looking stadium!

Hard to find anything like it. HS stadiums at big schools in Ohio is pretty awesome.

Massillon Washington Paul Brown Stadium:

Canton McKinley Hall of Fame Stadium:

Steubenville HS:

 

[SiuCubFan8]

How full are those on Friday nights? Honest question.

 

[NapervilleBuck]

How full are those on Friday nights? Honest question.

Packed full every game.

Our school was Division 3 (5/6A here). The smallest stadium was probably 3000 seats. Friday night football is a religion all over the state. From the smallest to the largest schools.

 

[Brett.Williams]

Can’t beat a fall Saturday at Duchon feild. The field being nestled between the shores of Lake Ellyn, and the castle school in the background, makes for a 10/10 experience. You can always expect Glen Ellyn’s football oriented community to show out.

 

[RPG24]

Geneseo late 90s early 2000s were fantastic. We played them in rd 2 back in 98 or 99, the entire town was closed down, our bus got absolutely trashed by eggs, rocks etc as we pulled away after a W

 

[William Foster]

Growing up in Ohio, The Pit at Cincy Elder was the ultimate FNL experience. The Greater Catholic League in Cincy, with Elder, Moeller, and St. Xavier, was and still is next level on a Friday Night.

Any stadium named ‘The Pit’ speaks next level experience…football or basketball!

 

[DeanOfSelection]

Non MC Barda-Dowling experience for me would be Morris. Divetwin hosted me for a playoff game. Awesome atmosphere. Would definitely love to go again.

 

[MalleusMaleficarum]

Geneseo late 90s early 2000s were fantastic. We played them in rd 2 back in 98 or 99, the entire town was closed down, our bus got absolutely trashed by eggs, rocks etc as we pulled away after a W

Sounds like "classy" fans!!

 

[CaravanMan]

Head down to Mt. Carmel IL to watch the Golden Aces play. You won't be disappointed.

..

 

[McEvergreen]

Sounds like "classy" fans!!

The fans at Hall used to throw eggs and AA batteries at Vicini whenever he lost a playoff game at home 😂

 

[rocketnation]

CS8 Conference: Chatham has a really nice field and atmosphere.

Playoffs: Bishop Mac, Herrin, Mascoutah, and Quincy Notre Dame.

 

[The_Oldfan]

Jerseyville seems special even though I've never lived there. Those folks know and love football. And they ABSOLUTELY love their Panthers, win or lose. A couple of years ago I passed through there on the first Friday in August. They were not even in pads yet but there were dozens of cars and a couple hundred people around the field watching them practice.

And the fans I've met also GET sportsmanship. Win or lose. They fill their stadium. And it's not the mean, nasty partisanship that you sometimes see up north. They played SHG a number of times both in regular season and the playoffs. Despite invariably valiant efforts by their kids, the games were universally hopeless. But the players were always clean hard hitters and the fans that I met were gracious visitors and even more gracious hosts.

 

[William Foster]

The fans at Hall used to throw eggs and AA batteries at Vicini whenever he lost a playoff game at home 😂

Rolled into town as a group for the 2010 3A Stillman Valley semifinal game. Stopped at the Marathon station to ask directions to the high school (pre-Google Maps)...
Manager: "You must be from out of town if you don't know where the high school is...if you're from Tolono, then get the hell out of here!"
"No, we're not from Tolono, we're the game officials."
Manager: "Turn left on Pine St. and go to the end. We're suppose to win this game, so don't F that up!"

 

[forlouann]

Went to a Stillman Valley playoff game a number of years ago. Several of the farmers drove their combines to the game and parked them near the gate. That was a first

 

[all4theillini]

Byron & Rochelle.

We used to get 5-6k at Burgess Field when Morris visited but those days are long gone.

 

[stl705]

IMO, you can take your pick of any of the old NCIC schools (Geneseo, Rochelle, Lasalle Peru, Sterling, Hall, Mendota, Princeton, Kewanee, etc) and I think about every one fit or used to fit the criteria with businesses closed, windows painted and decorated all through towns, etc.

 

[Hofman]

IMO, you can take your pick of any of the old NCIC schools (Geneseo, Rochelle, Lasalle Peru, Sterling, Hall, Mendota, Princeton, Kewanee, etc) and I think about every one fit or used to fit the criteria with businesses closed, windows painted and decorated all through towns, etc.

I took my Dad when he was alive yo the JCA/Lasalle Peru game when they had a what they thought was a team for the ages. Unfortunately JCA would beat them and go on to win state. But what an awesome experience. To see fans that into their team was what HS football is all about. The stands were full, the whole hill opposite the one large stand was full and people were hanging in trees. This was a time when JCA winning a title was a ho hum affair. To see that level of enthusiasm was a joy to see! People in the stands were not real nice to dad and me but when we went way ahead they quieted down. In response I just kept complementing them. As i think back, that would have been one loss I could have smiled about.

 

[Formicidae13]

Jerseyville seems special even though I've never lived there. Those folks know and love football. And they ABSOLUTELY love their Panthers, win or lose. A couple of years ago I passed through there on the first Friday in August. They were not even in pads yet but there were dozens of cars and a couple hundred people around the field watching them practice.

And the fans I've met also GET sportsmanship. Win or lose. They fill their stadium. And it's not the mean, nasty partisanship that you sometimes see up north. They played SHG a number of times both in regular season and the playoffs. Despite invariably valiant efforts by their kids, the games were universally hopeless. But the players were always clean hard hitters and the fans that I met were gracious visitors and even more gracious hosts.

Jerseyville has struggled on the field in recent years, but the Panthers have a lot of good history. One of the only grass fields I can think of in their area anymore at a school of their size.
Mascoutah is another good choice from the same conference, especially in recent years.

 

[Markh2116]

Mascoutah does a really good job.

 

[USD24]

I took my Dad when he was alive yo the JCA/Lasalle Peru game when they had a what they thought was a team for the ages. Unfortunately JCA would beat them and go on to win state. But what an awesome experience. To see fans that into their team was what HS football is all about. The stands were full, the whole hill opposite the one large stand was full and people were hanging in trees. This was a time when JCA winning a title was a ho hum affair. To see that level of enthusiasm was a joy to see! People in the stands were not real nice to dad and me but when we went way ahead they quieted down. In response I just kept complementing them. As i think back, that would have been one loss I could have smiled about.

One of the best high school football atmospheres I’ve experienced.

 

[Silver Rain]

I didn't play, but I would love to run full speed and drive my shoulder into somebody.

 

[Wassup13]

Geneseo late 90s early 2000s were fantastic. We played them in rd 2 back in 98 or 99, the entire town was closed down, our bus got absolutely trashed by eggs, rocks etc as we pulled away after a W

I too got to say Geneseo was the greatest high school game experience I ever had.

They shut down the whole town even I think Dunkin Donuts and the entire town goes to the game.

The cannon goes off after every TD. If you don't prepare for a physical game, the farm boys are going to manhandled your team.

 

[USD24]

I too got to say Geneseo was the greatest high school game experience I ever had.

They shut down the whole town even I think Dunkin Donuts and the entire town goes to the game.

The cannon goes off after every TD. If you don't prepare for a physical game, the farm boys are going to manhandled your team.

Went there for a playoff game in the early 80's. Watched them run over Montini. None of the Montini faithful, myself included, saw that coming. It was a great and eye opening atmosphere.

 

[SGW08]

I too got to say Geneseo was the greatest high school game experience I ever had.

They shut down the whole town even I think Dunkin Donuts and the entire town goes to the game.

The cannon goes off after every TD. If you don't prepare for a physical game, the farm boys are going to manhandled your team.

And their pork chops are phenomenal lol