ICE week 3

[doctor_d]

Time to kick off the conference games after a (somewhat disappointing) 6-10 non conference record.

Herscher @ Manteno
I will take the Tigers here. I hope they don’t suffer a let down after a big rivalry game, but they seem to be on a better trend than the Panthers.

Streator @ Coal City
Coalers should control the LOS and wear out the Bulldogs. Coalers win comfortably.

Lisle @ Wilmo
Cats had a “get right” win over a young but talented AC team. Lisle got to experience the finally on the radar Seneca Irish. I like Wilmo to do their thing.

Game of the Week:
Peotone @ Reed-Custer
This game has pretty big playoff implications even though it’s only week 3.
‘Tone stubbed its toe against Sandwich somewhat unexpectedly. R-C was very competitive on the road vs Johnsburg, especially in the 2nd half. That to me shows some good coaching adjustments, but their defense seems suspect. This seems like a pick ‘em game, but I’ll take the Blue Devils in a close one.

 

[Wilmatucky]

Hard to believe we are already in conference play. ICE finished 6-10 in OOC, maybe disappointing, but I think it was decent over...... my picks are so far 13-3.

Herscher (0-2) @ Manteno (0-2) - If it wasn't for a game with playoff implications this would be the GOTW..... Maybe it can be GOTW version B......This could be the one shot for a win for both of these teams. Both teams want to get on the board bad and both teams need it. It sounds like Herscher has the athletes albeit young. Manteno just can't seem to get it together the last few years. This will be a slop fest.....but I like Herscher to win by two scores....Herscher 28 Manteno 14

Streator (1-1) @ Coal City (1-1) - Coalers should have no problem rolling here. Streator put up crazy points, but then got blanked the next week. Coalers have the more stable program and I like them to dominate the Bulldogs. CC 45 - Streator 7

Lisle (1-1) @ Wilmo (1-1) - Both teams have a common loss in Seneca. I think that Wilmo's win is stronger than Lisle's. Wilmo should be controlling this game in front of the home crowd and Lisle will have trouble slowing them down. Wilmo 35 - Lisle 14

Peotone (1-1) @ Reed-Custer (1-1) - GOTW!!! Like the Doc said, this game has huge playoff implications. Whoever wins it should be basically guaranteed a spot in, while the loser will have to work for a spot. I do agree that this one is basically a toss up, but I think that Peotone is the better team here. I think it will be a great game and I think that it is likely IF both teams make the playoffs it could be a different game the second time they play, but I like the 'Tone to win a close one here. Peotone 42 - Reed-Custer 38

 

[SouthofI80FootballFan]

Herscher @ Manteno - score could be 63-56 or just as easily as 7-6. Both teams are spread, both teams are struggling, and both need a win. Herscher hung with Mac but Mac's RB got hurt and aren't the Mac we have seen in the past. Manteno got pounded by both Sandwich and Plano. Manteno 13 Herscher 7

Streator @ Coal City - Coal City got the W after playing a high quality team week 1 and while they aren't flashy, the Coalers know how to move the ball and have a stout defense. Streator might be flashy and has the athletes but the Coalers prevail. Coal City 34 Streator 12

Lisle @ Wilmington - both played Seneca, Wilmington fell short while Lisle fell way short. Wilmington beat AC and Lisle beat Harvard. Wilmington has the better win Wilmington 40 Lisle 13

Peotone @ Reed-Custer - game of thrones week or even game of the ICE season. Both teams need this win after coming off losses to good opponents. Sandwich looks to be a solid team and Johnsburg is good as well. Another game of opposites and RC is coming off a spectacular season and that experience seems to be paying off. Peotone is always solid and has a way to move the ball and play solid defense. Peotone 37 RC 36 2 OT

 

[McEvergreen]

Herscher @ Manteno - the battle of the basement. Herscher 27 Manteno 20.

Streator @ Coal City - Coalers in complete control of this one. CC 35 Streator 6

Lisle @ Wilmington - The Cats maul the Lions early and often. 4th quarter running clock.

Peotone @ Reed-Custer - The Comets rebound at home as Peotone never threatens. RC 41 Peotone20

 

[FCHS2019]

The conference is awful this year, I will take

Herscher by 13
Coal City by a ton
Wilmo by even more than a ton
Reed Custer by a score because at home

I see people calling Herscher and Manteno the battle of the basement, I am not sure if thats true.. Streator and Lisle look to be equally as shitty and and the gap between those 4 and RC and Peotone isn't that great

 

[Wilmatucky]

The conference is awful this year, I will take

Herscher by 13
Coal City by a ton
Wilmo by even more than a ton
Reed Custer by a score because at home

I see people calling Herscher and Manteno the battle of the basement, I am not sure if thats true.. Streator and Lisle look to be equally as shitty and and the gap between those 4 and RC and Peotone isn't that great

I will throw Streator in the basement too. I will hold judgement on Lisle just yet. This is what my tiers look like in the ICE. Lisle may not be typical middle pack, but I don't think they are bottom feeders just yet.

Wilmington

Coal City, Braidwood, Peotone

Lisle

Streator, Manteno, Herscher

But I do agree, the conference as a whole is down.

 

[FCHS2019]

I will throw Streator in the basement too. I will hold judgement on Lisle just yet. This is what my tiers look like in the ICE. Lisle may not be typical middle pack, but I don't think they are bottom feeders just yet.

Wilmington

Coal City, Braidwood, Peotone

Lisle

Streator, Manteno, Herscher

But I do agree, the conference as a whole is down.

Well Sandwich beat Manteno by 20 and Peotone by 23... so the margin between tier 2 and tier 4 is rather small.. Maybe I am totally wrong, but I am not surprised if Herscher beats anyone outside of Wilmo and CC, two teams that should rough the Tigers up pretty well..

 

[doctor_d]

Kind of off subject for week 3 discussion, but R-C losing their QB for the year was huge. He played a lot of mop up duty and the past two years and ran the offense really well against other teams first string, and he also got time as a slot receiver.

 

[SouthofI80FootballFan]

What the conference seems to be lacking this year is that solid 3rd or 4th team they can challenge the top 2. But it's also too early to tell. Most of the teams that lost a game lost to what seem to be pretty quality opponents.

Those losses to Sandwich, Seneca, Morris, Johnsburg, and even Charleston will look better as the season goes along. But history would show that 4 teams from the ICE will make the playoffs.

Playoffs (8-1 to 7-2) - Coal City, Wilmington

Possible Playoffs (6-3 to 4-5) - Lisle, Peotone, RC,

Playoffs Unlikely (3-6 to 0-9) - Herscher, Manteno, Streator

 

[doctor_d]

Those losses to Sandwich, Seneca, Morris, Johnsburg, and even Charleston will look better as the season goes along. But history would show that 4 teams from the ICE will make the playoffs.

Losses to Seneca and Morris are quality losses. Jury is still out in the other three, but you may be right.

 

[Coalertown44]

Herscher (0-2) @ Manteno (0-2) - Both teams looking for their first win. Both have played a tough non conference schedule. I think home field advantage decides it here. Panthers 27 Tigers 22

Streator (1-1) @ Coal City (1-1) - Coalers got back on track last Friday and Streator got whupped by Ottawa. Like the Coalers here in their 3rd straight home game. Coalers 41 Bulldogs 14

Lisle (1-1) @ Wilmington (1-1) - Lisle beat a bad Harvard team and got beat badly against Seneca. Wilmo beat up on AC and I don't see them stopping here. Cats 48 Lions 7

Peotone (1-1) @ Reed-Custer (1-1) - GOTW. Braidwood played Johnsburg tough but I think Johnsburg is a 4 win team this year. If Braidwoods QB is gone for the year then they might be in for some trouble the rest of the way out. Tone got beat soundly by what seems to be an underrated Sandwich Indian team. I like Tone to get back to basics and control the clock and move the chains Friday night. Blue Devils 34 Comets 14

 

[Coalertown44]

Is the conference down or have temas just played better quality non con games? Wilmo played a state contender Seneca and alwayg good, yes small but still good AC team. Coalers once again got beat by a very good Morris team. Braidwood played a playoff staple in Johnsburg. Herscher played a good bigger school in Charleston and Mac. Tone played a good Sandwich team. Manteno played two undefeated teams in Sandwich and Plano. So they strength of the non cons has improved I think. So I think we will see how good or bad the conference is come playoff time.

I think Wilmo and CC will beat the rest of the ICE teams and decide the conference title on Oct 6th. I think Tone wins 5 more, loses to CC and Wilmo, to finish 6-3.

After that I don't know what happens. Braidwood could scratch their way to 5 wins. If Herscher wins against Manteno and gets some momentum maybe the week 9 game with Tone is a win and get in game. Same could be said about Manteno. I just do not see Lisle or Streator getting to the playoff qualifying 5 wins. I think 3 teams are a lock but after that we need one team to get on a roll. I could see the rest of the field minus Wilmo, CC and Tone just beating each other and finishing with a handful of 3 and 4 win teams. I hope not, hoping one other team can pull it together and get that 5th win

 

[McEvergreen]

RC losing their QB is a dagger, but as long as they have a healthy Bohac, they can still make the playoffs.

 

[isubluedevil]

Herscher @ Manteno- Manteno will be at full strength this week and that will be the difference. I like Manteno 21 Herscher 7.

Streator @ Coal City- Coal City is a much better team than Streator. The Coaler defense will come to play. Question is can they get any offense going? I say they ground and pound and take this one 28-7.

Lisle @ Wilmington- The Lions are in a world of trouble here. Wilmington gets healthier this week and that is bad news for the Lions. Clock should be running early in this one. Cats 42 Lions 0.

Peotone @ RC- I didn’t like what I watched last week at Sandwich but I see the Blue Devils putting a better effort out there this week. That being said I’m not sure it will be enough to knock off the Comets. If the Devils can control the clock and play keep away I think they have a chance. If it becomes a track meet I don’t think we can score enough points. I’ll take Coach Tully finding a way. Blue Devils 21 Comets 20

 

[siu47]

Herscher @ Manteno- Manteno will be at full strength this week and that will be the difference. I like Manteno 21 Herscher 7.

Streator @ Coal City- Coal City is a much better team than Streator. The Coaler defense will come to play. Question is can they get any offense going? I say they ground and pound and take this one 28-7.

Lisle @ Wilmington- The Lions are in a world of trouble here. Wilmington gets healthier this week and that is bad news for the Lions. Clock should be running early in this one. Cats 42 Lions 0.

Peotone @ RC- I didn’t like what I watched last week at Sandwich but I see the Blue Devils putting a better effort out there this week. That being said I’m not sure it will be enough to knock off the Comets. If the Devils can control the clock and play keep away I think they have a chance. If it becomes a track meet I don’t think we can score enough points. I’ll take Coach Tully finding a way. Blue Devils 21 Comets 20

Manteno over Herscher

Wilmington big

Coal City big

RC over Peotone. Something is amiss w Peotone. They threw for 300 yds or something like that last week but lose by 21. Idk but as ISU said, didn’t like what i saw from Peotone last week. Very unlike the teams I’ve seen in the past.

 

[doctor_d]

Wilmo wins 49-7. Lisle marched down and scored first. All Wilmo after that.

Peotone 41, Reed-Custer 27.
Tone led 21-20 at half. R-C was sloppy in the 2nd half with penalties and turnovers

 

[McEvergreen]

From Braidwood: RC jumped out to a 20-7 lead, but then got exposed.
1. They struggled to throw the ball. QB3 and their receivers are just not very good.
2. Their o-line is small and didn't get much of a push in the running game.
3. Peotone is big and their backs run hard. They had success all night running right at the Comets.
4. RC special teams and penalties really hurt.

The Blue Devils looked like a playoff team. The Comets did not.

 

[doctor_d]

From what I saw, RC definitely looked like they lost a lot on the line. Their line play the last couple years was great. Peotone ran it right at them. They do have a couple kids that can make things happen on offense.
I don’t see RC remotely challenging Wilmo or CC, but they might be able to beat the rest of the teams on their schedule.

 

[McEvergreen]

RC will be 5-4 at best, but will they have enough points to get in. Really won't matter as they will go to a 9-0 or possibly an 8-1.

I look forward to next week Cats at Devils. This will be a better game than I originally thought. Power Run vs. Power Run. Peotone at Home, but advantage Cats because of the Reents defense vs. the run.

 

[doctor_d]

RC will be 5-4 at best, but will they have enough points to get in. Really won't matter as they will go to a 9-0 or possibly an 8-1.

I look forward to next week Cats at Devils. This will be a better game than I originally thought. Power Run vs. Power Run. Peotone at Home, but advantage Cats because of the Reents defense vs. the run.

Tone usually plays well against Wilmo. We’ll see what kind of adjustments are made if they can’t just dominate the point of attack. QB1 was back tonight for Wilmo and they actually threw a pass. Was a perfect throw on a flag route for a TD

 

[doctor_d]

Finals (per IHSA.org)

CC 55, Streator 6
Wilmo 49, Lisle 7
Peotone 41, R-C 27
Manteno 34, Herscher 33

Sandwich 27, Plano 7 👀

 

[McEvergreen]

Byron has scored 211 pts in 3 games. Zero points given up by their first team D.

 

[Wilmatucky]

3-1 for my picks this week. Only toss up I felt unconfident in was the game I lost. I did not expect the Wilmo or Peotone game to be won by such large margins