ICE week 9 preview and reactions

[Wilmatucky]

Really only 1 game with implications. Only game that is somewhat tough to pick too.


Braidwood (7-1) @ Herscher (2-6) - Don't see this being close. RC looks to keep momentum high into the post season. Set themselves up for a nice seed. RC by a lot.

Streator (3-5) @ Coal City (5-3) - Coal City needs this one and will be motivated at home. Tough D stops the dogs. CC by 2 TDs, but its a much bigger domination than the score indicates.

Peotone (5-3) @ Lisle (5-3) - GOTW! I am 99% sure both will get in with 5 wins, but better get 6 just to be sure. Plus a 6 win seed is much more favorable come next week. It was tough to pick this one as I think both are tough teams in the middle of the ICE. Lisle is tough at home. Peotone will grind it out though. If it went the other way it wouldn't shock me. I like Peotone by one touchdown.

Wilmington (8-0) @ Manteno (2-6) - Cats like to run, Manteno can't stop the run. No brainer here. Coach Reents gets his 12th (13th if you count last season) undefeated regular season. Cats by 3 scores.

 

[doctor_d]

Wilmington 49, Manteno 13
Reed-Custer 54, Herscher 6
Coal City 42, Streator 7
Lisle 14, Peotone 12

 

[McEvergreen]

Wilmington 42. Manteno 0
RC 48 Herscher 6
Coal City 35 Streator 13
Lisle 20 Peotone 18

 

[FCHS2019]

If you guys want to give me Herscher at +42 and 48, put me down for $100... ha

Seriously, Friday will be Coach Wetzels last game at Herscher, meant a lot to Herscher as both a player in the late 70's and as a coach.. and more importantly, also a great human being that held the kids accountable and built better young men

 

[doctor_d]

Re: Herscher-
Looking back, it was a very impressive win over Rochelle earlier this year. Don’t know what Herscher has left in the tank at this point. I will admit that week 9 can be a little weird sometimes, so I might not put money on R-C -42. But I’d feel pretty good about an over 48. Just a prediction. This R-C team is the real deal though… they are balanced and good.

 

[FCHS2019]

Take away a couple of injuries and they are a 6 or 7 win team... but thats not how football works

 

[Coalertown44]

Braidwood @ Herscher. Wetzels last game will mean something and I think the Comets might look past this one. Tigers keep it close for a bit. Braidwood 38 Herscher 14

Streator @ CC. Streator pretty much ended any hope with the Manteno loss. CC came out completely flat and without much emotion last Friday night. I was extremely disappointed in their lack of fight. I think Coach Loughran is going to make this week of practice rough on the Coalers. CC gets back on track. CC 20 Streator 7

Wilmington @ Manteno. Cats keep rolling. Manteno will no doubt be disappointed in this season. Cats big. Wilmo 49 Manteno 6

Peotone @ Lisle. Both teams are in. But 6-3 gives you a better chance then 5-4. Both teams looking to grind this out and get that 6th win. I like Peotones defense to rise to the occasion. Peotone 14 Lisle 7

 

[isubluedevil]

Reed-Custer@Herscher- I’ll take the Comets but not by as many as some people think. The Comets will respect it being Coach Wetzel’s last game and take it easy on the Tigers.

Streator@Coal City- Coalers need to win to help playoff seeding. They don’t want to enter the playoffs 5-4. Coalers run away with the win. Coalers big in this one.

Wilmington@Manteno- Wilmington big. Not much else to say.

Peotone@Lisle- Big game for playoff seeding again. Lisle has too much speed for the Blue Devils to handle on the turf. I like Lisle in a game that won’t be as close as some people might think.

 

[Bobby Boucher 9]

Isnt Wetzel's OC from a few years ago during Herscher's great run now the OC at Reed Custer?

 

[FCHS2019]

Isnt Wetzel's OC from a few years ago during Herscher's great run now the OC at Reed Custer?

Yes.. was there for the 4A quarterfinal teams, left prior to the 3A semi-final year

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

Hmm...top three playing the bottom three...kinda takes the edge off of week 9.

Wilmington @ Manteno: The conference championship, as the week 8 outlook 4A north No. 1 seed Panthers host the 3A north No. 2 seed Wildcats in a battle of vicious purple & white felines...oh wait, that was my facebook post 7 years ago today (2014). The battered & bruised Panthers are having a tough year, and the Wildcats are ready for a deep playoff run...Wildcats only limitation is when Reents decides to put in the backups.

Reed Custer @ Herscher: Wetzel's Hall of Fame career is coming to an end. Unfortunately, the end will be rough...Comets big.

Streator @ Coal City: Bulldogs are playing out the string. The Coalers need to recover from their mauling by the Comets. Coalers by 2 scores.

Peotone @ Lisle: GOTW by default. Both are playoff teams already, this is for seeding. The Lions probably will not get yelled at as much this week as they did in their lackluster clobbering of Manteno last week, and they are at home...Lisle 21-20.

 

[SouthofI80FootballFan]

Wilmington @ Manteno - the Panthers have fell on hard times and that happens to small schools from time to time. They struggled in ‘18 after losing their starting QB but we’re able to rebound in ‘19 and get to the playoffs. From ‘12 to ‘18 this was one hell of a rivalry for both teams but this year is different. The Cats run away with the win and shore up a few things in order to get prepared for the playoffs. Some people are saying 2A for the Cats but week 9 is always unpredictable and several things would need to happen for them to be in and I guess we will know about 8 pm on Saturday. Cats 49 Panthers 13.

Reed-Custer @ Herscher - the final game for the great Coach Wetzel at Herscher. After thr Rochelle win, the Tigers opened up some eyes but they have lost a few key players and much like Herscher, the program has fell on hard times. The Comests are in a good position to make the playoffs and possibly make some noise. Wetzel will get a good send off from the Tiger failthful but an upset will not happen. Comets 42 Tigers 6

Streator @ Coal City - after that Peotone loss, Streator just isn’t interested in playing anymore. The Coalers will be licking their wounds after that drumming they took last week. Coalers are playing for a possible 8 seed home game and a win should help that happen. Coalers 31 Streator 0

Peotone @ Lisle - a huge week 9 game for both teams. Peotone was down several players due to COVID protocols within the school and not sure if those players will be back or not. Lisle has lots of speed and that does not bode well for the Blue Devils. This will be a grind out type game but Lisle has the potential to break the game wide open but I am not so sure that happens. Lisle 32 Peotone 27.

 

[FCHS2019]

Edgy probably knows the year, but Wetzel was a starting OLB on the SIU team that won the D1AA title in the early 80's.. he also scored the first ever TD at Seebach Stadium in 1978

 

[doctor_d]

Finals

Coal City 41, Streator 6
Reed-Custer 49, Herscher 6
Wilmington 48, Manteno 20
Lisle 28, Peotone 14

 

[SouthofI80FootballFan]

Wilmington possibly a 1 seed in 2A, which is possible but not guaranteed, or 1,2, or 3 in 3A.

Reed-Custer will have a 4,5, or 6 and a 1st round home game.

Coal City might squeek into the 8 seed due to playoff points

Lisle is in with some momentum but will probably have a very tough 1st round game.

Peotone seems to be struggling and won't get a favorable draw for the 1st round but you never know in the playoffs.