Schweiker, Gannison, Krazak Rundio proudly sponsors to Friday Night Drive. I'm Mike
Krazak. If you've been injured, we are ready to take on the insurance
company and get you to the end zone. We've recovered hundreds of millions of
dollars for our clients. Visit GA nassi M dot com. Welcome the Friday
Night Drive podcast and Peril Valley Edition week sex. If I know how to
count, which I certainly don't, I'm your host Eddie Carriffio. I am,
of course joined by JT. Penalty and we actually have a guess we're
getting right into this. We're pumped, we're excited. Instead of hearing us
say oh yeah, Princeton's good, we're gonna actually have some insight into Princeton
with Bureau County Sports editor Kevin Horonimus. Kevin, thank you so much for
joining us here here. Hey good, how are you guys doing? Thanks
for having me? Good Man doing good, Man doing good well. You
know, a couple of weeks ago we talked a little bit about, you
know, Princeton after that loss to Morrison in week two on the last second
field goal and kind of what that meant. And Eddie and I talked at
the time and kind of agreed, Uh, you know this was never gonna
win, just just bail out. That was obviously it was over back and
uh we said at the time, it looks like a stumble in the road.
Princeton should be all right, and I think they've proven they are.
And you know, obviously Friday night, you were at the game when they
beat uh Sterling twenty eight to six, not Sterling Newman, not Sterling anything,
but the big school Sterling. Uh that's a quality win. I know
they used to be in a conference together, but on different sides and the
good old nci C back in the day. But that's a quality win for
Princeton. Just kind of if you would talk a little bit about what you
saw at the game and what Princeton did. I won't say right the ship
because they barely hit a little stumble, but uh, you know what they're
doing well that allowed them to pick up that win and convincing one at that
really, especially the second half, Princeton has really dominated that game. Princeton's
scrink is their offensive line, and they got the running game going well.
Software running back Casey three scored three touchdowns with the one hundred and seventy four
yards rushing and Princeton only attempted the ball to rush to pass the ball excuse
me twice, just because they were running it so well, right right,
and and obviously a great defensive job. I know Sterling. One thing,
you know, I remember from back in the days when they were in a
conference with the Ottawa and Streeter and uh lasal Peru. I'd see Sterling every
year and the one thing you always saw was they were yeah twelve alert.
Well, well I'm thinking NCIC to Sunnier days. Oh it's done the rain
cloud NI twelve. But yeah, when they but one thing that always was
Sterling. They have great athletes. They have great speed and they may not
have the biggest lines, but they're strong, fast kids. I mean,
always are good. I mean, to hold them to six points, I
think the Princeton defense must have done a whale of a job. Oh yeah,
they really did. Princeton just put it together on both sides of bolved,
you know, on the line especially, and then no Report kind of
kepped the game with the pick six there at the end, about a forty
yard interception returned to a paydirt and and like I said, Princeton is really
they just really dominated the game. Yeah, there there is no exclamation point
like a pick six. Ye, that's the best way to do he was
smiling. I wanted to ask Kevin and again correctly if I'm wrong on the
whole premise of this. But but Princeton had had a good deal of turnover
from last year, right, the correct Yes, I did, especially when
you lose a guy at the caliber of Teak and Davis. Yeah, I
know that was the big one. Yeah. And Aggie Christensen, the top
running back from last year, he graduated. So I guess the question was
how obviously, and they've been doing this for years, but but how important
and how is it to the coach down there to get the new kids buying
into the program, And how important is it to see these wins after a
loss which could you know, and and a team that's not used to the
success as Princeton have. You know, you have a couple of good years,
you suffer a loss like they suffered, and then that's it came over.
Obviously, how important is it for their coach to have gotten the kids
to buy into this to continue the success even after a hiccup. Oh,
for sure. One thing I know I've learned about coach Pearson, He's able
to make some corrections when they take a little stumble. You know, they
last week two, it's a surprising loss to Morrison this year on a field
goal twenty two twenty one, but they turned the ship right around right away,
rolling, rolling smoothly. And twenty twenty one they also had a mid
season stumble at Kewe who really took it to him. And you're you're thinking,
maybe Tigers aren't as good as we thought they were. But after that
they just steamrolled all the way to the three eight quarter finals until they ran
into Icycatholic. Yeah, and I'm familiar to have a little experience agasine ol
Ryan Pearson during his time at with Flanning in Cornell Woodland. And yeah,
he's just a guy who I think what you said earlier, you know,
is one of the things I really remember about him. If I covered a
flying in Cornell Woodland game. They play eight man now, but at the
time they were still playing eleven man. You know, if there was a
game where they got gashed on the ground, you could bet the next game
they were not going to get gashed on the ground. And if they played
a game where they weren't blocking the edge, you could bet the next game
they're blocking the edge. He very much addresses problems in that next week of
practice and and you see immediate results. Just h And you know, when
you have talent like Princeton does and and a coach like that who can diagnose
and fix problems in between games, you know that's a recipe for success.
I'd say, oh, definitely, for sure. I just this team is
just going to keep moving from here on out and they're praying to make another
deep but postseason run. Well, you talk about what's coming up. I
mean next week they have undefeated Kiwani, So what what kind of read,
what kind of field do you have on on that game? As we inched
closer to it, Well, those two uh, it's always going to be
a be a good game. This is this is gonna be the one hundred
and twenty fifth meeting of this rivalry. First game was in eighteen ninety seven,
and here we are all these years later, they're still playing. You
know, they had a little uh time off there between conferences. I think
we went three years without playing and then once uh Princeton got back into the
Three Rivers in Kewani, it was, you know, the rivalry was back
fully intact and there's always always good games. A couple more old n c
C schools they talked about a lot of those meetings were played in the nc
I s. Back when I started in this business in nineteen ninety nine,
I thought the NCIC was probably one hundred years old and would be around another
three hundred. It's weird to think that it's been, you know, gone
so long. Yeah, it is. Uh. I would have thought that
was the most stable conference you could ever see. But here we are.
That's you know, it's just a matter of history now, further proof of
the flaws of the system. As I get in my talking points. Absolutely,
Eddie and I have discussed the merits and drawbacks of moving to a district
system a few different times, and you know, and I would I would
agree with Eddie while I'm not on board with the districts how it was drawn
up, when it was first approved and then unapproved whatever that was. Yeah,
but but I will say that, uh, you know, in my
mind, you know, a conference like the nc I SE with forty five
years of stability with twelve members or whatever it was. You know, it's
hard to imagine that happening again, right, I mean, you can already
see the three three erbs are you are having a major shuffle now and anything
else you see in the in the Three Rivers teams aside from Princeton. Kind
of before he left, I was going to ask you about the fun,
fun story you did on Bureau Valley the other day, but any other teams,
any other notes, things that surprise you, teams to look out for
in the in the track. Well on the other side, of course,
Morrison made a major statement when they came here and beat Princeton. They were
one a unranked team, and they certainly gained some noise. They're gonna be
a threatened in one A for sure. Kiwani is off to a great start.
They're gonna be a postseason team. It looks like Bureau Valley surprise some
people. Some had them not to win any games, and here they are.
They're three and two. So there, you know, there's been some
good football in the Three Rivers. So and you know what, just to
transition into you talked about Bureau Valley and uh, you know, got to
write a fun one on them. I believe Monday, right. Yeah.
Matt Pistol to the head coach, a former Storm quarterback. Him and his
wife Lindsay, are expecting their first baby, and he wanted to He schemed
a gender reveal, of course, around football, using his football team.
He had him run a reverse play and then one of their alignments. Blake
ericson, who professes to be the best kicker on the team, and he
will he will boldly tell you that he got to coach Pistol allow him to
kick this football that exploded into a cloud of blue dust. So it's it's
a boy. So the Storm had their future quarterback, you know, eighteen
years from now. Yeah, really cool story if you if you haven't read
it, you should check it out on Friday Night Drive. And I feel
like the double reverse punt is a play like the Minnesota Vikings would have run
on the original tech Moo ball. I was like one of those ones that
takes twenty seconds a developer. You can't stop it unless you called it on
defense. Yeah. I asked Blake if he was nervous about kicking that,
you know, missing the ball. He says, well, I was a
little bit nervous, but after all, I am the best kicker on the
team. So so anyway, Kevin, appreciate the time. We'll look forward
to reading your coverage here on the game. You mentioned Princeton coming up this
week. They're they're presumable playoff run going forward. I appreciate the time.
Man, Hey, thanks guys, always good to talk. Absolutely, we'll
see it down the road. Kevin, all right, take care of guys,
and I think we'll use that queue to take a little break, any
break here, and then we'll get JT. And I'll get right back into
the swing of things. That's a baseball phrase. That's awful. Get right
back into the kicking things. I don't know, get back to me.
I'll come up with something. We'll be right back. We'll be we'll be
back back any back after the breaking degree Schweiker Gannison Krazak Rundio Proudley sponsors the
Friday Night Drive. I'm Mike Krazak. If you've been injured, we are
ready to take on the insurance company and get you to the end zone.
We've recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients. Visit the g A
N A S s I N that's common and welcome back, pared down version.
Now that Kevin is left great insights into Princeton, obviously him covering them
weekend and week out, but now you're gonna get some great insights from us
on the was that fantastic insights, the best insights on the Kisswaukee River Interstate
eight White Conference. Mostly we haven't talked a lot of blue and blues more
north and everything though, so we we stick to the White Conference. Let
let Kyle and Seuss talk about that one. Well, we sprinkling a little
sandwich and plain oh here and there, and we don't get the blue a
little love. They're not even anymore. So yeah, absolutely, go ahead.
I was gonna say the big one this week is Caitlin Sycamore. Caitlin
still looking for that, you know, the top level, to be the
team above them. They've had some really close calls that led against the four
and one Washington team into the fourth quarter, led against an undefeated Morris team
into the fourth quarter, couldn't pull out either one of those. Have to
go to Sycamore this week for that one. You're an outsider, JT.
What do you think of that one? Well, I mean you know,
Caitlin's obviously the team with something to prove here. I think most people are
expecting Sycamore to be Sycamore and do what they've done for these past two seasons
in this conference which is just dominated. But you know, very inner,
Caitlin, you know what they did with Ottawa forty nine fourteen victory in control
of the whole way. I mean, I think we've discussed this has been
like a running theme here as we've discussed, you know, is Cainlan in
that top group, Is Kinlan with ottawaan LP? Or is Canlan kind of
us in its own tier kind of knocking on the door. And I think
we both had the gut feeling they were kind of on their own tier knocking
on the door. And I think they've proven that they don't have LP till
week nine, I believe, so that we'll see how that one goes.
But I think Kinland has very much proven that, you know, they're right
there. They're right there with Morris, and you saw that in their game
with Morris. Now can they be right there with Sycamore. That's what we're
going to find out. What kind of read you have on that one,
Eddie? Yeah, I see, I get the feeling that not a lot
of teams have been right there with Sycamore this year. Simeon was about the
closest that's been there. But I mean, I don't think that's gonna take
away from it. Actually, the last week's game against Rochelle was a close
on twenty one six finals, Sycamore just getting past the Hubs and a crossover
game, as we mentioned, the Blue Conference. Now, so I think
we're done for the week. So now that said your boy the auto a
coach is his last name Gross Gross. So he had said it in uh
post game interview to the reporter we had out there, Lenny Eisley does a
terrific job. He's actually covered a lot of Sycamore this year. He'll be
doing the the caw Gyan this week because I shifted over to Sycamore. But
he had said we got exactly how he said it. But this Kalan team
is a big team. Don't look at their record. They've had a tough
schedule and this is a really, really good team. And he's absolutely right
about that. I mean, you see this Scalon team, they're they're taking
care of business against the teams they're supposed to be taken care of, and
they've come close to a to a pair of huge upsets. I would have
us talking about, you know, two undefeated teams going into this, including
the Morris Slaves, so you know, just a player two away from that.
So I definitely think, even though you know there's a chance they're sitting
at three and three after this week, that this Kalon team is excellent and
it really is in that group or w closer to the Morrison, Yeah,
closer to the Morris and Sycamore side of it the division than the middle of
the pack than the odd LP kind of middle pack. Yeah, and I
would agree with that. I think everything we've seen has shown us that.
And you know obviously that that Kinlan LP game in I'm pretty sure it's Week
nine is going to be one that, uh you know, is gonna be
big for Kinland for playoff seeding, could be big for LP just to get
in. We'll talk about that in a minute. I got to see LP
take on Morris, that other one that's up at that level with Sycamore this
past Friday, and and uh so we'll see, and honestly, this is
a great time to contra transition to that you know, Morris pt LP forty
to nothing. LP did not look awful, and I know that's so weird
to say in a game like that. They gained under one hundred yards of
total offense. They got first downs almost every drive of the first half,
they'd get to midfield. Their defense forced a ton of third and fourth downs
against the powerful Morris offense. But Morris converted three three fourth thounds in the
first half and they all led to touchdowns. They converted another one actually scored
a touchdown on fourth down. And the second half just when they had to
make plays, you know, Morris. You know, at the risk of
plagiarizing my own story I wrote there. Their offense was great, but their
defense is what really impressed me. No one talks about it, but their
defense was just amazing against Lossal Peru, a good at Lossal Preu team that's,
you know, probably going to be in the playoffs if they can take
care of business these next two weeks. Yeah, you seem optimistic. I
know, we'll talk to week nine one week nine, because if you're saying
with South and hid there with Caitlin, I'm a little less optimistic about that,
depending on how these next three weeks play out. But what is it
that you've seen and then you touched on it a little there, but what
have you seen about this LaSalle team that has you often missed it that you
know they're they're closer to you know, that level than the other levels.
Well, I would say there you have to say they're a step above Ottawa
and they'll settle that on the field here in a couple of weeks whether they
are or not. But they have a I think nine game winning streak against
Ottawa eight game nine game winning streak gains oatwas, so until Ottawa gets to
win, you have to say LPs that that step above them. So you
know when you go down the pecking order, if you go Sycamore and Morris
at the top, Caitlin's proven there there you know that's your next two.
You got there. Although Woodstock North is kind of interesting. They play Ottawa
this week and they've they've hung in there some games, certainly not at that
top tier, but they're kind of knocking on the door at the LPs and
Ottawa's I believe they led LP at halftime in their matchup, so they're kind
of trying to be in that conversation too. So, but La Salpreu plays,
uh, you know, if they play solid defense. I say this
after seeing them have given up forty two Morris, but a lot of teams
give up forty two more give bad, I don't think so, No,
not at all, not at all. But but LP's got a nice team
a plus. It's actually their lowest part total of the year, by the
way. Yeah. See, so that's so I saw. I basically saw
a defense, a great defensive game that was forty to nothing. Because I
think that Morris defense obviously was great, you know, shut them out and
hold an LP two under one hundred. But you know, a big part
with LP is what they've done so far to get themselves into this position.
I think they can be a playoff team because you know, the next two
weeks they're at Woodstock, which is you know, if we're talking tiers,
is probably in their own tier at the bottom of the of the white side
of this conference. And you know, and then they have Ottawa, which
I think, you know, they have to go in certainly thinking they can
win, and probably as the favorite. So they get to five wins in
this conference. When you have a schedule with Morris, Kanelan and and Sycamore,
and they play a good non conference schedule as well. That's a playoff
team, you know, five five wins and and having a few good opponents
on your schedules enough to make the playoffs. I think they can get there.
I mean, as we've talked about all the years since we started this
podcast, it's probably gonna come down to that Ottawa game. Yeah, that's
what you said, five games that clouded dusk. I swore that's what you
were abelt to say that. I didn't even know how that would make sense
logically, but here we are. So no, I think that's our There's
no clever NID twelve type name for the crick not like we need one,
because it's not going to exist. Next crick kri I right, career KRI
eight great, Yeah, I did nothing that good than nothing, but well
yeah, agreed. Yeah, and I was gonna kind of switch over real
quick on the Illinois Central eight. We kind of called it last week with
Mantino just touch them back in. They did win again, demolish Lyle fifty
five to nine. They're three and two to three and o on the conference.
I don't think anyone's calling them on them to beat Wilmington and Cole City
or Cole City, but you know they have pietonin read Custer next. So
I mean we could be sitting here in two weeks talking about playoff bound Mantino,
which I think is a bit of a surprise, you know, and
then they'll have Wilmington and Cole City those final two weeks to kind of get
themselves ready for playoff football. So I just wanted to mention it again.
And then Street are coming off of twenty seven twelve loss to Herscher. They
did get Christian Benning back the quarterback. We had a shoulder injury. He
did play, and they visit Lyle this week. Brian Hacks will be there
for the kind of the game to stay out of the seller in the ice
conference. So that that's down that nickol the Woods, I wanted to just
talk. I wanted to go actually into a little way outside of our cooverence
zones. I teased it last week, wanting to talk to him in ui
c Absolutely that falls into what we should be talking about. And I think
that if you look at how that conference is shaking up, I don't think
there's any surprises in there where you've got the three headed beasts. That is
Lewin, it is Dupeck, and it is Forrest and all sitting undefeated at
this point, and you're gonna have your first battle between two of the undefeated
teams this week, two teams going in five and OHO with do Peck and
Forrest in So, I mean, obviously I have a little closer to than
you I see up here, but you know they produced state champions. Well
what do you uh see just kind of I guess what's your relationship with that
conference? I guess would be the well, you know very little and uh,
but they're the teams that I always my small school teams always bump into
in the playoffs and more often than not lose to. So, uh,
you know, much respect for the Northwest Upstate aligning right, north State Northwest
Upstate aligne Yes, much respect for them. And you know what their programs
do? We see Forrest in a lot in the playoffs, We see Lena
Winslow, we see Fulton Stockton when they're up there, and and you know,
it just looks like another once again that conference, you know, it
looks looks just stacked. I think, what see? Now? You know,
I know you have ones that you have a tough time, is it,
Pecatonica, Pecatonica, I believe, yes that's in this case, Yes,
that that would be better. Yes, But I think what Dupeck's done
this season, and really Lena Winslow as well. I mean, I mean
dupec is outscoring opponents two hundred and twenty six to thirty that's cumulative, not
every week, and uh Lena Winslow two forty eight to thirty six. So
I mean, these aren't teams winning games. These are teams just going out
there and stomping opponents. So it'll be interesting to see. And then Forreston's
always a powerhouse. They don't have as as gaudia numbers in terms of scoreboards
as Duke Peck and Lena Winslow. But I mean you're talking about three teams
right there that have already qualified for the playoffs, and pretty much nobody's gonna
want to see them come end of October early November. Yeah, there was.
I'm of course having trouble finding my notes. Literally sent you a giant
list of stuff that now I'm even doubting I sent you because I can't find
it anywhere, or I don't think I did get it Okay, then apparently
something and never sentence. Now I can't find what happened to it. Because
there is a running back or a quarterback for Dupeck who's run for almost nine
hundred yards this year. I definitely wanted to I remember the first name being
Cooper, but I'm obviously stalling until I can find the name, so it
makes for a riveting podcast. But he's led to Hoffman. Was that is
that Cooper Hoffman? That is Cooper Hoffman. Yeah, I've I've seen his
name on the tweeter or the X or whatever Eaton might name it next.
Yeah, yeah, he's Yeah, he looks impressive everything I have seen.
Yeah, I wanted to be sure to bring that up. Cooper Hoffman.
Yeah, he's he's a dual threat quarterback. The rushing yards aren't going to
really hitch in the face or more of a team rushing the ball. It
seems that they got a lot of guys who come at you, uh,
with Hoffman leading the way. So I thought absolutely that was worth a mention.
Well, and you mentioned this conference and just what a powerhouse it is
in small school football, and you know, here here we have here's here's
what Dupac has come DUPEC has coming up on the schedule. They play five
and Olina winslow this week. Then they go to Fulton, who's three and
two, but still the Steamers are always a tough, tough team and a
playoff regular. Uh. Then they host Forreston who's also five and zero and
you know, playoff powerhouse. And then they get to leave the conference and
get a big breather and play a nice easy opponent like Belleville. Sarcasm if
that didn't go through. So I mean, look at I mean, look
at this stretch for you know, DUPEC has coming up. I mean I
mean, it's just just a murderers row and and you know, it's that's
how this conference is, you know, week after week after week. I
mean, yeah, you have your Eastland Pearl Cities or you know, you
have a couple of programs at West Carroll that are kind of on down years,
but there are few and far between. It's just a great football conference.
And uh, I'm really glad you kind of brought it up because it's
it's it's one of those ones that we would be remiss if we didn't talk
about. Yes, it was there in the pregame notes and the pre podcast
notes that I did not send to you, so I will not send,
by the way, the longest, most thorough notes I've done so far.
I send it to you as proof that I actually had, you know,
most thorough notes heading into the podcast for if you like. If for those
of you who are interested inside baseball are in this case inside football, are
old enough to know what I mean when I say inside baseball. You know,
it's every week kind of Eddie'll send me notes and it's kind of here's
some bullet points. It'll look like outlines that made you do in like high
school term papers. And then I'll write one where I pretty much just wrote
the term paper, and I'm sure he scans it. It's like, holy
cow, dude, I just like to have it all there at my fingertips
and and get it. But I but like when I get you know,
Eddie's more following like the speech class instructor, you know, have some notes
talk about it free freewheel and and I think that does make for the best.
But you know, well, because if I type it out, I
remember that I was able to, at least when I couldn't find them,
at least remember some of the stuff. Because after typing it, I remember
it a little better. So that's actually why I type it out, because
I don't actually refer to the notes all that often, Like I was only
going them to remember Cooper Hoffman's nake was basically the how that I was.
Then I'm like, you know, I don't think I ever said these,
So you know, I got a good I got a beautiful transition for us
here, you know, going from a conference that really works and uh,
you know it's just a powerhouse, let's go to a conference that I you
know, I don't want to be harsh on. It's in its first year
of existence but not working. If you would like, I would rather not.
But but you know, the Chicagoland Prairie, you know, but you
talk about a rocky start, you know, Uh, Waltha Christians offering its
second consecutive forfeit. They forfeited to Marquette last week. They're gonna give Seneca
forfeit this week. You know, low numbers in the programs, they haven't
been able to be competitive. I think they're getting outscored something like two thirteen
to two this season something in that neighborhood. And you know, you hate
seeing that. But when you have a new conference with you know, eight
teams, and this is now the third forfeit offered by the second school because
Westmont forfeited also earlier this year. You know, you kind of hope when
you find these schools that the whole point of build being in a conference is
finding scheduling stability and like minded opponents and competitive games. And there's only been
two games in the conference so far decided by single digits. All the others,
I think almost all of them have been blowouts. In both those of
them by involved a surprising Dwhite team that's won both of those close games.
So I mean, I'm hoping that you know, week seven through nine we
talked about before, where everyone kind of plays their regional rivals in this conference,
I'm hoping that kind of gives a good finish to what's been a tough
start for the Chicago Land Prairie. Yeah, because right now, you know,
allowing me to be mean, you know, you see this conference and
it was, well, how is this going to work? And the answer
through what are we three weeks into conference play is it's really not like you
said. Maybe once it's more geographically set up that way, it'll be a
little smoother. But as you also said, the whole point of a conference
is so that these sort of things don't happen. And it's exactly much happening,
and it's unfortunate. Yeah, you just hate to see it and blah
blah blah distriance. So yeah, I don't see how. And you know,
I have not talked with any of these coaches. I'm not saying they're
saying it. I don't see how you don't, you know, if you're
an ad or a head coach or a principle in this conference. I don't
see how you're not kind of still the idea of getting in a conference,
forming new conferences now you don't have to look. I don't see how you're
not looking right now. I mean some of these programs, you know,
this is Westmont's second year of of you know, dropping games in season.
You know, Seneca's coming out of a conference, and d White are coming
out of that for a million valley football alliance where they'd have a couple opponents
drop drop games here and there, And that's exactly what you're trying to get
away from. You know, I don't see how you'll keep an eye and
look around it would be really nice to see eight man football become fully bonded
by the HSA at this point. I think that would solve a lot of
problems instead of this kind of one toe in the water approach that it is
right now. If I have a feeling if it was a full on I
just a sport with the playoffs, with the playoff brackets and history up on
the I just say site like all the other sports, it would be more
likely for teams like like Westmont or like these other teams that are struggled with
numbers to finally just bite the bullet and say, okay, or an eight
man team, let's do this. I don't Yeah, I'm genuinely surprised that
hasn't happened yet. And it's it's strictly a numbers game. It's a percentage
of schools playing something if they get to. I know, I talked to
the pretty much the founder of the driving force behind the behind the Illinois eight
Man Football Association back when they were first putting it together, and and I
had a couple of talks with him, Charlie Allerbrock. Did They actually had
most of their early meetings when they were forming at Ottawa. Marquette High School
was the site of them for whatever reason, essentially located whatever. So Charlie
me and a Mark, you know, Marquette guy, kind of that was
his beat. He'd he'd go there and just kind of sit in on the
meetings and do a story at John John Lawler, I believe it's his name,
but you know, talking with him back then, they were talking about
getting to thirty two. That was the goal, get to thirty two,
and I think they kind of stalled this year that I don't think they added.
I think they might even have one fewer eight man team, but I
thought that would happen by now. But but I feel pretty confident they'll get
there. And that was the goal, get to thirty two, and the
HSA will probably say, yep, let's make it a sport. So I
think it'll get there in a year or two. And I think you'll get
your wish there. Yeah, I'll be better for conferences like the Chicago Prairie
Land if you know, teams were a little more willing to go play eight
man, and I think that's a big part of it. Yeah, you
got to find someone to replace the ones that left for eight man, So
that's that's your other you know, I don't think they want a six team
conference, but I don't know. Right now, this looks like a sixteam
conference to me with two other schools on there that are you know, playing
some weeks and not playing other weeks, and that's you just can't there's no
stability in a situation like that. And you know, normally we talk about
conference stability in football, it's all about can teams get to that magical fifth
win, can teams get the men man necessary playoff points? Can you fill
the schedule? And on this case, I mean, we're not even talking
about that. I don't think teams like Seneca, Marquette, Saint Bede,
you know, I don't think they worry about getting to five wins. I
think they feel pretty confident they can do that on an independent schedule or their
old conference homes wherever they were. You know. Now it's just a matter
of, man, we gotta you know, we're missing homecoming games, We're
missing you know, and that's just no way to run a conference. You're
absolutely right on that one. And I think that's that's not like you know
what I was going to talk about, But I think that about does it
up here? Did you mention where you were at this week? Uh?
This week I will be with Uh. I will be at Ottawa Woodstock.
North's coming there at Kingfield. I think that should be well, I don't
know, depending on how Sycamore Kinland is. I think it might be probably
the most competitive game in that half of the conference this year. I think
they both really on paper, it looks like it should be a good matchup.
I'm I'm looking forward to it and hoping it ends before ten forty five
this weeker this year? This week? Did I say a year? I
think you said year. You know, honestly, maybe they're really at the
same schedule. Yeah, well, yeah, I didn't say that. I
didn't say the best played game ball throughout, but I think it should be
a really good ball game. Yeah. Yeah, and hopefully that one is.
I'm hoping Sycamore Kinland is a really good h Is that what you're at
this week? Yeah? Be at that one. Just the way it's fallen,
it's been a lot easier for me to get the Calve games this year
than and it's been easier for Lenny to get Sycamore. But we are switching
this week because I definitely want to make sure I see the Sycamore Kalin game
gets to Klin in person, which I haven't done this year, even though
it is the Calb's homecoming and they are facing Mabonzi for what should be a
big win. I haven't talked much to Cal yet. They had a hung
with Naperville North for about a half and just a couple just petered out in
a game that a couple of players with different might have been a different result
but dropped in two twenty. I want to say something like that. So
the cal going into two and three to their homecoming very much need to get
to three and three obviously, but yeah, no, I'll be at Sycamore
Klan kind of talking a different thing. There is a Sycamore not like five
wins is a question mark anymore for the playoffs, but they get their number
six and guaranteed spot if they win, while kan Lynd obviously, So a
lot, a lot of interesting stuff. Really looking forward to this one.
And you know one other one other that's worth mentioning is and this is a
crossover in the Kish riv int eight but interesting Richmond Burton visiting Morris pair of
pair of undefeated teams. I believe Richmond. I'm pretty sure Richmond Burton's undefeated,
so you know that one's worth that's definitely worth keeping an eye on.
I think that'll be a fun match up and kind of you know, I
would expect Morris would do well, but you know, you never. You
know, these are two good football teams, so we'll see what happens.
And we mentioned Kevin Aronhams will be at Kawani Princeton, which I think is
another one where you know, statewide people will be keeping their eyes on to
kind of get a gauge on two really good football teams. Getting back to
that Richmond Burton Morris game that was I feel like it's underutilized Richmond and the
crossover against I think this is the first time they're playing Morris. If I'm
not mistaken, you might you could be right there. I don't know off
hand, but you could be right there. But I know they played Sycamore
two years ago. I think it was the first year out of the pandemic
twenty one down here. Richmond Burton actually won that one. That was years
sick. Moore still made the second finals. So definitely Richmond Burton, I
wouldn't go counting them out against Morris. No, and Richmond. I don't
think they're the team they wore two years ago. Richmond Burton is, and
I think Morris is obviously on the upside right now. But that is going
to be an amazing game. You don't know off hand us it that one,
do you. I believe Billadinski is covering that one for us. That's
that's a big important game for Bill to be covering. So he gets it.
He gets a thriller. Yeah, he gets what should be a good
one. Yeah, I mean, I mean, you talk about We've talked
about Morris, you know, almost weekly here and rightfully so. But I
mean, Richmond Burton's outscoring people. I like when they do this because I
didn't plan this, I had time, but I just pulled up there,
pulled up their site and looking at their scoring, and it's math I can
do in my head. They're outscoring opponents forty to ten on your average week
here, one hundred ninety nine and forty nine. That's easy math. So
you know, you know, you're you're that's pretty pretty in line with what
Morris has done. So be very interested to see kind of how that game
goes, how that other side of the conference. They can call it blue
and white all they want. I think of it as large and small.
See how the cream of that small side matches up with you know, one
of the top teams of the large side, and should be a heck of
a ball game. Yeah, I know. I'm I'm excited for that one
as well. So I think we call ahead an episode. You got anything
else, but nope, that's all good man. Okay, So for JT
Penalty. I'm Eddie Cariffio again. Thanks for listening. Talk to you next
week. See you on the sideline. Schweiker, Gannison, Krizak, Rundio,
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