Last week, Notre Dame’s high school football team’s conference championship chances took a hit, as the Irish were upset at Endres Field by Champaign Central on a short field goal as time expired, 51-49. The loss dropped the Irish to 4-2 in the Big Twelve and 5-2 overall and slipped from their #3 position to #4 in the state Class 5A AP poll.
Now, Notre Dame looks to regroup against another challenging Champaign team, pass-happy Centennial, in our main Illinois National Bank Red Zone Game of the Week Presented by OSF Healthcare Friday night. A win in this week 8 conference matchup would clinch a sixth straight playoff berth for ND, which went ahead of Champaign Central, 49-48, with a daring two-point conversion late in last week’s game only to lose on the last play.
Longtime Peoria Pirates head coach Bruce Cowdrey and I will be at Peoria Stadium to watch the impressive Notre Dame offense, which rolled up 452 rushing yards last week, with junior running back Fred Dixson continuing his stellar season. Dixson ran 22 times for 269 yards and five touchdowns versus the Maroons.
Our secondary game – with score updates and some live play by play by Tom Meredith – will be a key Mid Illini Conference tilt between 5-2 Metamora and 4-3 Pekin. Dunlap upset Metamora last week on our Red Zone game of the week to drop the Redbirds out of a first-place tie. Metamora is 5-2, 3-2 in conference now. Pekin is coming off a loss at Washington and is also 3-2 in the Mid Illini. The Dragons, under head coach Doug Nutter, are looking to secure a playoff spot for the fifth time in six seasons.
Thanks to great supporting sponsors of our Red Zone football coverage like: Starcrest Cleaners, Rocket Tire Service and Heartland Apartments. Out of area fans can listen online at this website and with their smart phones by downloading the free GLO phone app.
Join up for the pregame show Friday at 6:30 p.m., kickoff’s at 7 for week 8 of the Illinois National Bank Red Zone, presented by OSF Healthcare on Peoria’s home for classic rock and football, 95.5, GLO.
Doc Watson
