Teams via for playoff spots
Key contests have conference/postseason ramifications

10/13/2023
BY JACK BULLOCK
CARBONDALE - On Friday, October the 13th there are some key games in the ASV area that have major playoff and conference championship ramifications.

Here is a quick look at a few of the contests will have a lot to do with how the playoffs will look in two weeks.

Black Diamond Conference
Sesser-Valier/Waltonville (7-0) @ Johnston City (7-0)
The Red Devils and Indians will clash to see which club is going to win the Black Diamond Conference championship.

SV/W has outscored it's seven victims 302-92 this season, including a come-from-behind 32-30 win over Carmi-White County back on September 15.

That was their most competitive game this season.

The coaches John Shadowen and Mike Rude (who share head coaching duties) have had the leadership of senior quarterback Colt Packer (15 TD passes, 43-of-67, 862-yards passing, 515-yards rushing) and running back Dez Malone (75-carries, 835 yards) are the offensive standouts for the Red Devils.

Coach Todd Thomas and his club rely nearly exclusively on a powerful ground attack with four different runners over 300-yards for the season.

Senior Ben Morgan along with juniors Cannon Ashmore, Evan Sanders and Nolan Causey have rushed for 1,531-yards combined and have scored 20 of the Indians' 28 TD's.

The Tribe have out-gunned six opponents 262-54 with the seventh being a forfeit win over Vienna/Goreville who didn't field a varsity team this season.

The winner will likely end up 9-0 on the season and will have a first-round playoff home game.

Johnston City won last year's matchup on the road, 33-28 in Week #7 on their way to a 12-1 finish, losing to eventual 2A champions Decatur St. Teresa in the playoff semifinals.

Fairfield (3-4) @ Hamilton County (4-3)
At the beginning of the season it wasn't projected that this game would have a lot on the line by the time both of the teams reached Week #8.

However the Foxes are a win away from getting to the five-win plateau, which will put them in the running for a playoff berth.

Coach Rhet Vaughan has the Foxes in the hunt with wins over CZR, Edwards County, Eldorado and Flora. The win over the Wolves at home put the Foxes in position for their first playoff appearance since 2019.

But they will need at least one win in their final two games to get in with their final game being a contest with SIRR Ohio Division team West Frankfort on the road.

The WF game came about because both squads were going to get forfeited wins in Week #9 from Vienna/Goreville and Sparta respectively, whom didn't field varsity teams this fall.

Junior quarterback Andrew Webb (417-yards passing) leads the offense with running backs who have been successful running the ball; senior Hunter Graves (236-yards), senior Eli Hanson (238-yards) and sophomore Braxton Miller (510-yards).

Fairfield will need to win its final two games (Edwards County at home in Week #9) to secure its 10th consecutive playoff appearance.

Coach Justin Townsend's club has losses to Freeburg, CWC, JC and SV/W while holding victories over CZR, Eldorado and Flora.

The Mules have over 1K yards rushing this season combined.

Freshman quarterback Jaylan Maners (67-of-114, 919 yards, 12 TD's) calls the signals.

Seniors Jay and Latreal Snyder along with top rusher, senior Trey Mason (479-yards, 92-attempts).
SIRR Ohio Division
Carterville (6-1) @ Murphysboro (7-0)
Some of the luster came off of this potential matchup with the Lions' loss two weeks ago to Harrisburg but this game could be a preview of a 4A playoff game in a few weeks.

The Red Devils have ransacked seven consecutive victims by a total of 313-37, including a 40-0 spanking of Harrisburg last Friday on the road.

Head coach Gary Carter and his Red Devils are primed for a big finish and would love another Ohio Division title and a 5th straight playoff berth.

A 9-0 finish would guarantee a high-seed in the 4A playoffs if they can top Carterville and currently unbeaten DuQuoin in the next two weeks.

The Red Devils have been helped by the emergence of running back Tyjaire Kellum, a 5-8 junior, who has stepped up big for Coach Carter this season.

Quarterback Gibson Fager, a 6-2 senior, along with senior running back 5-11 Sam Herring have played well.

Senior wide receiver Karmelo Abernathy has also been a key factor in the undefeated season.

Carterville and head coach Brett Diel stubbed their toes in a 29-28 loss to Harrisburg on September 29 at home.

A Lions' victory on the road Friday would even things in the Ohio where the division could end up having a three-way tie at the top with the Bulldogs also finishing with one defeat if they win their last two.

Five-eleven senior Brandon Skelcher has been exceptional in his first season as starting quarterback for the Lions.

Wide receiver Nicholas Bisching and junior running back Chance Myers have also been a big part of the offensive numbers put up by Carterville (231-points) this fall.

The Lions won this matchup 49-28 last season, which was a non-division game with both teams now in the Ohio Division.

SIRR Mississippi Division
Nashville (5-2) @ DuQuoin (7-0)
The Hornets and Indians clash on Friday night with DuQuoin a win away from the Mississippi Division title.

Coach Logan Spain's club had a couple of close calls in the early going but the last three wins were convincing.

A 77-yard TD pass in the final minute won a game at Benton and a final quarter rally defeated Harrisburg on the road in Week #2.

The Tribe have already qualified for the program's 35th playoff berth.

The running back duo of 5-9 juniors Luke Bauman and Tristin Webb have been impressive on the ground so far.

Quarterback Camden Waller, a 5-10 senior, runs the show and his long TD pass to senior PJ Winters broke a lot of hearts in Franklin County in Week #4.

The last three weeks resulted in routs of Pinckneyville, West Frankfort and Anna-Jonesboro.

Nashville enters the contest with a pair of losses to Carterville (35-14) and Benton (42-38) in road contests.

If the Hornets are going to guarantee a playoff spot, the 21st in the program's history, they will need to beat either DuQuoin or 7-0 Shelbyville (Week #9).

J.T. Malawy is the senior leader from his quarterback slot and the running backs called upon often are 5-6 senior Noah Miller and 5-10 junior Samuel Kollbaum.

The Hornets topped DQ last fall 28-21.

Cahokia Conference Illinois Division
Chester (4-3) @ Red Bud (5-2)
After losing their first three contests this season against larger schools (Benton, DuQuoin, Freeburg) the Yellow Jackets have won four in-a-row, three consecutive in the division, and can add another league title and automatic playoff bid with a win over Red Bud.

Instead of taking a forfeit win over Sparta, Coach Billy Belton and his program opted to play Christopher/Zeigler-Royalton in a non-conference game, which they won 55-24.

Chester out-gunned Wesclin (37-6), Carlyle (34-0) and Dupo (49-0) in consecutive weeks.

The Yellow Jackets have been lead by 6-1 junior quarterback Zain Al-Jassim, who has passed for 1,335-yards this season in just seven games, hitting on 65-of-122 attempt with 10 touchdowns.

Six-two junior wide receiver Devante Palacio is the top target, as he has 27-receptions for 574-yards and four of the scores.

Junior Kolton Jany leads the Yellow Jackets rushing attack with 336-yards and four TD's while seniors Gage Hopkins and Aden Runge have added 294-yards combined on the ground for five more touchdowns.

Red Bud might be looking for a bit of payback as the Musketeers were cruising along last season when they were ambushed by the Yellow Jackets, 12-7 at Chester, which cost the club a conference division title.

Coach Dave Lucht and his squad have just two defeats to powerhouse programs Roxana (42-7) and Breese Central (35-13) but they have won four games by a total score of 166-19 with the other win being a forfeit from Sparta when they couldn't find a Week #5 opponent.

Five-eleven junior quarterback Dylan Oliver, 6-1 senior wide receiver Sam Easter, 6-0 senior running back Chase Lucht and 6-3 senior wide receiver Owen Liefer have all come up big for the Musketeers.
Other games of significance this week include:

South Central Conference
Carlinville (4-3) @ Hillsboro (3-4)
The Hiltoppers will need to win out with tough games against the Cavaliers this week and at Southwestern in Week #9 if they are going to return to the playoffs for the second season in succession and 21st overall.

Carlinville is riding a streak of 15-straight playoff appearances. If they win out they will make it for the 37th time in the program's storied history.

A win at Hillsboro would set up a game at 0-7 Gillespie next Friday at home to go 6-3 and guarantee a spot.

Pana (5-2) @ Litchfield (4-3)
The Panthers should get in with five wins but a sixth would make things better and the game at Litchfield and home against 2-5 Staunton should produce at least one victory.

The Purple Panthers host Pana then travel to Vandalia next Friday needing also to win at least one of the contests.

Pana and head coach Trevor Higgins got to the 2A quarterfinals last season while Litchfield has only five playoff appearances in its history and haven't had a winning season since an 8-2 mark in 2004.

Things have turned around for a program that had five-consecutive 0-9 seasons and a 1-8 record last season before flirting with a winning mark this fall for head coach Dan Carlson.