10/12/2022
BY JACK BULLOCK
As the football season heads to Week 8, some important games are on the docket this weekend that will 'make or break' some seasons for squads trying to make the playoffs as well as win conference championships.

With the IHSA playoff eligibility based on five wins to qualify and six victories to guarantee a spot, there are some 'must win' games in the next two weeks.

Here are some of the key matchups for October 14-15.

Black Diamond Conference
Carmi-White County at Johnston City.
The two 7-0 teams hook up in Williamson County on Friday night in a game that will determine which team will get a high seed in the playoffs and an outright league championship.

Both of the clubs have already punched their respective tickets to the playoffs and to get their they have received big efforts from their outstanding running backs.

For the Bulldogs it has been the Isaac King show for the past three seasons and the senior tailback hasn't disappointed the CWC fan base or Coach Kurt Simon.

The 5-9 senior rushed for 227-yards and two TD's in the CWC 46-8 win over Eldorado last Friday.

King is the career leader in rushing yards and scoring for the program and is over 1K in yards this season through seven contests.

Draxtyn Aud, another 5-9 senior running back along with 5-11 junior quarterback Warren Legg have played well together in the seven week unbeaten run.

Johnston City and head coach Todd Thomas also sit at 7-0 after taking care of Sesser-Valier/Waltonville on Friday, 33-28.

Five-eleven senior running back Isiah Watson (800-yards rushing) and 6-1 senior back Boston Peyton have been the top runners for the Tribe in their unbeaten start while 6-0 senior Conner Mowery has called the signals at quarterback.

There won't be a lot of passes on Friday night as these two teams love to run the football.

Johnston City won last year's matchup 34-8 at Carmi-White County.

CWC is ranked #8 and JC is ranked #9 in 2A.

Southern Illinois River-to-River
Ohio Division
Murphysboro at Benton
The Rangers and Red Devils hook up with the division crown at stake.

Each of the teams are playoff bound and have identical 6-1, 4-0 marks.

The common thread between the two clubs is that each lost to 4A state-ranked Carterville.

Coach Gary Carter has gotten a lot of mileage out of his seniors; running back Devon Clemons, quarterback Drew Caldwell and running back Ethan Finke.

The Red Devils posted key wins this fall, including a victory last week at home over Harrisburg 32-21.

Coach Justin Groves' Rangers have also played well with some fresh faces as graduation took most of the 11-1 3A quarterfinal squad from 2021.

Sophomore quarterback Tiffin Kouzoukas lit up Massac County last Friday, going 18-of-25 in the air for 323-yards and three TD's in a 57-14 blowout on the road.

After their opening week loss at Carterville, the Rangers rolled pass five of their six opponents (235-40) and edged Harrisburg, 24-21 in Week 6.

Benton beat the Red Devils at Murphysboro last fall 55-14.

Southern Illinois River-to-River
Mississippi Division
DuQuoin at Nashville
If the Indians are going to make their seventh straight playoff appearance they are going to have to win their final two games on the road.

At 3-4, the Tribe have wins over Chester, Pinckneyville and Anna-Jonesboro (a combined 8-13) on the season.

Games at Nashville and then at Murphysboro, it is going to be tough to duplicate last seasons' late run to get to 5-4 and qualify.

The Hornets have a 5-2 mark with defeats coming at Carterville and against Freeburg at home.

Another victory in their final two games against DQ and at West Frankfort will secure a spot in the playoffs for the fourth straight time.

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South Central Conference
North Mac at Pana
In their first season in the SCC, the Panthers have went a perfect 7-0 by beating all seven by double-digits (286-36).

North Mac is ranked #4 in 2A in the latest AP Poll.

Four different running back for Coach Bowman's club are over 300-yards in rushing with a combined 27 TD's, and as a team they are over 2,200-yards.

Quarterback Kaden Brown has completed 63.7 percent of his passes with seven TD's.

Classmate Joe Reinhart has nine touchdowns rushing.

Pana (6-1) lost their opener to Vandalia and have rattled off six-consecutive wins over over-matched SCC teams (253-91).

Max Lynch, senior quarterback, has 108-carries for 1,508-yards and 19 touchdowns.

Senior running backs Evan Swisher and Monte Weddle have a combined 547-yards rushing and 10 TD's as Coach Trevor Higgins club will make its seventh consecutive playoff appearance.

Cahokia Conference – Mississippi Division
Columbia at Breese Central
The Cougars can clinch the division title and an unbeaten conference run with a win at home over the Eagles.

Columbia, on the other hand, is in a near 'must-win' mode if Coach Scott Horner and Crew are going to guarantee a spot in the 4A playoffs.

Sitting at 5-2, the Eagles will need at least one win against either Central or at home the final weekend against Jerseyville to guarantee a slot in the postseason.

Their defeats came to Mascoutah (49-26) in Week 1 and East Alton-Wood River (22-13) in Week 6.

Central and head coach Brian Short have a 6-1 mark overall with the lone loss coming to crosstown nemesis Mater Dei back in Week 2 (27-14)

The Cougars shutout Columbia last fall 20-0.

Cahokia Conference – Mississippi Division
Roxana at East Alton-Wood River
The Oilers are enjoying their best season in nearly two decades for head coach Gary Heron.

EAWR have just a single loss (21-6 at Breese Central) and they clinched a playoff berth a with a win over Columbia last weekend.

Senior running back Seth Slayden has been special this season for EAWR.

Roxana is also in the playoff picture at 4-3 but they face consecutive must win games in the next two weekends.

A victory over their rival on Friday and a triumph the final weekend against 0-7 Alton Marquette will get the Shells in the postseason.

Junior running backs Evan Wells and Terrel Graves have combined for over 1,200-yards on the ground while junior Chris Walleck is the quarterback for Roxana, connecting on over 50 percent of his passes.

Senior running back Nik Ward has nearly 300-yards rushing.

EAWR won the meeting last fall 34-0 at Roxana.

Cahokia Conference – Illinois Division
Red Bud @ Chester
The Musketeers are having a season to remember for head coach David Lucht.

They have a 6-1 mark with the only loss coming to state-ranked 4A playoff qualifier Breese Central (17-6) back in Week 3.

Senior Thomas Friess threw a pair of touchdown passes and Lucas Schwartzkopf ran for three TD's in the Red Bud 49-0 spanking of Wesclin last Friday night as the Musketeers have pitched three consecutive shutouts and four for the season while surrendering just 38-points this season.

Chester (4-3) are in a 'need to win' mode for Coach Billy Belton if the Yellow Jackets are to return to the playoffs.

Sophomore quarterback Zain Al-Jassim tossed a couple of touchdowns and senior running back Will Schuwerk scored three TD's, including a 67-yard kickoff return, in a 53-30 win over Dupo last week.

The Yellow Jackets' won last year's battle 21-0 at Red Bud