We are in the home stretch of the regular season with just two more weeks left of football before the playoffs begin on both sides of the river.
As we get closer to the playoffs, there are still a few big regular season contests on the docket this week.
The big one on the Illinois side is the annual Southwestern Conference showdown between East St. Louis and Edwardsville. The two metro east rivals will meet on Friday night at Jordan Stadium in East St. Louis. East St. Louis has been dominant this season in rolling to a 7-0 record while the always consistent Tigers are coming into the game with a 6-1 record. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
On the Missouri side, a pair of state championship contenders will meet on Ballas Road on Friday night when Cardinal Ritter pays a visit to DeSmet. Ritter is currently the top Class 5 team in the state while DeSmet is among the best in Class 6. Cardinal Ritter is currently 7-0 while DeSmet is 6-1 with its only loss coming to Metro Catholic Conference rival CBC. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
Another great matchup that is somewhat under the radar is Orchard Farm at Warrenton in a battle of 7-0 teams on Friday night at 7 p.m. Both teams have put together excellent seasons as they surge towards the playoffs.
Standout performers from Week 7
*Receiver Landon Pace of SLUH had seven receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown, plus a quarterback sack on defense in the Jr. Bills 31-21 victory over Vianney.
*Defensive lineman Quincy Byas of DeSmet had four quarterback sacks in the Spartans 42-13 victory over Festus.
*Running back Jayden McCaster of DeSmet rushed for 158 yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns in the Spartans’ 42-13 victory over Festus.
*Quarterback Anthony Odom of Ritenour threw three touchdown passes in the Huskies’ 43-0 victory over Webster Groves.
*Running back Collin Griffin of Kirkwood rushed for 150 yards on 18 carries and two touchdowns in the Pioneers’ 52-21 victory over Marquette.
*Linebacker Demarco Clark of Cahokia had two quarterback sacks in the Comanches’ 28-17 victory over Centralia.
*Running back Kendall Young of Summit rushed for 193 yards on 32 carries and two touchdowns in the Falcons 38-35 victory over Ladue.
What’s On Tap for Week 8
Friday, October 18
Hillsboro at Chaminade, 6 p.m.
St. Mary’s at SLUH, 6 p.m.
Hazelwood Central at Hazelwood East, 6 p.m.
Troy at Francis Howell North, 7 p.m.
Marquette at Summit, 7 p.m.
Fort Zumwalt West at Timberland, 7 p.m.
Collinsville at Cahokia, 7 p.m.
Lafayette at Lindbergh, 7 p.m.
Lift for Life at Cape Girardeau Central, 7 p.m.
MICDS at St. Dominic, 7 p.m.
Belleville West at Belleville East, 7 p.m.
Lutheran North at Lutheran-St. Charles, 7 p.m.
Alton at O’Fallon, 7 p.m.
CBC at Peoria Notre Dame, 7 p.m.
Saturday, October 19
Riverview Gardens at Jennings, 11 a.m.
Duchesne at Westminster, noon
Roosevelt at John Burroughs, 1 p.m.
Earl’s World
Former CBC basketball standout Caleb Love is one of the five players on the cover of the current Blue Ribbon Basketball Yearbook as a preseason First Team All-American. Love was also selected to the Preseason All-Big XII Conference First Team. Love was the Pac 12 Player of the Year last season in the last year of the league’s existence…Saint Louis University will open its season against Rockhurst in a preseason game on Friday night at Chaifetz Arena. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. Billiken players Robbie Avila, Gibson Jimerson and Isaiah Swope received preseason All-Atlantic 10 Conference recognition. Avila and Jimerson were selected to the Preseason First Team while Swope was a Third-Team selection…On the SLU women’s basketball side, forward Peyton Kennedy was selected to the Preseason All-Atlantic 10 second Team. Point guard Kennedy Calhoun was selected to the Preseason All-Defensive Team…In college football, the Missouri Tigers will try to regain their footing in the SEC race when they host Auburn on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. in Columbia. The Tigers are currently 5-1 and 1-1 in SEC play. Looming on the horizon for Mizzou is a visit to Tuscaloosa and a date with Alabama on October 26.
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