By Greg Halbleib
The Unit 5 battle went down to the wire as Normal Community held off Normal West in the featured game in Week 2 of area high school football.
Normal Community 19, Normal West 14: The host Wildcats took a 7-0 lead into halftime but NCHS responded with two quick third quarter scores, including a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown by Grant Miller, to take the lead for good. Carson Camp connected on two touchdown passes in his 20-for-33 night through the air for 186 yards for West (1-1) with six receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown to Tre Billups. Chase Mackey quarterbacked the Ironmen (2-0) to a 4-for-5 passing night for 57 yards and a touchdown as Jake Hileman rushed 20 times for 43 yards and a touchdown.
Prairie Central 28, Central Catholic 21: The Hawks (2-0) led 14-0 at the halftime break but the Saints (0-2) scored all three of their touchdowns in the second half to draw close. Central Catholic quarterback Jonathan Naour connected on 15-of-27 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns while Saints running back Jonathan Slaughter rushed 23 times for 107 yards and caught three passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. Connor Casner rushed 12 times for 109 yards and two touchdowns for the victorious Hawks.
Rochester 48, U-High 17: The Rockets (2-0) took control in the second quarter of the Central State Eight Conference battle at Hancock Stadium over the host Pioneers (0-2). Rockets quarterback Clay Bruno threw for nearly 300 yards while completing seven touchdown passes.
Ridgeview-Lexington 14, LeRoy 6: Jared Leake completed 9-of-21 passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions for Ridgeview-Lexington (2-0) in the Heart of Illinois Conference Small Division opener for both teams. Rodney Kaeb ran for 117 yards on 23 carries for LeRoy (0-2).
Deer Creek-Mackinaw 20, El Paso-Gridley 0: Karson Eccles rushed for 148 yards and two touchdowns for the victorious Chiefs (1-1). EPG falls to 0-2.
WEEK 2 SCOREBOARD:
Big Twelve:
Normal Community 19, Normal West 14
Peoria 56, Peoria Notre Dame 30
Champaign Central 51, Champaign Centennial 19
Danville 53, Urbana 22
Illini Prairie:
Prairie Central 28, Central Catholic 21
Illinois Valley Central 40, Monticello 14
Tolono Unity 41, Pontiac 0
St. Joseph-Ogden 22, Rantoul 8
Olympia 26, St. Thomas More 8
Central State Eight:
Rochester 48, U-High 17
Decatur MacArthur 33, Jacksonville 27
Springfield Lanphier 41, Decatur Eisenhower 32
Chatham Glenwood 34, Sacred Heart-Griffin 10
Springfield 52, Springfield Southeast 28
Heart of Illinois Large:
Deer Creek-Mackinaw 20, El Paso-Gridley 0
Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley 35, Eureka 10
Fieldcrest 25, Tri-Valley 0
Heart of Illinois Small:
Tremont 14, Fisher 7
Ridgeview-Lexington 14, LeRoy 6
Apollo:
Lincoln 46, Effingham 7
Non-Conference:
Reed-Custer 35, Dwight 20
Heyworth 34, Monmouth United 6
Blue Ridge 28, Oblong 14
Eight-Man:
Flanagan-Cornell-Woodland 44, Pawnee 42
SATURDAY:
Lincoln-Way Central at Bloomington, 1 p.m. (LIVE WJBC.com 12:45–click here to listen)
Sports Director Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].
