We had wet weather, lots of scoring and drama for Week 1 of the Illinois high school football season around Peoria.
Here is the Journal Star preps experience for Week 1, your one-stop shop for a recap and highlights around the Peoria-area football landscape to open the 2025 high school season:
Watch IHSA football games on NFHS Network all season
Wet weather up north in Week 1
Wet weather near the Quad Cities affected a few games involving some area teams.
LaSalle-Peru’s game with East Moline United was moved to 1 p.m. Saturday, while Kewanee and Erie/Prophetstown will now play at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Hall/Putnam County at Orion also was delayed by inclement weather, but finished up late with a 40-21 win for Orion.
Morton holds off Mahomet-Semour to open with victory
Mahomet-Seymour scored in the final minute, but the Potters defense made a huge stop on the two-point conversion to escape with 28-27 home victory.
The Bulldogs quarterback rolled out, but Tate Shurman got pressure from the left edge to force an errant throw and seal the win.
It was a solid night in the Mid-Illini as five of the eight teams opening with victories: Morton, Pekin, Metamora, Dunlap and East Peoria. Washington, Canton and Limestone each lost.
Looking for previews? Tap here to find all of our preview stories, including top players and new coaches.
Manual and U-High keep scoring
We’re barely into the third quarter at Peoria Stadium and Normal U-High and Manual have almost combined for 100 points. U-High leads 71-22 with 10:39 remaining in the third.
The game slowed after that, ending with the same final score — well short of the state record for combined points in a game. The record is 166, set in 2021 when Springfield High defeated Rock Island, 94-72.
NFL tight end from Fieldcrest taking in Friday Night Lights
Former Fieldcrest quarterback Cam Grandy — now a tight end with the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals — is in Minonk tonight watching his alma mater’s opener against Downs Tri-Valley. He was honored at halftime.
A 2018 Fieldcrest grad, Grandy went on to become an all-American tight end at Illinois State. He signed as an undrafted free agent in April; this month, he made Cincy’s 53-man roster.
Mack Sutter stats: Alabama recruit scores first TD of the season
Dunlap senior Mack Sutter hauled in a 23-yard touchdown from QB Truman Tyra for his first score of the season. Sutter this offseason committed to play for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Dee-Mack jumps to big lead against Eureka
Deer Creek-Mackinaw’s Shaun Denniston scored on a 97-yard touchdown run to stake the Chiefs to a 24-0 lead in the second quarter at Eureka.
Manual and U-High in a high-scoring game at Peoria Stadium
We aren’t even through a quarter and Normal U-High and Manual already have almost scored 40 combined points.
The Pioneers, state semifinalist a year ago, lead the Rams 22-16.
Elmwood/Brimfield coach as his shoes all shined
It’s become a tradition that Elmwood/Brimfield coach Todd Hollis shine up his black shoes for the high school football season.
The longtime coach — entering his 27th season at the small-school co-op — posted a photo of his worn dress shoes to Facebook with the caption “It is time.”
Hollis is simply one of the best to ever coach around Peoria. He has won 159 games and made 18 playoff appearances on the way to the state’s coaching hall of fame. And he’s not done. Hollis will step into those shoes for about the 25th time to walk the sidelines at home against Knoxville.
Big game and new era in Metamora
Metamora opens its first season under coach Nick Delinski, who takes over a team that could challenge for a deep run in the Class 4A playoffs behind running back Jaiduan Cranford, a Northern Illinois commit.
The Journal Star’s Dave Eminian will have the story later at pjstar.com.
Updates from Dunlap at Galesburg with Mack Sutter
The Journal Star’s Adam Duvall is in Galesburg tonight to watch Alabama recruit Mack Sutter and Dunlap open the 2025 season. He’ll be providing updates on Sutter and following the game with a story on one of the nation’s top college football recruits.
IHSA football picks and predictions for Week 1
Who’s gonna win? Check out Adam Duvall’s picks for Week 1, all in one place by tapping right here.
Illinois high school football schedule today
Peoria Notre Dame opens the season with a key Big 12 Conference game vs. Normal West, while Peoria High is on the road at Champaign Centennial. The biggest game of the night likely is Metamora welcoming in Sterling, coached by former Metamora player Jon Schlemmer. The full Week 1 schedule is here.
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IHSA football scores: Week 1
Once scores start coming in, you can find them all right here.
Discount for NFHS Network through the Journal Star
Would you like to stream the IHSA football games? Journal Star readers can get a 25% discount on a yearly NFHS pass in 2025. Use promo code USATODAY25 when you go through our NFHS Network link before Sept. 7 to see top high school football action around Illinois.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Illinois high school football recap: Peoria-area highlights from IHSA Week 1
Reporting by Wes Huett, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
