Althoff hits the road for a showdown with Catholic school rival Mater Dei, while Belleville East and Belleville West both have key Southwestern Conference match-ups.
Here is a snapshot of those metro-east high school fooball games and a big Mississippi Valley Conference showdown.
ALTHOFF CRUSADERS AT MATER DEI KNIGHTS
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Mater Dei High School.
Althoff coach: Austin Frazier.
2024 record : 6-0.
Week 6 result: The Crusaders defeated Collinsville 54-14. Sophomore QB Jayden Ellington completed 13-of-17 passes for 330 yards and 6 touchdowns, while senior WR Charleston Coldon caught 5 passes for 116 yards and 1 touchdown. University of Oregon commit Dierre Hill Jr., meanwhile, rushed for 91 yards and 1 touchdown on 17 carries and grabbed 4 passes for 90 yards and 1 touchdown.
Mater Dei coach: Jim Stiebel.
2024 record: 3-3.
Week 6 result: The Knights defeated Alton Marquette 42-7. Senior QB Chase Jansen threw touchdown passes to junior WR Beckett Wade and junior RB Brett Hilmes, while Hilmes, junior WR Reed Pingsterhaus and junior QB Chase Zurliene had touchdown runs. Junior LB Will Meyer also returned a fumble for a touchdown. The Knights led 42-0 at halftime.
2023 result: Althoff defeated Mater Dei 41-22.
Stat stuffer: Just a sophomore, Ellington is enjoying a big season. Through 6 games, Ellington has completed 55 passes in 84 attempts (65.48%) for 985 yards and 20 touchdowns against just 2 interceptions.
Additional notes: The Crusaders are averaging 51.17 points per game; Mater Dei has won 3 of its past 4 games after an 0-2 start; Stiebel is an Althoff graduate and, as an all-state offensive lineman, played a key role in the Crusaders’ consecutive IHSA Class 3A state football championships in 1989 and 1990. He also was the starting and winning pitcher in the Crusaders’ Class 1A state baseball championship victory in 1991.
Look ahead to Week 8: Both teams resume action at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, as Althoff visits Granite City and Mater Dei travels to Decatur St. Teresa.
BELLEVILLE EAST LANCERS AT EDWARDSVILLE TIGERS
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Edwardsville High School.
Belleville East coach: Michael Harrison.
2024 record: 4-2 overall, 2-1 in Southwestern Conference play.
Week 6 result: The Lancers defeated O’Fallon 36-10. Junior RB Jaedon Beamon rushed for 152 yards on 15 carries, while senior Kiethen Jones had 105 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. The Lancers led 30-7 after 3 quarters.
Edwardsville coach: Kelsey Pickering.
2024 record: 5-1 overall, 3-0 in Southwestern Conference play.
Week 6 result: The Tigers defeated Alton 42-0.
2023 matchup: Edwardsville defeated Belleville East 49-45.
Stat stuffer: Edwardsville junior QB Yale Weaver has thrown for 538 yards and 8 touchdowns against just 1 interception. Senior RB Steven Moore Jr. has rushed for 490 yards and 6 touchdowns for Edwardsville.
Additional note : In the 2023 match-up, the Tigers trailed 24-7 at halftime but erupted for 42 points in the second half to rally for the win.
Look ahead to Week 8: Both teams resume SWC play at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, as Belleville East hosts Belleville West and Edwardsville visits East St. Louis.
O’FALLON PANTHERS AT BELLEVILLE WEST MAROONS
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Belleville West High School.
Belleville West coach: Ken Turner
2024 record: 3-3 overall, 1-2 in Southwestern Conference play.
Week 6 result: The Maroons lost to East St. Louis 63-10.
O’Fallon coach: Joe Speaks.
2024 record: 0-6 overall, 0-3 in Southwestern Conference play.
Week 6 result: The Panthers lost to Belleville East 36-10.
2023 matchup: O’Fallon defeated Belleville West 56-7.
Stat stuffer: Despite the outcome, junior QB Bernard Champan threw for 228 yards against the Flyers.
Additional note : The Maroons are looking for their first win against O’Fallon since 2019. Belleville West won that game 40-19.
Lookahead to Week 8: Both teams resume SWC play at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, as Belleville West visits Belleville East and O’Fallon hosts Alton.
ALTON REDBIRDS AT EAST ST. LOUIS FLYERS
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at East St. Louis High School.
East St. Louis coach: Darren Sunkett.
2024 record: 6-0 overall, 3-0 in Southwestern Conference action.
Week 6 result: The Flyers defeated Belleville West 63-10. Senior RB Larevious Woods rushed for 139 yards and 3 touchdowns on just 12 carries, while senior QB Kendrick Lyons threw for 139 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Alton coach: Cody Markle.
2024 record: 0-6 overall, 0-3 in Southwestern Conference action.
Week 6 result: The Redbirds lost to Edwardsville 42-0.
2023 matchup: East St. Louis defeated Alton 59-0.
Stat stuffer: East St. Louis senior LB Keylan LaGrant posted 1 sack and 12 total tackles against the Maroons.
Additional notes: The Flyers have only allowed 10 points in 3 league games, all 10 of which came last week against Belleville West. East St. Louis is averaging 52.67 points per game in SWC action.
Look ahead to Week 8: Both teams resume league play at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, as East St. Louis hosts Edwardsville and Alton visits O’Fallon.
MARION WILDCATS AT COLLINSVILLE KAHOKS
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Collinsville High School.
Collinsville coach: Colton Rhodes.
2024 record: 3-3.
Week 6 result: The Kahoks lost to Althoff 54-14. Senior QB Chase Reynolds threw for 1 touchdown and rushed for 59 yards in the loss.
Marion coach: Jason Dunning.
2024 record: 4-2 overall, 1-2 in South Seven Conference play.
Week 6 result: The Wildcats lost to Centralia 35-13. The Wildcats trailed just 14-7 at halftime, but the Orphans outscored them 21-6 in the final 24 minutes.
2023 matchup: Collinsville defeated Marion 57-0.
Stat stuffer: Reynolds is enjoying a strong campaign, having thrown for 465 and 6 touchdowns while rushing for 676 yards and 2 scores.
Additional notes : Collinsville’s last 3 games have been very lopsided, with margins of 24, 41 and 40. Marion started the season 4-0, putting up totals of 42, 51, 37 and 51. However, the Wildcats have been outscored 63-19 in their previous two losses.
Look ahead to Week 8: Both teams resume action at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, as Collinsville visits Cahokia and Marion entertains Carbondale.
TRIAD KNIGHTS AT HIGHLAND BULLDOGS
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Highland High School.
Triad coach: Calvin Potthast.
2024 record: 6-0 overall, 3-0 in Mississippi Valley Conference play.
Week 6 result: The Knights defeated Mascoutah 37-22. Senior QB Isaac Ackerman completed 13 passes for 139 yards and 3 touchdowns and also rushed for 133 yards and 2 touchdowns on 17 carries.
Highland coach: Jimmy Warnecke.
2024 record: 3-3 overall, 2-1 in Mississippi Valley Conference play.
Week 6 result: The Bulldogs defeated Civic Memorial 62-0.
2023 matchup: Highland defeated Triad 36-7.
Stat stuffer: Ackerman is enjoying a huge campaign, having thrown for 868 yards and 10 touchdowns while also rushing for 552 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Additional notes: One of the league’s best football rivalries, Triad looks to end a 2-game losing streak to the Bulldogs, who won the past two contests by a combined score of 71-7.
Look ahead to Week 8: Both teams resume MVC action at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, as Triad visits Civic Memorial and Highland hosts Waterloo.
STATS LEADERS
Several metro-east football players are putting up big seasons. Here is a look at how some of the top stars have performed through 6 weeks:
* Dierre Hill, Jr., Althoff, RB, senior. Hill Jr. is atop the leader board in the metropolitan St. Louis area in several categories, including touchdowns (24) total yards (1,226) and total points (148). He’s also second in the area in rushing yards (1,057). Of note, the University of Oregon commit is averaging a whopping 15.5 yards per carry, also first in the area by a wide margin.
* Zion Taylor, Cahokia, QB, senior. Taylor is 4th among area leaders in passing yards with 1,517. He’s throw 6 touchdowns and has 0 interceptions in 105 passing attempts.
* Jayden Ellington, Althoff, QB, sophomore. Ellington leads the entire area in passing ratio at 161.190.
* Preston Baker, Breese Central, QB, senior. Baker is 4th in the area with a passing ratio of 155.325.
* Omar Mims Jr., Cahokia, WR, junior. Mims Jr. is second in the area in return yards with 390 on 13 returns (30 yard average). He also boasts an area-leading average of 33.4 yards per catch.
* Cooper Weik, Columbia, WR/DB, junior. Weik is tied for 3rd in the area with 3 fumble recoveries.
* Isaac Phipps, Cahokia, DE/LB, senior. Phipps is tied for the area lead in sacks with 8. He also is tied for 3rd in the area with 3 fumble recoveries.
* Noah Ramirez, Edwardsville, RB/LB, senior. Ramirez is tied for 3rd in the area with 3 fumble recoveries.
* Dane Olmstead, Freeburg, K, sophomore. Olmstead is second in the area in kickoff average with 1,154 yards on 19 attempts (61.74 average)
* Michael Tongay, Collinsville, senior. Tongay is 2nd among area leaders in assists with 46.
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