![](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/389/2017/10/06234348/U-HighTeamTackle.jpg)
By Greg Halbleib
Weather inevitably plays a role in football, and the rains hitting Central Illinois from the remnants of Tropical Storm Gordon are this week’s example.
Some area games are on artificial turf, including the WJBC Friday Night Extravaganza’s featured game of U-High against Decatur MacArthur at Hancock Stadium and at Bloomington High School’s Fred Carlton Field, where Purple Raiders coach Scott Godfrey is ready for whatever the weather brings when Peoria Manual visits.
“Last week we had to rotate balls in every two or three plays,” Godfrey recalled in the muddy conditions of last Saturday’s win at Park Forest Rich East. “While it won’t be muddy here, we’re anticipating rain and we have to roll with the punches.”
The Extravaganza will also report from Normal West at Danville, Urbana at Normal Community and St. Joseph-Ogden at Central Catholic. Scene-setters begin at 6:10 p.m., updates from all games are every quarter hour and post-game continues until 11 p.m. Updates can be found on the WJBC Sports Twitter feed (@SportsWJBC).
Week 3 high school football schedule:
Big Twelve
Normal West at Danville
Peoria Manual at Bloomington
Urbana at Normal Community
Champaign Central at Peoria Notre Dame (at Peoria Stadium)
Central State Eight
Decatur MacArthur at U-High
Chatham Glenwood at Springfield
Jacksonville at Rochester
Springfield Lanphier at Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin
Springfield Southeast at Decatur Eisenhower (Sat. at Millikin University)
Illini Prairie
St. Joseph-Ogden at Central Catholic
Olympia at Rantoul
Pontiac at IVC
Monticello at St. Thomas More
Prairie Central at Tolono Unity
Apollo
Lincoln at Mattoon
Central Illinois
Shelbyville at Clinton
Sangamon Valley
Dwight at Seneca
Non-Conference
El Paso-Gridley at Ridgeview-Lexington (at Lexington)
Eureka at Flanagan-Cornell-Woodland (at Woodland) (live WJEZ 98.9 & WJEZ.com)
Blue Ridge at Macomb
Fisher at Tri-Valley
Heyworth at Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley
Fieldcrest at Tremont
LeRoy at Deer Creek-Mackinaw
Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].