Week 7 football recap: NCHS clinches playoff spot

The Normal Community High School football team hears from head coach Jason Drengwitz after a 22-19 win at Danville Friday night. (Eric Lapan/WJBC)

By Greg Halbleib

For the 24th consecutive year, Normal Community has earned a postseason berth in the Illinois High School Association football playoffs after capturing its sixth win in come-from-behind fashion at Danville Friday night.

Normal Community 22, Danville 19: The Ironmen trailed 7-0 after one quarter and 13-7 at halftime but responded with a 15-point final period with a Michael Showers interception setting up the winning touchdown. Normal Community (6-1, 6-0 Big Twelve) held Danville (4-3, 3-3) to 72 rushing yards and 57 yards through the air. Iron quarterback Aiden Oliver recorded 65 yards and one touchdown on the ground with 188 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

Normal West 35, Peoria Manual 6: Quarterback Carson Camp threw three touchdowns as part of his 196 passing yards to lead Normal West (5-2, 5-1 Big Twelve). Camp threw only one pass in the second half as the Wildcats led 21-0 at the intermission. Manual falls to 0-6 and 0-5.

Central Catholic 28, Rantoul 14: A touchdown in each of the final two quarters sealed the win for Central Catholic (3-4). Jake Slaughter led the saints with 158 yards rushing with two touchdowns while Jack Moews was the top receiver with 73 yards and a touchdown, part of 400 yards of total offense for the Saints. Rantoul drops to 0-7.

Chatham Glenwood 48, U-High 0: The visiting Titans (7-0) led 27-0 after one quarter and 41-0 at halftime over U-High (2-5). Titan quarterback Luke Lehnen ran for two touchdowns in his 99 yards rushing and completed a touchdown pass amid his 219 yards through the air. U-High is now 2-5.

Bloomington (3-3, 3-2 Big Twelve) faces Peoria Notre Dame (4-2, 4-2) in a crucial game for both squads Saturday at 7 p.m. at Peoria Stadium. The game can be heard on WJBC.com beginning at 6:45 by clicking here. 

Week 7 scores:

Big Twelve:
Normal Community 22, Danville 19
Normal West 35, Peoria Manual 6
Peoria 64, Champaign Central 27
Peoria Richwoods 43, Urbana 20
Illini Prairie:
Illinois Valley Central 33, St. Joseph-Ogden 12
Central Catholic 28, Rantoul 14
Tolono Unity 42, St. Thomas More 30
Monticello 59, Pontiac 7
Prairie Central 48, Olympia 7
Central State Eight:
Chatham Glenwood 48, U-High 0
Sacred Heart-Griffin 68, Decatur Eisenhower 32
Decatur MacArthur 40, Springfield Lanphier 7
Jacksonville 55, Springfield Southeast 41
Rochester 69, Springfield 27
Apollo:
Mt. Zion 43, Lincoln 7
Central Illinois:
Moweaqua Central A & M 42, Clinton 6
Sangamon Valley:
Dwight-Gardner-South Wilmington 45, Iroquois West 13
Lincoln Prairie:
Cerro Gordo-Bement 34, Blue Ridge 12
Non-Conference:
Tri-Valley 27, Heyworth 20
Knoxville 46, El Paso-Gridley 14
Fisher 30, Deer Creek-Mackinaw 24
Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley 42, LeRoy 0
Fieldcrest 43, Ridgeview-Lexington 0
Eureka 41, Tremont 6
Eight-Man:
Flanagan-Cornell-Woodland 52, Champaign Judah Christian 7

Sports Director Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected]

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