By Greg Halbleib
Normal Community can put itself in the driver’s seat for the Big Twelve Conference title chase with a victory in the featured game of Week 8 in the WJBC Friday Night High School Football Extravaganza.
The Ironmen (7-0) host Danville (6-1), who enter the game tied with Normal West for second place in the conference. NCHS coach Wes Temples is impressed by the size of the Vikings line.
“They are large people,” Temples said. “Sometimes you see large people and think maybe they don’t move well, but it’s just the opposite. They bend well, they’re athletic, they move well, they run well, and for them to play both ways the size they are, it tells you the type of kid they are and the type of athlete they area, and they’re pretty good.”
Bloomington (3-4) is in a must-win position to keep post-season hopes alive as they host winless Urbana, while Normal West hosts Richwoods (4-3) to round out the local Big Twelve schedule.
Central Catholic (6-1) clinched a playoff spot last week and visit a young Illinois Valley Central (2-5) squad in Chillicothe.
U-High (3-4) travels to Springfield with playoff hopes still alive in a match-up against Southeast (1-6) in Central State Eight Conference play.
The Extravaganza will also include two highlight Heart of Illinois Conference tilts as Tri-Valley goes to Fieldcrest in a contest of 6-1 teams, and Eureka visits Deer Creek-Mackinaw in a battle of 5-2 squads.
The Extravaganza begins on WJBC-AM 1230 and WJBC.com at 6:10 p.m. with scene-setters, followed by updates every quarter hour and post-game until 11 p.m. Updates can also be found on Twitter (@SportsWJBC, #WJBCHSFB).
Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].
