Week #7 | Key Matchups | HR Preps | Oct. 10, 2014

Photo: Herald & Review, Jim Bowling Sullivan-Okaw Valley vs. St. Teresa at Sullivan High School Friday October 3, 2014

The HR Preps team picks the six biggest high school football games for week 7 of the season. 

HR PREPS: Week 7 key matchups

Tuscola (5-1, 3-1 Central Illinois) at St. Teresa (5-1, 4-0)

LAST WEEK: Tuscola beat Clinton 49-21; St. Teresa beat Sullivan-Okaw Valley 20-17.

LAST MEETING: Tuscola won 14-2 in 2012.

KEYS TO THE GAME:
The two programs have been involved in some real battles as members of the Okaw Valley and their first matchup in the Central Illinois promises to be more of the same. St. Teresa has a one-game lead on Tuscola and two other teams for the first place in the new conference. The Bulldogs are in the middle of the toughest stretch on their schedule as they play Shelbyville (5-1, 3-1) next week. St. Teresa did give up nearly 300 yards rushing to Sullivan, but kept the Redskins out of the end zone for the final three quarters.

Tuscola’s Nick Bates continues to get better at the quarterback spot and was 13-of-18 for 258 yards last week. He’s had plenty of help moving the ball as four different players have topped the Warriors in rushing in the past four weeks. A win would put Tuscola in good shape for a conference title as it finishes with two teams in the bottom half of the conference.