Illinois high school football scores for Week 6

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

ST. JOSEPH - Monticello's Nolan Buehnerkemper pummels his way into the end zone through and SJO linebacker for a touchdown with 8:52 left in the third quarter. Cutting St. Joseph-Ogden's 21-7 first-half lead by seven, the Sages added two additional scores on the way to 28-21 win. Both teams finished the game 4-2 and need two more wins for guaranteed playoff spot. The Spartans hit the road to Bloomington to face undefeated Central Catholic while Monticello hosts the Pontiac Indians (2-4).

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Illini Prairie Conference scores

Unity 46, Prairie Centdral 7
Paxton-Buckley-Loda 38, Illinois Valley Central 30
Pontiac 42, Rantoul 22
Monticello 28, St. Joseph-Ogden 21
Central Catholic 61, St. Teresa 21

Big Twelve Conference scores

Normal Community 56, Bloomington 42
Champaign Centennial 0, Urbana 0
Champaign Central 0, Danville 0
Peoria 80, Richwoods 30
Peoria Notre Dame 67, Peoria Manual 24
Normal West 40, Waubonseie Valley 35

Scores from around the state

Abingdon-Avon 34, Astoria South Fulton 27
Addison Trail 46, Leyden 6
Albion Edwards County 14, Hamilton County 13
Algonquin Jacobs 27, Crystal Lake Central 21
Amboy 68, Peoria Heights 0
Andrew 56, Stagg 6
Annawan-Wethersfield 48, Stark County 7
Antioch 62, North Chicago 12
Arlington Heights Hersey 54, Elk Grove 14
Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond 48, Arcola 6
Aurora Christian 26, Christ the King 0
Aurora West Aurora 49, Ridgewood 0
Barrington 42, Hoffman Estates Conant 14
Bartlett 41, Aurora East 2
Batavia 24, Geneva 21, OT
Benton 34, Nashville 24
Byron 42, Durand-Pecatonica 14
Carterville 39, Harrisburg 0
Cary-Grove 46, Dundee-Crown 27
Central 27, Brown County 6
Central 42, McHenry 13
Central Catholic 61, St Teresa 21
Centralia 55, Marion 28
Chicago Christian 45, St Edward 0
Christopher 36, Red Hill 28
Coal City 55, Manteno 0
Cumberland 41, Sangamon Valley 19
DePaul 36, Arlington Heights St. Viator 7
Deerfield 24, Glenbrook North 2
Dixon 55, Stillman Valley 0
Downers Grove North 21, Oak Park-River Forest 0
Downers Grove South 57, Proviso East 6
Du Quoin 30, Frankfort 28, OT
Dunlap 56, Canton 21
El Paso-Gridley 38, Tremont 6
Elgin 43, Larkin 21
Erie-Prophetstown 42, Riverdale 36
Farmington 30, Macomb 16
Fremd 35, Hoffman Estates 13
Fulton 55, Dakota 14
Geneseo 38, Galesburg 20
Genoa-Kingston 63, Lutheran 14
Glenbard East 49, Bensenville Fenton 0
Glenbard North 41, Lake Park 23
Glenbrook South 18, Evanston 6
Glenwood 42, University 0
Grayslake Central 28, Grayslake North 6
Herscher 28, Streator 14
Hope 28, Wheaton Academy 21
ICCP 35, St. Francis 28
Johnston City 46, Fairfield 22
Joliet Catholic 16, Notre Dame 7
Kaneland 34, Sycamore 14
Knoxville 32, Illini West 22
La Salle-Peru 28, Ottawa 14
Lake Zurich 31, Zion Benton 0
Lanark Eastland-Pearl City 51, Forreston 24
Le Roy 42, Fisher 14
Lena-Winslow 46, Morrison 7
Leo 46, De La Salle 13
Lift for Life Academy, Mo. 46, Murphysboro 34
Lincoln Way Central 28, Bradley-Bourbonnais 20
Lincoln Way West 52, DeKalb 21
Lincoln-Way East 42, Aurora Metea Valley 6
Lockport 14, Naperville Central 7, OT
MacArthur 61, Lincoln 20
Mahomet-Seymour 49, Effingham 7
Maine South 35, New Trier 7
Marian Catholic 34, Aurora Marmion Academy 20
Maroa-Forsyth 46, Pittsfield 6
Massac County 35, Herrin 20
Mendota 45, Kewanee 13
Metamora 37, Pekin 13
Milledgeville 54, West Carroll 28
Minooka 74, Plainfield Central 7
Monticello 28, St Joseph-Ogden 21
Morris 37, Rochelle 14
Mt Carmel 27, Brother Rice 14
Mt Prospect 70, Wheeling 19
Mt Zion 70, Charleston 0
Naperville North 36, Sandburg 35
Neuqua Valley 42, Homewood-Flossmoor 27
New Berlin 48, Olympia 32
Normal West 40, Aurora Waubonsie Valley 35
Olney 42, Mt. Carmel 26
Oswego 48, Joliet West 6
Oswego East 51, Romeoville 6
PORTA 44, Auburn 20
Palatine 49, Schaumburg 14
Paris 34, Newton 21
Paxton-Buckley-Loda 38, Illinois Valley Central 30
Pinckneyville 27, Anna-Jonesboro 0
Pleasant Plains 32, Riverton 16
Polo 54, Orangeville 8
Pontiac 42, Rantoul 22
Prairie Ridge 35, Huntley 34
Princeton 28, Hall 12
Princeville 42, ROWVA-Williamsfield 8
Quincy 23, East Moline United 21
Reed-Custer 31, Peotone 28
Richards 55, Argo 6
Ridgeview 17, Warrensburg-Latham 0
River Ridge 52, Ashton-Franklin Center 12
Riverside-Brookfield 21, Glenbard South 17
Robinson 39, Lawrenceville 19
Rockridge 50, Orion 7
Rolling Meadows 59, Buffalo Grove 27
Rushville-Industry 54, United 18
Salt Fork 16, Momence 14
Seneca 43, Ottawa Marquette 26
Sesser-Valier 38, Carmi-White County 6
Shelbyville 20, Eureka 17
South Beloit 49, Alden-Hebron 7
South Fork 58, Metro-East Lutheran 50
Springfield 28, Jacksonville 17
St Anne 54, Unity Christian 12
St Charles North 24, St Charles East 13
St Patrick 46, Benet 24
Stevenson 24, Lake Forest 7
Stockton 30, Galena 12
Taylorville 50, Mattoon 6
Tri-Valley 56, Clinton 6
Triopia 38, Beardstown 13
Tuscola 35, Central A&M 14
Unity 46, Prairie Central 7
Vernon Hills 42, Maine East 0
Villa Grove/Heritage 14, Argenta (A.-Oreana) 10
Washington 56, East Peoria 0
Wauconda 43, Grant 39
West Central 26, Galva 18
West Chicago 61, Elmwood Park 6
West Hancock 42, Elmwood 34
Westville 37, Central 14
Wheaton Warrenville South 14, Wheaton North 0
Williamsville 45, Athens 14
Willowbrook 48, Berwyn-Cicero Morton 6
Wilmington 47, Thornton 0
York 28, Hinsdale Central 18

Explosive Ironmen offense outlasts Raiders in high-scoring crosstown thriller

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Normal Community defeated Bloomington 56-42 in a high-scoring Big Twelve rivalry game, capitalizing on turnovers to seize the conference lead.

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Photo: Alan Look Photography

Photo: Alan Look Photography

Bloomington's Arian King and Cooper Childers stop the Normal Community ball carrier during their game on Friday. The two teams put up a combined 56 points in the first half.

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by Alan Look
Best Look Magazine

NORMAL – In a clash defined by explosive plays and momentum-swinging mistakes, the Normal Community Ironmen defeated the Bloomington Raiders 56-42 in last night Big Twelve matchup. The high-octane affair was a contrast in offensive philosophies, where the Ironmen’s ability to turn opponent errors into scores proved to be the decisive factor in the rivalry game.

The Raiders entered the contest with a clear strategic identity, focused on a physical, ground-and-pound rushing attack. Their offensive game plan was to control the clock and wear down the opposing defensive front, using their powerful running game to consistently gain yardage and shorten the game. The strategy yielded several sustained drives and long runs, allowing the Raiders to put up significant points and keep the score competitive deep into the second half.

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Photo: Alan Look Photography

Bloomington's Jamari Sutton stretches out a pass. The Raiders dropped the conference battle at Dick Tharp Field after giving up 21 points in the second half. Next up, BHS travels to Peoria Friday to take on Notre Dame hoping to punch their ticket into the 2025 IHSA playoffs. See more photos from this game here ...

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The major turning point in the contest, however, was the disparity in turnovers. The Raiders’ reliance on a conservative, run-heavy attack was undermined by several costly ball security issues. Each of the Raiders’ turnovers led to an immediate shift in momentum and, crucially, resulted in an Ironmen touchdown. The Ironmen defense and opportunistic offense turned a handful of dropped balls and errant throws into a 14-point swing on the scoreboard.

The Ironmen's victory was a masterclass in capitalizing on an opponent's mistakes. Their ability to deliver long touchdowns was crucial, as they consistently answered the Raiders’ lengthy drives with scores that required far less time off the clock. The cumulative effect of those quick, long-yardage scores, coupled with the points generated directly from turnovers, was the key difference-maker, ultimately overwhelming the Raiders' methodical attack and securing the 56-42 win for the Ironmen.

Normal Community’s 56-42 victory over Bloomington dramatically reshaped the IHSA Big Twelve Conference playoff outlook, giving the Ironmen sole possession of the conference lead and essentially guaranteeing their postseason qualification with an overall record of 5-1. Before the game, both teams were undefeated in conference play and vying for the top spot, but the Ironmen’s win gives them the critical head-to-head tiebreaker, putting them in control of the Big Twelve title race and likely earning them a higher seed and home-field advantage in the IHSA state playoffs.

Conversely, the high-scoring loss drops the Raiders to 4-1 in conference play, placing them in a crowded second tier with teams like Peoria and potentially Normal West. They’ll now have to battle through a tight race for one of the top remaining conference bids and the valuable playoff seed points that come with them.

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TAGS: Normal Community vs Bloomington football, IHSA Big Twelve standings, Illinois high school football scores, Ironmen football 2025, Bloomington Raiders turnover game, high school football playoff outlook, Central Illinois prep football, Normal Community playoff chances, Bloomington vs Normal rivalry, IHSA state playoff seeding