Thanks Rocket Nation. Honestly I don't usually keep track of "all conference" players returning but rather just the general number of players returning. As a rule I think it somewhat works for at least having an idea of how a season might go. I had forgotten about the Senators' RB and receiver that also return, so definitely that's a plus for them.
2025 Central State Eight Updates.
- Thread starter cornerrat
- Start date
Hit him early and low... The only time QND struggled with Mr. Lewis was when he crashed through the first two levels untouched or nearly untouched. And while his breakaway speed isn't going to necessarily impress, it's enough to give him 20-40 yard bursts with some smaller corners/safeties/linebackers as casualties along the way. Finding him an o-line that can open the same type of holes for him this year will be the test early.All.... Overall quite a bit. On offense among others besides Brody the Senators return their top rb Armanze Lewis 133-669 (5.0) 10 td and receiver Kale Thurman 64-855 (13.5) 7 td. Both will be seniors.
As you can see on the video if you don't wrap up low young Mr. Lewis who is listed at 245lbs you are going to have trouble.
Ratsy
Thurman is the threat I'm most concerned with. For whatever reason, maybe speed, maybe height, maybe both, maybe the arm it came from... regardless, Thurman can win SHS some ball games. He's who Brody was trying to target late in the 14-9 QND loss. QND had a pair of 6'3 and 6'4 (both of which were on that all-conf list) safeties doubled down on him and he still technically got loose and only an underthrown ball as Brody got clipped from behind saved the Raiders from a possible last second heartbreaker that night. Quick applause for the QND D-line for that one! Phew! But I'm excited to see his progression nonetheless just as a fan of football. He ran pretty good routes last year against us, and he did it multiple ways. Both from the slot and out wide and both coming over the middle and heading down a sideline. Again, I know the QB he has helps, but you still have to get open and then get up an catch a ball and Mr. Thurman does that at an above average level imo. I'd take him on our roster any day or year!
Going to be a battle for 2nd potentially between QND and SHS this season. I think SHS will come in a pretty decent favorite on paper. The upside to this point... game will be played at 10th and Jackson this time.
All.... Young Mr. Thurman is sneaky fast with great hands. Runs good routes and in space with his moves is hard to cover. The Cyclones defeated the Senators last year 35 -7. SHS score came on a long td pass to Kale who burned that young SHG defensive secondary. The game by the way was 14-7 at the half before adjustments were made by the Cycs. Ratsy
All... Class projections (postseason) at this time of the year start coming out. As mentioned in another thread I feel like surprises are coming for many schools at that time. Among others possible I was recently told about here are a couple. QND - 3A SHG -4A. Ratsy
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I wish that were a an upside for QND. But the way 3A has been... one could possibly argue 3A is the tougher draw for a program like us.
All.... Some Titan preseason dates. Ratsy
6-27 Aurora 7 on 7
7-11 Titan 7 on 7
7-25 Chatham/Quincy joint practice
6-27 Aurora 7 on 7
7-11 Titan 7 on 7
7-25 Chatham/Quincy joint practice
All.... Been looking. So far the only thing I have come across is the Cyclones have the practice/scrimmage game before the season opens (8-22) against Centralia. As far as I know yes the 8 days of May still occur. Ratsy
SHG Football posted on their FB that they had their first 4 days of the 8 Days of May on the 2nd. I'm not familiar with the tradition, but I assume "the hill" is the picture they posted of some guys running up a sidewalk next to what appears to be W. Washington Street.
Jacksonville HS and Illinois College WR Collin Brunstein has been invited to the San Diego Chargers rookie minicamp. Brunstein had quite a Senior year at IC, with 1,540 yards receiving and 28 total TD's.
Kids at QND from 1990-present: "Hold my gatorade"
Kidding, of course. Hills no matter the size are mostly brutal to run up...
All..... Calling rocketnation. 
Was asked this at the Mothers Day celebration and did not have an answer. Even though in the past without much success researching and coming up with numbers. 
How many and what percentage arehomes in the Rochester district which have Springfield addresses. I guess inquiring minds are interested. Thanks. Ratsy
Was asked this at the Mothers Day celebration and did not have an answer. Even though in the past without much success researching and coming up with numbers. How many and what percentage arehomes in the Rochester district which have Springfield addresses. I guess inquiring minds are interested. Thanks. Ratsy
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Have never seen concrete figures, which would have to come from the district. Within the past 5 years, I do remember hearing from a pretty good source that the Springfield addresses w/school attendees were starting to (barely) exceed the Rochester addresses. There are also a limited number of district attendees that have either Buckhart or Mechanicsburg addresses.All..... Calling rocketnation.
Should've pointed out that the only significant development in the district is an apartment complex in Rochester close to the Intermediate School. This is in the process of increasing to around 8-10 apartment buildings and could tip the balance back towards Rochester addresses if it attracts school age kids.
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I've seen stakes in the ground in multiple places out off 29 recently... Rocket you heard of any more developments whether commercial, residential, or industrial going in elsewhere out there? I feel like we're just waiting for the flood gates to open on the Rochester district, much like happened in Chatham a few decades ago.
I've heard several rumors but nothing concrete. The oldest rumor was a strip mall on 29 as you near town coming from Taylorville. That has never moved forward. The newest one is a gas station to be built at/near the corner of 29/Cardinal Hill Rd. Last summer, it looked possible that something was going to be built next to the new Dollar General on 29 (Casey's?) but that seems to have stalled out as the digging has stopped and the grass has grown back.
All.... Update info on young Mr. Poole. Ratsy
Chatham DL Cody Moss, who also won a state wrestling championship earlier this year, has an offer from WIU. Wouldn't be surprised to see more offers in the future.
All.... Another big boy and tough as nails for the Titan line. On a separate subject I see Rochester has a 7 on 7 July 29. Ratsy
Could be the 1st event on the new turf.
The Titan 7x7, scheduled for July 11th, has been a very impressive event the last two years attracting a good mix of 8-12 schools.
All.... The two season agreement with the Indians will end after this year. A search for week 1 and 2 opponents starting in 2026 has been underway .... Ratsy
All... Just noticed this comment. Yes the eight days of May has been going on for quite some time. That particular run done from years past by many who participate in different sports traditonally stops (and then the turn around) at the railroad overpass. Lots of development on Washington street that way. Back in the day not so much. Koke Mill and Washington where the overpass is just a bit over 2 miles one way. A nice stretch of the legs.... Ratsy
I'm gonna "read between the lines" here and conclude this means they got a couple kids that they thought might end up at "another" school, perhaps just down the street from SHS.......
Get this guy a ham, he's a winner!
Now's the part where you tell us SHS would have like 2 or 3 titles if it weren't for that school down on West Washington stealing all the talent in town. 
All jokes, tjjrr, all jokes. No hard feelings. In the real, SHS has some solid talent on the roster this year, they did last year too... Firmly 2nd in the division at this point before games kickoff.
No worries, Roamin, lol it's all good. Kids go where they chose to go, (or their parents chose). Some folks don't have 10 grand a year to spend on high school, I get it. The ones that kind of bother me are the ones who spend a year or two at a private school and then their junior year show up on someone else's roster. Those are hard to take sometimes, especially when they're in the same conference so now you're playing against them. Granted, the reverse can happen as well, but it seems like that is happening quite less often than it used to. At least around here, anyway. Chicago area maybe things are different. I don't know.
All.... Former SHG Cyclone Nick Broeker on the move. Ratsy
Get this guy a ham, he's a winner!
All jokes, tjjrr, all jokes. No hard feelings. In the real, SHS has some solid talent on the roster this year, they did last year too... Firmly 2nd in the division at this point before games kickoff
Maybe a couple of lost BB titles for SHS...Get this guy a ham, he's a winner!
All jokes, tjjrr, all jokes. No hard feelings. In the real, SHS has some solid talent on the roster this year, they did last year too... Firmly 2nd in the division at this point before games kickoff.
All.... Recently qualified for state (O'Fallon Sectional) in the 100 meter with a 10.79. And his 2024 bio shows he has done a 10.73. When at WO db's need to keep him in front and close fast if not it's bye bye trying to keep up.
RatsyLooks like there will be plenty of talent in the CS-8 this upcoming season. Chatham with their 44 seniors, SHS has a bunch back, Rochester who will still be young at some spots should be much improved from last season, QND with a lot back including all but one offensive linemen and SHG who brings back a ton of juniors. No more excuses of "having to many sophmores" in the starting lineup. There will be some interesting games, no doubt. Macarthur I just don't know much about, (as usual), Lincoln is another unknown and I think Jacksonville has quite a few spots to fill from last year. There will be some very interesting early non-conference games as well. Should be another fun season.
Has Lincoln graduated all the varsity guys that took them to the playoffs two years ago? If so... I have no clue about their underclassman or what they return.
MacArthur from what I've gathered is a question mark. They were also very young at key spots last season. They're definitely a program that has gone through waves with Spates at the helm. But to Spates' credit, he usually finds some athletes to fill the spots. The decline of Eisenhower has certainly only benefited him in that department. In the QND game last season Mac used 2 different QB's, one was a Frosh, don't remember the other. Where they're hurting from recent years past, imo, is defensively. They had a good run of strong defensive front 8 dudes that could hold their own in the CS8 against quality O-lines. They don't seem to have that currently, at least I couldn't see it last season. A lot can change in the months between seasons though... that much we know.
Lincoln was led by the Carson twins in '23, who were responsible for the vast majority of their TD's that season but then graduated. Last year, they had a hard-running FB but out of necessity had to move an OL to QB. Not ideal and both graduated. The Railers were 4-5 but their 4 wins came against teams that were a combined 5 and 31.
Mac only scored 175 points in '24 and 102 of those came in their 2 wins. The only conference team to score fewer points was Lanphier. Their decline, even with losing Myson Johnson Cook, was puzzling, and I didn't see any silver linings in their Week 7 game against Rochester.
Eisenhower, which has struggled to get more than 1 or 2 wins for several years, does return a 1,000-yard RB and an experienced QB.
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All... Not saying the new group has issues but let's not forget rocketnation what was told to us by one who would know. Many of the old guard for the Generals recently are no longer on Coach Spates coaching staff. I would think this is a contributing factor. Ratsy
2023 Lincoln was something special, in my 3 years as a starting OL for Walworth at U-High, I only gave up one sack, and it was to Kion Carson. Both brothers were exceptional both on and off the field. When I played with them in the Shrine Bowl, they didn’t seem to have very high hopes for the future of their team…