We have a simple mission at Friday Night Drive: produce in-depth quality high school football coverage for Illinois high school football fans. It’s our goal every day with our award-winning writers and editors to give our listeners high quality coverage of the teams, players and issues they care abo…

His father played college football at Bowling Green. His older sister is a triathlete at TCU and his older brother wrestles at North Carolina. Now? It's senior linebacker/running back Foley Calcagno's turn to leave his legacy at IC Catholic Prep.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Join hosts Eddie Carifio, Sam Ramirez and J.T. Pedelty as they preview Week 8 in Illinois high school football in the western and southern portions of northern Illinois.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Sterling has a big home game against Quincy, No. 5 Newman hosts Kewanee on Saturday, No. 10 Dixon heads to Streator, Fulton and Morrison face off for the Wooden Shoe trophy and more in this week's Sauk Valley football slate.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Get ready for Week 8 with previews and picks for all the games from around the Kane County Chronicle coverage area.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Get ready for Week 8 with previews and picks for all the games from around the Suburban Life coverage area.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Here's a preview of Week 8 games for Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio, Bureau Valley, Hall, Princeton and St. Bede.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

The Herald-News Prep Football Capsules for Week 8 of the 2025 season, featuring key showdowns across the greater Joliet area.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Looking for a game of consequence in Week 8? You won't have to look far in a loaded slate of high impact contests. Steve Soucie looks at the top games of Week 8.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Get ready for Week 8 with previews and picks for all the games from around the Kendall County area.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Here are previews and picks for all of the Week 8 games around the McHenry County area.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

A look at Week 8 across The Times coverage area, including games lined up for Marquette, Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland, Seneca, Sandwich, Streator, Ottawa, Dwight and Fieldcrest.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

A look at the Week 8 football games around the NewsTribune area.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Geneva linebacker Tyler Drake, who recorded 12 tackles and a tackle for loss, and also went for 33 rushing yards and a touchdown against Glenbard North, is the Week 7 Friday Night Drive Team of the Week MVP.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Here's a look at the area leaders from Bureau Valley, Hall, Princeton and St. Bede through Week 7 of the 2025 seasonBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Join hosts Steve Soucie and Josh Welge as they preview Week 8 in Illinois high school football and dig into where we are heading into the playoffs with only two games left.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Join hosts Mason Schweizer and Steve Soucie as they preview Week 8 in Kankakee County high school football.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

St. Laurence took a crucial matchup against St. Patrick, while IC Catholic Prep and St. Francis inched closer to automatic playoff bids. Providence outlasted Loyola and multiple teams including St. Rita, Carmel, Brother Rice, Mount Carmel and Montini picked up victories.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Sycamore hits the road to take in an undefeated Morris team, DeKalb hosts Andrew, G-K faces winless Rock Falls and more as we preview Week 8 games.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Some unexpected results led to a lot of seeding changes in this week's projections. It did not, however, lead to a lot of new teams breaking into the field. Steve Soucie's latest playoff projection can be found here.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Bradley-Bourbonnais and Bishop McNamara head north for massive conference games, the Rumble on Route 50 renews, I8FA standouts meet in Milford and more in the Week 8 Daily Journal football previews.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Marli Smrz threw six touchdown passes and had an interception defensively, Elizabeth Pettinger caught two of those TDs and added a pick-six, and unbeaten Willowbrook romped past West Aurora 44-0 in the South Elgin Sectional final to return to the flag football state tournament.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

With just two weeks left in the regular season, here's where Herald-News area teams stand in their quest to make the IHSA postseason.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

A proposal has been put forth to the IHSA to expand the playoff field by 96 teams and introduce a flexed regional scheduling concept to ease the pressures for teams having difficulties putting together a full football scheduleBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

With only two weeks left in the regular season, here's where Illinois Valley football teams stand in their quest to make the IHSA (or for eight-man teams, the I8FA) playoffs.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

After playing free safety and slot receiver last season, Riverside-Brookfield senior Warren Mason is primarily a defensive player this season. He's one of the players that's helped lead the 7-0 Bulldogs to their best start since 2001. That, plus notes on Lemont and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

With just two weeks left in the regular season, we take a look at the path each DeKalb County team has on the way to a potential playoff berth.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Join hosts Josh Welge and Joel Boenitz as they preview Week 8 in the western suburbs in Illinois high school football.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Jeremiah Smith barely saw the field as a junior, but after throwing himself into the weight room the Oswego East senior has emerged as a key part at left tackle of an offensive line that's helped pave the way to a 6-1 start. That and more in Joshua Welge's Kendall County notes.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Congratulations to these 23 Illinois high school football players who were voted onto Friday Night Drive's Team of the Week for Week 7 of the 2025 high school football seasonBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

In a week that seemed to be a less challenging one for ranked teams, that did not come to fruition as several ranked teams were upset. Check out the shuffled rankings here:Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Kankakee's looking more like a state contender each week, seven area teams have officially punched their playoff tickets and more in this week's Daily Journal 2-Minute Drill.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Rock Falls seeks more leadership from key players after a promising start against IVC led to another loss. Dixon's Landon Knigge had a five-TD first quarter, and Sterling is looking for another bounceback in this week's Sauk Valley football notes.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

There are only two weeks left to earn a spot in the playoffs, and there are plenty of McHenry County area football teams still battling to get in. Here is where teams stand heading into Week 8.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they review Week 7 in Illinois high school football and start looking ahead to the playoffs.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Plainfield Central scored on the game's opening drive and never trailed in a 22-8 win over Yorkville in Monday's Danville Sectional semifinalBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Marli Smrz threw three touchdown passes, highlighted by a 48-yard TD to Janell Adams, as unbeaten Willowbrook shut out Naperville Central 28-0, while Sarahi Carlos threw a scoring pass in overtime to Gracie Del Toro as West Aurora beat Oswego East 8-6 in the sectional semifinals.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Kennedy Manning totaled 364 yards and two touchdowns on offense while adding an 85-yard interception return for a score as Cary-Grove's girls flag football season ended with a 38-18 loss to Harlem in the IHSA sectional semifinals at McHenry's McCracken Field.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Winning its next two games will be difficult for Hampshire's football team, but at least the Whip-Purs have put themselves in position to earn a postseason berth if they can pull it off. Plus, news on Richmond-Burton in the McHenry County Week 7 notebook.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Here's a look at boxscores for 2025 Week 7 games around Bureau County, including Bureau Valley, Hall, Princeton and St. Bede gamesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

With just two weeks remaining in the 2025 football season, a majority of Kane County teams have clinched a spot in the playoffs or are on the verge of clinching with a win. Here is where teams stand before Week 8 kicks off.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

There are only two weeks left to earn a spot in the postseason, and plenty of Suburban Life area teams still are battling for a spot. Here are where teams stand heading into Week 8.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.

Five CCL/ESCC football teams have secured automatic playoff bids through seven weeks of the IHSA regular season. Nazareth, Fenwick and Brother Rice all improved to 6-1, joining Mount Carmel and Montini in the postseason. Several five and four-win teams are still in the hunt.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/friday-night-drive--3534096/support.