It’s one of the best teams in Illinois taking on one of the best in Texas on Saturday as East St. Louis heads to the Lone Star State to battle Atascocita.
Both teams are trending upward in the national rankings, with the outcome of this game certainly weighing heavily on next week’s Super 25 release.
For the Eagles, it’s a chance to showcase a talented Texas bunch coming off an impressive win against perennial in-state juggernaut Katy, the first in the school’s history. Led by senior quarterback Zion Brown, the offense showcases a decently balanced attack, with speedy LSU commit Jelani Watkins out wide and sophomore Cardae Mack keeping the defense honest in the backfield.
For the Flyers, it’s another tough test for a program that is used to facing the best of out-of-state competition. Last week, the team had an impressive bounce-back win against Baltimore, Md. behemoth St. Frances, which brought East St. Louis to 1-1 on the year.
The first loss, however, still looms — a tough defeat to Mount Carmel (Chicago, Illinois) that left many scratching their heads … 20 penalties? Yikes!
But the team is back on the right track, led by senior dual-threat quarterback Robert Battle and complemented by a tough defense that only allowed the Panthers to score 7 points.
The final word: While the Friday night lights get most of the headlines in Texas, this Saturday afternoon game (Sept. 9, 2023) is certainly set to play out like a blockbuster.
High school football fans around the nation who are looking to watch the matchup can live-stream the game on the NFHS Network.
(USA TODAY Network)
The collaboration with over 40 high school state athletic/activities associations and PlayOn! Sports allows fans to live-stream high school sports on any device, from wherever they are: 27 different regular season and postseason sports, plus other high school activities that highlight the accomplishments of student-athletes, student-broadcasters, and high schools.
(Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports)
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