Rochelle wins conference title; Harlem has big rushing night

Rochelle boasts a rich football heritage that spans both recent and historical eras. Over the past 18 years, the Hubs have made the playoffs an impressive 14 times and have consistently advanced, winning at least one game in five out of their last six playoff appearances.

However, their conference title drought that started in 2004 came to an end last Friday.

Rochelle emerged victorious with a score of 30-20 against Richmond-Burton, clinching the Kishwaukee River/Interstate 8 Blue conference championship with a flawless 6-0 league record. Noteworthy performances came from freshman Dylan Manning, who rushed for 103 yards on 17 carries, Grant Gensler, who contributed 101 yards on 17 carries, and Carson Lewis, who completed three passes, two of which resulted in touchdowns.

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Rochelle (7-2) amassed 333 yards of total offense and converted 7 of 11 third downs against Richmond-Burton, a program that had won a state title and reached the semifinals in two out of its last three seasons.

"This was a tremendous opportunity to compete against a highly regarded program," stated Rochelle coach Kyle Kissack. "These are the types of games you long to partake in. When the chance arises to play for a conference championship, you want to be fully focused, and we certainly were. Our performance on both sides of the ball was characterized by physicality."

Kissack added, "This victory serves as confirmation that we possess a strong squad."

Belvidere North 24, Guilford 14

Trent Dinsmore had an exceptional game, accumulating 135 rushing yards and scoring two touchdowns on 22 carries for Belvidere North (7-2). Nico Bertolino contributed 57 yards on the ground and 38 yards through the air, with three catches, for the Blue Thunder. Guiford (3-6) relied on their passing game, which yielded 245 yards.

Boylan 42, Freeport 0

Austin Alonso delivered a standout performance, recording his first career 100-yard game by running for 147 yards and three touchdowns on just eight carries, which included an 85-yard run, propelling Boylan (8-1) to victory. Boylan’s defense intercepted three passes, two of which were snagged by Mikey Hernandez. Freeport concluded its season with a 2-7 record.

Harlem 57, Belvidere 18

Harlem coach Bob Moynihan revealed that "several" Huskies, including their quarterback, rushed for over 100 yards, contributing to the team’s nearly 500-yard ground attack. Harlem improved to 6-3 while Belvidere finished the season with a 1-8 record. "The offensive line and the running backs executed admirably," praised Moynihan.

Galena 27, Stockton 24

Stockton failed to secure its fifth victory, squandering a two-game win streak that had put them on the brink of a playoff berth. Galena mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter, scoring 15 unanswered points. Both Tanner Gile and Karl Hubb made significant strides on the ground, amassing 140 rushing yards each. Stockton still has a slim chance of making it to the postseason with four wins.

Byron 43, Stillman Valley 7

The Tigers achieved a resounding victory over Stillman Valley, with Brayden Knolls spearheading the offense, rushing for an impressive 238 yards and two touchdowns. This win boosted Byron to a perfect regular-season record.

Oregon 48, Rockford Christian 13

The Hawks secured their fifth win of the season and earned a playoff berth by triumphing over Rockford Christian. Logan Weems contributed significantly to the victory, accumulating 127 rushing yards on 18 carries and scoring two touchdowns.

Dixon 62, North Boone 34

Although North Boone’s four-game winning streak came to an end, they still enter the playoffs with six wins. Quarterback Jack Christensen played a crucial role, throwing 55 passes, completing 28 of them for 316 yards, and tallying five touchdowns.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Week 9 football roundup: Rochelle’s big win, Boylan, Harlem win big