Football Game Preview: Coal City Coalers vs. Herscher Tigers

Coal City has won three straight games at home, while Herscher has won three straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Friday. The Coalers will host the Tigers at 7:00 p.m. One thing working in Coal City's favor is that they have posted at least 31 points in their last five games.

On Friday, Coal City was fully in charge, breezing past Peotone 49-7. Considering the Coalers have won six matchups by more than 25 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.

Meanwhile, it may have taken overtime to finish the job, but Herscher ultimately got the result they hoped for on Friday. They managed a 19-13 victory over Reed-Custer.

Coal City better keep an eye on Alek Draper. He was instrumental in Herscher's win, rushing for 105 yards and one touchdown. Draper was even better on defense, making 13 total tackles and defending two passes. Gaige Brown also helped out with an impressive 101 receiving yards.

Herscher didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Mason Roberts and Tanner Jones.

Coal City's win bumped their record up to 6-1. As for Herscher, their victory bumped their record up to 5-2.

Everything came up roses for Coal City against Herscher when the teams last played back in October of 2024, as the squad secured a 55-0 win. Will the Coalers repeat their success, or do the Tigers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.