Carbondale Reporter

The Caucus Blog explores a favorite Illinois tradition that returns tomorrow night. Football is back.

The origins of high school football in Illinois date back to the 1880s. Some of the state’s most tradition-rich programs originated before 1900, including schools such as Oak Park, East Aurora, Freeport, Woodstock, Joliet, West Aurora, Pontiac, Pittsfield, and East St. Louis. Many of the greatest legends in the history of the sport played high school football in Illinois, including Red Grange, Otto Graham, Dick Butkus, Ray Nitschke, and Kellen Winslow.

The IHSA did not adopt a formal playoff system until 1974. In Chicago, the Prep Bowl series that pitted the winners of the Public and Catholic leagues began in 1934. Elsewhere, schools in different regions of the state claimed ‘mythical’ state championships for many decades.

In small communities and larger cities across Illinois, thousands of fans head to high school stadiums to watch football on Friday nights. The term ‘Friday Night Lights’ has become symbolic with high school football across the country; in some communities, many businesses shut down as townspeople head out to watch games.

High school football in Illinois can be defined by hundreds of local rivalries that exist to this day. The oldest state series involves two Chicago teams – Hyde Park and Englewood – dating back to 1889. Other long-standing rivalries include East Aurora vs West Aurora; Champaign Central vs Urbana; Ottawa vs Streator; Tuscola vs Arcola; Oak Park vs Proviso East; Centralia vs Mt Vernon; Peoria Central vs Peoria Manual; Thornton vs Bloom; East St Louis vs Belleville West; and Princeton vs Kewanee.

One notable rivalry began in 2010 when Rochester and head coach Derek Leonard joined the Central State Eight Conference. Derek’s father Ken Leonard recently retired as head coach at Sacred Heart-Griffin after a legendary career. The Rochester-SHG matchups over the last 13 years have been referred to by many as the ‘Leonard Bowl,’ often featuring close and high-scoring games.

Many Illinois communities identify strongly with their local high school football teams. Traditions are carried out year after year with Homecoming parades and week-long celebrations where alumni reunite and catch up on old times. The history of certain rivalries can be traced back generations like those between Arcola and Tuscola in Douglas County—a rivalry known as 'Cola Wars' that extends beyond sports into historical political contests from as far back as the 1850s.

In Mid-Illini Conference near Peoria, Metamora-Washington week stands out when these neighboring communities face off on the field more than 60 times with an almost even split record. The stands are packed during these matches creating a special atmosphere considered by many locals as the most important week of their year.

Rivalries also involve teams within single cities such as Quincy where public Quincy Senior High School competes against private Quincy Notre Dame High School showcasing top talent from both institutions while uniting community members despite geographical challenges.

Despite annual changes statewide or nationwide traditions like Friday Night Lights at high school football games continue robustly all across Illinois this fall.

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