WRMJ Week 7 TRAC Football Preview & Picks With View From The West

In Week 7, Rockridge and Monmouth-Roseville can each clinch their second straight divisional championships ahead of a likely state-ranked, undefeated battle between the teams next week.

Around the rest of the conference, Erie-Prophetstown and Riverdale have a chance to clinch playoff berths with wins, while Orion and Mendota play for their playoff lives with four losses.

WRMJ’s Ty Taylor is joined by Greg Armstrong and Mitch Stoermer from View from the West Podcast to preview and predict this week’s action.

Standings after Week 6

Place	Picker	Record
1	Greg	30-5
T2	Mitch	29-6
T2	Ty	29-6

Game of the Week: Erie-Prophetstown (4-2, 2-2 TRAC Rock) @ Orion (2-4, 1-3 TRAC Mississippi) – Friday 7 p.m.

Preview

Orion will try to keep its playoff hopes alive at home against Erie-Prophetstown this week.

Orion is coming off a 50-7 blowout loss to Rockridge last week, the Chargers’ third straight setback. Standout senior wide receiver Owen Voorhees suffered an ankle injury on the first offensive drive of the game for Orion and never returned to the game. Voorhees leads Orion in receiving yards (497) and rushing yards (336) with 13 total TDs. With his availability in question, Orion’s chances take a hit. The Chargers have allowed 40+ points in each of the last three games. A loss would put Orion on the outside of the playoff picture for the fifth straight season. The Chargers will finish the season with games against Sherrard and Kewanee, both of which are currently winless.

Erie-Prophetstown outlasted Riverdale 42-36 at home in Week 6 to take a giant step toward returning to the postseason in 2025. Panthers’ quarterback Keegan Winckler had a monster day, scoring five TDs and racking up 362 total yards. Erie-Prophetstown jumped out to a 22-6 lead and held a 29-22 advantage at halftime. After the Panthers relinquished the lead, 30-29, early in the third quarter, Erie-Prophetstown scored back-to-back TDs to get back in front and held off a Riverdale rally late, including knocking down a potential game-tying pass to the endzone as time expired to win. The Panthers need one more win to assure themselves of a postseason spot. After Week 7, Erie-Prophestown plays Mendota and Princeton to close the regular season.

Picks

Ty: Erie-Prophetstown

Greg: Erie-Prophetstown

Mitch: Erie-Prophetstown

Rockridge (6-0, 4-0 TRAC Rock) @ Mercer County (1-5, 0-4 TRAC Rock) – Friday 7 p.m.

Preview

Rockridge makes its first trip to Aledo in football since 2013 in the second annual County Line Clash.

Rockridge thumped Orion 50-7 last week. The Rockets rushed for 435 yards and racked up 550 yards of total offense in the win. Cullen Schwigen (149 yards, four TDs), Thomas Sowards (127 yards), and Tanner Dye (107 yards, two TDs) each passed the century mark on the ground in the win. Rockridge’s defense limited Orion’s offense to seven points, which came on an 85-yard TD pass in the final two minutes of the game. The Rockets’ defense has allowed just 12.5 points per game. Rockridge, ranked No. 2 in 2A this week, can win a conference championship for the third time in the last four years if it defeats Mercer County and takes the traveling trophy that the teams play for back to Edgington. The Rockets have a battle with Monmouth-Roseville next week before taking on Hall in Week 9.

Mercer County was handed a 46-7 loss by Newman last week. The Golden Eagles trailed 28-0 at the end of the first quarter and allowed Newman’s defense to score two TDs and gave up a punt return for a score. Mercer County is minus-14 in the turnover margin in 2025 (17 turnovers – three takeaways) and hasn’t forced a turnover since Week 2. After being eliminated from playoff contention for the second consecutive season last week, Mercer County will try to take a step forward on defense after allowing 40+ points in each of the last four weeks against an explosive Rockridge offense that averages 39.6 points per game.

Picks

Ty: Rockridge

Greg: Rockridge

Mitch: Rockridge

Newman (5-1, 3-1 TRAC Rock) @ Riverdale (4-2, 2-2 TRAC Rock) – Friday 7 p.m.

Preview

Riverdale will try to clinch its first playoff spot since 2011 again this week at home against Newman.

Riverdale fell 42-36 to Erie-Prophetstown last week, keeping the Rams from their fifth win of the season. Riverdale dug itself into a 22-6 hole in the first half, but rallied to take a 30-29 lead in the third quarter. That was the Rams’ only lead of the night, as the Panthers scored two straight touchdowns to get back in front 42-30. Riverdale scored late in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 42-36 and got the ball back with a chance to tie the game or take the lead. A throw to the endzone from the 25-yard line fell incomplete as time expired. The Rams still need one more win to punch a playoff ticket. Riverdale plays Hall in Week 8 and Sherrard in Week 9.

Newman rebounded from its Week 5 loss to Rockridge with a 46-7 rout of Mercer County in Week 6. The Comets led 28-0 at the end of the first quarter to put the game away early. Matthew Blackert scored a rushing TD, a punt return TD and returned a fumble for a score in the win. In total, Newman’s defense scored two TDs, and its special teams unit added a score. Evan Bushman was 9-13 passing for 152 yards and three TDs to lead the Comets’ offense. Newman, ranked No. 5 in 1A this week, clinched its 24th straight playoff appearance last week and will try to bolster its seeding, as currently the Comets look to be right on the bubble between the 1A and 2A playoff field

Picks

Ty: Newman

Greg: Newman

Mitch: Newman

Sherrard (0-6, 0-4 TRAC Mississippi) @ Kewanee (0-6, 0-4 TRAC Mississippi) – Friday 7 p.m.

Preview

Sherrard and Kewanee will each try to pick up their first wins of the season this week.

Sherrard remained winless in a 49-13 loss to Monmouth-Roseville last week. The Tigers hung around for a while, trailing 28-7 at halftime and cutting the Titans’ lead to 28-13 early in the third quarter before fading down the stretch in the second half. Landon Clark rushed for a score, and Carter Brown connected with Harrison Curry on a TD pass in the loss.

Kewanee suffered its sixth straight loss to start the season in a 45-13 defeat to Menota in Week 6. The Boilermakers pulled within a point, 14-13, with under a minute to play in the second quarter, but allowed a field goal at the end of the half. Kewanee would go on to be outscored 28-0 in the second half.

Picks

Ty: Sherrard

Greg: Kewanee

Mitch: Sherrard

Hall (3-3, 3-1 TRAC Mississippi) @ Monmouth-Roseville (6-0, 4-0 TRAC Mississippi) – Friday 7 p.m.

Preview

Monmouth-Roseville can clinch its second consecutive outright conference championship with a win at home over Hall this week.

Monmouth-Roseville stayed undefeated with a 49-13 win over Sherard last week. The Titans led 28-13 early in the third quarter and would outscore the Tigers 21-0 from that point on to pull away. Lars Bergren rushed for 133 yards and one TD, Nick Huston rushed for 126 yards and two TDs, and Landon Montroy added 84 yards and two scores on the ground in the win. Monmouth-Roseville, which jumped in the Class 3A AP ranking this week at No. 10, has a pair of state-ranked matchups with Rockridge and Newman to close the regular season before entering the 3A playoffs.

Hall came up short in an upset bid last week in a 28-12 loss to Princeton. The Red Devils pulled within 14-12 early in the fourth quarter, but were stopped on the two-point conversion attempt to tie the game. Hall allowed Princeton to score the final 14 points of the game in the loss. The Red Devils scored on their opening drive to jump in front 6-0, but lost quarterback Dylan Glynn to a knee injury on the ensuing defensive possession. He never returned to the game. At 3-3, Hall will need to win two of its final three games to get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2022. After this week, the Red Devils close the season with games against Riverdale and Rockridge.

Picks

Ty: Monmouth-Roseville

Greg: Monmouth-Roseville

Mitch: Monmouth-Roseville

Mendota (2-4, 2-2 TRAC Mississippi) @ Princeton (3-3, 3-1 TRAC Mississippi) – Friday 7 p.m.

Preview

Princeton is looking to continue its hopes for a strong close to the regular season against a Mendota team that has won back-to-back games.

Princeton held off Hall last week to beat the Red Devils 28-12. The Tigers scored the final 14 points of the game after Hall closed the gap to 14-12 early in the fourth. Casey Etheridge rushed for 223 yards and a TD in the win, which broke the record for career rushing yards at Princeton High School and in Bureau County. The Tigers are looking to finish the regular season on a four-game winning streak after the loss to Monmouth-Roseville in Week 5. The Tigers need a couple of wins to get back into the 3A playoffs, where the program has advanced to the quarterfinals for five consecutive years. Princeton plays Mercer County next week and Erie-Prophetstown in Week 9.

Mendota ran away from Kewanee in a 45-13 win last week. It was the first time the Trojans have won back-to-back games since 2021. Mendota snapped a 16-game losing streak by beating Sherrard two weeks ago. New head coach Jim Eustice has breathed some life into the program in his first year, which is still battling for a playoff spot. Mendota would have to go a perfect 3-0 against Princeton, Erie-Prophetstown and Mercer County to sneak into the postseason. Corbin Furar scored a pair of rushing TDs in the win.

Picks

Ty: Princeton

Greg: Princeton

Mitch: Princeton

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