The theme of Week 1 around the TRAC was tight games everywhere – four games were decided by nine points or less, three were one-possession games that came down to the final play, and one went into overtime.
With that, where teams fall in the pecking order and how good each team is remains largely a mystery. Week 2 should bring more clarity with another week of results coming in, but if last week is any indication, it looks like there will be competitive games week in and week out around the conference in 2026.
WRMJ’s Ty Taylor and Jim Taylor are joined by View from the West Podcast co-hosts Greg Armstrong and Mitch Stoermer, Matt Randazzo, and Brian Stocking to preview and predict this week’s action.
Standings after Week 1
| Place | Picker | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jim | 5-1 |
| 2 | Ty | 4-2 |
| T3 | Greg | 3-3 |
| T3 | Dazzo | 3-3 |
| T3 | Stocking | 3-3 |
| 6 | Mitch | 2-4 |
Game of the Week: Rockridge (1-0, 0-0 TRAC Rock) @ Monmouth-Roseville (0-1, 0-0 TRAC Mississippi) – Friday 7 p.m.
In a matchup that was a de facto outright conference championship game last season, this year Rockridge and Monmouth-Roseville are both looking to improve on their Week 1 performances.
Rockridge survived an upset bid from Kewanee in Week 1, scoring a touchdown in the final minute of the game to erase a late deficit and win 31-27. Newcomer Quinn Zimmerman set up the score with a big kick return and a long reception on the drive. Cullen Schwigen, who accounted for four TDs in the win, provided the game-winning score on the ground. The Rockets faced two separate deficits in the second half – 21-13 with 1:06 remaining in the third quarter and 27-24 with 2:05 left in the game- but rallied back from both. The Rockets currently have a forfeit win slated for next week with Sherrard on the schedule next for Rockridge.
Monmouth-Roseville dropped a tight decision to Erie-Prophetstown, 24-22, in a game that didn’t kick off until after 9 p.m. last Friday because of storms. After allowing the opening kickoff to be returned for a touchdown, the Titans took an 8-6 lead midway through the first quarter on a Lars Bergren TD run and a successful two-point attempt. Following a Landon Montroy TD run in the final minute of the first half to reclaim the lead, the Titans gave up a 63-yard TD pass with less than 10 seconds remaining in the second quarter to fall behind 18-16 at halftime. Then, while trailing 24-16 late in the fourth, Monmouth-Roseville struck on a 98-yard TD pass from Kane Johnson to Bergren before failing the potential game-tying 2-point attempt. The Titans will try to get in the win column before next week’s game at Mercer County.
Picks
Ty: Rockridge
Jim: Rockridge
Greg: Monmouth-Roseville
Mitch: Monmouth-Roseville
Dazzo: Monmouth-Roseville
Stocking: Monmouth-Roseville
Mercer County (1-0, 0-0 TRAC Rock) @ Princeton (0-1, 0-0 TRAC Mississippi) – Friday 7 p.m.
Mercer County will try to build on a thrilling Week 1 overtime win, while Princeton is aiming to bounce back from last week’s season-opening loss to Riverdale.
The Golden Eagles opened the season outlasting Hall 46-44 in overtime in a game where neither team held a two-possession lead the entire night. Mercer County sophomore fullback Eli Boswell rushed for 163 yards, scored three TDs, and added the game-winning two-point conversion score in overtime. Logan Schreurs also added two TDs for the Golden Eagles. The win was the first season-opening victory for Mercer County, and a pivotal one with a stretch of six straight games against playoff teams from last year beginning this week for the Golden Eagles.
Princeton’s offense sputtered for much of the game in a 28-14 loss to Riverdale last week. The game spanned two days after it was suspended with the Tigers trailing 7-0 in the first quarter on Friday. Princeton wasn’t able to get on the scoreboard until the fourth quarter, facing a 28-0 deficit. Brennen Emmett and Jack Oester both scored rushing TDs late to tighten the gap. The Tigers have lost back-to-back games just once since 2018 – last season in Weeks 1 and 2 to Newman and Rockridge. They will look to avoid dropping two in a row to start 2026 in their home opener this week, with tests the next two weeks to come against Newman and Monmouth-Roseville.
Picks
Ty: Princeton
Jim: Princeton
Greg: Princeton
Mitch: Princeton
Dazzo: Princeton
Stocking: Princeton
Orion (0-1, 0-0 TRAC Rock) @ Sherrard (0-1, 0-0 TRAC Mississippi) – Friday 7 p.m.
Sherrard will close its abbreviated varsity season at home against longtime rival Orion at Clifford King Field this week.
Orion dropped its opener in a 23-14 decision to Mendota at home last week. The Chargers never led in the game, but were within one possession or tied until early in the fourth quarter. Both of Orion’s scoring plays were touchdown passes. Sophomore quarterback Blake Arnold connected with Charley Arnold on a 7-yard score in the first quarter and hit Jackson Noyd for a 75-yard TD in the third. The Chargers will get their first win under first-year head coach Matt McClean before returning home to play Hall next week.
Following a 47-0 loss at Newman on Saturday, Sherrard High School announced it will be forfeiting the rest of its varsity football games this season after this week. The Tigers’ roster, which was already thin, was hit hard by injuries leading into the season, and sickness decimated its offensive and defensive lines last week. An underclassmen-heavy roster will play JV-only for the remainder of 2026 and will return to varsity action in 2027.
Picks
Ty: Orion
Jim: Orion
Greg: Orion
Mitch: Orion
Dazzo: Orion
Stocking: Orion
Newman (1-0, 0-0 TRAC Rock) @ Kewanee (0-1, 0-0 TRAC Mississippi) – Friday 7 p.m.
Kewanee, which may have put together the most impressive effort forward in the lague last week, faces another top-10 test hosting Newman this week.
Kewanee held two separate leads in the second half against Rockridge last week, but untimatley fell in the final minute of the game 31-27. Leading 27-24 with 0:40 to play, the Boilermakers allowed the game-winning touchdown. A year after going 0-9 without staying competitive in a single game, Kewanee turned some heads last week by taking Rockridge to the wire. Chris Crowe returned a kick for a TD and also scored rushing and receiving TDs in the loss. Ace LaFollette gave the Boilermakers the lead with 2:05 remaining on a 58-yard score. Kewanee will face another test next week at Erie-Prophetstown.
Newman made quick work of short-handed Sherrard team, 47-0, on Saturday at Roscoe Eades Stadium. The Comets led 40-0 at halftime and allowed just 12 yards of total offense across the game’s first two quarters. Newman had five different players score in the win. Rylan Alvarado rushed for two TDs, while Matthew Blackert, Renner Rosengren, and Jackson Graham added scores on the ground. Rosengren also connected with John Rowzee for a 60-yard TD in the rout. The Comets host Princeton next week.
Picks
Ty: Newman
Jim: Newman
Greg: Newman
Mitch: Newman
Dazzo: Newman
Stocking: Newman
Riverdale (1-0, 0-0 TRAC Rock) @ Hall (0-1, 0-0 TRAC Mississippi) – Friday 7 p.m.
Riverdale is looking to build off a dominant win in Week 1, while Hall is hoping to rebound from a back-and-forth overtime loss.
Riverdale kicked off its 2026 season with an impressive 28-14 win over Princeton at home. The Rams scored on their first play from scrimmage to take the lead and stayed in front for the remainder of the game. Lucas Dunbar rushed for 140 yards and two TDs in the win. Abram Krier added a score on the ground, while Jackson Tegeler intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown, as well. The Rams led 28-0 early in the fourth, before allowing a pair of late touchdowns. The Rams host Mendota next week.
Hall came up just short in a 46-44 overtime loss to Mercer County last week. The Red Devils led for a majority of the second half, but allowed a go-ahead touchdown on a fumble recovery on a missed Mercer County field goal. Hall would tie the game in the final minute on a 40-yard TD catch by Chace Sterling, who racked up 134 receiving yards and three TDs. The Red Devils converted on just one of their six two-point conversion attempts in the loss. Hall is trying to even its record ahead of next week’s road game at Orion.
Picks
Ty: Riverdale
Jim: Riverdale
Greg: Riverdale
Mitch: Riverdale
Dazzo: Riverdale
Stocking: Riverdale
Erie-Prophetstown (1-0, 0-0 TRAC Rock) @ Mendota (1-0, 0-0 TRAC Mississippi) – Friday 7 p.m.
Erie-Prophetstown hits the road to battle Mendota in the only Week 2 game in the conference between teams who both won their season openers.
Erie-Prophetstown held on late to defeat Monmouth-Roseville 24-22. In a game that didn’t begin until after 9 p.m., the Panthers stopped a potential game-tying two-point attempt late in the fourth quarter to preserve the win. Lane Decker returned the opening kickoff for a score and later caught a 63-yard TD pass from Evan Steimle. Steimle also connected with Caleb Brown on a 29-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter. Tristan Hovey added 90 rushing yards and a score in the victory. The Panthers will look to head into next week’s matchup with Kewanee at 2-0.
Mendota is off to a 1-0 start for the first time since 2021 after winning at Orion 23-14 last week. The Trojans never trailed in the game and opened the scoring on a 23-yard TD run by sophomore quarterback Quinn Eddy less than a minute into the game. Eddy added a second TD run with 7:16 to play in the second quarter to put the Trojans ahead 14-7. Evan Escatel made a 22-yard field goal midway through the third quarter, and Eddy put the game away with his third TD run of the night in the fourth. The Trojans will try to improve to 2-0 for the first time in five years before playing at Riverdale next week.
Picks
Ty: Erie-Prophetstown
Jim: Erie-Prophetstown
Greg: Erie-Prophetstown
Mitch: Erie-Prophetstown
Dazzo: Erie-Prophetstown
Stocking: Erie-Prophetstown