SI Super 10: Fireworks For Sure
That buzzing you hear around Herrin has nothing to do with the second coming of the cicada's.
Herrin will be a hot spot in southern Illinois Friday as arguably the two best teams in southern Illinois meet at Harrison-Bruce Complex in a calendar circling game when Murphysboro, No. 1 in the Daily Register Southern Illinois Super 10 Prep Football Poll and No. 2 Herrin meet for - if nothing else - bragging rights in the Southern Illinois River-To-River Conference Ohio Divison race.
Herrin won 41-26 a year ago in the regular season and then doubled down, taking out the Red Devils 56-21 at Herrin in the first round of the Class 4A Playoffs.
Neither team has blinked through four games this season, both running out to 4-0 starts and are each ranked in the Associated Press Top 10 Poll with the Red Devils (No. 6) edging the Tigers (No. 7) by one.
Marion also got one first place vote this week as Kerry Martin's Wildcats have righted the ship after a disappointing loss to open the season and have rattled off three straight for the No. 3 ranking, while Marion's cohorts in the South Seven, Centralia (3-0), sits at No. 5.
Harrisburg (3-1) and Chester (4-0) flip flopped positions this week, even though Chester (No. 6 a week ago) won convincingly over Sesser-Valier-Waltonville-Woodlawn 47-7. Meanwhile, Harrisburg hammered West Frankfort 43-13 at Taylor Field.
Sparta, the surprise team to start the season at 4-0, knocked off SIRR Mississippi rival Pinckneyville 27-11 and moved up one spot to No. 8, while Johnston City remained unbeaten with its dominant defense, beating Carmi-White County 27-0.
Of all the teams in southern Illinois, Johnston City (4-0) has given up the fewest amount of points, allowing only eight, which came late against Sesser-Valier-Waltonville-Woodlawn in Week 3.
Du Quoin (2-2) moved back into the poll after a gutty 30-29 overtime victory against Carterville last week.
Michael Dann covers prep and college sports for the Harrisburg Daily Register. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.
SI Super 10 Prep Poll
By The Daily Register
The Top 10 teams in The Daily Register/Gatehouse News Service prep football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sept. 23, total points based on 10 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 10th-place vote, and previous ranking:
Record Pts Pv
1. Murphysboro (6) 4-0 86 1
2. Herrin (1) 4-0 78 2
3. Marion (1) 3-1 75 3
4. Centralia 4-0 66 4
5. Nashville 4-0 55 5
6. Harrisburg 3-1 48 7
7. Chester 4-0 38 6
8. Sparta 4-0 31 9
9. Johnston City 4-0 21 8
10. Du Quoin 2-2 13 NR
Others receiving votes: Eldorado