**Kickoff moved to 8 PM due to heat advisory**
story below from the BND
With Belleville West coming off a 21-19 road defeat and Althoff not happy despite a season-opening win, tonight's latest installment of the their long-running football rivalry should prove interesting. The opening kickoff has been pushed back to 8 p.m. because of the extremely warm weather.
But this game could be played in an air-conditioned dome, in the snow or during a driving rainstorm and the teams still would battle just as hard.
"There's no bigger week than getting ready to play Althoff," said first-year Belleville West head coach Cameron Pettus, who experienced it first hand the last four years as the Maroons' defensive coordinator. "It doesn't matter if you're the manager or the head coach, everybody understands this."
The same holds true for Althoff coach Ken Turner, who doesn't like being reminded his team has lost its last three games against West.
"They don't have to, I remind myself," Turner said. "Three seems like 30 to me. A couple games were close and the one game got out of hand. Nobody has to tell me about it, I think about it every year and our kids think about it every year.
"They're going to play their hearts out Friday night to try to get this streak ended."
The Althoff defense has surrendered 200-yard rushing performances to the Maroons in each of the last two years. Sedrick Spillers had 201 yards and three touchdowns last season as the Maroons won 20-6. In 2009, Jodeci Mack racked up 218 yards and three TDs in a 42-23 West victory.
Even with the three wins in a row, West has beaten Althoff only five times since 1988.
While happy with his team's defensive effort last week in a 6-5 win over Collinsville -- the Kahoks had 13 yards rushing on 38 carries and just 84 yards passing -- Turner said the Crusaders' offense has to improve.
Althoff managed only 68 yards rushing on 30 carries, while quarterback Eric Mertens threw for 72 yards. Jabari Taylor was a bright spot, scoring the game's only TD and adding tight defense on Collinsville receiving threat Gus Wellmaker.
"He followed Wellmaker all over the field last week at cornerback," Turner said. "He played receiver, ran punts back and he played quarterback. He did a little bit of everything for us last week."
Pettus was pleased with his team's comeback. He also saw balance in his team's new pro-style offense as Deonte McCarvey had 125 yards rushing and quarterback Kyle Leadlove completed 16-of-29 passes for 153 yards and one TD.
Receivers Ray Scott and Demechico Spraggins each had five catches while linebacker Cody Buss had a team-high 11 tackles.
"We were so-so, not too good in the first half and really good in the second half," Pettus said. "We just played our game in the second half, but we're still learning a new offense and have guys playing new positions on defense."
Today's game: Althoff (1-0) at Belleville West (0-1; ranked 10th in the 8A state poll), 8 p.m.
Last week: Althoff beat Collinsville 6-5; Belleville West dropped a 21-19 decision on the road to Evansville (Ind.) Memorial.
Last meeting: West defeated Althoff 20-6 last season as Sedrick Spillers scored on a 66-yard run, an 11-yard pass from Deonte McCarvey off a fake field goal and a 94-yard kickoff return.
Althoff players to watch: WR-QB-DB Jabari Taylor (20 yards rushing); RB-LB Kameron Harris (49 yards rushing); QB Eric Mertens (8-of-13 for 72 yards); LB-OL Erik Furmanek (8 tackles); DL Andre Roberts (10 tackles, 1 sacks); DL Collin Cozart (7 tackles, 1 sack).
West players to watch: QB Kyle Leadlove (16-of-29 for 153 yards, 1 TD); RB Deonte McCarvey (14 carries, 125 yards rushing); WR Ray Scott (5 catches, 63 yards); Demechico Spraggins (5 catches, 32 yards); LB Cody Buss (11 tackles); LB Tremont Davis (10 tackles, 1 sack); Kicker Austin Seibert (2 FG, 1 XP).
Notes: West middle linebacker Tori Millender and nose guard Marquise Cherry both sat out the season opener because of injuries. Pettus said both are on a day-to-day basis. ...Turner is still looking for his first win over West as a head coach.
