GALESBURG — After a three-year hiatus, Knox and Eureka will battle in the Lincoln Bowl, and they’ll do so Saturday evening under the lights at McKinzie Field in Eureka.
The Prairie Fire and Red Devils haven’t faced each other on the gridiron in the regular season since 2019. Instead, the squads have scrimmaged with nothing on the line. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Knox and Eureka didn’t do so in 2020.
The Prairie Fire and Red Devils initially crossed paths in the Lincoln Bowl in 2012, and the pair of educational institutions share historical connections with President Abraham Lincoln. He delivered speeches at both during the 1850s.
A bronze bust of Lincoln is awarded to the victor.
Aaron Willits, who is entering his third season as Knox’s coach, is aware of the historic elements that come with the match-up. Eureka coach Kurt Barth is, too.
The Red Devils have claimed the victory in the Lincoln Bowl six out of the last eight times. Eureka came away with a 42-28 win over Knox in 2019 – their last regular season meeting.
2012 game brought national attention
The affair drew national attention in 2012. Eureka senior quarterback Sam Durley achieved a remarkable feat by completing 34 of 52 passes for 736 yards and five touchdowns, propelling the Red Devils to a 62-55 triumph. At the time, Durley’s passing yardage set an NCAA record for the most passing yards in a single game across all levels of play. In June, Durley was named the Red Devils’ first full-time offensive coordinator in program history. Before that, he spent four years as Eureka’s strength and wellness coordinator.
During that game, Knox’s quarterback was Drew Diaz. He managed 8 completions out of 17 attempts for 169 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, Diaz was intercepted twice. However, he also contributed with eight rushes for 69 yards, including a touchdown.
In the same encounter in 2012, Knox showcased its dominance with 279 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns against Eureka. Notably, junior Derek Mortensen contributed significantly with three of those touchdowns, amassing 140 yards on 32 carries. He ended up with 4,016 rushing yards in his career, and Mortensen set a Knox record with 43 rushing touchdowns. In recognition of his achievements, he was inducted into the Knox-Lombard Athletic Hall of Fame in 2020.
Did you know?
Knox and Eureka’s first meeting on the football field was in Galesburg in October 1893, and the end result was a 20-0 victory for the home team. The two schools have played each other 29 times, with Knox leading the series with 18 wins, 11 losses, and a tie.
GALESBURG — After two weeks of practice, Galesburg High School’s football team is set to open the 2023 season.
The Silver Streaks, who went 3-6 overall last fall in Derrek Blackwell’s second season, will do so at 8 p.m. Friday in a home contest against the Eagles of Dunlap.
“The last couple years versus Dunlap I feel they’ve been more prepared than we are. I also feel that we’ve had better teams than they have, so I’ve been outcoached,” Blackwell said after Tuesday’s practice. “I’ve put it on myself, and all our coaches have, to make sure the team is ready. I’m not guaranteeing a victory, but we will be ready.
“There will be less penalties. There will be less mistakes,” added Blackwell, whose team suffered a 27-13 road loss to the Eagles to open the 2022 season. Galesburg fell to Dunlap 7-6 at Van Dyke Field in the 2021 season opener. “Friday will be a hard fought game all the way through, and it has been the last two years.”
‘I just want to do better fundamentally’
Blackwell, who holds a 7-11 career mark, has one main goal for his Streaks this season, and it sounds pretty simple but on occasion mistakes have hurt Galesburg.
“I just want to do better fundamentally,” Blackwell said. “That starts with myself all the way down to the kids. We like to say maybe ‘the kids did this or the kids did that,’ but if the kids are doing it then we’re allowing it. That is all on coaching.
“We have to do better as a coaching staff, and I want myself to be better as a coach at coaching the coaches to what we expect from Silver Streaks football players.”
Seniors will provide leadership
Nolan Carl (TE/OLB),Mikey Eiker (WR/DB), Jon Sibley III (RB/DB), Tristan Legate (QB/ILB), Cam Aguirre (RB/LB), Bryce Harter (RB/ILB), Carter Clary (OL/DL), Noah Wright (OL/DL), Grant Rees (OL/DL), Aaron Kelley (OL/DL), Dishon Nolen (OL/DL), Gavin West (OL/DL), Treyson Hardges (WR/DB), Mason Kimmitt (WR/DB), Graham Peterson (WR/DB), and Jerry Taylor (TE/OLB) made up Galesburg’s senior class in the 2022 season. They all contributed in one way or another, but they’ve moved on and it’s time for another group of young men to step up and serve as leaders.
“The upperclassmen this year are really close,” Blackwell said. “They’ve been friends since the first and second grade. They know each other. They fight for each other, and they fight like brothers, you know. They go at each others necks, but they also back each other up.
“Everything this group of seniors does is together whether that’s getting ice cream or just hanging out,” Blackwell added. “I like that cohesiveness.”
Williams gets starting nod at QB
Senior Gino Williams saw time as a starting quarterback in 2022. He took over for Legate in Week 4 last fall, as the latter suffered a left high ankle sprain. Legate missed two games of action due to the injury.
Williams is a dual threat, and he’s been working hard on the gridiron and away from it. Williams knows what he has to do to be a leader.
“I’m just trying to be the best person I can be for my teammates,” Williams said. “I feel really good going into the game Friday. I feel like we have a good team.
“We can come out with a win as long as we stay together as a team.”
Galesburg’s roster
Seniors: Gino Williams (WR/DB/QB), Amarie Richardson (RB/DB), Markis Lewis (WR/DB), Izaiah Coleman (FB/ILB), Nicholas Curtis (RB/OLB), Sam Satisky (K), Keyondre Harrison (TE/ILB), John Willis (OL/DL), Jamari McDonald (OL/DL), Yoreh Yarita (TE/OLB), Adrien Phillips (WR/DB).
Juniors: Kenneth Ward (FB/ILB), Lyxander Cauthon (WR/DB), Caden Ashby (WR/DB), Jamar Range (RB/DB), Mark Franklin (OL/DL), Ashton Bane (OL/ILB), Larry Randolph Jr. (OL/DL), Celestin Matala (OL/DL), Gilbert Lewis (OL/DL), Asher Whitcomb (OL/DL), Sal Kisler (OL/DL), Andre Exauce (TE/OLB).
Sophomores: Caden Riley (QB/OLB), Drew Hickey (WR/DB), Bradley Eaton (WR/DB), Ayden Clark (QB/OLB), Anthony Makwala (K), Demetrius Watson (RB/DB), Alfred Ayala (RB/OLB), Nicolas Ojeda (FB/ILB), Madon Taylor (TE/DE), Marquis Horne (OL/DL), LaVant Ritenour (OL/DL), Davion Collins (OL/DL), Dajian Mitchell (OL/DL), Pierre Welcome (OL/DL), Kohyn Baughman (WR/DB), Drake Easley (WR/DB), Dallin Junious (OL/DL), Coooper Ray (TE/ILB).
GALESBURG — There’s three new coaches on Knox’s staff, a familiar face has taken over Sandburg’s men’s soccer program, and a three-time Division III All-American player has been named Monmouth’s women’s basketball coach.
Prairie Fire’s runners have new leaders
Mark Nelson has been hired as the Knox’s Director of Track & Field and Cross Country and head track coach. He replaces Evander Wells, who guided the Prairie Fire for four seasons.
Last Friday afternoon, Wells was named as an assistant coach at the University of North Florida, located in Jacksonville, Florida.
Ryan Monson has been hired as the Knox ‘s head cross country coach and assistant track and field coach.
Most recently, Nelson was the head track and field coach at Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas. The Threshers broke 25 school records in his two years at the helm.
“Mark Nelson has an established record of success coaching track & field and cross country at both the college and high school levels,” said Corey Goff, Knox’s Director of Athletics. “His expertise in recruiting and developing high-achieving student athletes will provide the depth and quality necessary to elevate our program.”
Nelson was previously the Director of Track and Field and Cross Country at Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri. He was twice named the Heart of America Conference Coach of the Year and coached 33 All-American’s. Nelson also served on the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Indoor Games Committee from 2017-19.
“I am very excited to hit the ground running,” Nelson said. “My goal is to build a program that is competitive year in and year out in the Midwest Conference in both track & field and cross country, with student-athletes that are leaders on campus and in athletics. Thank you to Corey Goff and the rest of the search committee for giving me the opportunity to lead the Prairie Fire Track and Field Program.”
Before CMU, Nelson coached locally at Dixon High School, Sauk Valley Community College, and the Sterling Track Club.
Monson comes to Knox after a successful career on the cross country and track and field teams at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. He was a four-year letter winner for both teams and graduated this spring with a bachelor’s degree in sports management.
Monson’s most recent post was an event operations intern at the Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa, where he prepped the diamonds for youth baseball tournaments, coordinated field rentals and worked the Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball games that the facility hosted.
“This opportunity at Knox is one that I am very excited about,” said Monson, a 2019 Mercer County High School grad. “Having been a high school runner from the area and being a Division III cross country/track athlete myself, this is something that is near and dear to me. I would love to be able to grow the cross country and track programs here at Knox, and start contending for some Midwest Conference titles. This is a good young group we have this season, and I can’t wait to see what this year brings.”
Ruvalcaba guiding Chargers’ soccer players
Following a season on the sidelines as an assistant, Gerardo Ruvalcaba is the new head men’s soccer coach at Carl Sandburg College. The Chargers opened the 2023 season Sunday afternoon at Kleine Field, and they ended up with 0-0 draw against Iowa Central.
During the 2022 season, Ruvalcaba served as an assistant for Victor Dantas, who stepped down after one season and joined Knox College’s staff as an assistant men’s soccer coach under Prairie Fire coach Kevwe Akpore.
Akpore rejoined the Prairie Fire athletics coaching staff after a very successful and historic year as head men’s soccer coach at Sandburg, where he left with a school-record 34 victories in four years of leading the program. In the 2021 season, Sandburg won a school-record 16 games (16-5 overall), and ended the season ranked No. 12 in the country, appearing in the national rankings each week. The Chargers also ranked as high as 7th nationally, won the first-ever Arrowhead Conference Men’s Soccer Championship in the program’s history, won the first NJCAA Region title in the program’s history, and assured the program’s first appearance at the NJCAA Division II Men’s Soccer Championship. Akpore was named NJCAA Region IV Coach of the Year for the 2021-2022 season.
With Ruvalcaba on staff last fall, the Chargers upset 10th ranked Prairie State, which would go on to win the NJCAA Division II championship. Sandburg finished the 2022 season with 5-7-1 overall mark and qualified for the Region IV Division II tournament before falling in the quarterfinals in a rematch with Prairie State.
“I want to build a program where every player is part of a family that can trust, learn and help each other. If everyone is on the same page, the results will follow,” Ruvalcaba said. “I’m looking forward to helping our returning players improve and bringing in recruits who can help our team achieve the goals we’re trying to reach.”
A lifelong soccer player, Ruvalcaba owns GJR Barbershop & SMP in Monmouth.
Rinell is Knox’s latest volleyball coach
Lonnie Rinell has been hired as Knox College’s volleyball coach. He has a long history of coaching high level volleyball in the area, including high school, club, and college coaching.
“We are excited to have Lonnie take the reins of the volleyball program,” Goff said. “Lonnie has the values, experience and leadership qualities we need to be able to take Prairie Fire volleyball to the next level.”
Most recently, Rinell has been officiating USVA Juniors and collegiate volleyball. He has many years of experience at the club level in Illinois and Iowa.
“I want to thank Corey Goff and his athletic administration for hiring me to join the Knox volleyball program,” Rinell said. “I have over 20 seasons of club coaching experience along with officiating high performance and college volleyball. I am very excited to build a program that lasts. I want to coach a team with a passion to compete, coach players with high character, and develop a sense of family on the team!”
In 2006 and 2007, Rinnell coached the Augustana College men’s volleyball team. They finished third and fifth in the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) Championships. Rinnell coached four all-americans in those two seasons.
Rinnell has a USA Volleyball CAP coaching certification, an IMPACT Certification, is a Pavo Certified Official, is a USA Volleyball Regional Official, and has his ASEP coaching certification.
DeCoud, a Colorado native, 13th coach in Scots’ program history
Michelle DeCoud has been named Monmouth College women’s basketball head coach. She comes to Monmouth from Hastings College, an NAIA program in Hastings, Nebraska. She spent five seasons at Hastings, the last three as an assistant coach.
DeCoud succeeds Megan Jones, who had a 24-25 record over two seasons. Jones led the Fighting Scots to the 2021-2022 Midwest Conference championship game before they finished in sixth place in 2022-23.
“I would like to thank Coach (Roger) Haynes, (Monmouth’s Director of Athletics) and all the awesome individuals I met during my visit to Monmouth,” said DeCoud, who is the 13th coach in Monmouth program history. “I also want to thank Coach Jina Douglas and everyone at Hastings College for preparing me to confidently take on this role and its responsibilities. From my conversations with Coach Haynes and the Monmouth staff, I can envision myself learning so much from and contributing back to the culture and community at Monmouth. I look forward to leading this group of athletes in a growth-minded, competitive direction.”
DeCoud played at the University of Dallas, where she set school records in blocks and shooting percentage while ranking in the top five in rebounds, field goals made and points scored. She finished her career at UD with 1,333 points, a 48.7 field goal percentage, 842 rebounds, 134 blocks, 140 assists and 136 steals. DeCoud graduated from Dallas in 2018 with a bachelor of arts degree in business.
DeCoud was named All-American by the United States Collegiate Athletic Association three times. In 2017-18 she was selected to the first-team after being named second-team in 2016-17 and honorable mention in 2015-16.
DeCoud joined Hastings as a graduate assistant, earning a master of arts in teaching in English language arts in 2020. She stayed at Hastings as an assistant coach and also served as head coach to the junior varsity team. While at Hastings, DeCoud helped the Broncos to two conference finals appearances and a pair of NAIA National Tournament berths.
A native of Monument, Colorado, DeCoud attended Palmer Ridge High School, where she lettered in basketball, track and field, and softball while earning all-state academic awards all four years.
GALESBURG — Time has gone by pretty swiftly for Knox College football coach Aaron Willits.
The 2008 Knox grad, who took the field as running back, is entering his third season in charge of the Prairie Fire.
And Knox has steadily improved under Willits. The Prairie Fire went 3-6 overall and had the same mark in Midwest Conference action in 2021. Knox added two more victories to its win total last fall, and the Prairie Fire ended 2022 with a 5-5 overall record and went 4-5 in league play.
Knox’s players attended their first practice of the 2023 season on Thursday, Aug. 10, and Willits was feeling upbeat after the Prairie Fire wrapped things up.
“When I took the job, I was trying to establish and build the foundation of what we want to do in the program. We wanted to build something sustainable,” Willits said last week. “Thus far, the on-field production has grown but that still comes back to the daily habits that we are starting to teach here in Day 1.
“At this point, I think being able to look back and have something in the rearview mirror and accessing the development of the program, the framework for the guys on and off the field I think it’s fare to say that we’re at least moving in a somewhat positive direction,” Willits added. “We have to continue to anchor down and trust that process that we created and fit what we need to so it will fit this team. This is this year’s team. It’s not last year’s team and it’s not going to be our future team. We have to make sure we make the most out of this team with the guys that are here right now and with our program.”
The true story will be told when Knox puts on the shells, and then straps on the shoulder pads. Due to NCAA rules, all football players across the nation have to progress into those pieces of equipment. The Prairie Fire were required to wear just helmets and their practice jerseys for two days, then shells for three days before shoulder pads came into play.
“When the pads come on, we’ll find out who wants to be physical and how physical they can be,” Willits said. “We want them to give us their effort and be coachable on the mistakes that they’re going to make, as those are inevitable.
“When it gets closer to playing an opponent, we really care about that execution and start to dial that in and eliminate the mistakes,” Willits added.
Knox has joint practice with University of Dubuque this weekend
On Saturday, Knox will hit the road for Dubuque, Iowa. The Prairie Fire will hit the gridiron for a joint practice – a week earlier than in the past.
The Spartans of the University of Dubuque is on tap for Knox 1 p.m. Saturday at Chalmers Field. Dubuque went 6-4 overall last fall.
“We need to know what our base stuff is up there at Dubuque,” Willits said. “I really like this format of doing this joint practice concept sooner. It really allows us to see if the fundamentals are in the right spot so we can come back and start to make the tweaks and stuff as we go to an inter squad and a little more controlled environment the week prior to the first game.”
Departing thought…
“With the recruiting class that came in and the guys that we return we’re into the 70s for the first time in a while on the roster, which is great for us,” Willits said. “We have growth in the right direction, but almost two-thirds of that roster is freshmen and sophomores.”
2023 Schedule
Joint Practice: Sat., Aug. 19 at University of Dubuque, 1 p.m.