2021 Western Big 6 Preview

Here's my not-so-expert preview of the 2021 Western Big 6 Conference. I will not make any W/L predictions or anything like that. Just a few, likely inaccurate, tidbits for each team.

East Moline (United Township): Had a great (and surprising) spring season. Things seem to be pointed in a good direction for the Panthers. They graduated a bevy of talented seniors, but as Coach Norman Dale famously said "I hope you will support who we are, not who we are not". Opportunities abound for others to pick up where UT left off in the Spring.

Galesburg: The Streaks have a new head coach but they bring back plenty of good athletes who have plenty of varsity experience under their belts. I find it hard to believe that the Egipciaco twins haven't graduated yet. They get a COVID year? :-)

Geneseo: Was really looking forward to seeing the "new look" Leafs offense in action in the Spring but didn't get to see much of it. Hopefully this year. Word is they lost a couple key kids in the Spring season which will linger into the Fall season.

Moline: Someone said the Maroons went 2-4 in the Spring and I didn't believe it (bad memory on my part). That was a talented group...and still is. Something tells me they will win a few more than 2 this season. Ponder and Bailey are enough to give coaches fits and they have added some more firepower. Keep an eye or two on this squad.

Quincy: Seems like they always have a handful of good athletes in the Gem City. Can't ever overlook the Blue Devils. Hearing there is a young QB to be reckoned with.

Rock Island: Speaking of giving coaches fits, Eli Reese of the Rocks will do just that again this season. Rocky reloads season after season with kids that can fly. I assume that will be the case again this year.

RI Alleman: New coach and low numbers for the Pioneers. BUT they have the most coveted college recruit in the WB6 in 6-6/290 junior quarterback Charlie Jagusah. Already holds offers from Michigan and Sally N D. He's not really a quarterback. He's a lineman, of course. Just checking to see if you're still reading.

Sterling: Golden Warriors are hungry to get back on the field to defend their WB6 championships from the past two seasons (if you count the Spring, and most people did). Should be a few new names and faces to mix with some veterans. Injuries in the Spring that will carry over to the Fall will put a dent in the offensive backfield, but there are others eager to fill those spots. A couple of names to look for are Tyree Kelly, Junior Farnham, and Carter Ryan (when he returns from an injury suffered in summer camp).

There you have it. Would love to see if anyone has something to add.

i read 6'6" 290 qb 4 times before i completed your sentence...........

i don't expect quincy to be very good from what a friend in the know told me.

3 games into the conference season and it appears as though sterling and moline have separated themselves a little bit from the pack. galesburg had a slow start but have righted the ship it appears. rock island and ut are hard to figure out. quincy seems to be ok, but young. geneseo and alleman bring up the rear.

sterling and moline are both 5-0 in conference play and will meet in sterling on friday night for the wb6 title.  moline has recorded 4 consecutive shutouts and have outscored their opponents 172-0 in that time.  sterling lost a couple more key players to injuries on friday and will face a big challenge from a potent moline offense.

moline has clinched at least a tie for the wb6 championship with a 38-7 win at sterling. they should win this friday to win it outright.

ging wrote:moline has clinched at least a tie for the wb6 championship with a 38-7 win at sterling.  they should win this friday to win it outright.  

Looking at their results I don't understand how the first 3 weeks of results correlated into the destruction of most of the conference weeks 4-8. Did kids become eligible or come back from injury?

mc140 wrote:

ging wrote:moline has clinched at least a tie for the wb6 championship with a 38-7 win at sterling.  they should win this friday to win it outright.  

Looking at their results I don't understand how the first 3 weeks of results correlated into the destruction of most of the conference weeks 4-8. Did kids become eligible or come back from injury?

not that i am aware of.