This year’s preseason field has a strong balance of returning talent across all classes, and we’re excited for what should be an electric basketball season in Southern Illinois.

We have our top five running backs in Southern Illinois as we head into the high school football playoffs. These are ranked by rushing yards. At #1 is Kaiden Henson, senior running back from Eldorado. Henson and the Eagles missed the playoffs, finishing 3-6, but lost four one score games. All four of those teams made the postseason, and all six of their losses came against playoff teams. Henson rushed for 1,318 yards and 22 touchdowns on 226 carries, averaging 5.8 yards per c

Nolan Schafer (Benton Rangers) in the Military Appreciation game vs the DuQuoin Indians. Week 9 of the high school football season has wrapped up for all of our area teams and we finish the regular season with four teams still undefeated: Benton out of the SIRR Mississippi, Carterville out of the SIRR Ohio, Johnston City out of the Black Diamond and Richland County out of the Little Illini Conference. Benton Rangers 9-0 (5-0): The Benton Rangers outscored their opponents 418

This week's Rend Lake Cabins In The Woods Player of the week is senior running back Riley Spencer from Benton.