The Monticello Sages will need new players to step into roles left behind by an All-State quarterback and several experienced stars from an 8-3 2021 squad.

Coach Cully Welter feels confident in a first-year starting quarterback, senior Drew Sheppard to replace All-State quarterback Joey Sprinkle. Tylor Bundy, who played at receiver some in 2021 will shift to the primary ball carrier and players like Luke Teschke, Spencer Mitze, and Wade Carroll will look to take on bigger roles with the departure of Triston Foran and Peyton Scott.

Monticello is rarely noted for its size upfront but Coach Welter says like many teams of the past, this group will make up for it with toughness - across the board.

With six returners seeing significant time from last year's defense, Coach Welter likes this year's defensive unit. He points ou they are going to be starting three sophomores on the defensive line but he doesn't necessarily see that as a weakness.

While he doesn't the like cliche coaches throw out about their conference being the best and tough week in and week out but he believes the Illini Prairie will just that this season with Tolono Unity the likely front-runner as the favorite.

Monticello hosts St. Joseph-Ogden tonight in the season opener at 7 pm. Hear pregame coverage around 6:45 on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com. 

High school football week 1 matchups:

Illini Prairie

Bloomington Central Catholic at Pontiac

IVC at Paxton-Buckley-Loda

Tolono Unity at Prairie Central

Big Twelve

Bloomington at Peoria Richwoods

Champaign Centennial at Proviso East

Champaign Central at Normal West

Peoria Notre Dame at Peoria Manual (Sat.)

Central State Eight

Decatur MacArthur at Springfield Southeast

Jacksonville at Chatham-Glenwood

Rochester at Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin

Springfield at Decatur Eisenhower

Springfield Lanphier at Normal U-High

Sangamo

Maroa-Forsyth at Pleasant Plains

New Berlin at Auburn

Olympia at Riverton

Williamsville at Petersburg-PORTA

Non-conference action tonight

Arcola at Tuscola

Argenta-Oreana at Warrensburg-Latham

Bridgeport-Red Hill at Cerro Gordo-Bement

Champaign St. Thomas More at Decatur LSA (Sat.)

Colfax-Ridgeview at Dee-Mack

Decatur St. Teresa at Effingham

Tri-Valley at Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond

Galesburg at Dunlap

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley at Fieldcrest

Heyworth at Oakland-Tri-County (Sat.)

Highland at Washington

LeRoy at Central A & M

Meridian at El Paso-Gridley

Metamora at Peoria

Morton at Mahomet-Seymour

Mt. Zion at Limestone

Newton at Sullivan-Okaw Valley 

Sangamon Valley at Tremont

Normal Community at O'Fallon

Peotone at Rantoul

Streator at East Peoria

Taylorville at Mt. Vernon

Toledo-Cumberland at Shelbyville