Byron and Dixon set for BNC clash in our ‘Overtime’ Game of the Week

DIXON, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) — The Big Northern Conference has been a Big Two the last two years with Byron and Dixon battling for the top. It’s too soon to say that’s the case again this year, but these two teams look as strong as ever, and they’ll meet Friday night in Dixon in our ‘Overtime’ Game of the week.

The players and coaches don’t have to say much about this rivalry. The classic games that they’ve played in recent seasons speak for themselves. There was Byron’s come-from-behind one-point win two years ago, and Byron’s 28-7 win last season. These teams know precisely what to expect from each other.

“You kind of know what they’re doing, or you have a pretty good idea,” said Dixon head coach Brad Winterland. “They just do it so well. For us, we’ve got to match that.”

“They’re still Byron, so they’re going to do the same things that they’ve been taught,” said Dixon quarterback Jagger Kemp. “Nothing really changes for us.”

“They’re a physical football team, and a really, really good program,” said Byron head coach Jeff  Boyer of the Dukes. “They’ve had some great postseason runs, and Brad Winterland is going to continue that down there.”

One thing that’s also a given when Dixon and Byron meet, there will be some hitting.

“Last year was probably one of the most physical ones,” said Byron senior linebacker Ben Hiveley. “They are especially (physical) at their home place too.”

Both teams come into this game 2-0. Byron has rolled past North Boone 55-7 and Rock Falls 57-7. Dixon has blown by Genoa-Kingston 27-6 and Rockford Lutheran 68-16. But the thing about Dixon and Byron is, they always want to keep getting better.

“I think we’ve played pretty good, but there’s always room to get better,” said Byron senior running back/linebacker Kole Aken. “We just go out there, and we know we need to be locked in to get the job done no matter who the opponent is.”

“We’ve played good, but you know, there’s always room for better,” said Hiveley. “This week we’re going to find out where we’re really at.”

The Tigers know that there is talent on this Dixon team, and it starts with returning starting quarterback Jagger Kemp.

“He’s tough to defend because he can run the football, and he can throw the football,” said Boyer.

The Dukes know they can’t key on any one guy for Byron because the Tigers have talent everywhere. The Dukes know they must play a crisp game and a complete game.

“We’ve just got to finish drives,” said Winterland. “In the past we’ve kind of moved the ball a little bit, then we’ll shoot ourselves in the foot.”

“The other thing is, we’ve got to figure out which team is going to win the explosive plays. That’s kind of been the key the last few years is they’ve had more explosive plays than us. We have to find a way to flip that.”

NOTE: For highlights of this game and many more around the 815, watch ‘Overtime’ live Friday night on FOX 39 immediately after the USC-Fresno State football game on FOX. ‘Overtime’ can also be seen on demand any time on the MyStateline+ app, on the Eyewitness News YouTube Channel, and on the MyStateline.com website by clicking on the ‘Watch’ Tab.

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