Last year, Little Illini Conference football teams won only five games against non-conference opponents. The league has already surpassed that total after going 6-2 in games played on the first weekend of the 2025 season. And, there is still one week to go in the non-league portion of the campaign.

Here is a breakdown of the action:

Marshall 36, Trenton Wesclin 34 (ot)
The Lions, at one point down 28-12, rallied to force overtime, then rallied again in the extra period for the win. Tied at 28-all at the horn, Wesclin scored on its’ third play of OT to take a 34-28 lead. However, a missed two-point conversion would prove costly. Marshall, on the ensuing possession, put the ball in Lucca Giannavola’s hands exclusively. He powered his way on runs of six, two, and one yard, leaving the game on the line on fourth down from the Wesclin one-yard line.  The 5-foot-11, 210-pound senior found an avenue to the left side to score a game-tying touchdown. Marshall, now going for a two-point conversion winner, gave it to Giannavola again — this time on a direct snap — and he responded, sending the Lions to a 1-0 start for the second straight year. Giannavola rushed for 80 yards on 17 carries, and scored three TDs. Quarterback Luke Brodie was 7-of-14 in the air for 149 yards and one touchdown.

Olney 60, Taylorville 36
Senior quarterback Gavyn Cothern rushed for 305 yards and scored five touchdowns to lead defending champion Olney to a 60-36 victory over Taylorville. Cothern was also 5-of-8 through the air for an additional 84 yards, bringing his total offense for the night to almost 400 yards.

Casey-Westfield 50, Fisher 6
Casey-Westfield special teams produced two touchdowns (on a 90-yard opening-kickoff return and a punt return TD) and the defense produced a safety — all by the midway point of the second quarter. Not that the Warrior offense needed much help. All-state running back Luke Karras and quarterback Nolan Clement each scored two touchdowns for the ninth-ranked (Class 1A) Warriors, 50-6 winners at home.

Robinson 41, Charleston 6
Quarterback Reese Johnson threw two first-half touchdown passes and the Maroon defense picked off two passes, and by halftime it was 28-0. Robinson cruised in from there, only allowing the Trojans a late score. One of Johnson’s aerial deliveries covered 55 yards to Miles Hardiman one minute into the second quarter.

Paris 57, North Vermillion, Ind. 0
The Tigers big-number win came against a North Vermillion team which was 9-2 one year ago.

Newton 35, Bethalto Civic Memorial 21
Quarterback Hayden Mulvey threw for two touchdowns and 254 yards on 21-of-29 accuracy, while adding a score on the ground as the Eagles won their opener. Dexter Fulton caught 17 of those passes covering 112 yards and one score, while adding an interception on defense. Drake Wolf led the way on the ground, with 65 yards on 14 carries and two TDs.

Du Quoin 48, Mt. Carmel 19
Du Quoin jumped to a 21-0 first-quarter lead and never looked back in the first meeting between the two schools since the 2010 IHSA Class 3A playoffs. Promising sophomore quarterback River Deisher threw for 165 yards in his Mt. Carmel debut, hitting 12 of 22 passes, two for touchdowns. Both the scoring flips were to last year’s starting quarterback, junior Shain Meador, who while still seeing a few snaps behind center, spent most of the evening elsewhere on offense.

Kankakee Bishop McNamara 58, Lawrenceville 0

This story will be updated as more information is gathered.