Clifton Central hosts 17th annual 7-on-7 and Lineman Challenge

Clifton Central hosted its annual 7-on-7 and Lineman Challenge on Saturday, with 15 varsity programs taking the field to get some pivotal summer work under their belts with the start of the regular season now six weeks out.

When 15 varsity football teams got together at the 17th annual Clifton Central 7-on-7 and Lineman Challenge on Saturday, few teams were quite as busy as the host Comets. Central took the field in all seven time slots from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., looking to get as many reps as possible even after scrimmaging at Mahomet-Seymour on Friday. Head coach Jeff Perzee said he’s trying to play as much football as possible in a pivotal summer following a 9-2 season.

“We’re going with a sophomore quarterback in Cash Minard, so we try to get as many reps as we can get and added an extra 7-on-7 [Saturday],” Perzee said. “But today we wanted to have fun because it’s our home 7-on-7.

It’s a great tradition and there’s a lot of people out here.” Minard is taking over under center from Brady Shule, who set the program single-season records for passing yards and touchdowns last season as a senior. Helping ease the transition is the return of most of Shule’s top targets, including seniors Derek Meier, Kaden Neveu and Andrew Rohlwing, the team’s top three receivers last year.

“I think we’ve exceeded my expectations for how we’d start [the offseason], especially with such a young quarterback,” Meier said. “I know that I need to be a verbal leader and lead by example. All the younger guys see me and all the senior skill players that are back and all the returning players, they’re seeing us working hard and staying locked in.”

Also looking to build off a successful 2025 campaign this offseason is Bishop McNamara . The Fightin’ Irish went 10-1 a season ago with the program’s first unbeaten regular season since 1998. Like many teams this time of year, the Irish are seeing players step into new spots and heightened roles, but incoming seniors like Malachi Lee, the team’s top returning rusher, provide some stability.

On Saturday, he was also on the receiving end of a number of passes from his brother Micah, who will be the team’s new quarterback. “We’ve been connecting a lot today,” Malachi Lee said. “Overall I’m just looking forward to making another run to the playoffs now that I’m a senior and one of the oldest guys on the field.

“...This offseason we’re just looking forward to getting better, getting in the weight room, making changes on things we need to and getting ready for Wilmington week one.” Coal City will also enter the season looking to pick up a big win over Wilmington, which would be the Coalers’ first win over their conference rival since 2019, with starting quarterback Connor Henline, leading rusher Logan Natyshok and standout lineman Emmett Easton all back to lead the way after a 9-3 season. Henline has some newer targets to rely on this season, with a few ket returners like Aiden Scrogham, and he said he feels like the bond with them is coming along nicely.

“I haven’t had too much time to work with them yet, but we’re working on it,” he said. “Tyce Farrell is one of the big ones, and Maddox Meents is pretty good, and he’s only a sophomore. Braden Walker is really nice and has really good moves with it and Aiden Scrogham is just a beast in general.

Give him the ball and he’s going to go.” The Coalers won last year’s Lineman Challenge, which features weight lifting, tire flipping, relays and a tug of war, but Bradley-Bourbonnais took the title Saturday. The Boilermakers’ experienced offensive line, anchored by seniors Tyrell Berry and Kolten Byrne, will be a big factor for a team that has several key skill players to replace.

“I’m feeling very good and confident with this group,” Berry said. “With our OC [Cornell] Middlebrook, everything is falling into place and pieces are clicking. We’re moving well, we’re moving as a unit

and I think we’ll have a very dynamic offense this year, even if everybody thinks we won’t.” For Manteno , this offseason is the first in three years where the team is looking for a new starting quarterback, with three-year starter and career rushing touchdown record-holder Connor Harrod now gone. Head coach RJ Haines said Logan Bufford and Carter Stell both did a good job Saturday in their first reps against a defense outside of practice.

“This is the first time we’ve played against somebody else, so we just wanted to see it live,” he said. “Anytime you have a new quarterback you have a lot of teaching. But both the kids we’ve got working there have responded well, and they showed good steps in the right direction today.”