A closer look at the Class 2A state football championship game:
Althoff (10-3) vs. Mercer County (13-0)
Game time: 1 p.m. Friday
Location: Memorial Stadium, Champaign
TV: Charter Cable 8/90; DirecTV 665; Dish Network 429; Madison 8. Also being streamed live at www.ESPN3.com.
Mercer County players to watch: QB Tanner Matlick (114-for-183, 1,884 yards, 21 TDs, 3 int.; 76 carries, 202 yards, 10 TDs); WR Payton Holmes (37 catches, 562 yards, 10 TDs); WR Tyson Nylin (29 catches, 545 yards, 6 TDs); RB Zach Nelson (126 carries, 917 yards, 14 TDs; 16 catches, 233 yards, 1 TD); RB Logan Snyder (77 carries, 583 yards, 14 TDs); RB Jesse Snyder (91 carries, 674 yards, 7 TDs); LB Caleb King (106 tackles); LB Chris Neeld (129 tackles)
Coach: Nat Zunkel (43-13)
Mercer County and Aledo playoff history: Mercer County (formerly Aledo) won state championships in 1998 (2A), 2001 (2A) and 2002 (2A); finished second in 2005 and 2006. The Golden Eagles are 51-17 in the playoffs overall, 4-3 as Mercer County
Althoff players to watch: LB-OL Erik Furmanek (159 tackles, 4 int.); DL Merrick Jackson (76 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 int.); WR-RB Garland Henley (39 catches, 726 yards, 10 TDs; 86 carries, 385 yards, 5 TDs); QB Eric Mertens (175-for-299, 2,403 yards, 21 TDs, 16 int.); RB Dennis Jackson (228 carries, 984 yards, 12 TDs; 15 catches, 126 yards, 1 TD); WR-RB Nick Hawthorne (42 catches, 566 yards, 6 TDs; 37 carries, 299 yards, 3 TDs); LB Zach Donaldson (107 tackles, 4 int.)
Coach: Ken Turner (28-23)
Althoff playoff history: Althoff won state championships in 1980 (4A); 1989 (3A) and 1990 (3A); Crusaders are 33-15 in the playoffs
