If the rugged slate in the Interstate 8 wasn’t enough for the Rochelle football team, the nonconference portion of it provided quite a test also, with all four opponents playoff bound.

Starting with a renewal of a storied rivalry with Geneseo, a trip to Chicago against King, hosting the state’s premier 1A program in Lena-Winslow and ending with a 27-6 win over a Waterloo team that traveled 290 miles to Rochelle, it was a diverse challenge each week.

“Those are sustained, successful programs,” Rochelle coach Kyle Kissack said. “For us to finish at 6-3 is a credit to our kids and a testament to how well they responded to adversity.”

The Hubs racked up 318 yards rushing and other than a fumble at the 5-yard line on the opening drive, they were unstoppable.

“It was old-fashioned football

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