The Peoria region is buzzing with anticipation as the 2026 high school football season draws near, and the local media has identified ten quarterbacks who stand out among the incoming crop of signal‑callers. Their performances last year set the stage for what many expect to be a competitive and exciting year for area teams.
Seasoned Leaders
Owen Adams returns after guiding El Paso‑Gridley to a 12‑1 record and earning first‑team all‑state honors, while Zack Day helped Deer Creek‑Mackinaw reach the Class 1A second round with a strong aerial display. Brody Fritz, who threw for 1,684 yards and 15 touchdowns at Morton, looks to build on a game‑winning drive against Dunlap, and Noah Garcia, the first‑year starter for Washington, combines passing and rushing threats that totaled over 1,500 yards of offense. Carson Noy, a sophomore who led Farmington to a Class 2A quarterfinal berth, already boasts more than 2,200 passing yards and 27 touchdowns.
New Faces and Transitions
Tyler Hammond is making a high‑profile switch from running back to quarterback at Limestone, hoping to snap a 24‑game losing streak that has plagued the Rockets. Christian Nelson will start under center for Metamora after a brief backup stint that included 36 passing yards and one touchdown, while Eli O’Donnell brings transfer experience from Richwoods, where he threw for 583 yards and seven scores. Zach Pribaz, though limited in action for Peoria Notre Dame, contributed 196 yards and a playoff touchdown, and Matthew Stropes II, fresh from a baseball season in which he pitched 31.1 innings with 34 strikeouts, is set to inherit the starting role at Pekin.
Each of these quarterbacks faces distinct challenges: Adams must defend a strong state ranking, Day aims to push his team past the second round, Fritz seeks to replicate his clutch performance, Garcia hopes to sustain his dual‑threat production, and Noy looks to maintain Farmington’s deep playoff pedigree. Meanwhile, Hammond, Nelson, O’Donnell, Pribaz, and Stropes II must prove they can lead their programs out of past disappointments and into new competitive heights. The upcoming schedule will test their abilities against rival schools, and the community will be watching closely as these signal‑callers attempt to turn preseason expectations into tangible success on the field.