Class 6A
(6) Washington Panthers (8-2) at (14) Centennial Chargers (6-4), 2 p.m.
➜ Coaches: Kyle Jackson (9-14 in three seasons at Centennial); Darrell Crouch (138-47 in 17 seasons at Washington).
➜ First-round results: Centennial defeated (3) Chicago Kenwood 20-7; Washington defeated (11) Normal West 14-7.
➜ Chargers to watch: Brady Boatright (Sr., QB; 8 of 17 passing, 102 yards, 2 TDs against Kenwood); Jack Young Jr. (Sr., WR/LB; 5 receptions, 56 yards, 2 TDs against Kenwood, including game-winning TD); Rahmello Law (Sr., WR/DB; 2 INTs, 1 INT return for TD against Kenwood).
➜ Panthers to watch: Thomas Borges (Sr., RB; 176 carries, 1,294 yards, 13 TDs; 7 receptions, 135 yards, 1 TD; 7 kickoff returns, 147 yards); Jase Harlan (Soph., RB/LB; 53 tackles, 8 TFLs); EJ Phillips (Jr., RB/LB; 50 tackles, 8 TFLs, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries).
➜ Pick: Washington 28, Centennial 20.
Class 5A
(6) Triad Knights (8-2) at
(3) Mahomet-Seymour
Bulldogs (10-0), 5 p.m.
➜ Coaches: Paul Bassler (145-94 in 24 seasons at Triad); Jon Adkins (17-8 in three seasons at Mahomet-Seymour).
➜ First-round results: Triad defeated (11) Hillcrest 20-19; Mahomet-Seymour defeated (14) Jacksonville 50-8.
➜ Knights to watch: Nic Funk (Jr., QB; 33 of 74 passing, 521 yards, 4 TDs, 4 INTs; 106 carries, 278 yards, 10 TDs); Jackson Buck (Sr., FB; 123 carries, 642 yards, 6 TDs); Kaden Marmon (Sr., LB; 84 tackles, 5 sacks).
➜ Bulldogs to watch: Wyatt Bohm (Jr., QB; 155 of 257 passing, 2,687 yards, 24 TDs; 7 INTs); Dream Eagle (Sr., WR; 46 receptions, 718 yards, 7 TDs); Jack Gallier (Soph., OL/DL; 72 tackles, 15 TFLs, 5 sacks).
➜ Pick: Mahomet-Seymour 34, Triad 24.
Class 3A
(7) Prairie Central Hawks (8-2) at (2) Princeton Tigers (9-1), 1 p.m.
➜ Coaches: Andrew Quain (21-6 in three seasons at Prairie Central); Ryan Pearson (36-13 in five seasons at Princeton).
➜ First-round results: Prairie Central defeated (10) Chicago King 55-0; Princeton defeated (15) North Boone 47-14.
➜ Hawks to watch: Drew Fehr (Jr., RB/LB; 181 carries, 1,063 yards, 9 TDs; 4 kickoff returns, 148 yards, 1 TD; 85 tackles, 4 TFLs, 2 sacks); Camden Palmore (Jr., RB/LB; 95 carries, 824 yards, 9 TDs; 5 receptions, 163 yards, 2 TDs; 61 tackles, 5 TFLs); Jackson Livengood (Jr., OL/DL; 50 tackles, 7 TFLs, 3 sacks).
➜ Tigers to watch: Teegan Davis (Jr., QB/FS; 92 of 167 passing, 1,536 yards, 18 TDs, 5 INTs; 103 carries, 934 yards, 16 TDs; 52 tackles, 2 INTs); Augie Christiansen (Jr., RB/OLB; 129 carries, 841 yards, 11 TDs; 64 tackles, 2 INTs); Drew Harp (Sr., G/MLB; 90 tackles, 2 sacks).
➜ Pick: Prairie Central 30, Princeton 24.
(8) Paxton-Buckley-Loda Panthers (7-3) at (1) Unity Rockets (10-0), 2 p.m.
➜ Coaches: Josh Pritchard (19-7 in three seasons at Paxton-Buckley-Loda); Scott Hamilton (259-64 in 28 seasons at Unity).
➜ First-round results: PBL defeated (9) Eureka 24-6; Unity defeated (16) Newton 46-6.
➜ Panthers to watch: Tyler Smith (Sr., RB/LB; 203 carries, 1,515 yards, 13 TDs; 59 tackles, 5 TFLs); Mason Bruns (Sr., QB/DB; 71 of 115 passing, 801 yards, 4 TDs, 3 INTs; 39 carries, 220 yards, 6 TDs); Charlie Pound (Sr., WR/DB; 20 receptions, 145 yards, 59 tackles).
➜ Rockets to watch: Matt Brown (Jr., RB; 192 carries, 1,426 yards, 20 TDs); Dillon Rutledge (Sr., WR; 68 receptions, 819 yards, 9 TDs); Austin McDaniel (Sr., DL; 57 tackles, 4 sacks).
➜ Pick: Unity 35, Paxton-Buckley-Loda 14.
(6) Monticello Sages (8-2) at (3) Benton Rangers (10-0), 2 p.m.
➜ Coaches: Cully Welter (109-32 in 13 seasons at Monticello); Justin Groves (25-11 in four seasons at Benton).
➜ First-round results: Monticello defeated (11) Greenville 42-7; Benton defeated (14) Southwestern 42-0.
➜ Sages to watch: Joey Sprinkle (Sr., QB/FS; 153 of 239 passing, 2,368 yards, 25 TDs, 7 INTs; 104 carries, 551 yards, 12 TDs); Spencer Mitze (Jr., TE/LB; 33 receptions, 415 yards, 1 TD; 431/2 tackles, 11 TFLs); Jacob Tackett (Sr., TB/CB; 100 carries, 584 yards, 7 TDs; 18 receptions, 484 yards, 7 TDs; 23 tackles, 2 INTs, 4 pass breakups).
➜ Rangers to watch: Keegan Glover (Sr., QB; 118 of 156 passing, 1,862 yards, 27 TD, 3 INTs; 69 carries, 530 yards, 15 TDs); Wyatt Upton (Jr., RB/LB; 93 carries, 631 yards, 10 TDs; 7 receptions, 147 yards, 1 TD; 47 tackles, 91/2 TFLs); Chase Thomas (Sr., WR/SS; 15 receptions, 292 yards, 2 TDs; 121 tackles, 14 TFLs).
➜ Pick: Monticello 36, Benton 35.
Class 2A(6) Nashville Hornets (9-1) at
(3) Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-
Alvin Blue Devils (10-0), 1 p.m.
➜ Coaches: Stephen Kozuszek (38-11 in five seasons at Nashville); Mark Dodd (114-40 in 14 seasons at Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin).
➜ First-round results: Nashville defeated (11) Mendon Unity 48-20; Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin defeated (14) North Mac 35-6.
➜ Hornets’ statistics to know: Average nearly 45 points per game while allowing fewer than 11 points per game; lone loss was 26-21 on Sept. 3 to Freeburg, which is playing in a Class 4A second-round game.
➜ Blue Devils to watch: Dawson Dodd (Sr., QB/DB; 83 of 108 passing, 1,499 yards, 28 TDs, 4 INTs; 66 carries, 389 yards, 8 TDs; 26 tackles); Rhett Harper (Sr., RB/LB; 114 carries, 1,048 yards, 11 TDs; 11 receptions, 156 yards, 3 TDs; 49 tackles, 5 TFLs, 2 pass deflections); Jace Waterman (Jr., TE/LB; 52 tackles, 14 TFLs, 7 sacks).
➜ Pick: Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin 32, Nashville 24.
Class 1A
(8) Iroquois West Raiders (8-2) at (1) Abingdon-Avon Tornadoes (9-1), 1 p.m.
➜ Coaches: Jason Thiele (9-7 in two seasons at Iroquois West); Rick Quinn (66-47 in 12 season at Abingdon-Avon).
➜ First-round results: Iroquois West defeated (9) Monmouth United 35-26; Abingdon-Avon defeated (16) Kewanee-Wethersfield 14-8.
➜ Raiders to watch: Trystyn Schacht (Jr., RB/LB; 204 carries, 1,779 yards, 20 TDs; 38 tackles); Gabe Alvarez (Sr., FB/LB; 16 carries, 86 yards, 3 TDs; 63 tackles, 3 QB hurries, 11 pass deflections); Damian Melgoza (Jr., RB/LB/PK; 26 of 34 PATs, 2 of 3 FGs, long FG of 46 yards; 53 tackles, 4 pass deflections).
➜ Tornadoes to watch: Easten Schisler (Sr., QB; 69 of 115 passing, 1,058 yards, 15 TDs, 4 INTs; 79 carries, 586 yards, 10 TDs); Drake DeJaynes (Sr., RB/OLB; 99 carries, 563 yards, 5 TDs; 6 receptions, 73 yards; 57 tackles); Leighton Damewood (Sr., RB/OLB; 52 tackles, 19 TFLs, 31/2 sacks, 6 forced fumbles).
➜ Pick: Iroquois West 27, Abingdon-Avon 24.
(5) St. Bede Bruins (8-2) at
(13) Ridgeview/Lexington
Mustangs (6-4), 1 p.m.
➜ Coaches: Jim Eustice (32-31 in seven seasons at St. Bede); Hal Chiodo (6-4 in one season at Ridgeview/Lexington).
➜ First-round results: St. Bede defeated (12) Chicago Hope Academy 30-19; Ridgeview/Lexington defeated (4) Rushville-Inudstry 34-6.
➜ Bruins to watch: John Brady (Jr., QB/FS; 71 of 145 passing, 1,526 yards, 11 TDs, 6 INTs; 132 carries, 629 yards, 3 TDs; 23 tackles); Tyreke Fortney (Sr., WR/DB; 38 receptions, 972 yards, 10 TDs); Anton Cain (Sr., WR/LB; 58 tackles, 7 TFLs, 3 sacks, 3 INTs).
➜ Mustangs to watch: Kaden Farrell (Jr., RB/OLB; 228 carries, 1,616 yards, 15 TDs; 12 receptions, 205 yards, 3 TDs); Tyler Atkins (Jr., G/NG; 83 tackles, 5 TFLs); Logan Friedmansky (Jr., RB/DB; 42 carries, 374 yards, 4 TDs; 6 receptions, 81 yards; 1 kickoff return TD; 49 tackles, 5 pass deflections, 1 blocked kick).
➜ Pick: St. Bede 20, Ridgeview/Lexington 17.
(5) Arcola Purple Riders (8-2)
at (13) Brown County Hornets (6-4), 2 p.m.
➜ Coaches: Nick Lindsey (36-12 in five seasons at Arcola); Tom Little (129-75 in 20 seasons at Brown County).
➜ First-round results: Arcola defeated (12) West Central 31-12; Brown County defeated (4) Cumberland 24-14.
➜ Purple Riders to watch: Beau Edwards (Sr., QB/DB; 45 of 95 passing, 717 yards, 12 TDs, 3 INTs; 72 carries, 352 yards, 5 TDs; 52 tackles, 8 INTs, 1 INT return TD, 1 fumble recovery); Jed Jones (Sr., RB/LB; 110 carries, 647 yards, 8 TDs; 52 tackles, 9 TFLs, 2 INT, 1 INT return TD); Tanner Thomas (Fr., WR/QB/DB; 21 receptions, 405 yards, 8 TDs; 2 kickoff return TDs; 1 INT).
➜ Hornets’ statistics to know: Average nearly 21 points per game while allowing fewer than 21 points per game; lost last three regular-season games by a combined 120-40 margin, versus teams with a combined 21-6 regular-season record.
➜ Pick: Arcola 40, Brown County 21.
8-Man
(8) Milford/Cissna Park Bearcats (7-3) at (1) Polo Marcos (10-0), 2 p.m.
➜ Coaches: Clint Schwartz (48-33 in nine seasons at Milford/Cissna Park); Ted Alston (59-59 in 12 seasons at Polo).
➜ First-round results: Milford/Cissna Park defeated Pawnee 38-20; Polo defeated West Prairie 66-16.
➜ Bearcats to watch: Sawyer Laffoon (Jr., QB/DB; 80 of 146 passing, 1,367 yards, 17 TDs, 9 INTs; 56 carries, 381 yards, 7 TDs; 30 tackles); Sam Kaeb (Sr., WR/LB; 64 carries, 654 yards, 9 TDs; 20 receptions, 405 yards, 4 TDs; 3 fumble recoveries); Angel Salinas (Sr., RB/DB; 102 carries, 596 yards, 4 TDs; 23 receptions, 398 yards, 3 TDs; 15 tackles, 3 fumble recoveries).
➜ Marcos to watch: Avery Grenoble (Jr., RB/LB; 118 carries, 892 yards, 17 TDs; 8 receptions, 205 yards, 2 TDs); Brock Soltow (Soph., RB/DB; 108 carries, 1,078 yards, 17 TDs; 7 receptions, 160 yards, 2 TDs); Tyler Merdian (Sr., QB; 28 of 46 passing, 669 yards, 10 TDs, 2 INTs; 33 carries, 210 yards, 3 TDs).
➜ Pick: Polo 54, Milford/Cissna Park 38.
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