Class 6A

No. 15 Shepard (4-5) at No. 2 Bradley-Bourbonnais (8-1)

About the Astros: One of two four-win teams in the Class 6A field, the Astros won all four of their games through the red division of the South Suburban Conference, where they went 4-2 to finish third. They do enter the playoffs on a three-game winning streak. It’s the second straight playoff trip for Shepard, which is in the field for the fifth time since head coach John Rone took over in 2018.

About the Boilermakers: Bradley-Bourbonnais went for a season-high 53 points in a Week 9 win against Andrew, the feather in the cap of a remarkably consistent offense that’s averaging 38.8 points per game. Senior quarterback Ellis Johnson has several legitimate weapons, namely classmates Lyzale Edmon at receiver and Calvin Kohl at tight end, and a sturdy offensive line that’s kept him upright. Edmon and Kohl are also two of the biggest defensive pieces to a unit that’s had standout performances against robust offenses like Lincoln-Way West and Crete-Monee. The Boilers shared the Southwest Valley Conference Red Division crown with West and Lincoln-Way Central.

Class 5A

No. 13 Lemont (5-4) at No. 4 Kankakee (6-3)

About Lemont: Lemont is a fixture in the playoffs, making an 11th straight appearance. It went 5-1 in the South Suburban Blue, with its only loss to 8-1 Oak Forest. The other losses were also to playoff teams – Libertyville (5-4), Kaneland (7-2) and Richards (8-1), the top seed in Class 7A. Lemont has wins over playoff qualifiers TF North (6-3) and Hillcrest (5-4).

About the Kays: Kankakee had a six-game winning streak snapped in a 27-14 loss to Crete-Monee in Week 9, but from Weeks 3-8, not many teams in Class 5A looked as lethal at the Kays. Their 28-17 win at Normal in Week 4 stood all year as one of the best wins in the state, a game in which All-State candidate Cedric Terrell III exemplified his two-way stardom by catching a pair of touchdowns and returning an interception for a third. He and quarterback Phillip Turner were both injured in Week 9, and while Terrell III later returned, Turner didn’t. They’ll obviously prefer to have the maestro of their offense back, but with a ton of talent on both sides of the ball, the Kays plan on a deep run with or without him.

Class 4A

No. 12 Sterling (6-3) at No. 5 Coal City (7-2)

About the Golden Warriors: The Golden Warriors won five of their last six games and finished third in the Western Big 6 Conference behind Moline and Geneseo. They lost 36-20 to Moline, 31-10 to Geneseo and 43-14 to Metamora. Their best wins were over Quincy (38-17) and United Township (49-28). They are averaging 145 yards rushing per game this season, more than double from last season. QB Brady Berlin has been efficient in the pass game, throwing for 1,189 yards, 14 TDs and two interceptions. He has completed 67.6% of his passes. Track athlete Maurice De La Cruz leads the backfield with 501 yards and 11 TDs with a 7.6-yard average carry. Quincy Maas is Sterling’s leading receiver with 490 yards and six TDs on 31 catches. Jack Saathoff has 25 catches for 378 yards and four TDs. Wyatt Cassens has been a menace on defense with a team-high 8.5 sacks, 68 tackles (41 solo), 22.5 for a loss, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

About the Coalers: Coal City, a defending state semifinalist, has its eyes set on another trip at least that far this fall, the program’s 14th postseason in a row. Save for losses to Wilmington and Richmond-Burton teams that are a combined 17-1, the Coalers have outscored opponents 347-48 in their seven wins. They’re big, strong and experienced in every position group on the field, and with the growth of junior quarterback Connor Henline this year, boast one of the most diverse offenses in Class 4A.

Class 3A

No. 14 Herscher (6-3) at No. 3 Bishop McNamara (9-0)

About the Tigers: Herscher has now officially snapped the Daily Journal area’s longest playoff drought as the Tigers are in the field of 256 for the first time since 2018. The senior-heavy Tigers bring considerable strength and size in the trenches, a running game led by Alek Draper, a passing game led by Tanner Jones and tons of gritty two-way players like WR/RB/DB Mason Roberts. They last met McNamara in the playoffs in 2014, a 21-18 win in the first round of the Class 4A field.

About the Fightin’ Irish: It’s been a mammoth comeback season for Bishop McNamara, which snapped a program-long three-year playoff drought, a 15-year conference title drought by claiming the Chicagoland Christian Conference and given the storied program its first perfect regular season since 1998. Led by the dynamite duo of running back Julius May (19 TDs) and slot receiver Malachi Lee, their spread option run game has been their bread and butter, but don’t overlook quarterback Karter Krutsinger’s dual threat abilities either. Defensively, they’ve allowed just 20 total points in five home games. These two teams met at Herscher in Week 2, a 45-28 Irish win.

No. 12 Manteno (6-3) at No. 5 Monmouth-Roseville (8-1)

About the Panthers: After back-to-back midseason losses to powerhouses Wilmington and Coal City by a combined 104-0 tally, Manteno’s buckled down to play its best football down the stretch. Owners of a current three-game winning streak, the Panthers have gotten healthy at the right time and have seen three-year senior quarterback Connor Harrod continue to excel with both his arm and legs. Veteran head coach RJ Haines has a knack for the postseason, leading Iroquois West to a state title in 2003 while defensive coordinator Kurt Belisle and line coach Joe Bertrand won state championships with Bishop McNamara in 2016.

About the Titans: It’s Monmouth-Roseville’s fifth straight playoff trip, but the Titans have advanced out of the first round just once in that span and haven’t made the quarterfinals since 2018. They head into the playoffs with a ton of momentum after controlling a solid Sterling Newman Catholic team 40-7 in Week 9. The Titans boast a pair of 1,000 yard rushers in Nick Huston (1,354 yards) and Landon Montroy (1,053).

Class 2A

No. 12 Hamilton/Warsaw (6-3) at No. 5 Wilmington (8-1)

About the Titans: For the first time since 2018, the Titans are back in the postseason after winning a total of six games from 2019-2024. After losing three of the first four games, the Titans enter the playoffs on a five-game winning streak, including a 32-0 Week 9 win against Walther Christian, which forfeited near the end of the first quarter. They finished fourth in the large division of the Lincoln Land-Prairie Trail Conference with a 4-3 record.

About the Wildcats: There hasn’t been a postseason without Wilmington since 1995, and with the Wildcats falling back into Class 2A this year, they’ll look to accomplish what they did last time that happened two years ago – win a state championship. Their lone loss came back in Week 1, a last-minute 27-20 loss at Morris, and since then they’ve rattled off eight straight wins, all by at least 23 points, to cruise to their third straight Illinois Central eight Conference title. They’re entering the second season full of momentum after going for over 500 rushing yards in a statement-making 44-21 win against rival Coal City in the regular season finale.

Class 1A

No. 13 Knoxville (5-4) at No. 4 Clifton Central (8-1)

About the Blue Bullets: Knoxville is back in the field for the 23rd time in school history after missing the postseason in 2024. The Blue Bullets enjoyed a three-game winning streak in Weeks 2-4, but since then have gone 2-3 with all three losses by at least four touchdowns.

About the Comets: Clifton Central is back where its program is used to residing come late October as the Comets are back near the top of the postseason list after a dominant 8-1 regular season. They’ve got two-year and three-year two-way starters all over the field, which has allowed continuity under first-year coach Jeff Perzee. The offense is averaging 43.7 points per game and has scored at least 44 points each of the past three weeks. The defense saw some areas to work on after allowing 30 points to Salt Fork in Week 9, but they’ve allowed two touchdowns or less five times. It’s the 32nd postseason appearance for the Comets.

Illinois 8-Man Football Association

No. 11 Metro-East Lutheran (7-2) at No. 6 St. Anne (8-1)

About the Knights: The Knights have a long bus ride up from Edwardsville, and they’ll hope their explosive offense that averages 51 points per game can get off the bus ready to face St. Anne’s devastating defense. Their two losses have come by just nine total points, a 58-50 loss to South Fork/Ediburg/Morrisonville in Week 6 and a 21-20 loss to Pawnee/Lincolnwood in Week 8.

About the Cardinals: St. Anne enters the postseason after its best-ever regular season for a program in its third year back after a five-decade hiatus. The core of the Cardinals roster is made up of several seniors who have been cornerstones of the program since their 8-Man days began. They’re on a four-game winning streak, scoring no less than 54 points in each of those games, led by the dual-threat abilities of quarterback Grant Pomaranski and senior classmates Quinton Thompsen in the backfield and Matthew Langellier out wide. Defensively, they’ve held seven of their nine opponents to two touchdowns or less.

No. 12 Milford/Cissna Park (6-3) at No. 5 Amboy (8-1)

About the Clippers: The Clippers are the two-time defending Illinois 8-Man state champions. Amboy has played in three consecutive state championship games. … The Clippers have won eight games in a row since a 30-22 Week 1 loss to Milledgeville. … Amboy has scored 46 points or more in all eight wins and have eclipsed 60 points four times. The Clippers have held their last eight opponents to 18 points or less, including four games of eight points or less. … Amboy has beaten three playoff teams - Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland, Galva and West Central - by a combined 166-38. … The Clippers beat Milford-Cissna Park 30-28 in the second round of the 2022 playoffs.

About the Bearcats: Milford/Cissna Park’s streak of making every I8FA postseason is still alive, as the inaugural state champions in 2018 have yet to miss the field. Dual threat quarterback Dierks Neukomm conducts an offense that’s reached the 40-point mark five times in 2025. The Bearcats do enter the postseason in a bit of a funk, losing their last two games by a combined 93-56 tally.

-Drake Lansman, Kevin Chlum and Rob Oesterle contributed to this report.