Class 3A

No. 16 North Boone (5-4) at No. 1 Richmond-Burton (9-0)

When: TBD

About North Boone: North Boone won two of its final three regular-season games with shutouts, beating Rockford Lutheran 55-0 and Stillman Valley 27-0 in Weeks 7 and 8. The Vikings lost their finale to Byron 61-7. North Boone is in the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. The Vikings missed a year ago at 4-5.

About Richmond-Burton: The Rockets finished a perfect regular season by shutting out Plano 48-0 and are in the playoffs for the 18th straight season. Last year’s team lost in the first round of the 4A field to St. Laurence 35-17. ... R-B is led by electric sophomore RB Hunter Carley, who ran for six TDs in a Week 8 win over Marengo that clinched the KRC title and gave coach Mike Noll his 300th career victory. R-B averages 40.7 points a game and allows 8.8. The Rockets recorded three shutouts during the regular season (Harvard, Woodstock North and Plano).

No. 10 Pecatonica (6-3) at No. 7 Johnsburg (7-2)

When: TBD

About Pecatonica: The Rivermen averaged 35.3 points a game and allowed 20.4 in a 6-3 regular season. Pecatonica lost its final two games of the regular season – and three of its last four overall – to Stockton 18-14 and Lena-Winslow 40-20. The Rivermen are in the playoffs for the second year in a row. They lost to Wilmington 22-13 in the quarterfinals in 2024 after beating Genoa-Kingston (66-0) and Paxton-Buckley-Loda co-op 33-6 in the first two rounds.

About Johnsburg: The Skyhawks are in the playoffs for the second year in a row following a solid 7-2 season with losses only to KRC champion Richmond-Burton and Woodstock North. Last year’s team lost to Coal City 41-13 in the first round of the 4A playoffs. Johnsburg pulled away from Harvard in Week 9 for a 31-14 victory after the teams were tied at halftime. ... QB Carter Block, WR Ryan Franze and RB Duke Mays give the Skyhawks a potentially-explosive offense, although the defense has arguably been the team’s best unit, allowing 17.1 points a game.

Class 4A

No. 9 Peoria Notre Dame (7-2) at No. 8 Marengo (7-2)

When: TBD

About Peoria Notre Dame: The Irish won their seventh straight game with a 54-13 win over Danville in Week 9. Notre Dame’s two losses were to Normal West (34-14) in Week 1 and Peoria (58-31) in Week 2. The offense averaged 43.1 points a game. Last year’s Irish won a first-round playoff game against reigning state champion Rochester, 59-58 in overtime. They lost to Mt. Zion 43-29 in the second round.

About Marengo: The Indians bounced back from a loss to KRC champion Richmond-Burton in Week 8 with a convincing 46-27 win over upset-minded Sandwich. Sam Vandello tossed three touchdowns in the Week 9 victory to get Marengo to seven wins. The Indians are in the playoffs for the second year in a row after missing in 2023. Last year’s team fell to Dixon 35-14 in the first round. Marengo averages 25.2 points a game on offense and 26.2 points a game on defense.

No. 13 Woodstock North (6-3) at No. 4 Dixon (8-1)

When: TBD

About Woodstock North: The Thunder left no doubt and made a major statement in Week 9 with a 49-0 win against crosstown rival Woodstock. Both teams entered the regular-season finale with identical 5-3 records. David Randecker became the school’s all-time leading rusher in the victory. North is in the playoffs for the second year in a row under first-year coach Jeremiah Homuth after ending a six-year drought. Last year’s team was the only KRC team to win a playoff game with a 34-24 win over Freeport. The Thunder lost to Nazareth 42-20 in the second round. North enters the playoffs averaging 31.4 points a game and allowing 12.1.

About Dixon: Outside of a 28-7 loss to Byron in Week 2, the Dukes have been dominant. Dixon has five shutouts this season and allowed 15 points or less in two other wins. The team is averaging 50 points a game this season. RB Landon Knigge leads the offense with 1,845 yards rushing and 32 touchdowns. He is averaging 15 yards per carry and ran for a single-game school record 447 yards to end the season against Genoa-Kingston. QB Jagger Kemp has thrown for 635 yards, 11 TDs and one interception. Jake Whelan leads the defense with 64 tackles and two interceptions.

No. 15 Woodstock (5-4) at No. 2 Morris (8-1)

When: TBD

About Woodstock: The Blue Streaks ended the season with a shutout loss to rival Woodstock North, but they still have plenty to celebrate as a playoff team for the first time since 2009, when they went 9-4. Woodstock’s five wins are its most in 16 years. The team is led offensively by QB Caden Thompson and a talented group of wide receivers in Matthew Cress and Cash White. Woodstock’s last trip to to the playoffs in 2009 ended in the 5A state semifinals with a 42-24 loss to Montini.

About Morris: Morris rolled through the regular season largely on the strength of its defense. It held Wilmington, Mahomet-Seymour, Peoria, LaSalle-Peru, Ottawa and Sycamore to their lowest point totals of the season. It is the sixth straight playoff appearance for Morris and 39th since the playoffs started in 1974. Running back Caeden Curran has been the workhorse, but he has gotten plenty of help from Mick Smith and Keegan Kjellesvik, among others. Quarterback Brady Varner is also a threat to run when he isn’t throwing passes to the likes of RJ Kennedy, Logan Conroy and Logan Sparrow. The defense is spearheaded by LBs Smith, Curran, Owen Olson and a deep rotation along the defensive line.

Class 5A

No. 16 Vernon Hills (5-4) at No. 1 Prairie Ridge (9-0)

When: TBD

About Vernon Hills: The Cougars won their final four games to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Last year’s Vernon Hills team finished with only one win. The Cougars beat Maine East (35-0), Niles West (27-6), Maine West (14-7) and Niles North (35-22) to make the postseason field.

About Prairie Ridge: The Wolves wrapped up a perfect regular season, their second in three years, and Fox Valley Conference championship with a 54-26 win against Crystal Lake South in Week 9. Quarterback Luke Vanderwiel leads a Prairie Ridge offense averaging almost 40 points a game. Prairie Ridge is in the playoffs for the 12th season in a row. Last year’s Wolves beat Chicago Goode STEM Academy 65-6 in the first round and lost to St. Francis 30-21 in the second round. Vanderwiel started for Prairie Ridge in the loss to St. Francis after not playing since Week 6 with an injury.

No. 11 Sycamore (5-4) at No. 6 Cary-Grove (7-2)

When: TBD

About Sycamore: The Spartans may or may not have gotten in with four wins, but they went down to Chaokia, 7-1 entering Week 9, and escaped with a 30-28 win thanks to a late Josh Puleo field goal and more than 400 rushing yards. Liam Arhos led the attack with 212 yards on 20 carries. Kevin Lee ran 27 times for 135 yards and a touchdown while Cooper Bode had 10 carries, 53 yards and three touchdowns. Dylan Curtis had 12 tackles and forced a fumble in the win. Five of the Spartans’ nine games have been decided by a touchdown or less. They’re 4-1 in those games. In games decided by 20 or more points, they are 1-3.

About Cary-Grove: The Trojans beat Jacobs 44-22 behind three 100-yard rushers in their Week 9 finale, giving C-G a seven-game winning streak headed into the playoffs. The team lost to FVC champion Prairie Ridge in Week 1 and FVC runner-up Burlington Central in Week 2. C-G’s turnaround coincided with the return of standout fullback Logan Abrams. The Trojans are in the playoffs for the 20th time in the past 21 seasons. Last year’s team advanced to the 6A semifinals after winning the championship in 2023 by upsetting East St. Louis. ... C-G beat Chicago Senn (71-6), Antioch (41-8) and Belvidere North (42-7) in the 2024 playoffs before losing to Geneva (28-26) in the semifinals.

Class 6A

No. 15 Libertyville (5-4) at No. 2 Burlington Central (8-1)

When: TBD

About Libertyville: Libertyville is in the playoffs for the sixth straight season, winning four out of its final five games to reach the Class 6A field. The Wildcats lost their Week 9 game to Warren 49-21. They’ve scored 205 points (22.8 a game) and allowed 181 (20.1 a game) this season. Last year’s Libertyville team beat Deerfield (43-17) in the first round and bowed out of the playoffs with a 23-17 loss to Lake Forest.

About Burlington Central: The Rockets coasted to a 42-6 win against Dundee-Crown, getting three touchdown passes from Landon Arnold, to finish as the FVC runner-up behind Prairie Ridge. Central’s only loss during the regular season came against Prairie Ridge in Week 4 (28-7). The tough Rockets defense allowed less than 10 points a game in the regular season, including a total of 26 points in their final four games. Central enters back-to-back playoff trips on a five-game winning streak. Last year’s team defeated Grant 42-14 in a first-round game and lost to Geneva 42-28 in the second round.

Class 7A

No. 22 Jacobs (6-3) at No. 11 Addison Trail (8-1)

When: TBD

About Jacobs: The Golden Eagles ended the regular season with a loss to Cary-Grove 44-22, but Jacobs will play in the postseason for a school-record fifth year in a row. The Eagles have been a run-heavy team while leaning on Caden DuMelle, Michael Cannady and Justin Gonzalez in the backfield. The team’s Week 9 loss to C-G ended a five-game winning streak. Last year’s Eagles dropped their first-round playoff game to Bradley Bourbonnais 34-27. Jacobs averages 34.4 points a game on offense and 23.7 points a game on defense.

About Addison Trail: Addison Trail ended the season on a seven-game winning streak. The Trail Blazers only loss was to the Kishwaukee River Conference’s Johnsburg in a defensive showdown. Addison Trail lost that game 7-6 but still have managed to average 31.9 points a game this season. Addison Trail has qualified for the 7A playoffs in three straight years.

Class 8A

No. 29 Huntley (5-4) at No. 4 Fremd (8-1)

When: TBD

About Huntley: The Red Raiders rallied and won their final two games to reach the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. Sophomore running back Chase Hojnacki ran for five TDs in Huntley’s 42-25 win over Hampshire in Week 9 to clinch the playoff spot. Huntley was among the FVC’s highest-scoring offenses during the season at 31.4 points a game, led by Hojnacki and sophomore QB Malik Carter (five TD passes in Week 8 win against McHenry). Last year’s team lost to West Aurora 31-21 in the first round of the playoffs.

About Fremd: Fremd was 4-1 and finished second in the Mid-Suburban-West Conference, trailing only champion Barrington, which went 5-0 in the conference. Fremd has allowed only 95 points this season, while the offense is averaging 34.1 points a game. The Vikings are in the playoffs for the second straight year. Last year’s team made its first postseason appearance since 2019. Fremd lost to Naperville Central 31-28 in the second round last year.

Illinois 8-Man Football Association

No. 9 Alden-Hebron (7-2) at No. 8 South Beloit (7-2)

About Alden-Hebron: The Giants ended the regular season with a 26-8 win over Ashton-Franklin Center. A-H will travel to South Beloit for the first round of the playoffs after the Sobos won easily 49-7 in the teams’ Week 6 matchup in Hebron. That was A-H’s first defeat after a 5-0 start to the campaign. A-H lost its playoff opener last year to Polo 58-20.

About South Beloit: The Sobos have an identical 7-2 record as the Giants, but they won the Northeastern Athletic Conference title at 4-0. South Beloit averages 36.9 points a game. The Sobos dropped their playoff opener last year to Milledgeville (52-0).