After last season’s run to the IHSA Class 7A quarterfinals marked its longest postseason run in nine years, Bradley-Bourbonnais hit the Class 6A playoffs running with a 42-21 win over Shepard on Friday looking to start off another lengthy playoff push.

Spearheaded by productive nights from Isaac Allison and Ky’ren Edmon, the Boilermakers ran for 264 yards on their home field. They also got a pair of return touchdowns from Jamir Burt, one on a punt and one on a kickoff.

“We have a lot of guys that can do a lot of stuff,” Burt said. “What the coaches tell us it to ‘be your one out of 11, and do your job so everybody else can do their job.’ We’ll be good if we all do our job. We’ll succeed.”

The Boilermaker offense got off to a bit of a slow start with a turnover on downs on the opening possession of the game, but after the defense forced a punt, Edmon got the Boilermakers on the board with an 89-yard touchdown run on the second play of the drive.

The Boilermakers’ next big play came on the first play of the second quarter when Burt returned a punt around 70 yards to make it 14-0. Later in the quarter, Allison added a 36-yard touchdown run.

Allison’s 52-yard touchdown run came on the Boilermakers’ first play of the third quarter, with Edmon adding a four-yard score with 3:01 to go in the third.

Burt capped the scoring for Bradley-Bourbonnais with a 90-yard kickoff return with 43 seconds to go in the game.

Senior receiver/defensive back Lyzale Edmon, the team’s leading receiver with 37 catches for 655 yards and 13 touchdowns, as well as senior safety Omari Taylor, whose 50 total tackles ranked third on the team in the regular season, were both unavailable for the game, with Boilers coach Mike Kohl optimistic the pair will be back next week.

“We’re really excited to have those guys back next week,” Kohl said. “They’re great kids and we’re excited to get them back next week.”

Lyzale Edmon’s absence in particular made things tough in the passing game.

Quarterback Ellis Johnson went 6 of 14 for 57 yards and an interception. He connected with Calvin Kohl twice for 20 yards while Burt added two catches for 17 yards.

That made the productive run game all the more vital. Allison finished 12 carries for 131 yards and two scores while Edmon had eight carries for 114 yards and two scores. Each had a catch as well, with Allison’s going for 15 yards and Edmon’s going for five.

Allison said that running behind Bradley-Bourbonnais’ experienced and talented offensive line certainly makes the job easier for him and his fellow backs.

“Seeing those guys work through the year, it builds big trust in those guys,” he said. “I can trust the play calls, trust where the gap is going to be. It’s really easy to have those guys in front of me so I can break one whenever I can.”

Shepard got on the board with 1:18 to go in the first half on a nine-yard run from Aarien Lee, but that was the only score the Boilermaker starters would allow.

With Bradley-Bourbonnais’ backups in, Shepard added two more touchdowns in the final five minutes of the game, a 20-yard touchdown from Billy Massey to Lee and a 36-yard touchdown from Massey to Brendin Thomas.

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Bradley-Bourbonnais' Issac Allison, center, carries the ball on a play against Shephard in a Class 6A playoff game on Friday, October 31, 2025. (Nicholas Holstein for Shaw Local)

Senior linebacker Nathan Lindsay had a tackle for loss, a pass breakup and also blocked a punt for the Boilermakers on Friday.

After the defense allowed a season high in points in Week 9’s 53-41 win over Andrew, Lindsay said it was nice to see the defense come out and make another statement.

“Day in and day out, people come in and they’re full steam ahead,” he said. “It’s just so much energy and it’s extremely fun to be around. Especially in games like this where people are playing their best, and especially in this type of atmosphere, it’s a special feeling.”

The Boilermakers (9-1) will head on the road for the second round to play St. Laurence. The Vikings picked up a 49-19 win over Oak Lawn in round one.

“We’re really excited about our kids and how we showed up,” Mike Kohl said. “(Shepard) came out and played really hard, and we knew they would. We’re happy with a win, winning at home here, and we get our eyes on St. Laurence now with a road game next week.

“...It’ll be a big challenge for us, and we’re excited about it.”