Class 7A

No. 6 Brother Rice (9-1) at No. 22 Jacobs (7-3)

When: 6 p.m. Saturday

About the Crusaders: Brother Rice, which finished second in the CCL/ESCC Blue behind undefeated Mt. Carmel, beat No. 27 Jefferson 57-0 last week after first-round playoff losses each of the past two seasons. Senior quarterback and Army recruit C.J. Gray threw for 98 yards and three touchdowns, while running backs Jameson Davis and Decatur Washington each reached the end zone. Linebackers Charlie Barkmeier and Sean McGann each collected eight tackles. Defensive back Emeir White and receiver Jovan Green Jr., both South Dakota State recruits, contributed in the win as well. White had seven tackles, and Green scored on two catches for 23 yards. ... The Crusaders average 38.4 points a game and allow 10.9. Their shutout of Jefferson was their second (35-0 over Marist, Week 2) this season. ... Brother Rice’s only loss was to Mt. Carmel, 27-14, in Week 6.

About the Golden Eagles: Jacobs held off No. 11 Addison Trail 36-27 on Saturday for its first playoff win since 2021. RBs Caden DuMelle and Michael Cannady led a ground game that produced 331 yards. Cannady had 155 yards on 21 carries, while DuMelle rushed 19 times for 137 yards. DuMelle and Justin Gonzalez (four carries, 40 yards) each had two TDs, while Cannady had one. QB Austin Stennett, who didn’t throw his first pass until late in the first half, was 6 of 8 for 33 yards. ... For the season, DuMelle has rushed for 1,342 yards and 15 TDs. Cannady has 888 rushing yards and nine TDs, and Gonzalez has gained 411 yards and has scored eight TDs. WR Carson Goehring, who did not have a catch against Addison Trail, is the Eagles’ top receiver with 28 receptions for 313 yards and four TDs. ... Jacobs averages 34.6 points and game and allows 24 a game.

If Brother Rice wins: hosts No. 3 St. Charles North (9-1) or hosts No. 14 Carmel (8-2)

If Jacobs wins: hosts No. 3 St. Charles North (9-1) or visits No. 14 Carmel (8-2)

Friday Night Drive pick: Brother Rice

Class 6A

No. 7 Harlem (8-2) at No. 2 Burlington Central (9-1)

When: 6 p.m. Saturday

About the Huskies: Harlem went 7-2 in the NIC 10, finishing third behind undefeated Belvidere North and Rockford Guilford. The Huskies opened the playoffs by pounding No. Mather 62-0. It was their first shutout and most points scored in a game this season. ... Sophomore QB Braxton Fausett directs an offense that averages 38.8 points a game. Fausett has completed 68% of his 105 passes for 1,658 yards, 21 TDs and only one interception. Senior RB Dwayne Broom has rushed for a team-leading 646 yards (6.4 a carry) and eight TDs. Junior WRs Lebron McClelland (22 catches, 627 yards) and Jackson Cook (26 catches, 628 yards) have eight TDs apiece. ... The defense, which allows 13.7 points a game, is led by senior LB Brenyn Brickson (73 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks) and junior DT Noah Crandall (54 tackles, 12.5 TFLs, 10 sacks). ... Not counting the COVID-19 season in 2020, the Huskies have played postseason ball every year since 2008.

About the Rockets: Burlington Central beat No. 15 Libertyville 21-17 on Saturday night for its second first-round win in as many years. The Rockets have not won a second-round playoff game since 2006. They trailed Libertyville 17-14 with 2:24 left in the fourth quarter when QB Landon Arnold directed the winning drive, which the senior ended with a 34-yard TD pass to junior WR Sam Ames in the left corner of the end zone with 1:04 left. Arnold finished 8 of 14 for 138 yards. Arnold also threw a 35-yard TD pass to Wagner Viebrock and scored on a 2-yard run. ... Defense has been the Rockets’ strength all season, as it has allowed only 104 points. The Rockets average 26.5 points a game but have averaged 34.3 points during their six-game winning streak.

If Harlem wins: visits No. 14 Rolling Meadows (7-3) or hosts No. 11 Fenwick (7-3)

If Burlington Central wins: visits No. 14 Rolling Meadows (7-3) or visits No. 11 Fenwick (7-3)

FND pick: Burlington Central

Class 5A

No. 1 Prairie Ridge (10-0) at No. 9 St. Francis (7-3)

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

About the Wolves: Prairie Ridge gets a second-round rematch with St. Francis, which beat the Wolves 30-21 last year in Wheaton, after beating No. 16 Vernon Hills 46-30 last week. QB Luke Vanderwiel’s 33-yard TD pass to junior RB Owen Satterlee gave the Wolves a 40-0 lead with 40 seconds left in the first half, and the second half was played with a running clock. Vanderwiel had 95 rushing yards, giving him 1,627 for the season. He had a 29-yard rushing TD (his 28th of the season) and was 3-of-5 passing for 66 yards. Sophomore FB Vincent Byk ran for three TDs and a game-high 123 yards on 11 carries, and RB Logan Thennes ran for 53 yards on six attempts, including a 10-yard TD. The Wolves finished with 321 rushing yards on 37 carries (8.68 average), with 276 coming in the first two quarters. DE Hunter Mosolino had a strip sack late in the first half that led to the Satterlee TD. ... The Wolves average 40.1 points a game and allow 21.2 a game.

About the Spartans: St. Francis opened the playoffs by rallying to beat No. 8 Morgan Park 35-28 at Gately Stadium. Zach Washington’s 81-yard kickoff return was one of three second-half TDs for the Spartans, who trailed 28-14 in the third quarter. Washington also caught a TD pass, while Tivias Caldwell (25 carries, 145 yards) rushed for two scores. QB Brock Phillip threw a 35-yard TD pass to Dario Milivojevic that proved to be the game-winner. Phillip has passed for more than 2,000 yards this season. ... The Spartans average 32.6 points a game and allow 28.6 a game.

If Prairie Ridge wins: hosts No. 13 Chicago King (6-4) or hosts No. 5 Chicago Corliss Coop (8-2)

If St. Francis wins: hosts No. 13 Chicago King (6-4) or visits No. 5 Chicago Corliss Coop (8-2)

FND pick: Prairie Ridge

No. 6 Cary-Grove (8-2) at No. 14 St. Patrick (6-4)

When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Triton College

About the Trojans: Cary-Grove ran its winning streak to eight games with a 42-14 rout of No. 11 Sycamore on Saturday at Al Bohrer Field, as QB Jackson Berndt rushed for a season-high 172 yards and a TD on 24 carries. The Trojans jumped out to a 21-0 lead after one quarter, and their triple-option attack churned out yards at will again all game. The Trojans did not throw a pass. C-G rushed for 502 yards, led by Berndt, Leo Zavala (three carries, 106 yards, TD), Logan Abrams (14 carries, 88 yards, TD), Ty Tenopir (three carries, 59 yards, two TDs) and Lance Moore (four carries, 35 yards, TD). ... The Trojans average 36.6 points a game and allow 19 a game. ... Abrams has rushed for 1,124 yards and 17 TDs in eight games at fullback.

About the Shamrocks: Former Buffalo Grove and Notre Dame star and NFL safety Tom Zbikowski led St. Patrick to the CCL/ESCC Purple championship in his first season as coach this year. The Shamrocks then beat undefeated and No. 3 seed Wauconda 49-28 for their first playoff victory since 2021. St. Patrick went 2-7 last year. The Shamrocks were tied with Wauconda 14-all in the second quarter before Jayden Miranda’s TD put the No. 14 seed in front for good. QB Gavin Gardiner (21 of 30, 276 yards) threw TD passes to Joey Pemberton (28 yards) and Timmy Schayer (25 yards) to hike the Shamrocks’ lead to 35-14 by halftime. Schayer had 13 catches for 191 yards. ... The Shamrocks, who beat St. Viator in Week 9 to earn their fifth win, average 31.5 points a game and allow 27.5 a game.

If Cary-Grove wins: hosts No. 2 Belvidere North (10-0) or hosts No. 7 Kaneland (8-2)

If St. Patrick wins: hosts No. 2 Belvidere North (10-0) or visits No. 7 Kaneland (8-2)

FND pick: Cary-Grove

Class 3A

No. 1 Richmond-Burton (10-0) at No. 9 Aurora Central Catholic (8-2)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Rockets: Richmond-Burton routed No. 16 North Boone 49-0 on Friday night, scoring on all six of its first-half possessions in building a 42-0 lead. Hunter Carley rushed for 135 yards and three TDs on only eight carries, while Blake Livdahl had 97 yards on nine carries and a TD. Carley hiked his season totals to 1,631 rushing yards and 28 TDs. QB Ray Hannemann was 3 of 6 for 77 yards. DE Breckin Campbell had a sack and a pass knockdown, as R-B shut out an opponent for the third time in its past four games (fourth shutout of the season). ... The Rockets are looking to advance to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2022.

About the Chargers: Aurora Central Catholic beat No.8 Chicago Noble/Rauner 32-14 in its playoff opener. The Chargers are coached by Woodstock graduate Christian Rago, whose team went 3-6 last season for the second year in a row. Central Catholic was 2-7 in Rago’s first season in 2022. ... The Chargers forfeited their Week 8 game against Walworth (Wis.) Big Foot because of a lack of players. Besides that game, the Chargers’ only other loss was to Alton Marquette, 41-20, in Week 4. ... Alton (5-4) was the only team that the Chargers played during the regular season with a winning record.

If Richmond-Burton wins: hosts No. 4 Bloomington Central Catholic (10-0) or hosts No. 5 Monmouth-Roseville (9-1)

If Aurora Central Catholic wins: hosts No. 4 Bloomington Central Catholic (10-0) or visits Monmouth-Roseville (9-1)

FND pick: Richmond-Burton