Class 7A

No. 14 Carmel (8-2) at No. 3 St. Charles North (9-1)

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

About the Corsairs: Carmel is back in the second round of the playoffs for the third time in four years, winning a 60-44 shootout against Normal Community to get there. It’s the third time in four years the Corsairs have made it to the second round, with a 3-6 finish to the regular season last season being the only exception. The main focal point of the offense is junior quarterback Trae Taylor, one of the top-ranked quarterbacks in the state. The Nebraska commit is averaging 330.2 passing yards per game this season with 36 touchdowns and just three interceptions while also sporting an 81.7% completion percentage. He also has shown his mobility, rushing for 505 yards and 10 touchdowns. He’s surrounded by playmakers at wide receiver, with four guys already over 600 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, led by senior Eli Jackson (834 receiving yards, seven TDs), senior UMass commit Kai Owens (755 receiving yards, nine TDs) and sophomore Greg Bess-Henning (738 receiving yards, 11 TDs). The Corsairs enter the game averaging 47 points a game.

About the North Stars: St. Charles North marched into the playoffs, taking down United Township 42-12 in the first round to advance to the second round for the third time in four seasons. The North Stars, who shared the top of the DuKane Conference for the second consecutive season, scored in each of their first four possessions and had a running clock after one possession in the second half. Quarterback JT Padron finished 8 of 9 for 222 passing yards in the game with touchdowns to senior wide receivers EJ Mondesir and Braden Harms, with the latter scoring his fifth touchdown in five games. Running backs Carsen Durante and Tommy Vendl also shared the backfield, with the two combining for three scores. The North Stars should be getting some firepower back on offense, with Northwestern commit Keaton Reinke missing last week with an illness.

Advancement: Winner takes on the winner of No. 6 Brother Rice (9-1) at No. 22 Jacobs (7-3)

FND Pick: St. Charles North

No. 13 Batavia (8-2) at No. 4 Glenbard East (9-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Bulldogs: Batavia looked to be back in playoff mode in the first round of the playoffs, dispatching Hoffman Estates with a 56-0 victory to advance to the second round for the 10th consecutive season. It was the defense that shined in the contest, with the Bulldogs getting five turnovers including scoop-and-scores from linebackers Nick Jansey and Jack Brown. Batavia has now won five straight, the only losses being 43-42 to St. Charles North and 31-28 to Glenbard West. Senior running back Preston Brummel was the headlined scorer for the Bulldogs, finding the end zone three times, marking his first touchdowns since Week 5. Senior Henry Hahn and junior Charlie Rosengren have also been rotating at the tailback position. The Bulldogs had another player show their two-way versatility, with junior wideout Darin Ashiru coming in at defensive back and getting an interception.

About the Rams: Glenbard East, the Upstate 8 East Division champions, are back in the second round for the third straight season after taking down conference rival West Chicago 63-29. The Rams have also won eight straight following a three-point loss to West Aurora. Senior quarterback and South Dakota basketball commit Michael Nee has been the focal point of the offense, throwing for 268 yards and four TDs in the win last week. He has 2,173 passing yards on the season to go with 29 TDs and seven interceptions. Wide receiver Muhammad Musleh is the big threat out wide, recording 621 yards and 12 touchdowns on just 23 receptions this season. Running back Kedrick Dennis has rushed for 1,020 yards and 17 TDs. The Rams are averaging 40 points per game.

Advancement: Winner plays the winner of No. 5 Moline (9-1) at No. 21 Glenbard North (7-3).

FND Pick: Batavia

Class 6A

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

When: 6 p.m. Saturday

About the Huskies: Machesney Park Harlem went 7-2 in the NIC 10, finishing third behind undefeated Belvidere North and Rockford Guilford. The Huskies opened the playoffs by pounding 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) each has eight TDs. 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 spring 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 – 34.3 points during their six-game winning streak.

Advancement: Winner faces the winner of No. 14 Rolling Meadows (7-3) at No. 11 Fenwick (7-3)

FND Pick: Burlington Central

- Joe Aguilar

Class 5A

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

When:

About the Wolves: Prairie Ridge gets a second-round rematch with St. Francis – which beat the Wolves 30-21 last year in Wheaton – after eliminating No. 16 Vernon Hills 46-30 on Friday night. 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 allow 21.2 a game.

- Joe Aguilar

About the Spartans: St. Francis rallied from two TDs down in the third quarter for a 35-28 win over Morgan Park at Gately Stadium last Saturday. It earns the Spartans a return trip home and a rematch with No. 1 seed Prairie Ridge on St. Francis’ home blue turf. Michigan State recruit Zach Washington had the spark to the Spartans’ comeback last week, an 81-yard kickoff return for a TD. Tivias Caldwell Jr. rushed for 145 yards and two TDs on 25 carries as St. Francis – known for its talented corps of wide receivers – had 37 total rushes to nine pass attempts. St. Francis wide receivers Washington, Tanner Glock and Dario Milivojevic should be familiar to Prairie Ridge, as all three had TDs in last year’s Spartans’ win. With a CPS opponent looming either way next week, St. Francis has a golden opportunity at a fourth straight semifinal appearance with a win here.

- Josh Welge

Advancement: Winner plays the winner of No. 13 King (6-4) at No. 5 Corliss (8-2)

FND Pick: Prairie Ridge

No. 7 Kaneland (8-2) at No. 2 Belvidere North (10-0)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

About the Knights: They’re back in the second round for the third time in four years and the seventh since 2017. They haven’t won a second-round game since 2011, when they reached the semifinals before losing 35-31 to eventual state champ Montini in Class 5A. Coach Michael Thorgesen said the team has run into some second-round buzzsaws in the past, finalists or runners-up like Montini, Prairie Ridge, Cary-Grove and Fenwick. “We want to get to a round with a title. Quarterfinals. We feel like we’ve been close and had some nice teams. ... We want to get past that hump, and we hope Friday night is the night we can do that.” Standing in their way of a quarterfinal berth this year is Belvidere North, the team that beat them 35-20 in the first round of the 6A playoffs last year. The Knights struggled against the run. They completely stymied Lakes on the ground last week in a 68-21 first-round win, limiting them to 101 rushing yards - 79 of them coming on a late fourth-quarter touchdown run by starter Mason Crowley against the backups with the running clock in effect.

About the Blue Thunder: They have 10 wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time in school history after setting the school record for victories last year with a 10-2 record. This year they claimed the first outright NIC-10 title in school history. They won their playoff opener 49-20 over Noble/Bulls, turning the ball over twice, but also had a pair of interceptions. Ben Bucher had a long TD run last week. Last year in the first round against the Knights, he carried the ball four times, all for touchdowns. Bucher scored on runs of 42, 22, 33 and 60 yards last year, all on pitches to the left side. Erick Roman, also back this year, had a 38-yard score on the same play. “They had more yards on those four plays than the rest of the night,” Thorgesen said. “Credit to them, they executed and have a really talented player in Bucher. Roman is really good too. But we’re a year older. Most of the kids who take the field Friday night were there too. We’ve just got to learn from those mistakes, take away those big plays, hold them and score some points.” The Blue Thunder reached the quarterfinals last year, falling 42-7 to Cary-Grove.

Advancement: Winner goes on to play the winner of No. 6 Cary-Grove (8-2) at No. 14 St. Patrick (6-4)

Friday Night Drive pick: Kaneland

- Eddie Carifio

Class 3A

No. 1 Richmond-Burton (10-0) at No. 9 Aurora Central Catholic (7-3)

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.

- Joe Aguilar

About the Chargers: Aurora Central Catholic kicked off the playoffs with a 32-14 victory over Noble/Rauner, marking its first playoff victory since last making the playoffs in 2016. Senior Trey Seifrid opened the scoring with a 67-yard rushing score, getting him up to 19 rushing touchdowns on the season. It was the first win the Chargers have had against a team with a winning record this season, their only other game against one being a 41-20 loss to Alton Marquette. ACC is averaging 30.6 points per game entering the contest.

Advancement: Winner plays the winner of No. 5 Monmouth-Roseville (9-1) at No. 4 Bloomington Central Catholic (10-0)

FND Pick: Richmond-Burton

Class 2A

No. 6 Aurora Christian (8-2) at No. 3 Farmington (10-0)

When: 3 p.m. Saturday.

About the Eagles: Senior quarterback Asa Johnson continued his superb season, scoring three rushing touchdowns and passing for another during the Eagles’ 37-12, first-round victory over Erie-Prophetstown. Johnson connected with wide receiver Dom Klimpke for a 15-yard touchdown pass, extending the Eagles’ halftime lead to 23-0. “Asa has been playing great football,” said Eagles coach David Beebe. Sophomore tailback Jalen Callaway leads the Eagles’ ground game against a Farmington defense that allows just 9.3 points per game. However, Macomb RB Drake May rushed for 152 yards on 19 carries in a 30-16 Week 6 loss to Farmington. “The keys to the game are nothing new,” said Beebe. “We must win the turnover battle, tackle and block well, and do our jobs.”

About the Farmers: Farmington earned the No. 3 seed in Class 2A thanks in part to an offense that averages 42.9 points per game. However, the Farmers were forced to rally from an 8-7 third-quarter deficit during last weekend’s 10-8, first-round victory over Eastland-Pearl City Coop. Freshman quarterback Carson Noy directs the Farmers’ attack. The 6-foot-4 Noy has several targets to choose from, including seniors Boston Smith, Jack Gronewold and Landon Crawford. Gronewold also takes snaps as a Wildcat QB for the Farmers, while sophomore Bradyn Brewer is the team’s top ground threat. Farmington’s senior-dominated offensive line is led by 6-0, 235-pound center Bryse Hunter, 6-5, 225-pound tackle Kaydon Bollinger and 6-4, 245-pound tackle Noah Passmore. “Farmington is a very good team,” said Beebe. “They play great defense and offense. There’s a reason why they are undefeated.” The Farmers’ roster includes 20 seniors who were a part of their squad that reached the 2A semifinals last season before losing a 34-20 decision to eventual state champion Chicago Christian.

Advancement: The winner faces the winner of No. 7 Sterling Newman Central Catholic at No. 2 El Paso-Gridley

FND Pick: Farmington

- Craig Brueske, Daily Herald Media Group