Class 3A

No. 2 Byron (12-0) at No. 1 Richmond-Burton (12-0)

When: 2 p.m. Saturday

About the Tigers: Byron beat No. 11 IC Catholic 28-6 in the quarterfinals, holding the Knights without a touchdown until four minutes were left in the game. Caden Considine (6-foot, 210 pounds), an all-state senior RB/LB, scored on runs of 4 and 1 yards, but the Tigers also got big plays from Dawson Criddle (66-yard TD run) and Kole Aken (60-yard run). ... All-state junior QB/DB Andrew Talbert (5-9, 180) directs an explosive, run-heavy attack that averages a hefty 50.7 points a game. The Tigers have scored 60 or more points five times, including 77 against Rockford Lutheran. Their 28 points against IC Catholic equaled their season low. ... Considine is a four-year varsity player. He is the son of Tigers defensive coordinator Sean Considine, who played eight seasons in the NFL as a DB and won a Super Bowl with the Ravens. ... Byron won the Big Northern Conference with an 8-0 record, then opened the playoffs by beating No. 15 Oregon 63-15, before defeating No. 10 Du-Pec Coop 38-12. ... The Tigers have allowed only 91 points (7.6 a game). ... Byron won the Class 3A state title in 2021 and again in 2023, both times with a 14-0 record. The Tigers also finished second in Class 3A in 2018 and 2019. Jeff Boyer has served as Byron’s head coach since 2012.

About the Rockets: Richmond-Burton is playing in the state semifinals for the first time since 2021, when it lost to Joliet Catholic 35-18 in Class 4A to finish 12-1. The Rockets were undefeated in 2019, winning the Class 4A title. ... The Rockets captured the Kishwaukee River Conference title with a 7-0 record and have won by lopsided scores in each of their first three playoff games: 49-0 over No. 16 North Boone, over 57-7 over No. 9 Aurora Central Catholic and 31-6 over No. 5 Monmouth-Roseville. ... In their quarterfinal win, R-B got two rushing TDs from junior all-state LB/FB Blake Livdahl (10 carries, 122 yards) and one apiece from junior all-state RB Hunter Carley (13 carries, 77 yards) and junior FB Riley Shea (10 carries, 53 yards). Strong-legged junior Trey Maziarz kicked a 25-yard field goal that had the Rockets up 10-0 at halftime. Senior QB Ray Hannemann was 4-of-9 passing for 51 yards and an interception. Junior WR Jace Nelson had three catches for 41 yards. ... Carley has rushed for 1,766 yards and 31 TDs (32 total TDs). ... The Rockets average 41.9 points a game and allow 7.7 a game. They have not allowed more than 20 points in a game all season (24-20 win over Coal City in Week 2). ... R-B coach Mike Noll has 304 career wins, including 80 at R-B.

Next: The winner plays in the state title game at 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28 at Illinois State University’s Hancock Stadium in Normal against the winner of Saturday’s 1 p.m. game between No. 4 Tolono Unity (11-1) and No. 14 St. Joseph Ogden (8-4).

Friday Night Drive pick: Richmond-Burton