The Class 1A state final game has been synonymous with the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference over the past decade.

But for the last two seasons, while the conference has been involved in the championship, it hasn’t taken home the big prize. Camp Point Central took the crown in 2023 and Belleville Althoff won the title in 2024 but has since been moved out of the 1A mix due to the multiplier and didn’t qualify for the playoffs in its first year in the 3A/4A mix.

And although Camp Point Central is still very much in the mix to make a run at the title, the focus seems to have returned right back to the NUIC where a pair of teams, Stockton and Lena-Winslow appear to be the favorites in a deep field.

First-round matchups

Stockton vs. Galena: Stockton drew headlines all the way back in Week 2 as it turned in a dominant performance in upending Lena-Winslow 38-14. That win seemed to catapult the Blackhawks into another realm as they were dominant in all but one of their remaining games. This is a repeat game from the regular season as Stockton collected a 30-12 win back in Week 6.

Pick: Stockton

Princeville vs. Heyworth: Princeville has had a solid season that has banked on its defense. Excluding a Week 3 loss to Rushville, Princeville hasn’t allowed more than 20 points to any opponent and has held foes to single digits four times. The Princes, however, have beaten just one team with a winning record. Like Princeville, defense is Heyworth’s bedrock. The Hornets have tossed three shutouts and allowed just 71 points all season.

Pick: Heyworth

Clifton Central vs. Knoxville: Clifton Central has been a powerful offensive team, scoring at least 34 points in each of its games but one, its lone loss of the season to Westville in Week 6. That might not be the best blend for Knoxville, who needed a mild upset by record over Stark County in Week 9 just to get into the field. The Bullets have surrendered nearly 200 points over their last five games.

Pick: Clifton Central

Rushville vs. Dwight: Rushville’s high-octane offense was only slowed in its only two losses this season to Macomb and Annawan-Wethersfield. The Rockets have scored 38-plus points in all seven of their victories and they seem to have almost no problem posting points. Dwight seems to fully recovered from a three-game losing streak earlier in the season having dominated four opponents by 155-35 to close the season.

Pick: Rushville

Annawan-Wethersfield vs. Stark County: Yet another rematch from a regular season game where Annawan-Wethersfield showed its workman-like precision to breeze to a 48-7 win back in Week 6. The Titans have frustrated most opponents, allowing 14 points to three opponents and less than that in the other six contests. Only one of its games has been remotely competitive to date. Stark County started 5-0 but has been taken apart by the only four playoff bound opponents on its schedule over the last month.

Crane vs. Deer Creek-Mackinaw: Crane is in the midst of a seven-game winning streak where just one opponent came within two touchdowns. As always it’s hard to get a read on CPL teams ability to be competitive in the state playoffs and the only non-CPL team Crane is played is Aurora Christian who they lost to 59-0. Things have turned in a positive direction for DCM after back-to-back shutout losses in Weeks 3 and 4. The Chiefs have played very well in the second half and copped a solid win over a good Ridgeview team in Week 8.

Pick: Deer Creek-Mackinaw

Lena-Winslow vs. Forreston: Lena-Winslow reached last year’s state title game for the fifth consecutive season last year where it fell to Belleville Althoff. But the last team that denied Lena-Winslow a shot at a title game appearance was this conference rival Forreston, so there’s always going to be a rivalry there. That didn’t show in the first meeting of these two where Lena-Winslow rolled to a 50-12 win. That loss did inspire a four-game winning streak, but the Cardinals have limped home losing three of four.

Pick: Lena-Winslow

GCMS vs. Ottawa Marquette: The Falcons have been a little more in grinder mode than usual this season, but seem to be hitting their stride at the right time posting 55 points in their regular season capper against Ridgeview. Marquette, on the other hand, has had the offensive throttle thrown down for a while now, bypassing the 50-point marker in each of its last three games and has gone over 50 points five times this season.

Pick: Ottawa Marquette

Calhoun vs. Villa Grove: Calhoun has been dominant on defense all season. The Warriors have allowed 26 points in last two weeks of the regular season which is low in its own right, but when you consider that’s four more points than they allowed over the first seven weeks of the season that’s an indication of dominant they have been. Villa Grove hasn’t beat a team with a winning record all season and scuffled to beat a few that didn’t.

Pick: Calhoun

Greenfield vs. Sesser-Valier: Greenfield has beaten just one team with a winning record. While ordinarily that would be a concern the Tigers have played both of the undefeated teams in the Western Illinois Valley to very competitive games which indicates they may be capable of making a push. A win here would likely set up a rematch with Calhoun, a team they lost 14-6 to in Week 6. Sesser-Valier had a five-game winning streak snapped with a loss to Johnston City in Week 9.

Pick: Greenfield

Casey-Westfield vs. Red Hill: Casey-Westfield has hit a few bumps in the road in the last two weeks of the season dropping a one-point decision to undefeated Richland County in Week 8 before being surprised by Paris in Week 9. Still, the Warriors cut their teeth on larger competition all season long and are now punching at the correct weight. Red Hill has dropped three of its last four and perhaps more concerning the Salukis have scored just six points over its last two contests.

Pick: Casey-Westfield

Tuscola vs. Nokomis: Tuscola has mastered the art of playing and usually winning close games as five of the seven Warrior victories have come in decisions by 10 or less points, including a one and a two-point victory. Nokomis has been up and down this season. It started 5-1, before taking a pair of losses to the top teams in the Lincoln Prairie (ALAH and Cumberland) and then rebounded with a 63-point performance in Week 9 against Arcola.

Pick: Nokomis

Camp Point Central vs. Winchester West Central: Pretty much the only thing you can say about Camp Point Central this season to describe things is dominance. The Panthers scored 40-plus points in all but two of their games and the defense held every single opponent on their schedule to eight points or less including this week’s opponent in rematch West Central, who they defeated 50-8 back in Week 1.

Pick: Camp Point Central

Brown County vs. Athens: Brown County’s defense has been extremely impressive this season allowing the lion’s share of the points it allowed in two games, losses to the only undefeated teams in the WIVC. They have tossed four shutouts and six of the nine games they’ve held foes to single digits. Athens is just two years removed from a state championship game appearance, but took a step back with a 2-7 year last season and has regrouped from a rough Week 1 loss to Maroa-Forsyth rather nicely.

Pick: Brown County

Dupo vs. Salt Fork: Dupo is looking for its first victory in the playoffs since 1994 and this looks like a team that could do it. The Tigers have consistently lit up the scoreboard, even putting up 37 in its lone loss of the season to Chester. Salt Fork’s games tend to go one way or another this season as they’ve had just one close game, a 16-14 win, and either a lopsided win or a lopsided loss otherwise.

Pick: Dupo

Oakwood vs. Carrollton: Oakwood could have let things go off the rails after a pair of losses in the middle of the season including a blowout loss to a high-powered Westville team, but they didn’t and rattled off four straight wins including a pair of those against fellow playoff-bound teams at the end of the year. Carrollton’s season has been a bit of a roller coaster ride. The Hawks started 0-2 and after a pair of close wins that even their record, Carrollton has been quite strong since.

Pick: Oakwood