Northwest Herald area preview capsules for quarterfinal playoffs

Richmond-Burton's Steven Siegel finds an opening in the line for a touchdown against Stillman Valley during their IHSA Class 4A playoff game on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021 in Richmond.

Class 4A

No. 2 Richmond-Burton (11-0) at No. 6 Chicago Phillips (9-2)

When: 4 p.m. Saturday at Gately Stadium

About the Rockets: R-B rolled past Stillman Valley, 56-6, in their second-round game. It was the Rockets’ 31st consecutive victory. Their last loss came to IC Catholic in the 2018 Class 4A semifinals. … FB Brock Wood is second on the area rushing list with 1,391 yards and 24 touchdowns. RB Steven Siegel has 689 yards and 13 TDs. … RB Landon Jacoby touched the ball three times from scrimmage last week, two carries and one reception, and had 119 yards and two touchdowns. … R-B’s defense has allowed only 97 points this season and has four shutouts. … If R-B wins, it will play in a semifinal for the third consecutive season. The Rockets played in the semifinals three times in four seasons in 2008, 2009 and 2011.

About the Wildcats: Phillips defeated Kewanee, 48-21, in their second-round game. … The Wildcats have been a Chicago Public League powerhouse for several years under former coach Troy McAllister, who left this offseason to take the Sandburg job. Joe Winslow now is the Wildcats’ coach. … Phillips won state titles in Class 4A (2015) and Class 5A (2017), becoming the first CPL school to do that. … The Wildcats lost to Rochester in the 2014 Class 4A state title game and were knocked out by Johnsburg in the 2016 semifinals. … Cary-Grove knocked out the Wildcats in the 2018 Class 6A quarterfinals and, in 2019, Phillips lost to Mount Carmel in the Class 7A quarterfinals. The Caravan won the state title.

Up next: The winner advances to the semifinals to meet the winner between No. 4 Genoa-Kingston (10-1) at No. 1 Joliet Catholic (11-0).

FND pick: Richmond-Burton

Class 6A

No. 12 Crystal Lake Central (8-3) at No. 1 Cary-Grove (11-0)

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

About the Tigers: Central defeated Deerfield, 14-7, to advance to the quarterfinals for the third time in school history. The Tigers did it in 2012, losing to C-G in the quarterfinals, and they did it in 1978, although the IHSA had 16-team brackets then and required only one victory to reach the quarterfinals. … QB Colton Madura has been their big playmaker, but he played only five plays before being injured in the teams’ first meeting in Week 3, a 48-14 C-G victory. Madura missed two more games after that, but since has been an offensive force. He has rushed for 904 yards and 12 touchdowns and thrown for 1,676 yards and 18 touchdowns. … RB Brent Blitek has 1,038 yards rushing. … Madura has plenty of targets to throw to with Jake Carnrite (34 receptions), George Dimopoulos (28), Charlie Fleming (22) and Jason Penza (14). … The seven points allowed last week was the season low for the Tigers’ defense.

About the Trojans: C-G has won 15 consecutive games after its 55-27 victory over Grayslake Central in the second round. … C-G has been ranked No. 1 or 2 in The Associated Press Class 6A poll all season, No. 1 until East St. Louis was declared for 6A, then No. 2 since. … The Trojans have outscored their opponents, 524-156. … FB Nick Hissong leads the team with 1,247 yards and 20 touchdowns, but C-G has a balanced triple-option attack. RB Drew Magel has 812 yards rushing, QB Jameson Sheehan has 646 and RB Wade Abrams has 588. Abrams has missed three games with an injury, but coach Brad Seaburg believes he is close to playing. Abrams is one of C-G’s few players to play on both sides, working at defensive end. … Sheehan is an effective passer, completing 64.9% for 744 yards with 12 TDs and one interception. TE Noah Riley has 24 receptions and six TD catches.

Up next: The winner advances to the semifinals to meet the winner between No. 7 Prairie Ridge (9-2) at No. 6 Lake Forest (9-2).

FND pick: Cary-Grove

Prairie Ridge quarterback Mason Loucks runs the ball against Vernon Hills during their playoff football game at Prairie Ridge High School on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021 in Crystal Lake.

No. 7 Prairie Ridge (9-2) at No. 6 Lake Forest (9-2)

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

About the Wolves: Prairie Ridge beat Wauconda, 49-20, to advance to the quarterfinals for the fifth time in six years. In the four previous times, the Wolves won their quarterfinal games. … FB Nathan Greetham leads the Wolves with 1,197 yards rushing. RB Zach Bentsen (1,023), QB Mason Loucks (822) and RB Tyler Vasey (673) are the other top runners in Prairie Ridge’s triple-option attack. … Prairie Ridge has played for the 6A state title in three of the past four years the playoffs were held, winning in 2016 and 2017. … The Wolves have won five games in a row after losses in Weeks 5 and 6 to C-G and Hampshire.

About the Scouts: Lake Forest beat Harlem, 13-8, in the second round to make the quarterfinals for the third time in five years. … Prairie Ridge knocked the Scouts out in the quarterfinals in 2016 (71-7) and in the second round in 2015 (40-13). … Deerfield beat Lake Forest in the 2019 quarterfinals, 21-20, then lost to Prairie Ridge in the semifinals. … The Scouts’ losses came against Carmel, 26-14, in Week 2 and to Gurnee Warren, 18-14, in Week 9.

Up next: The winner advances to the semifinals to meet the winner between No. 12 Crystal Lake Central (8-3) at No. 1 Cary-Grove (11-0).

FND pick: Prairie Ridge

Class 7A

No. 19 Jacobs (8-3) at No. 11 Prospect (9-2)

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

About the Golden Eagles: Jacobs defeated Normal, 17-7, in the second round and is in the quarterfinals for the third time in school history. The first time in 1979 only 16 teams were in a bracket, so it required one victory to reach the quarters. The 2016 team won its first two playoff games, then lost to Fenwick. … RB Ben Ludlum leads the area with 1,675 yards rushing, and RB Nasir Canty is third with 1,288. … TE Grant Stec is the top receiver with 22 catches and seven touchdowns. … QB Max Benner has thrown for 656 yards and 12 touchdowns. … The defense has allowed more than 20 points only once in the past seven games. Last week’s seven points was a season low.

About the Knights: Prospect defeated Buffalo Grove, 13-8, last week, the Knights’ second victory over the Bison this season. … This is Prospect’s longest playoff run since 2006, when it lost to Lake Zurich in the Class 7A semifinals. … Former Johnsburg coach Dan DeBoeuf, who took the Skyhawks to the 2016 Class 4A state title game, took over as Knights coach in 2018 and has taken them to the playoffs every year since. … Prospect’s losses came against St. Francis, 34-27, in Week 3 and to Rolling Meadows, 26-24, in Week 9. … QB Frank Covey has thrown for 1,208 yards and 15 touchdowns and has rushed for 700 yards. … RB Matt Raitano has 955 rushing yards, and RB Gavin Flanagan has run for 600. … WR Jake Parisi leads the Knights with 45 receptions and 10 TDs; WR Owen Walter has 28 catches and six touchdowns. … DE Ben Sahakian has 86 tackles and 20 sacks. DB Gino Paredes has 58 tackles and five interceptions, and LB Peyton Burgh leads Prospect with 94 tackles.

Up next: The winner advances to the semifinals to meet the winner between No. 2 Hononegah (11-0) at No. 10 St. Rita (9-2).

FND pick: Jacobs