Johnsburg defeated Harvard 53-20 on Friday night to secure its sixth win of the season and a return to the postseason after missing out in 2023.

Cary-Grove goes for a perfect regular season, Richmond-Burton looks to wrap up the Kishwaukee River Conference, plus a look at every Week 9 football game in the Northwest Herald area.

Jacobs guaranteed its spot in the playoffs with its sixth win, Richmond-Burton rallied for a big win over Marengo, plus results and recaps from every Week 8 football game in the Northwest Herald area.

Tristan Meszaros made an over the head catch of fellow senior Kaiden Schimandle’s pass down the sideline with 1:10 left and turned it into a 75-yard go-ahead touchdown as Plano won a 29-22 thriller over Harvard.

Cary-Grove can clinch the Fox Valley Conference outright when it travels to Crystal Lake South, a number of teams look to increase their playoff odds, plus a look at every Week 8 football game in the Northwest Herald area.

There are only two weeks left to earn a spot in the playoffs, and there are plenty of Northwest Herald area football teams still battling to get in. Here are where teams stand before Week 8 kicks off.

A teenager suffered a “traumatic head injury” Monday while playing a football game at the Harvard High School football field.

Burlington Central's Jackson Alcorn threw six TDs in a win over Prairie Ridge, Richmond-Burton blanked previously undefeated Woodstock North, plus results and recaps from every Week 7 football game in the Northwest Herald area.

Marengo cousins David and Cooper Lopez both came up with big plays to lead the Indians past Harvard 33-29 in their Kishwaukee River Conference game Friday night.