Belvidere North got an early defensive score and never trailed in beating host Cary-Grove 17-10 in a Class 5A state quarterfinal game Friday night. C-G defeated Belvidere North in the quarterfinals last year.

Dixon's Landon Knigge was named all-state by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association after a record-breaking senior season. Newman, EPC, Forreston, Amboy, Milledgeville, Polo and West Carroll also had all-state selections from the area.

Cary-Grove faces Belvidere North in an IHSA Class 5A quarterfinal playoff football game on Friday, November 14, 2025, at Cary-Grove High School, in Cary.

A lot of people's anticipated Class 8A state title is actually a quarterfinal matchup while numerous upstarts are also staking their claim to a deep playoff runs. Steve Soucie breaks down the quarterfinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 8A Playoffs.

Burlington Central senior quarterback Landon Arnold almost quit football his first two years of high school. Saturday, the dual-threat QB leads the Rockets into their Class 6A state quarterfinal game against Fenwick.

7A was expected to be one of the most wide open draws out of all eight classifications and with five double digit seeds still left it is playing out that way. Steve Soucie breaks down the quarterfinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 7A Playoffs.

The Herald-News prep football preview for Week 12 of the 2025 season, featuring key showdowns across the greater Will and Grundy county area as the IHSA playoffs continue.

Nazareth and East St. Louis are still on track for a titanic showdown, but other upstarts are hoping to derail that plan. Steve Soucie breaks down the quarterfinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 6A Playoffs.

Mount Carmel and Lincoln-Way East are set to collide in a Class 8A quarterfinal matchup. Brother Rice continued its dominance in 7A and will battle St. Charles North in the quarterfinals. Fenwick cruised into the 6A quarterfinals and will take on Burlington Central.

Here are previews and picks for Kendall County quarterfinal football playoff matchups.

Class 5A was probably the most wide open field to try to analyze in the state playoffs, and with the ousting of one of the favorites, Prairie Ridge, that wide open feel remains. Steve Soucie breaks down the second round of the 2025 IHSA Class 5A Playoffs.

A look at the football games around the Kane County Chronicle area heading into the IHSA state quarterfinals.

No. 1 Milledgeville (11-0) takes on 10-1 Amboy in a rematch of Week 1 and last year's 8-man state championship. Polo hits the road to South Fork looking its first state championship appearance since winning it all in 2019 and 2021.

Here are previews and picks for quarterfinal games for teams in the Suburban Life coverage area.

Dwight in 1A and both Morris and Coal City in 4A are preparing for quarterfinal IHSA playoff matchups.

There are some programs in the 4A draw that we aren't used to seeing there and many of them are shaping the quarterfinal round of the 4A playoffs. Steve Soucie breaks down the quarterfinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 4A Playoffs.

Three teams in the Northwest Herald coverage area - Burlington Central, Cary-Grove and Richmond-Burton - are still alive in the state football playoffs. Get a preview of each team's quarterfinal game.

Join hosts Steve Soucie and Josh Welge, along with Mason Schweizer as they preview the quarterfinals in the Illinois high school football playoffs

Batavia senior defensive lineman Gavin Pecor, who recorded five tackles, three TFL, a sack and two quarterback hurries in a 42-21 victory over Glenbard East in a Class 7A second round matchup, has been named the Friday Night Drive Team of the Week MVP.

It appeared early on that the Class 3A bracket was going to provide some blockbuster matchups in later rounds. That time has arrived now. Steve Soucie breaks down the quarterfinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 3A Playoffs.

Brock Phillip was just looking for a chance to show what he can do. Now he's led St. Francis to its fourth straight Class 5A quarterfinal. Plus, notes on another dramatic St. Charles North comeback, Burlington Central rewriting history, and a conference clash in the quarterfinals

The Illinois High School Football Coaches Association announced its All-State teams this week, and several players in the Northwest Herald coverage area were selected.

A playoff field that started with seven undefeated teams is down to just three. But the group is still chock full of teams that can make a serious run to the title. Steve Soucie breaks down the quarterfinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 2A playoffs.

Coal City visits Montini in Class 4A and Wilmington welcomes Tri-Valley in Class 2A in the Daily Journal's quarterfinal football previews.

The NUIC and WIVC conference hold five of the eight spots in the 1A quarterfinals, are the two conferences heading toward a state final showdown? Steve Soucie breaks down the quarterfinal round of the 2025 IHSA Class 1A playoffs.

CCL/ESCC football players from Mount Carmel, Marist, Nazareth, Fenwick, Joliet Catholic, Providence, St. Francis, Marian Catholic, Montini and IC Catholic Prep were named to the 2025 IHSFCA All-State team. Quentin Burrell, Jake Cestone and Israel Abrams were among the winners.

Ranging from the area's biggest school to the smallest, seven Daily Journal area football standouts made IHSFCA All-State teams.

Princeton senior captains Casey Etheridge and Rhett Pearson have received Illinois High School Football Coaches Association All-State recognition.

St. Francis junior running back Tivias Caldwell takes his game to another level in the playoffs, Montini set for trip down memory lane with matchup with Coal City and more in Bob Narang's Suburban Life football notebook.

Join hosts Josh Welge and Joel Boenitz as they preview the quarterfinals in the Illinois high school football playoffs in the western suburbs

Oswego is in rarefied air these days with the program's 10th quarterfinal appearance. It's especially special for its junior quarterback Drew Kleinhans and his dad, offensive coordinator Ben Kleinhans. "That’s what I dream of, doing it with my dad and those opportunities."

Congratulations to these 22 Illinois high school football players who were voted onto Friday Night Drive's Team of the Week for Round 2 of the 2025 high school football playoffs

A Roxana High School proposal that would expand the playoffs and provide a regional schedule model has released regional mockups for Class 7A and Class 8A. See the proposed regions here.

One of the city's most successful seasons came to a collective end, Wilmington and Coal City marched on, and more in this week's Daily Journal 2-Minute Drill.

Dixon showed no quit until the very end against Coal City. Newman's seniors left their mark, and three area 8-man teams are in the semifinals in this week's Sauk Valley football notes.

A number of ranked teams bowed out in the second round of the playoffs shaking up the Friday Night Drive Power Rankings considerably. Check out the new rankings here.

Mount Carmel and Lincoln-Way East are set to square off in the Class 8A state quarterfinals. Defending champions Nazareth and Montini are still in the hunt after two rounds. Here are all of the quarterfinal matchups featuring CCL/ESCC programs.

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they break down the second round of the Illinois high school football playoffs

More from the Times-area’s sidelines from Week 11 (the second round of the IHSA football playoffs), including notes on Seneca and Dwight's second-round games and quarterfinal matchups.

Richmond-Burton, Burlington Central and Cary-Grove marched on with second-round wins, while Fox Valley Conference champion Prairie Ridge and Jacobs ended their seasons over the weekend.

Here's a Bureau County area IF8A and IHSA football playoffs update

Lincoln-Way East, Morris, Coal City, Lincoln-Way East, Dwight and Wilmigton all scored more than 40 points in second-round wins

Here are the quarterfinal round pairings for the 2025 IHSA playoffs.

Here is the 2025 All-Fox Valley Conference girls flag football team, as selected by coaches. A total of 38 players from nine schools received All-FVC honors.

High seeds had a rough go of it in Round 2 of the playoffs, while the CCL/ESCC flexed its muscles in numerous classifications. Steve Soucie takes a look at what we learned in Week 11.

"I’m going to miss these kids. They put us back on the map." The season ended Friday for Kaneland. The Knights reached the second round of the playoffs for the seventh time since 2015. And the 8-3 mark matches their best record since a 9-2 campaign in 2013.

Each week, we’ll have 22 players – 11 on offense, 11 on defense – to make the Friday Night Drive Team of the Week. Vote for your favorite players for Round 2 of the playoffs!

Third-seeded St. Charles used three straight turnovers to force a momentum swing, scoring 19 consecutive points for a come-from-behind 26-23 victory over 14th-seeded Carmel to advance to the Class 7A playoff quarterfinals.

Matt Kies flew in and batted down a 2-point conversion pass in the final seconds as the Lockport Porters held on for a 21-20 victory over Homewood-Flossmoor in a classic Class 8A second-round matchup on a rainy Saturday night at Lockport.

Wilmington rushed 54 times for 418 yards and six touchdowns and held host Seneca to just 42 total yards in a 42-0 rain-soaked victory on Saturday in the second round of the Class 2A playoffs.