How Tanner Glock is making an impact for St. Francis at multiple positions, junior center Michael Lombardo an unsung hero for Montini and Nazareth-Fenwick showdown set in Bob Narang's Suburban Life football notebook.

Andrew Shaw had a learning curve last year when he transferred to Oswego from Plainfield Central. But now the senior defensive tackle rarely leaves the field and does the dirty work at the line for the Class 8A semifinalists. "I cannot show weakness. Have to keep doing my job."

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

Here is the All-Fox Valley Conference football team for the 2025 season, as selected by coaches. 

Nine CCL/ESCC schools, including defending champions Mount Carmel, Nazareth and Montini will be competing in the IHSA state football semifinals this weekend. Below are all of the semifinal matchups featuring CCL/ESCC teams.

Mount Carmel dominated Lincoln-Way East, Nazareth rallied to stun Lake Zurich and Fenwick controlled Burlington Central to set up a 6A semifinal between the Roadrunners and Friars. Montini won its 22nd straight game and Providence knocked off top seed Washington.

A trio of power teams continue to roll through the playoffs while the upstarts still continue to emerge shaking up the Friday Night Drive Power Rankings. Check out the new rankings here.

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they break down the quarterfinal round of the Illinois high school football playoffs and look ahead to the semifinals

Briggs Sellers, a physical education major from Mt. Morris, is a member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team, which will compete in the NCAA Division III Championship for the 20th time in program history.

Amboy's Jose Lopez ran for 205 yards and three TDs to help send the Clippers past Milledgeville on Saturday. Polo's defense was dominant in a 38-0 win over South Fork in this week's Sauk Valley football notes.

The quarterfinal round was an absolute breeze for some teams while others experienced significantly more stress in keeping their postseason runs alive. Steve Soucie takes a look at what we learned in Week 12.

Miss out on any of the high school football action in northern Illinois? Listen to the audio versions of our stories from the quarterfinal round of the 2025 IHSA playoffs here

The Dwight football team had its season come to an end with a 44-0 loss at Stockton on Saturday night in the IHSA Class 1A playoff quarterfinals.

Fremd erased a 14-0 deficit and survived a wild finish to beat Bolingbrook 34-33 in a Class 8A quarterfinal matchup Saturday, sending the Vikings to the state semifinals for the first time in school history.

St. Rita's high-octane offense was too much for Hersey in a Class 7A quarterfinal that saw nearly 100 combined points Saturday.

Lockport absolutely overwhelmed Barrington, recording a stunning shutout 35-0 and advancing into the Class 8A semifinals.

Jaylin Green and Jameson Davis each scored two touchdowns, Damari Thigpen returned a punt for a score and the Brother Rice defense recorded five sacks during a 42-18 win over St. Charles North in the Class 7A state quarterfinals on Saturday evening.

Mount Carmel has an immense amount of talent on its roster but is still looking to put it all together. It wasn't perfect on Saturday either, but got pretty close in a 48-7 dominance of Lincoln-Way East in the Class 8A quarterfinals.

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

Wilmington had five touchdown drives of two plays or less as the Wildcats controlled Tri-Valley in Saturday's IHSA Class 2A quarterfinal, sending Wilmington to its third straight state semifinal.

Bolingbrook and Fremd competed in an 8A varsity football playoff game at Bolingbrook on Saturday, Nov. 15.

Caeden Curran ran 39 times for 226 yards and two touchdowns, and teammate Owen Olson returned a fumble for a touchdown as Morris topped Geneseo 28-26 in the Class 4A quarterfinals

Here is the list of scores from quarterfinal-round games in the IHSA football playoffs.

Polo put together a 'tremendous' defensive performance in a 38-0 win at South Fork on Saturday. The Marcos advance to face Amboy in Friday's I8FA championship in Monmouth.

Mariano Velasco caught two touchdown passes and returned an interception for a score to help Oswego rally for a 24-21 win over Maine South in a Class 8A quarterfinal Saturday.

In a 28-6 win over IC Catholic Prep in the 3A semifinals, undefeated Byron did something teams all season failed to do – shut down the vaunted Knights passing attack.

Defensive back Andrew Culotta ran back a 67-yard pick-six and also recovered a muffed punt in the second half to help Batavia hold on for a 42-27 victory over Glenbard North to advance to its fourth straight Class 7A semifinal.

In a defensive slobberknocker Saturday, Amboy’s offense found the gear it needed in the second half to defeat Milledgeville 18-8 in their Illinois 8-Man Football Association state semifinal at The Harbor.

Minnesota recruit Owen Lansu threw touchdowns to Max Troha and Oliver Thulin and ran for a third score in a near flawless first half, and Downers Grove North went on to a 28-10 win over visiting Lincoln-Way West in a Class 7A quarterfinal game.

St. Francis advanced to the semifinals for the fourth year in a row with a 44-14 win over King on Saturday.

Monmouth-Roseville was able to keep its Class 3A quarterfinal against Richmond-Burton competitive early on, but the Titans had no answer for the Rockets' running game led by Hunter Carley and Blake Livdahl in a 31-6 victory for R-B.

Jackson Failla found Trenton Walker for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:23 to play as Nazareth completed thrilling 24-21 comeback victory over Lake Zurich to advance to the 6A semifinals.

The Fenwick Friars slowed down a potent Burlington Central offense in a 49-21 Class 6A quarterfinal victory Saturday afternoon.

Montini started slow but finished strong in its Class 4A quarterfinal with Coal City, topping the Coalers 35-0 to advance to face Morris next weekend.

Providence football thumped Washington 39-6 to advance to face the winner of Saturday’s Oak Forest-Peoria High quarterfinal for a chance to play in the IHSA 5A state championship game at Hancock Stadium on the campus of the University of Illinois.

Richmond-Burton faces Monmouth-Roseville in an IHSA Class 3A quarterfinal playoff football game on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at Richmond-Burton High School, in Richmond.

Providence and Washington competed in a 5A varsity football playoff game at Providence on Saturday, Nov. 15.

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.