High school football: Prairie Ridge (6-3) at Lakes (8-1)

No. 14 Prairie Ridge (6-3) at No. 3 Lakes (8-1)

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Class: 6A

Record: 6-3, 5-1 in the Fox Valley Conference Fox Division

The number: This is the Wolves' ninth playoff appearance in the past 10 years.

How they got here: After sliding over from the FVC Valley Division, PR ended up to split the Fox Division to secure an automatic berth.

The skinny: After Prairie Ridge lost by 20 points at Grayslake North on Sept. 26, it responded by winning three of its final four games, including three conference wins. Junior running back Nathan Griffin leads the Wolves on the ground in their option offense, running for 833 yards and 10 touchdowns. Under center is senior quarterback Brett Covalt, who rushed for 415 yards and five touchdowns and threw for 269 yards and four touchdowns.

Know thy foe: For the second straight year, Lakes will host Prairie Ridge in a first round 6A playoff game. Last season, the Wolves left Lake Villa with a narrow 21-14 victory en route to a run to the quarterfinals. The Eagles again look formidable. This fall, they took home the North Suburban Conference title. The lone loss came out of conference against Class 8A power Stevenson.

First Round

Game 1 — #16 Rockford (Boylan Catholic) (5-4) at #1 LaGrange Park (Nazareth Academy) (9-0), TBA

Game 2 — #9 Chicago (King) (7-2) at #8 Antioch (7-2), TBA

Game 3 — #13 Lake Forest (H.S.) (6-3) at #4 Belvidere (North) (8-1), TBA

Game 4 — #12 Riverside (R.-Brookfield) (6-3) at #5 Glen Ellyn (Glenbard South) (7-2), TBA

Game 5 — #15 Aurora (Marmion Academy) (6-3) at #2 DeKalb (8-1), TBA

Game 6 — #10 Darien (Hinsdale South) (7-2) at #7 Crystal Lake (Central) (7-2), TBA

Game 7 — #14 Crystal Lake (Prairie Ridge) (6-3) at #3 Lake Villa (Lakes) (8-1), TBA

Game 8 — #11 Grayslake (North) (6-3) at #6 Wheaton (St. Francis) (7-2), TBA

Game 9 — #8 Harvey (Thornton) (5-4) at #1 Lemont (H.S.) (9-0), TBA

Game 10 — #5 Crete (C.-Monee) (6-3) at #4 Yorkville (7-2), TBA

Game 11 — #7 Chicago (Morgan Park) (6-3) at #2 New Lenox (Lincoln-Way West) (8-1), TBA

Game 12 — #6 Oak Forest (6-3) at #3 Oak Lawn (Richards) (8-1), TBA

Game 13 — #8 Galesburg (H.S.) (5-4) at #1 Peoria (Notre Dame) (9-0), TBA

Game 14 — #5 Chatham (Glenwood) (6-3) at #4 Champaign (Centennial) (6-3), TBA

Game 15 — #7 Springfield (Southeast) (5-4) at #2 Normal (Community West) (7-2), TBA

Game 16 — #6 East St. Louis (Sr.) (5-4) at #3 Peoria (Richwoods) (7-2), TBA

Second Round

Game 17 — Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, TBA

Game 18 — Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, TBA

Game 19 — Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, TBA

Game 20 — Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, TBA

Game 21 — Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10, TBA

Game 22 — Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 12, TBA

Game 23 — Winner Game 13 vs. Winner Game 14, TBA

Game 24 — Winner Game 15 vs. Winner Game 16, TBA

Quarterfinals

Game 25 — Winner Game 17 vs. Winner Game 18, TBA

Game 26 — Winner Game 19 vs. Winner Game 20, TBA

Game 27 — Winner Game 21 vs. Winner Game 22, TBA

Game 28 — Winner Game 23 vs. Winner Game 24, TBA

Semifinals

Game 29 — Winner Game 25 vs. Winner Game 26, TBA

Game 30 — Winner Game 27 vs. Winner Game 28, TBA

Championship

Game 31 — Winner Game 29 vs. Winner Game 30 at Champaign (Memorial Stadium), TBA