High school football: Prairie Ridge, Phillips to meet in battle of reigning state champs

One of the most intriguing second-round matchups of the IHSA football playoffs will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday at Chicago’s Gately Stadium.

That is when No. 5-seeded Prairie Ridge (8-2) meets No. 4 Chicago Phillips (8-2) in a Class 6A game. Prairie Ridge won the past two Class 6A state championships, and Phillips won 4A in 2015 and 5A in 2017.

The last team to beat Phillips in the playoffs was Johnsburg, which edged the Wildcats, 23-20, in overtime in the 2016 4A semifinals. The last team to beat Prairie Ridge in the postseason was Montini, 35-27, in the 2015 6A semifinals.

The Wolves graduated most of their starters from the state championship teams and start only six seniors, but they have put together another strong season and won their 11th consecutive playoff game, 38-14, over Hinsdale South on Saturday.

Fullback Jackson Willis leads the area with 1,780 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns.

“There’s high expectations still at Prairie Ridge,” Wolves coach Chris Schremp said. “We expect a lot out of our football team. We expect to do well. That’s something we’ve worked to get. We haven’t always had those high expectations. It’s a thing the guys know they have to work to get it. They aren’t coming in with the idea of, ‘Oh, if we win a game, that’s great.’ We expect to win games and make some noise, whatever that might be. Having those expectations is the culture of our program.”

Phillips coach Troy McAllister turned the program into the best in the city. When the Wildcats won the 2015 4A title, they were the first Chicago Public League team to win a football state championship. Many of the city’s best players now choose to attend Phillips.

The Wildcats’ 623 enrollment would put them in 4A, but they petitioned the IHSA to play in 5A last season, then asked to be moved to 6A this year.

Tight end-linebacker Jahleel Billingsley, an Alabama commit, rushed for 129 yards and three touchdowns as the Wildcats held off No. 13 Lake Forest, 30-24, on Saturday. Wide receiver Fabian McCray (Illinois) and defensive back Joseph Thompson (Illinois) are other seniors who have committed. Sophomore defensive lineman Dominic Bass already has numerous NCAA Division I schools watching him.

Prairie Ridge does not have near that level of talent, but the Wolves have their vaunted triple-option offense that usually wreaks havoc in the playoffs, particularly against teams that do not see option that often. Phillips falls into that category.

The Wolves had Willis, running back Blake Brown and quarterback Connor Lydon all top 100 yards rushing against Hinsdale South.

No. 8 Kaneland (7-3) at No. 1 Cary-Grove (10-0), 1 p.m. Saturday

The Knights cruised past Von Steuben, 63-6, in their first-round game, while C-G rolled past Wauconda, 49-7.

The Trojans are in the playoffs for the 15th consecutive season, and a victory would put them in the quarterfinals for the 11th time during that span.

Kaneland handed DeKalb its only loss, 21-20, and lost to Yorkville, Sterling and Rochelle.

No. 6 Niles Notre Dame (8-2) at No. 14 Crystal Lake South (6-4), 7 p.m. Saturday

South picked up its first playoff victory since 2011 with a 49-0 win over Chicago Kenwood on Saturday.

Notre Dame defeated No. 11 St. Ignatius, 14-7, on running back Ty Gavin’s 90-yard run in the fourth quarter. Gavin, who sat out the regular-season finale against Joliet Catholic to help a leg injury heal, carried 13 times for 139 yards in that game.

The Dons lost in the first round in their prevois four playoff appearances (2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017) and were granted a waiver from the IHSA’s 1.65 multiplier for nonboundaried schools. So instead of playing in 8A, as it did in its past four trips, Notre Dame drops to 6A.

Class 4A

No. 5 Marengo (8-2) at No. 4 Chicago Urban Prep/Bronzeville (9-1), 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Gately Stadium

The Indians defeated No. 12 Chicago Sullivan, 47-20, on Friday, and scored the first 40 points of the game. It was Marengo’s first playoff victory since a 38-28 triumph over Rockford Lutheran in the 2015 4A quarterfinals.

The Lions defeated No. 13 St. Edward, 24-14, for their first playoff victory in school history. This is their third time in the playoffs. Bronzeville lost to Richmond-Burton, 21-6, in the first round last year.

No. 2 Coal City (9-1) at No. 10 Johnsburg (7-3), 1 p.m. Saturday

Johnsburg rolled past Chicago Agricultural Science, 46-0, on Saturday. It was the Skyhawks’ second shutout of the season.

Jonny Preston took over at quarterback for injured Alec Smith and threw three touchdown passes.

Coal City has a stout defense that has allowed only 56 points and pitched five shutouts this season.

No. 6 Genoa-Kingston (8-2) at No. 3 Richmond-Burton (9-1), 1 p.m. Saturday

R-B recorded its second shutout with a 49-0 win over Plano on Saturday. The Rockets have allowed only 74 points.

The two teams met in the second round of the 2008 playoffs, then both as members of the Big Northern Conference. R-B won that game, 48-14, and advanced to the 4A semifinals.

G-K defeated Chicago Clemente, 61-8, in the first round. The Cogs are 4-2 in the playoffs since 2016.