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Here are the first-round matchups for each CCL/ESCC team. Dates and times will be updated when confirmed.
Class 3A
No. 11 Eureka (5-4) at No. 6 Montini (6-3)
When: Friday 7:30 p.m.
About Montini: The Broncos return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019 after starting the season 5-0. They’ll try to get back to their winning ways when they made the playoffs from 1993 to 2019 and won six state titles and competed in three more championship games. … Montini earned the No. 9 ranking in the latest Class 3A Associated Press poll. … The Broncos went on two streaks this season, winning five straight against Westinghouse, Hillcrest, Nazareth, Benet and Marian Catholic before losing three straight to Providence, St. Viator and Brother Rice. Montini beat St. Laurence to end the regular season. … Seniors George Asay and Alex Marre are both playmakers who can move the ball as rushers and pass-catchers. … The Broncos earned a share of the CCL/ESCC White title with their win over Montini to end the season.
About Eureka: The Hornets have made the playoffs each season since 2016. They lost to Williamsville in the second round of last season’s playoffs. … Eureka won three of its four games after starting the season 2-2 in order to make the postseason. The team ended the season with a 52-26 loss to Tri-Valley (9-0). … Three of the Hornets’ losses have come to AP-ranked teams. They lost to Shlbyville (No. 5, 2A), Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley (Receiving votes, 1A) and Tri-Valley (No. 2, 2A). … Eureka averaged 37.6 points per game this season.
Class 4A
No. 12 St. Viator (5-4) at No. 5 Richmond-Burton (7-2)
When: Friday 7 p.m.
About St. Viator: The Lions are back in the playoffs for a second straight season for the first time since 2017. They lost in the opening round of the Class 5A playoffs to Sterling. … St. Viator won two of its last three games in order to qualify for the playoffs. It defeated Montini in Week 7 before taking down Marmion in Week 9 in order to reach the postseason. … Quarterback Cooper Kmet, younger brother of Chicago Bears player Cole Kmet, had led the offense to impressive performances this season. The offense has scored 21 or more points five times this season. … Three of the Lions’ four losses came against playoff teams — Brother Rice, Carmel and St. Ignatius.
About Richmond-Burton: R-B is 44-29 in its playoff history and has state titles in 1992 2A) and 2019 (4A). … Under coach Mike Noll, who came to R-B in 2018, the Rockets are 60-6. In their last four playoff appearances, they have made the semifinals, championship game, semifinals and quarterfinals. … Fullback Braxtin Nellessen has 1,007 yards rushing and running back Jack Martens (440) has big-play potential with his speed on the outside.
No. 10 Geneseo (6-3) at No. No. 7 IC Catholic (7-2)
When: Saturday 5 p.m.
About IC Catholic: The Knights held their own in the CCL/ESCC and return to the playoffs for an eighth straight season. The defending Class 3A state champions have won four state titles during that playoff streak. … IC Catholic was ranked No. 4 in the latest 4A AP poll. … Iowa commit KJ Parker has made an impact on both sides of the ball as a wide receiver and secondary player. He’ll be a tough player for opponents to stop no matter where he plays. … Quarterback Dennis Mandala has led an offense that has scored 28 or more points eight times this season. … Two of the Knights’ losses came to AP-ranked teams. They lost 47-0 to Loyola, ranked No. 1 in 8A, and 35-34 to St. Francis, ranked No. 6 in Class 5A. … Linebacker Dominik Hulak has helped lead the Knights defense to two shutouts and allowed nine or less points four times. … The Knights won a share of the Orange title.
About Geneseo: The Maple Leafs return to the playoffs for a second straight season after a hot start to the season. They won five straight games to start the season before losing two of their last three. … Geneseo received votes in the latest 2A AP poll. … The Maple Leafs averaged 30.9 points per game and scored at least 27 points in all six wins. … One of Geneseo’s two losses came against undefeated Quincy, ranked No. 5 in the latest 7A poll.
No. 11 St. Laurence (6-3) at No. 6 Chicago Vocational (7-2)
When: TBA
About St. Laurence: The Vikings return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019, coach Adam Nissen’s first as the program’s leader. They matched their most wins during a regular season since 2017 when the program finished the season 6-3. … St. Laurence was ranked No. 8 in the latest 4A AP poll. … The Vikings earned a share of the White title this season, their first since the CCL/ESCC was formed in 2019. … All three of St. Laurence’s losses have come to ranked teams. The Vikings lost to St. Francis (43-28), ranked No. 6 in the 5A AP poll, to St. Rita (20-9), who received votes in the 7A poll, and to Montini (24-17), ranked No. 9 in the latest 3A poll. … Quarterback Evan Les and running back Aaron Ball have led an offense that’s scored at least 28 points six times. … Safety Corey Taubr has led a Vikings defense that’s held offenses to nine or less points five times this season.
About Chicago Vocational: The Cavaliers are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2016. They finished first in the Chicago Public League White South Central division with a 7-0 record. … Vocational won seven straight games during the season, bookending losses. The team didn’t score less than 18 points in each of those wins. … One of the Cavaliers’ losses came to Johnson, who finished the season 8-1. … Chicago Vocational averaged 38.8 points per game while the defense allowed an average of 8.9 per game.
Class 5A
No. 9 Rochelle (7-2) at No. 8 St. Francis (7-2)
When: Friday 7:30 p.m.
About St. Francis: The Spartans showed they can compete in the CCL/ESCC and return to the playoffs for the fifth straight season. They’ll try to build off their Class 4A semifinal loss last season. … St. Francis earned a No. 6 ranking in the latest 5A AP poll. … The Spartans went on a winning streak since losing on a last-minute field goal to Fenwick in Week 4. They beat Joliet Catholic (33-28), IC Catholic (35-34), St. Rita (31-28) and Leo. The Hilltoppers (No. 9, 5A), Knights (No. 4, 4A) and Mustangs (7A, receiving votes) are all ranked in the latest AP poll. … Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic has been one of the best passers in the state and has helped St. Francis win close games. The Spartans have won three games by five points or less. … St. Francis earned a share of the Orange title with IC Catholic.
About Rochelle: The Hubs are back in the playoffs for a third straight season. They lost to St. Francis in the third round of the playoffs. … Rochelle enters on a four game win streak, including their 30-20 win over Richmond-Burton on Friday. The win marked their first conference title since 2004, ending a streak of four conference titles for R-B. … Running back Grant Gensler is one of their top rushing options, who had 90 yards, while freshman Dylan Manning ran 17 times for 110 yards in the win.
No. 15 Nazareth (4-5) at No. 2 Prairie Ridge (9-0)
When: Saturday 2 p.m.
About Nazareth: The Roadrunners pulled off the improbable and made the playoffs after starting the season 0-4. They kept the second-longest active playoff streak in the CCL/ESCC alive, qualifying each postseason since 2013. … Few people thought Nazareth could top what it did last season when it started the season 2-4 and won the Class 5A state title. The Roadrunners won four straight before losing to St. Francis to end the season. They picked up enough playoff points with their schedule . … Nazareth received votes in the latest 5A AP poll. … Quarterback Logan Malachuk has helped pace an offense that has averaged 25.9 points per game. … All five of Nazareth’s five losses were to playoff teams. The Roadrunners lost to Kankakee (9-0), York (8-1), Montini (6-3), IC Catholic (7-2) and St. Francis (7-2).
About Prairie Ridge: The Wolves are 43-17 in its playoff history and has played in four of the last six Class 6A championship games. … Prairie Ridge won Class 6A state titles in 2011, 2016 and 2017. The Wolves lost to East St. Louis in 2019 and 2022. … This is Prairie Ridge’s ninth consecutive trip to the playoffs and it is the Wolves’ fourth perfect regular season in school history. … FB Jack Finn leads the Wolves with 913 yards, QB Joey Vanderwiel has 526 and RB Dom Creatore has 507. … Prairie Ridge’s defense has allowed 81 total points and only 21 in the last four games.
No. 11 Lindblom (7-2) at No. 6 Carmel (8-1)
When: TBA
About Carmel: The Corsairs make it back to the playoffs for a second straight season for the first time since 2011. They secured seven wins during a regular season for the first time since 2010 and earned a share of the Purple title, the second straight division title. … Carmel was ranked No. 3 in the latest 5A AP poll. … The Corsairs’ lone loss of the season came against Mount Carmel (37-16), the top ranked team in the latest 7A AP poll. They led Mount Carmel before the Caravan took over in the second half. … Quarterback Johnny Webber has led an offense that has scored 24 points or more seven times during the season. Torey French has been one of Webber’s top targets and that should continue in the playoffs. … The Corsairs have shut out opponents three and given up more than 14 points once.
About Lindblom: The Eagles are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2017. They lost to Kaneland that season. … Lindblom’s lone losses came against Johnson (8-1) and King (4-4). … The Eagles averaged 34.9 points per game during their first eight games while only allowing an average of 9.5 in the first eight games.
No. 12 Joliet Catholic (6-3) at No. 5 Peoria (7-2)
When: Friday 7 p.m.
About Joliet Catholic: The Hilltoppers make their back to the playoffs for a fifth straight season. They’ve won two state titles during that span and made the postseason in five of coach Jake Jaworski’s six seasons a playoff was held. … Joliet Catholic was ranked No. 9 in the latest 5A AP poll. … Two of the Hilltoppers’ losses came to ranked teams. They lost St. Francis (33-28), ranked No. 6 in the 5A rankings and also lost to St. Rita (20-10), receiving votes in the 7A poll. … Wisconsin commit Dillon Johnson has been a big presence on the defensive line and helped lead the defense to two shutouts and allowed an average of 14.4 points per game. … Quarterback Andres Munoz and wide receiver Adrian Washington have built a strong rapport this season while HJ Grigsby has led the running attack. Joliet Catholic scored 28 or more points five times this season.
About Peoria: The Lions have made the playoffs each season since 2019. They lost in the 5A championship game last season where they lost 45-44 to Nazareth. … Peoria was ranked No. 8 in the latest 5A AP poll. … Both of the Lions’ two losses have come against AP-ranked teams. They lost to Rochester, No. 1 in 4A, and Normal Community, No. 3 in 7A. … Peoria has scored 42 points in at least eight games this season. The team averaged 55.1 points per game this season. The Lions’ defense allowed 13 points or less four times.
No. 15 Providence Catholic (6-3) at No. 2 Morton (8-1)
When: Saturday 2 p.m.
About Providence Catholic: The Celtics are back in the playoffs after playing in the 4A state title game last season. It’s the first time they made the playoffs back-to-back season since 2019. … Providence held on to beat Benet in Week 9, 35-28, in order to qualify for the playoffs. The team had been .500 for much of the season. … All four of the Celtics’ losses are to playoff teams. The Celtics lost to Joliet Catholic (6-3), St. Laurence (6-3), Carmel (8-1) and Mount Carmel (8-1). … Providence has scored at least 21 points six times this season.
About Morton: The Potters are back in the playoffs after missing last season’s postseason. They lost in the state semifinals the last time they were in the playoffs in 2021. … Morton was ranked No. 5 in the latest 5A AP poll. … The Potters’ lone loss of the season came in Week 9 when they lost 42-21 to Washington. Washington also ended the season 8-1. … Morton averaged 37.8 points per game and scored at least 20 points in eight games. The Potters defense had one shutouts and allowed 14 or less points six times.
Class 7A
No. 27 St. Rita (5-4) at No. 6 Mount Carmel (8-1)
When: Friday 7 p.m.
About Mount Carmel: The Caravan return to the playoffs for a sixth straight postseason. The defending Class 7A champions have made the playoffs each season since 1986 with the exception of 2016, winning 13 state titles and playing in five more championships. … Mount Carmel was ranked No. 1 in the latest 7A AP poll. … The Caravan defense allowed 33 points in its opener against East St. Louis and hasn’t looked back. Led by linebacker Parker Startz, it limited offenses to nine or less points in a game five times. … Mount Carmel’s offense features numerous playmakers, including Wisconsin commit running back Darrion Dupree, running back Alonzo Manning III, quarterback Jack Elliott and wide receiver Darrion Gilliam. The Caravan offense has scored 35 or more points five times. … The Caravan’s lone loss of the season came to Loyola, 23-21, in Week 9. The Ramblers ended the season undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the latest 8A poll.
About St. Rita: The Mustangs return to the playoffs for a fourth straight season, the first under coach Martin Hopkins. They competed in two state title games and lost in the 7A semifinals last year. … St. Rita received votes in the latest 7A AP poll. … Three of the Mustangs’ losses have come to ranked teams. They lost to Loyola (21-5) and Mount Carmel (38-7), the top-ranked teams in the 8A and 7A polls, respectively, and also fell to St. Francis (31-28), ranked sixth in the latest 5A poll. … All four losses were to playoff teams. The Mustangs lost the Loyola, Mount Carmel, Brother Rice and St. Francis. … St. Rita beat two teams ranked in the latest AP poll. The Mustangs beat Joliet Catholic (20-10), ranked No. 9 in the 5A poll, and St. Laurence (20-9), ranked No. 8 in 4A. … Running back D.J. Stewart is a big running back who can shed one or two tacklers. … Eight of St. Rita’s nine opponents this season made the playoffs.
No. 26 Brother Rice (5-4) at No. 7 Batavia (8-1)
When: Friday 7 p.m.
About Brother Rice: The Crusaders are back in the postseason for a fifth straight season, the second under coach Casey Quedenfeld. They reached the 8A state title game in 2018, the state semifinals the following two playoffs and the quarterfinals last year. … Brother Rice made the playoffs after winning its last two games against Montini and St. Rita to reach five wins. … Two of Brother Rice’s losses came against Loyola and Mount Carmel, the top-ranked teams in the 8A and 7A AP polls, respectively. Nazareth, another team the Crusaders lost to, received votes in the latest 5A poll. … Navy commit Randall Nauden is an explosive running back who can burst for a long run or pick up critical yards. His pass-catching abilities are also hard to stop … Brother Rice has had to revamp its defense without junior linebacker Christian Pierce, who is out for the season with an injury and holds offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Texas and Illinois. The Crusaders have also been without two defensive line starters and have a young secondary.
About Batavia: Batavia ran through the DuKane Conference with an undefeated 7-0 slate. Their lone loss was a one point nail-biter to Lincoln-Way East back in Week 2, but this is a team that has plenty of firepower on both sides of the ball to make a run to Normal. ... Senior quarterback Ryan Boe put a bow on a phenomenal regular season with a 360-yard and six-touchdown effort against Glenbard North Friday night. ... The Bulldogs have phenomenal depth at running back with Charlie Whelpley (516 yards, 7 touchdowns), Nathan Whitwell (349 yards, 7 touchdowns) and Zach Granberg (434 yards), while Pat McNamara, Luke Alwin, CJ Valente and Isaiah Brown all are capable of explosive plays. ... Defensively, the Bulldogs’ front-seven is arguably best in the conference with Jordan Buckley, Cody Heeringa and Malachi Smith anchoring the defensive line, while SIU commit Ben Fiegel (67 tackles), RJ Bohr (41 tackles) and Ben Brown (36 tackles) headline the linebacker corps. Add in a secondary that is led by Kyle Porter (49 tackles) and Chase Osborne (61 tackles), and the Bulldogs are primed for a deep run.
Class 8A
No. 32 Plainfield North (4-5) at No. 1 Loyola Academy (9-0)
When: Saturday 1 p.m.
About Loyola Academy: The Ramblers kept the longest active CCL/ESCC playoff streak alive after making the playoffs for a 20th straight season. The defending Class 8A champions won three state titles and competed in four more championship games during that span. … Loyola earned the No. 1 ranking in the latest Class 8A Associated Press poll. … Loyola won the CCL/ESCC Blue crown when it beat Mount Carmel in Week 9. … The Ramblers’ defense has stymied offenses for much of the season, led by defensive lineman Joe Kelly, linebackers Colin Scheid and Ethan Hogg and secondary players Kenny Langston, Emmanuel Ofosu and Matt Vallacce. Loyola gave up an average of 8.6 points per game, had two shouts and limited teams to seven or less points seven times. … Junior quarterback Ryan Fitzgerald stepped into the starter’s role and led a dynamic offense. Running backs Drew MacPherson are both dynamic runners while Nicholas Arogundade is a top receiving target. Loyola averaged 35.2 points per game during the regular season. … Loyola makes the playoffs under first-year coach Beau Desherow.
About Plainfield North: The Tigers sneaked into the playoffs despite only winning four games. They had enough playoff points with there not being enough eight-win teams for the 8A bracket. … Plainfield North has made the playoffs each season since 2019. The team lost in the second round to Lyons last year. … All five of the Tigers’ losses were to playoff teams. They lost to Lockport (5-3), Naperville Central (7-2), Joliet West (8-1), Minooka (7-2) and Yorkville (6-3). … Four of the Tigers’ losses came within a touchdown. Six of their games have been decided by a touchdown or less.
No. 24 St. Ignatius (6-3) at No. 9 Joliet West (8-1)
When: Friday 7 p.m.
About St. Ignatius: The Wolfpack return to the playoffs for the eighth straight postseason, the third-longest active streak in the CCL/ESCC. They won their first postseason game two seasons ago and qualified for the Class 6A semifinals for the first time last year before ultimately losing to Prairie Ridge. … St. Ignatius graduated 31 seniors and lost three of its first five games before winning four straight against Niles Notre Dame, Marian, St. Viator and Joliet Catholic to qualify for the postseason. The final stretch helped the Wolfpack win the CCL/ESCC Green title outright. … The Wolfpack’s triple-option offense has been tough for opponents to stop all season long. They average 27.3 points per game. … Ohio State commit Justin Scott is the top-ranked 2024 prospect in Illinois and makes his presence felt on both the offensive and defensive lines. He can even the run the ball when needed.
About Joliet West: The Tigers are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2019 when they made the postseason as a 4-5 team. … Joliet West capped a historic regular season Friday when it won the Southwest Prairie East Conference with a win over Plainfield Central. The program also matched its most wins since 1968 when it went 9-0. … Joliet West received votes in the latest 8A AP poll. … The Tigers’ lone loss of the season came against Morris, ranked the No. 2 team in the last 4A poll. … Joliet West averaged 31.6 points per game this season. It scored 20 or more points seven times this year.