IHSA playoffs at 50: A look at NewsTribune area team’s postseason history

For decades, football teams in Illinois had no way to determine which teams were the best in the state, as there was no statewide postseason system.

Several Illinois Valley teams over the years perhaps could have made a run to a championship if given the opportunity.

La Salle-Peru had six undefeated teams in the pre-playoff era, including a 10-0 mark in 1968, St. Bede had nine unbeaten teams, Richard Nesti led Hall to a perfect record in 1953, and Kelly Kane coached the Red Devils to a 9-0-1 record in 1973. Mendota was 7-0-2 in 1929, and Walnut had seven undefeated teams in the pre-playoff era, including the legendary 1945 team that outscored opponents 126-0.

Fifty years ago, the opportunity to crown the best in the state finally came when the IHSA implemented a playoff system.

For the first playoffs in 1974, 80 teams qualified with 16 teams in each of the five classes. There were 65 automatic bids for conference champions and 15 at-large teams.

In 1980, a sixth class was added, and in 1985 the playoffs moved to 32 teams per class. The seeding system was installed in 1994.

The IHSA moved to eight classes in 2001, and the playoff system has remained pretty much the same as it’s currently run with alterations over the years with things like enrollment multiplier and success factor.

As the state gets set to celebrate the 50th anniversary of playoff football and NewsTribune area teams look to add to their postseason resumes this fall, here’s a look at each school’s playoff history.

La Salle-Peru

Postseason appearances: 14

First playoff win: 22-7 over Danville (1975)

Best finish: Runner-up 1977 (4A), 1978 (4A), 1979 (4A)

All-time playoff record: 14-14

Looking back: The Cavaliers were a powerhouse when the playoffs began under coach Joe Marini. L-P made the postseason for the first time in 1975 – the second year of the IHSA playoffs – and reached the Class 4A semifinals before losing to Springfield Griffin 12-0. The Cavs were state runners-up in 4A three straight years from 1977-79, losing in the state title game to Joliet Catholic (30-6), Joliet Catholic (25-0) and Wheaton North (14-6). Since the Marini era ended, L-P has qualified for the playoffs nine times and advanced past the first round only once, when Greg Sarver guided the Cavs to a 10-3 record and a 5A semifinal appearance in 2003. Current coach Jose Medina helped L-P end a 10-year playoff drought with a 5A appearance in 2019. The Cavs followed that with postseason berths in 2021 and 2022 – there were no playoffs in 2020 – giving them their first string of three consecutive playoff teams since 1977-79.

St. Bede

Postseason appearances: 19

First playoff win: 34-22 over Prophetstown (1987)

Best finish: Semifinalist, 2001 (2A)

All-time playoff record: 9-19

Looking back: The Bruins made their first playoff appearance in 1986 under longtime coach John Bellino. St. Bede returned in 1987, then was absent from the postseason until returning in 1996. By the late 1990s/early 2000s, Bellino had turned the Bruins into playoff regulars. Beginning in 1999, St. Bede qualified for the playoffs in 12 of Bellino’s last 16 seasons, which included a 10-3 record and a semifinal appearance in 2001 and a string of five straight playoff berths to end his 35-year tenure as coach. Current coach Jim Eustice took over in 2015 and made his first playoff appearance with the Bruins in 2016. St. Bede has made the playoffs the past three years.

Hall

Postseason appearances: 27

First playoff win: 28-7 over Prairie Central (1987)

Best finish: State champion, 1995 (3A), 2001 (3A)

All-time playoff record: 38-25

Looking back: Gary Vicini went 4-23 in his first three years as Hall coach before turning the Red Devils into playoff regulars. Vicini guided Hall to its first playoff berth in 1987, and the Red Devils made the playoffs in 20 of Vicini’s final 22 seasons. Not only were the Red Devils playoff regulars under Vicini, but Hall regularly made deep postseason runs. The Red Devils won two state titles, finished as runner-up, made five semifinal appearances and advanced to the quarterfinals seven times under Vicini, who retired after the 2008 season. After a four-year playoff drought following Vicini’s retirement, Randy Tieman turned the Red Devils back into playoff regulars, leading Hall to the postseason in seven of 10 seasons between two stints as head coach, including a quarterfinal appearance in 2015. Tieman retired after last season, and Logan Larson, a former assistant at 2003 2A runner-up Athens, has taken over as head coach and looks to continue Hall’s playoff tradition.

Mendota

Postseason appearances: 17

First playoff win: 42-14 over Coal City (1987)

Best finish: Semifinalist, 1987 (3A)

All-time playoff record: 14-17

Looking back: The Trojans made their playoff debut in 1981 under coach Dean Lubbs, who led Mendota to six playoff berths in 15 seasons, including a semifinal berth in 1987. Mendota made the playoffs in 1994 and 1995 before an eight-year playoff drought. John McKenzie took over the program in 2002 and brought the Trojans back to the playoffs in 2004. He led Mendota to the second round of the playoffs or deeper for six straight seasons from 2006-12, including quarterfinal appearances in 4A in 2009 and 2010, before resigning after the 2012 season. The Trojans have struggled to maintain that playoff consistency since McKenzie’s departure, qualifying for the postseason just twice since he left, in 2014 and 2021, which both resulted in first-round exits.

Princeton

Postseason appearances: 14

First playoff win: 40-21 over Yorkville (1989)

Best finish: Runner-up, 1989 (3A)

All-time playoff record: 20-14

Looking back: The Tigers have become playoff regulars since Ryan Pearson took over as coach in 2017, qualifying for the postseason in five of the six seasons when playoffs were held. Not only is Princeton a perennial playoff entry in recent years, but the Tigers are regularly advancing. Princeton advanced to the second round or deeper in all five playoff appearances under Pearson, including a semifinal appearance in 2019 and quarterfinal berths the past three years. Before Pearson, the Tigers were sporadic playoff entrants. Princeton’s first berth came in 1984, which resulted in a first-round loss. The Tigers had two more playoff berths before earning their first postseason win in 1989, when Randy Swinford led Princeton to a runner-up finish in 3A, losing to Belleville Althoff Catholic 38-7. Princeton had one more playoff appearance under Swinford and three under Joe Ryan, including a semifinal appearance in 2002, before an 11-year drought that ended with a quarterfinal run in 2015. Tiskilwa, whose students began attending Princeton after the school closed in 1996, was 2-2 in two postseason appearances (1978, 1981).

Bureau Valley

Postseason appearances: 10

First playoff win: 32-12 over Dakota (2001)

Best finish: State champion, 2005 (3A)

All-time playoff record: 17-9 as Bureau Valley, 41-38 including predecessors

Looking back: After Bureau Valley was formed in 1995, it took the Storm seven years to get into the playoffs. In 2001, Bureau Valley not only qualified, but advanced to the quarterfinals to start a strong run of playoff success. The Storm made the playoffs for six straight seasons from 2001-06 under Jason Kirby and Dave Moore and had a dominant stretch from 2004-06 when they went 39-2, won the 2005 Class 3A state championship, finished as 3A runner-up in 2004 and reached the 3A semifinals in 2006. Bureau Valley made a quarterfinal appearance in 2008 but hasn’t been past the first round since. The Storm also made playoff appearances in 2009, 2019 and 2016. Before Bureau Valley, its predecessors had plenty of playoff success. Walnut was 15-11 in 11 playoff appearances with a 1A runner-up finish in 1982, a semifinal appearance in 1983 and quarterfinal trips in 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988. Manlius was 6-6 with a quarterfinal berth in 1992, Bradford was 3-6, Buda Western went 0-4 and Wyanet and Tampico each lost their only playoff game.

Fieldcrest

Postseason appearances: 14

First playoff win: 53-6 over Deer Creek-Mackinaw (2014)

Best finish: Semifinalist, 2014 (2A), 2019 (2A)

All-time playoff record: 7-14, 7-18 including predecessors

Looking back: After Fieldcrest was formed in 1992, it took the Knights a long time to break through for their first playoff victory. In their 10th playoff appearance, the Knights earned their first playoff win in coach Derek Schneeman’s first season and advanced all the way to the Class 2A semifinals. Schneeman led Fieldcrest to the playoffs in five of his six seasons, including another semifinal appearance in his final year in 2019. The Knights have not been back to the playoffs since Schneeman left. Before Fieldcrest, Minonk-Dana-Rutland was 0-4 in four playoff appearances.

Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio

Postseason appearances: 19

Best finish: State champion, 1984 (2A)

All-time playoff record: 26-18

Looking back: Before switching to eight-man football, the Clippers had a rich playoff history in 11-man. Amboy had only two head coaches from the start of the playoff era until it left 11-man football with Don Wyzgowski leading the program from 1974-93 before Gary Jones coached the Clippers from 1994 to 2019. Both had great playoff resumes. Wyzgowski led Amboy to a 2A runner-up finish in the Clippers’ first playoff appearance in 1979 and again the following year. He coached the Clippers to the 1984 2A state championship and a semifinal berth in 1986. Jones’ first team in 1994 made the playoffs and returned in 2000 before starting a nine-year postseason streak from 2002-10. Jones led Amboy to quarterfinal appearances in 2003, 2006, 2007 and 2012 among his 13 playoff appearances. LaMoille made three playoff appearances separate from Amboy in 1974, 1986 and 1987, going 3-3 with second-round losses each time. Amboy has had tremendous success in eight-man, winning the state title last fall and finishing as runner-up in 2022.