IHSA playoff projection for Week 8: What do Suburban Life area teams need to do to make the field of 256?

There are only two weeks left to earn a spot in the postseason, and plenty of Suburban Life area teams still are battling for a spot.

[ Steve Soucie's playoff projections ]

Friday Night Drive Managing Editor Steve Soucie predicts this year’s field of 256 will include more four-win teams, so even teams with two wins still have a shot.

Here are where teams stand before Week 8 kicks off.

Locked in

Lyons Township (7-0, 29 playoff points)

The Lions are one of just 39 playoff-eligible teams statewide still unbeaten after last week’s come-from-behind, 21-20 win over previous unbeaten Downers Grove North. Lyons has already locked up its fourth straight playoff appearance. With a Week 9 game left with winless Proviso East, a Class 8A first-round home playoff game is also all but a certainty. Lyons can clinch the West Suburban Silver title and likely an unbeaten season with a win Friday over York.

Nazareth (6-1, 36 playoff points)

After going from 2-4 to a state championship in 2022 and 0-4 to a state title in 2023, the two-time defending Class 5A champs removed the drama from the equation this regular season. The Roadrunners are headed to their 14th postseason since 2007 under veteran head coach Tim Racki. Tough games remain against a pair of 5-2s in Benet and St. Francis, but Nazareth has a good shot at a first-round home playoff game in Class 5A.

Glenbard East (6-1, 34 playoff points)

The Rams’ renaissance continues this season, as their 49-15 win over West Chicago last week clinched a school-record seventh straight playoff appearance on the heels of reaching the Class 7A quarterfinals last season. At this point, Shaw Local’s Steve Soucie has Glenbard East once again projected in the Class 7A bracket. With the dearth of unbeatens and one-loss teams projected in 7A, the Rams could be looking at one of the top seeds and a certain first-round home game. Games remain against playoff hopefuls Glenbard South and Riverside-Brookfield.

Fenwick (6-1, 33 playoff points)

One of the best under-the-radar stories, Fenwick is a two-point conversion against Joliet Catholic away from a 7-0 start to the season. A thumping of fellow one-loss Benet last Friday clinched a playoff bid after the Friars just missed out at 4-5 last year. Fenwick is currently projected by Shaw Local’s Steve Soucie in the Class 6A bracket with a first-round home game. Games remain against Mount Carmel and Carmel.

York (6-1, 32 playoff points)

York, coming off back-to-back Class 8A semifinal appearances, will be back in the playoffs under first-year head coach Don Gelsomino. A win over Glenbard West last Saturday guaranteed that. With a Week 9 game left against Proviso West, the Dukes look like at least a seven-win team (they host Lyons Friday), which would likely secure a Class 8A first-round home game, where Steve Soucie has them pegged right now.

Downers Grove North (6-1, 30 playoff points)

The Trojans, Class 7A state runners-up last year, are back in the playoffs. A Week 6 win over York ensured the Trojans’ third consecutive playoff appearance, the 6-0 start at the time Downers Grove North’s best since 2003. The loss to Lyons last Friday might have cost the Trojans a shot at the No. 1 overall seed in the 7A bracket, but they’re still in very good shape for a first-round home game with games remaining against a pair of 3-4s, Hinsdale South and Hinsdale Central.

Wheaton Academy (6-1, 29 playoff points)

The Warriors, Class 4A semifinalists last season, will be back in the playoffs for the fourth straight season under head coach Jim Johanik. A 56-8 win over Christ the King ensured that. The Warriors, unbeaten against in-state teams this season, are projected to once again fall in the Class 4A bracket with a first-round home game likely. Games remain against 5-2 Aurora Christian and 2-5 Marian Central.

On the threshold

Benet (5-2, 38 playoff points)

The Redwings, just missing out on the playoffs the last three seasons with 4-5 records, look ready to end that narrative and play beyond Week 9. A difficult closing stretch that started last week with Fenwick continues with 6-1s Nazareth and DePaul Prep, but even at 5-4 the Redwings would seem to be close to a sure bet for the playoffs with Benet’s robust playoff point total. Benet is currently projected in the Class 5A bracket, one of the larger schools in that classification.

St. Francis (5-2, 36 playoff points)

The Spartans, Class 5A semifinalists last season and a 4A semifinalist the year before that, have had a season of emotional highs and lows, but consecutive wins over IC Catholic Prep and Marian Catholic look to have secured a bid. St. Francis is again projected in the 5A bracket. A tough final two games with 6-1s DePaul Prep and Nazareth await, but even if St Francis slips to 5-4 a postseason bid looks a near certainty. Nabbing at least one win with St. Francis’ collection of playoff points could mean a home first-round game.

Montini (5-2, 35 playoff points)

The Broncos, Class 3A semifinalist last season, have strung together three consecutive CCL/ESCC wins to all but wrap up another bid. Montini is once again projected in the 3A bracket. Games remain against St. Ignatius and St. Laurence. While accumulating a couple more wins could help earn a first-round home game, the bigger looming question is just where Montini will end up in the bracket in relation to defending 3A champion Byron.

Downers Grove South (5-2, 32 playoff points)

The Mustangs, as in recent seasons, have stacked together wins in the West Suburban Gold – four straight, currently – and have all but guaranteed the program’s fifth straight playoff bid. Downers Grove South is currently projected in the Class 8A bracket. A Week 9 matchup with 6-1 Addison Trail, projected in 7A, could determine who gets to host a first-round game.

Glenbard South (5-2, 28 playoff points)

The Raiders, despite a so-so amount of playoff points, look all but certain to be playoff-bound for the 13th straight time. Notably, Glenbard South – which has been in the Class 5A bracket in its last eight playoff appearances – has been cleared by the IHSA to “play up” and will play in 6A. Games remain against Glenbard East and Larkin.

Wheaton Warrenville South (4-3, 41 playoff points)

The Tigers squeaked into the playoffs with 5-4 records in both 2021 and 2023 and could be headed in that direction once again. WW South is one of three teams in the DuKane Conference right at or below .500 – 3-4 Wheaton North and Lake Park – so the playoffs in a sense have started early in the league. The Tigers have games remaining against 6-1 Batavia and 2-5 St. Charles East. A healthy amount of playoff points would make the Tigers among the first in line for potential 4-5 playoff teams should it come to that. Interestingly, WW South is currently projected as one of the larger schools in the 6A bracket.

Lemont (4-3, 39 playoff points)

Lemont has reached every postseason but one since 2004, but it was a close call last year getting in with a 5-4 record. The team very well could be headed in that direction again after a 21-10 loss to Richards last week. Games remain against playoff hopefuls Oak Forest (5-2) and Hillcrest (4-3). Lemont does have a solid amount of playoff points, so it’s a possibility it could be a candidate to get in at 4-5.

Riverside-Brookfield (4-3, 32 playoff points)

The Bulldogs, in their first season in the Upstate Eight Conference, juiced hopes for their ninth playoff bid since 2014 with a huge Week 6 win over defending league co-champ Glenbard South. That said, a lower amount of playoff points makes getting that fifth win all the more significant. A matchup Friday at fellow 4-3 West Chicago could be a must-win for both, especially with R-B finishing against 6-1 Glenbard East in Week 9.

Willowbrook (4-3, 29 playoff points)

The Warriors have made seven consecutive playoff appearances under head coach Nick Hildreth, but it’s been an uphill climb to keep that streak going after a 1-3 start. They’ve won three straight since, and can all but secure a bid with a win over 2-5 Morton this week. Notably, Shaw Local’s Steve Soucie currently projects Willowbrook as the largest school in the Class 6A bracket. The Warriors have played in 7A in all but one season during their current playoff streak.

Work to do

IC Catholic Prep (3-4, 39 playoff points)

The Knights, with four state titles since 2016, have not missed the playoffs since 2014, head coach Bill Krefft’s second season. In fact, IC Catholic has reached at least the quarterfinals in every postseason since. But a four-game losing streak at midseason put the Knights in a precarious position. A 40-6 win over Marmion righted the ship, setting up a huge matchup with fellow 3-4 St. Viator this week. A Week 9 game with 5-2 St. Rita makes this week all the more urgent. That said, with a strong amount of playoff points the Knights could get in at 4-5 with one more win. Steve Soucie currently projects the Knights as one of the smaller schools in the 4A bracket.

Hinsdale Central (3-4, 36 playoff points)

The Red Devils have missed out on the playoffs the last two seasons after reaching Week 10 in 19 of the previous 20 postseasons. Hinsdale Central has been quite competitive against unbeatens Naperville Central and Lyons and one-loss York, but still finds itself on the outside looking in right now. Should the Red Devils get by 1-6 Oak Park-River Forest this week, a playoff bid could come down to the Week 9 Old Oaken Bucket rivalry game with Downers Grove North.

Hinsdale South (3-4, 36 playoff points)

The Hornets have been right on the cusp of the playoffs, outside looking in, the last three seasons with identical 4-5 records. Guess what? Hinsdale South is in that neighborhood again. A fair amount of playoff points does not shut the door on playoff qualification at 4-5, but otherwise the Hornets will need to upset Downers Grove North this week.

Wheaton North (3-4, 36 playoff points)

The Falcons have made three consecutive playoff appearances highlighted by a 2021 Class 7A state title, but a three-game losing streak and a 28-24 heartbreaker against unbeaten Geneva last week has Wheaton North in must-win mode. Fortunately, the schedule sets up for a late run – at home against 2-5 Glenbard North this week and at 3-4 Lake Park next Friday, which could play out as a de facto play-in game.

Glenbard West (2-5, 40 playoff points)

The Hilltoppers have made 16 consecutive playoff appearances since Chad Hetlet came aboard as head coach in 2007, but an 0-4 start to this season put that streak in serious jeopardy. Glenbard West has since recovered to win two of its last three games and has a boatload of playoff points. Also advantageous is finishing games with 2-5 Proviso West and 1-6 Oak Park-River Forest. If 4-5 teams qualify as looks likely, Glenbard West should be among the first in line. Another variable? What bracket Glenbard West would fall in. The Hilltoppers have fluctuated between Class 7A and 8A in Steve Soucie’s projections.