:quality(70):focal(1750x405:1760x415)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/ACVNCZSRFRBOFBNBET2TCVA2FM.JPG)
Here are the first-round matchups for each CCL/ESCC team. Dates and times will be updated when confirmed.
Class 3A
No. 9 Montini (7-2) at No. 8 North Lawndale (7-2)
When: TBD
About Montini: The Broncos are back in the playoffs for a second straight season after reaching the Class 3A semifinals last year. The program has a history of postseason success, reaching the playoffs from 1993 to 2019 and winning six state titles and competing in three more during that time. … Montini earned the No. 3 ranking in the latest Class 3A Associated Press poll. … After bringing back 10 of 11 starters from last year’s defense, the Broncos have continued their defensive success this season. They’ve held opponents to 10.4 points per game. Senior defensive lineman Nicky Castaldo and JC Hayes along with senior defensive back Vince Irion have been some of the top leaders defensively. … Montini’s lone two losses came against AP-ranked teams, No. 5 in 8A Marist and No. 5 in 6A Fenwick. The Broncos beat No. 5 in 3A St. Laurence in Week 9. … Sophomore quarterback Israel Abrams took over the starter’s role midway through the season and helped elevate the Broncos’ offense. Montini is 5-0 with Abrams at the head, averaging 35.2 points per game.
About North Lawndale: The Phoenix are back in the playoffs for a third straight season. They’ve lost in the first round of the playoffs in each of those trips and the program is looking for its first playoff win. … North Lawndale’s losses came against Mather, 27-20, and Sullivan, 6-0. Mather finished the season 6-3 while Sullivan ended the year undefeated. … The Phoenix have scored 28.1 points per game, scoring 20 or more points in all but one game. … The Phoenix have limited opponents to 9.1 points per game. They’ve allowed more than 10 points in a game twice.
Class 4A
No. 9 DePaul Prep (6-3) at No. 8 Dyett (7-2)
When: TBD
About DePaul Prep: After coming close last season, the Rams are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2015 and the second time since the school changed names from the former Gordon Tech in 2014. They’ll try to win their first playoff game in program history. … DePaul was ranked No. 8 in the latest Class 3A AP poll. … Two of the Rams’ losses came against ranked teams. They lost their first game against No. 6 in 8A Loyola, 35-7, in Week 5 and then lost in overtime to No. 5 in 5A St. Francis in Week 8. … Senior quarterback JuJu Rodriguez leads the Rams offensively while senior running back Nick Martinez and senior wide receiver Braden Peevy are key offensive targets. The Rams have scored at least 20 points in eight games this season. … Senior linebacker Jett Reese is a major leader for the Rams’ defense that has held opponents to seven or fewer points three times.
About Dyett: The Eagles are back in the playoffs for a second straight season and the third time in program history. They reached the second round of the Class 4A playoffs last season, where they lost 54-6 to Sandwich after beating Chicago Agricultural Science in the first round.It was their first playoff win ever in program history. … Dyett’s two losses came against Corliss/Butler, 46-0, and King, 32-0. Both Corliss/Butler and King finished the year at 6-3. … The Eagles ended the season with a 20-7 win over Lindblom on Saturday. … Dyett averaged 18.4 points per game and gave up an average of 13.9.
No. 12 St. Laurence (6-3) at No. 5 Richmond-Burton (7-2)
When: TBA
About St. Laurence: The Vikings have shown that last season’s trip to the Class 4A state championship game was no fluke. They’ve made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2017. That was also the last time the program won six or more games in back-to-back seasons. … St. Laurence tied for No. 5 in the latest AP Class 4A poll. … The Vikings’ losses have all come against playoff teams. They lost their first game of the season against No. 5 in 6A Fenwick, 37-15, in Week 6, to No. 8 in 7A Brother Rice, 35-6, in Week 8 and No. 3 in 3A Montini, 28-3, on Friday. … Senior starting quarterback and Illinois State commit Chase Kwiatkowski has missed the second half of the season with an arm injury he suffered in Week 5 against Leo. Coach Adam Nissen is hopeful Kwiatkowski can return in time for the playoffs. … Seniors Harley Rizzs and Cory Les lead a strong rushing attack for the Vikings.
About the Rockets: Richmond-Burton has reached the playoffs in 17 consecutive seasons and 18 of the past 19 overall. The Rockets dominated Plano 63-0 Friday night for their sixth win in a row after a 1-2 start, getting two touchdowns from Hunter Carley. R-B lost its first-round playoff game last year to St. Viator 14-0.
Class 5A
No. 13 Sterling (5-4) at No. 4 St. Francis (7-2)
When: TBD
About Sterling: They entered the season with a young team, especially in the trenches, and managed to make the playoffs for the 10th straight year. Sterling is coming off a 45-31 loss to Moline (7-2) on Friday. Two of its other three losses came to playoff teams in Metamora (6-3) in Week 1 28-9 and Quincy (9-0) 63-6 in Week 7. They lost 17-0 to Niles Notre Dame in Week 2. Sterling beat one playoff team this season in Geneseo (5-4), a 13-6 victory in Week 6. The Golden Warriors made the playoffs at 4-5 last season, beating No. 1 seed Chicago Payton 50-0 as a No. 16 seed before losing in the second round. They are led by senior quarterback Drew Nettleton, who has thrown for 1,406 yards (61.3% completion rate) and 12 touchdowns to five interceptions. Leading slot receiver/cornerback/punt returner Kaedon Phillips has had a highlight-filled senior campaign, tallying 576 yards and eight touchdowns on 39 catches this season. Phillips had two punt return touchdowns and a rushing score in a 27-26 win over United Township (4-5) this season.
About St. Francis: After back-to-back semifinal appearances, the Spartans are back in the playoffs with a younger lineup this season. The team has now reached the postseason for six straight seasons. … St. Francis earned No. 5 in the latest AP 5A ranking. … The Spartans have been battle-tested with a tough CCL/ESCC schedule. They earned impressive wins over No. 6 in 8A Loyola in Week 3, No. 8 in 4A DePaul Prep and No. 1 in 5A Nazareth and dropped games to No. 6 in 7A St. Rita, receiving votes in 5A Providence. … St. Francis’ offense features plenty of potent weapons. It is highlighted by junior quarterback Brady Palmer, senior running back Ty Ransom, senior wide receiver and Illinois State commit Ian Willis, junior wideout Zach Washington and junior tight end Gavin Mueller. … Senior defensive back Seth Valeri is one of the Spartans’ top defensive leaders. … The Spartans earned a share of the Green title with their win over Nazareth on Friday.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/TWZGK3W5GFB4XAAAAKXI76JLHA.JPG)
No. 14 Payton (5-4) at No. 3 Nazareth (7-2)
When: TBD
About Payton: The Grizzlies return to the playoffs for a 13th straight season. They’ll try to get back on the postseason side after losing as the No. 1 seed to Sterling last season in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. Payton has won one playoff game during that span in the first round of the 2022 5A playoffs. … After starting the season 2-0, the Grizzlies have hovered around .500 for much of the season. They lost to Lane Tech (3-6) and Lincoln Park (8-1), respectively, to end the regular season. … Payton averaged 21.6 points per game, scoring 20 or more points six times this season. … The Grizzlies held opponents to an average of 13.9 points per game. They had three shutouts.
About Nazareth: There were no last-minute heroics for the Roadrunners this time around as they kept the second-longest playoff streak in the CCL/ESCC alive, qualifying each year since 2013. The team will try to win its third straight 5A state championship after starting 2-4 in 2021 and 0-4 last season and going on to win two titles. … Nazareth was the No. 1 ranked team in the latest 5A AP poll. … The Roadrunners’ two losses came to Mount Carmel and St Francis. … Senior quarterback Logan Malachuk leads a dynamic offense that’s scored an average of 34 points per game, only scoring less than 33 points in a game once. … Senior pass rusher and Stanford commit Gabe Kaminski and junior linebacker Lesroy Tittle are key leaders for a defense that’s made plays throughout the season. … The Roadrunners earned a share of the Green title.
No. 11 Jacksonville (6-3) No. 6 Joliet Catholic (6-3)
When: TBD
About Jacksonville: After a one-year hiatus, the Crimsons are back in the postseason, qualifying three of the last four years. They lost in the first round both in 2021 and 2022 and are looking for their first playoff win since 2013. … One of their three losses came against No. 1 2A Quincy Notre Dame, who won 35-21 in Week 7. … Jacksonville has a strong running attack that can break out long runs and throw the ball at times too. The offense averaged 41.2 points per game and scored 21 or more points in all but one game. … The Crimsons limited opponents to 20 points per game.
About Joliet Catholic: The Hilltoppers return to the playoffs for a sixth straight season after another successful regular season. They’ve won two state championships during that span, all under coach Jake Jaworski, and competed in last season’s 5A state championship. … Joliet Catholic was ranked No. 3 in the latest 5A AP poll. … All three of the Hilltoppers losses came against top-ranked opponents. They’ve lost to No. 4 in 8A Oswego, No. 1 in 5A Nazareth and No. 1 in 7A Mount Carmel. Joliet Catholic has beaten No. 5 in 6A Fenwick and No. 5 in 8A Marist. … Senior running backs Larry Stringham, Nate Magrini and Keegan Farnaus have provided a strong running attack … Senior linebacker Daniel Rouse is one of the leaders on a defense that’s held opponents to 16.8 points per game. … Joliet Catholic won the Orange title, the fourth division crown since the CCL/ESCC formed in 2019.
No. 15 Marmion (5-4) at No. 2 Rochelle (8-1)
When: TBD
About Marmion: The Cadets won their regular season finale in order to return to their first playoffs since 2021 under first-year coach Adam Guerra. The program has now reached the postseason 10 times since 2009, reaching the 6A state championship in 2010. … Three of Marmion’s losses came against playoff teams. The Cadets lost 55-19 to No. 3 in 3A Montini, 40-6 to receiving votes in 4A IC Catholic and 42-0 to No. 5 in 8A Marist. … The Cadets won one game against a playoff team this season. They beat Oak Forest 21-15 to start the season. … Senior wide receiver Bryan Scales is a major offensive threat for Marmion. He also plays a key role in the Cadets’ secondary. … Marmion won the outright Red title with its win over Leo on Saturday. It’s the Cadets’ first division title since the CCL/ESCC formed.
About Rochelle: The Hubs return to the playoffs for a fourth straight season. They reached the quarterfinals in 2022 and the second round in 2021. … Rochelle was ranked No. 7 in the latest 5A AP poll. … The Hubs have been eliminated by a CCL/ESCC team during all three of their last playoff trips. St. Francis defeated them the last two seasons while St. Patrick eliminated them in 2021. … Rochelle’s lone loss of the season came against No. 2 in 5A Sycamore. … Sophomore Dylan Manning has surpassed 1,000 rushing yards this season. He, along with senior Grant Gensler, led an offense that averaged 42.7 points per game.
No. 10 Perspectives Leadership (5-4) at No. 7 Benet (6-3)
When: TBD
About Perspectives Leadership: Perspectives returns to the postseason after missing out last year. The program has now made it to the playoffs in two of the last three seasons and is looking for its first-ever playoff win. … Perspectives losses came against Bulls College Prep (5-4), Whitney Young (9-0), Dyett (7-2) and King (6-3). … The offense averaged 15.1 points per game while the defense gave up an average of 16.4 points per game.
About Benet: After just missing the playoffs at 4-5 the last three seasons, the Redwings are finally back in the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Their six wins are the most they’ve captured since that 2019 season, the last year of eight straight postseason appearances for the program. … Benet received votes in the latest 5A AP poll. … All of the Redwings’ losses have come against ranked teams. They dropped their first game of the season against No. 1 in 7A Mount Carmel in Week 5, then lost to No. 5 in 6A Fenwick and No. 1 in 5A Nazareth. They beat No. 8 in 3A DePaul. … Senior quarterback Ryan Kubacki Jr. took a big step during his second year as the offense’s starter. Benet averaged 29.2 points per game this season. … Benet captured the Purple division title after holding on to beat the Rams on Friday. It’s their first division title since the CCL/ESCC formed in 2019.
Class 7A
No. 19 Mount Carmel (6-3) at No. 14 Harlem (7-2)
When: TBD
About Mount Carmel: The Caravan are back in the playoffs for a seventh straight season as they try to win their third straight 7A state championship. The team has won three state championships under coach Jordan Lynch during this playoff streak and have made the postseason each season since 1986 with the exception of 2016, winning 14 state title and playing in five more championships. … Mount Carmel was ranked No. 1 in 7A in the latest AP poll. … The Caravan’s losses came against The Hun School (7-1) from New Jersey in Week 1 and No. 8 Brother Rice in Week 6. They’ve beaten No. 6 in 7A St. Rita, No. 1 in 5A Nazareth, No. 3 in 3A Joliet Catholic and No. 5 in 6A Fenwick. … Senior quarterback and Vanderbilt commit Jack Elliott leads a dynamic offense that’s scored an average of 33.9 points per game. … Mount Carmel’s defense has held opponents to 21.1 points per game, led by senior linebacker Matt Mucha and junior defensive lineman and USC commit Braeden Jones.
About Harlem: The Huskies continued their impressive playoff streak, making it for the 16th straight season. Their quarterfinal appearance in the 6A playoffs in 2022 was the furthest they’ve advanced in the playoffs during that stretch. … Harlem’s two losses came against Freeport (5-4) and Belvidere North (8-1). … The Huskies had a chance to earn a share of the NIC-10 but dropped their regular season finale against Belvidere North. … Running back Jahmani Muhammad rushed for 231 yards and a touchdown against Belvidere North. He’s one of the top weapons for an offense that averaged 27.6 points per game. … Linebacker Brenyn Brickson is a major presence for the Huskies defense and leads the unit in creating turnovers.
No. 21 Brother Rice (6-3) at No. 12 Fenwick (7-2)
When: TBD
About Brother Rice: Despite some tough losses to start the season, the Crusaders have won five straight games to secure their sixth straight playoff berth. The program has made the playoffs in all three years of coach Casey Quedenfeld’s tenure. … Brother Rice was ranked No. 8 in 7A in the latest AP poll. … All three of the Crusaders’ losses have come against ranked teams in late-game scenarios. Brother Rice lost to No. 5 in 8A Marist in overtime, to No. 6 in 7A St. Rita in the last couple minutes and to No. 6 in 8A Loyola with a chance to tie the game on the last play. They beat No. 1 in 7A Mount Carmel, who played without Elliott, and No. 5 in 4A St. Laurence. … Brother Rice has one of the top defenses in the CCL/ESCC. Senior linebacker Christian Pierce is a Division-I prospect while senior defensive lineman Charlie Stec and senior safety Conner Stack both provide strong experience. Junior defensive tackle King Liggins and sophomore defensive tackle Brayden Parks have both earned Division-I interest as well.
About Fenwick: The Friars are back in the playoffs after just missing out last season at 4-5. They have now qualified for the postseason in four of their last five chances, winning the 5A state championship in 2021. … Fenwick was ranked No. 5 in the latest 6A AP poll. … The Friars have hung on well throughout one of the toughest schedules in the CCL/ESCC. Their lone losses came against No. 3 in 5A Joliet Catholic and No. 1 in 7A Mount Carmel. Fenwick has beaten No. 3 in 3A Montini along with No. 5 in 4A St. Laurence and receiving votes in 5A Benet. … Senior edge rusher and Auburn commit Nate Marshall is one of the top pass rushers in the nation. He leads a defense that includes senior linebacker Jack Paris and junior safety Tommy Theis, who’ve helped Fenwick’s defense limit opponents to 13 points per game. … The Friars won the White division outright, their first division crown since 2021.
No. 23 Guilford (6-3) at No. 10 St. Rita (7-2)
When: TBD
About Guilford: After missing out last season, the Vikings are back in the playoffs for the second time in three seasons. They’re looking for their first playoff win since 2007. … Guilford’s three losses came against Belvidere North, (8-1), Hononegah (8-1) and Harlem (7-2). … Junior wide receiver Messiah Tilson has started to earn some college interest and is a playmaking threat with his scoring ability. He’s a key cog for an offense that averaged 20.8 points per game. … The Vikings won four straight games to end the regular season. They averaged 26.5 points per game and limited opponents to 7.8 per game.
About St. Rita: The Mustangs took a step in coach Martin Hopkins’ second year in charge and returned to the playoffs for a fifth straight season. They have made two state championship games during that span. … St. Rita earned No. 6 in 7A in the latest AP poll. … The Mustangs have shown they can compete against some of the top teams in the state. They defeated No. 8 in 7A Brother Rice and No. 5 in 5A St. Francis while losing to No. 1 in 7A Mount Carmel and No. 1 in 5A Nazareth. … Senior linebackers Justin Buckner and James Kingbury are key playmakers for a stout Mustangs defense. St. Rita has limited opponents to 13 or fewer points five times this season, holding them to 15.2 points per game. … Senior running back Nick Herman has provided a boost on the ground for the Mustangs while junior quarterback Steven Armbruster has looked strong in the pocket as a first-year starter. … The Mustangs earned a share of the Green title.
Class 8A
No. 12 Belleville East (6-3) at No. 12 Loyola (7-2)
When: TBD
About Belleville East: The Lancers are back in the playoffs for a third straight season. They’ll try to continue their progression after reaching the Class 8A second round last season. … Belleville East’s losses came against No. 1 in 1A Althoff Catholic and No. 1 in 6A East St. Louis. The team lost 49-21, 40-0, in those two games, respectively. … The Lancers beat No. 9 in 7A Edwardsville. … Senior wide receiver Xavien Moody, who had a big game in Week 9, is emerging as a big pass-catching threat for the Lancers. Their offense has scored an average of 29 points per game. … The Lancers have limited opponents to 18.8 points per game with two shutouts. … Belleville East will need to travel 310 miles to Wilmette for its first round game.
About Loyola: The Ramblers kept the longest active CCL/ESCC playoff streak alive after making the playoffs for a 21st straight season. The two-time defending 8A state champions won four state titles and competed in four more championship games during that span. … Loyola earned the No. 6 ranking in the latest 8A AP poll. … The Ramblers’ losses came against some of the best teams in the state. They opened the season with a loss to No. 1 in 6A East St. Louis and dropped a Week 3 game against No. 5 in 5A St. Francis without starting senior quarterback Ryan Fitzgerald. They’ve beaten No. 8 in 8A Brother Rice, No. 8 in 3A DePaul and No. 1 in 7A Mount Carmel.. … Fitzgerald, an Iowa walk-on commit, has battled a hamstring injury for much of the season. If healthy, he’s one of the top quarterbacks in the state as has offensive weapons like senior running back and Iowa commit Drew MacPherson along with senior tight end and Miami (Ohio) commit Brandan Loftus. … Washington commit and senior defensive back Donovan Robinson leads a defense that’s held opponents to 17.8 points per game.
No. 28 Glenbrook South (5-4) at No. 5 Marist (8-1)
When: TBD
About Glenbrook South: The Titans are back in the playoffs for a fourth straight season. The reached the 8A quarterfinals in 2021 and the second round in 2022. … Glenbrook South has played one of the toughest schedules in the state. They’ve lost to No. 8 in 8A Barrington and teams receiving votes like Hersey and Maine South. … The Titans won their last two games of the regular season to secure their spot in the playoffs. … Glenbrook South has found ways to score the ball. They averaged 29.2 points per game and scored at least 20 points eight times this season. … The of the Titans’ losses came within a score.
About Marist: The RedHawks have made a splash in coach Mike Fitzgerald’s first year in charge. The team returns to the playoffs after missing out last season and has qualified for the postseason eight of the last nine years. … Marist was ranked No. 5 in the latest 8A AP poll. … The RedHawks have looked dominant for much of the season. They held on to beat No. 8 in 7A Brother Rice in overtime and also defeated No. 3 in 3A Montini. Their lone loss of the season came against No. 3 in 5A Joliet Catholic in double-overtime. … Senior defensive lineman and Iowa commit Brad Fitzgibbon leads a tough RedHawks defense along with Harvard commit and senior defensive lineman Achilles Anderson. Marist has held opponents to 14.8 points per game. … Senior quarterback Jacob Ritter transferred in from Lincoln-Way East and has helped the RedHawks keep up a strong pace. Cornell commit and senior running back John McAuliffe is a threat both running and catching the ball.