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Here is a look at the second-round playoff matchups in the Sauk Valley area. Winners in the IHSA playoffs advance to the quarterfinals, and winners in the Illinois 8-Man Football Association playoffs advance to the semifinals.
Class 4A
No. 6 Chicago Agricultural Science (8-2) at No. 3 Dixon (9-1)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About the Cyclones: They are coming off their first playoff win in school history in five tries after beating Chicago Clemente 22-12 last week. They run a balanced offense with junior running back Maurice Bush leading the backfield with 920 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns. Sophomore Trevon Williams has nearly 1,000 yards of total offense with 13 touchdowns between offense, defense and returning kicks; he has five interceptions on defense.
Coach Patrick Ade says his linebackers anchor the defense, led by senior Elijah Henderson and sophomore Terrion Hale.
“We’re coming off the first state playoff victory in school history, so we are riding high and hope to bring that momentum with us into Dixon Friday night,” Ade said. “We know we have our work cut out for us and we have to play a near perfect game to take down a great Dukes football team that is now the favorite to come out of our bracket.”
The Cyclones went 4-1 to take second in the Chicago Public White-Southwest Conference. Their only losses came 34-20 to Chicago Corliss (6-4) and 17-8 to Chicago Kennedy (7-3)
About the Dukes: They are the highest remaining seed in the Class 4A bracket after No. 1 Chicago Sullivan was beaten 42-0 by Geneseo and No. 15 Rockford Boylan beat No. 2 Chicago South Shore 26-0. The Dukes are in the second round in Class 4A for the second straight season; they fell 31-21 to 11th-seeded St. Laurence as a No. 3 seed in the second round a year ago.
They last reached the quarterfinals in 2017 before falling to second-seeded Chicago Raby. Last week, Dixon scored 21 unanswered points to finish a 35-14 win over Marengo. Dixon out-gained the Indians 368-221 after Cullen Shaner passed for 196 yards and two touchdowns. Landon Knigge ran for 156 yards and two touchdowns in the win, eclipsing 1,032 yards and 14 touchdowns on 105 carries (9.83 average) for the season. He also has one kick return touchdown.
Through 10 games, Shaner has thrown for 1,746 yards and 26 touchdowns to three interceptions, also rushing for 455 yards on 72 carries (6.32 average) with seven touchdowns. Shaner averages 177.9 yards passing per game this season and the Dukes average 219.9 yards rushing per game. Dixon’s leading receiver is Eli Davidson, who has caught 45 passes for 628 yards and 12 touchdowns. Tyson Dambman has caught 42 passes for 491 yards and four touchdowns, and Gabe Rowley has seven touchdowns on 23 catches and 302 yards.
Davidson sits at 99 tackles (43 solo) for the season, including six for a loss, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and one defensive touchdown. Jake Whelan is second on the team with 37 solo tackles and 96 combined with an interception. Dixon has six interceptions for the season.
Next opponent: The winner of No. 15 Rockford Boylan (6-4) and No. 7 Coal City (8-2)
FND pick: Dixon
Class 1A
No. 6 Newman Central Catholic (8-2) at No. 3 Gibson City Melvin-Sibley (9-1)
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
About the Comets: They won a playoff game for the first time in three years under coach Mike LeMay and reached the second round for the first time since 2021 in Class 2A. Newman last reached the quarterfinals in 2019, the same year the Comets went on to win a state title in Class 2A as a No. 4 seed. Coincidentally, they beat GCMS 21-6 in the second round that year.
Last week, Newman beat Chicago Hope 50-22 to bounce back from a 21-0 loss to Monmouth-Roseville (8-2) to close the regular season. Newman scored on nine of its 14 possessions as Briar Ivey (three touchdowns) and Daniel Kelly (one touchdown) each ran for around 100 yards as the Comets tallied 231 yards on the ground. Ivey leads Newman with 629 yards and 10 touchdowns on 102 carries this season. Kelly also has 375 yards rushing and three TDs, 14 catches for 237 yards and a TD while leading the defense with 81 solo tackles (44 assisted), including 15 for a loss, four interceptions and two defensive TDs. Brady Williamson (237 yards rushing) and Cody McBride (289) also have four rushing scores. Newman has seven players with at least 20 carries and averages 5.17 yards per carry this season.
Evan Bushman is 65-of-97 passing (67%) for 958 yards and 11 TDs to five interceptions this season. George Jungerman filled in well when needed, completing 13-of-25 passes for 134 yards and three TDs with no picks. He also has 92 yards rushing and 103 receiving with a TD on seven catches. Williamson leads the receivers with 17 catches, 240 yards and five scores.
Newman’s eight wins are the Comets’ most in a season since they went 13-1 and won a sixth state title in 2019.
About the Falcons: They beat Salt Fork 38-7 last week for their first playoff win since 2019; it was the fifth time they held an opponent to a touchdown or less this season. They won state titles in 2017 and 2018. Their lone loss came 34-13 to the Heart of Central Illinois (Small) Conference champion LeRoy (10-0) in Week 8. They’ve averaged 31.9 points per game this season while allowing 12.8. They are led by senior quarterback Brayden Elliott, the program’s all-time leader in passing yards. Last week, he was 6-of-14 for 147 yards and three touchdowns.
Next opponent: The winner of No. 2 Lena-Winslow (10-0) and No. 10 Stockton (7-2)
FND pick: GCMS
Illinois 8-Man Football Assocation
No. 5 Martinsville (9-1) at No. 4 Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio (9-1)
When: 2 p.m. Saturday at the Harbor
About the Bluestreaks: Martinsville opened the eight-Man playoffs with a 52-22 win over No. 12 Milford-Cissna Park, the Bluestreaks’ second win in three weeks over the Bearcats. The Bluestreaks’ only loss came to No. 1 seed Pawnee-Lincoln Wood (42-12) in Week 7. One of Martinsville’s wins was a Week 2 forfeit over Danville Schlarman. The Bluestreaks have outscored opponents 424 to 157 (47.1-17.4) in their nine games that have been contested. ... Martinsville reached the eight-Man semifinals last year, falling to Ridgewood 28-26, which Amboy beat 74-22 in the state final.
About the Clippers: The Clippers took the first step in defending their eight-man state championship by defeating No. 13 West Central, the team which beat them for the 2022 state title. The Clippers are playing their best ball of the season, outscoring their opponents In their past five games by a combined score of 292-28 (58.4-5.6). .... Josh Mckendry went over 1,000 yards for the season with 56 yards and three TDs in Saturday’s win. ... Amboy has won 22 of it past 23 games since it lost in the 2022 state championship game. Amboy beat Martinsville 60-8 in Week 4 last season.
Next opponent: The winner of No. 1 Pawnee-Lincoln Wood (10-0) vs. No. 8 St. Anne (8-2) in next week’s eight-Man semifinals.
FND pick: Amboy
No. 7 West Carroll (8-2) at No. 2 Polo (10-0)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About the Thunder: They extended their first season playing 8-man football after making a goal line stop late in a 20-17 win over Flanagan-Cornell/Woodland. WC defensive tackle Aden Wiest and defensive end Cole Herrell stopped FCW’s Elijah Detwiler inside the 1-yard line in the final minute as the Thunder held on for the win. It was West Carroll’s first playoff win since 2017.
Aden Buchholz scored all three touchdowns and led WC with 109 yards rushing and two TDs, adding a kick return score to start the second half.
About the Marcos: They beat Alden-Hebron 58-20 last week, led by 178 yards rushing and four TDs from Gus Mumford, who also passed for 93 yards and two TDs. They have scored 44 points or more in every game but one, a 30-14 win over Milledgeville in Week 6. They did not face Ridgewood in the regular season.
Next opponent: The winner of No. 3 Ridgewood vs. No. 6 Milledgeville
FND pick: Polo
No. 6 Milledgeville (9-1) at No. 3 Ridgewood (9-1)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
About the Missiles: They beat South Beloit 52-0 last week. Kyson Francis was 5-of-8 passing for 129 yards and three touchdowns in the win for Milledgeville. Mica Toms-Smith had two rushing scores and a TD pass in the win as Spencer Nye caught two TDs and ran for another. Their offense has been one of the best in 8-man this season; they have scored 40 points or more in every game except their 30-14 loss at Polo.
About the Spartans: They have won nine straight games after opening the season with a 36-8 loss to Amboy, which they avenged in Week 5 with a 34-22 win to snap the Clippers’ 17-game win streak. They were the 8-man runners-up last season, falling 74-22 to Amboy. They beat South Fork 46-14 last week.
Next opponent: The winner of No. 2 Polo vs. No. 7 West Carroll
FND pick: Milledgeville