Prairie Ridge football vs. St. Francis Class 5A playoffs score, news, our pick, live coverage

Prairie Ridge’s Lanndon kicks an extra point out of the hold of quarterback, Owen Satterlee,during an IHSA Class 5A first-round football game on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at Prairie Ridge High School in Crystal Lake.

Prairie Ridge faces St. Francis in Round 2 of the 2024 Class 5A IHSA football playoffs. Friday Night Drive correspondent Chris Casey will have live updates, scores and news from the game.

What to know

Prairie Ridge vs. St. Francis kickoff: 1 p.m. Saturday

Where: Wheaton

Prairie Ridge-St. Francis preview

About the Wolves: Prairie Ridge rolled in its state playoff opener, building a 28-0 lead after one quarter en route to a 65-6 win over No. 12 Chicago Goode STEM Academy 65-6. Returning from a high-ankle sprain that sidelined him the past four games, Wolves senior FB Jack Finn rushed for 159 yards and four TDs on 15 carries, all in the first half. PR also got rushing TDs from Nick Petty (two) and Alexander Trejo. Sophomore QB Owen Satterlee threw a 45-yard TD pass to Elijah Loeding and also ran in a PAT and tossed a PAT pass to Loeding. The Wolves – who allow only 12.7 points per game – got an interception from senior LB Giovanni Creatore. While PR got Finn back, they played again without versatile junior QB/RB Luke Vanderwiel, who suffered a leg injury in Week 6 against Dundee-Crown and has not played since then. The playoff win was the Wolves’ first since they beat St. Ignatius College Prep 21-19 to advance to the Class 6A championship game in 2022. PR opened the playoffs last year with a loss to eventual Class 5A state champ Nazareth Academy.

About the Spartans: St. Francis ran its winning streak to five games with a playoff-opening, 42-18 win over visiting Sterling. Speedy junior wide receiver Zach Washington turned in a pair of electrifying plays against Sterling, returning a kickoff 95 yards for a TD and scoring on a reverse from 92 yards out. Junior QB Brady Palmer threw a 58-yard TD pass to Tanner Glock and scored on a 21-yard draw. St. Francis averages 32.3 points per game and allows 23.2 per game. St. Francis seeks its third consecutive quarterfinal appearance.

Advancement: Winner faces the winner of No. 1 Sycamore (9-0) at No. 9 Westinghouse (6-4).

FND Pick: St. Francis

Live updates