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Last year’s state championship game can’t be repeated in 2024.
Wilmington, last year’s champion, has moved up to Class 3A. The runner-up squad, Athens, didn’t qualify for the playoffs.
That makes for a whole host of new teams that will be looking to break through for a title run and a number of teams look more than capable of doing it.
First-round matchups
Farmington vs. Deer Creek-Mackinaw: Farmington absolutely blitzed most of the opposition on their schedule with only two of its games being decided by less than a three-touchdown margin. They also had six games where they either shut out or allowed just one touchdown to foes. Deer Creek Mackinaw had a string where they lost four of five games in the middle of the year and none of its five victories were over playoff bound teams.
Pick: Farmington
Rockridge vs. Eastland-Pearl City: Rockridge is riding a four-game winning streak that includes handing Monmouth its lone loss of the regular season in Week 8. More often than not you are going to have trouble getting more than a score or two against the Rockets. Very quietly Eastland-Pearl City finished third in the robust NUIC Conference with its lone losses and lone defensive letdowns coming against Lena-Winslow and Durand-Pecatonica.
Pick: Rockridge
Elmwood vs. Oakwood: Elmwood has been lighting up the scoreboard each week with the exclusion of its shutout loss at the hands of Farmington. Elmwood has scored at least 27 points in all of its games other than that loss and has put up 40 plus points in six contests. Oakwood has put up a bunch of points in most of their games, but has also surrendered quite a few in most of them as well.
Pick: Elmwood
Momence vs. Dwight: Former rivals in the Vermilion Valley Conference, these two know what to expect from one another. In Momence’s case it is an explosive offensive attack coupled with a defense that other than one misstep against Bismarck-Henning has been pretty stingy. Dwight has bounced back from a three-game losing streak in the middle of the season with two of those losses coming to 2A strongholds Seneca and Maroa-Forsyth.
Pick: Momence
Bismarck-Henning vs. Erie-Prophetstown: Bismarck-Henning ran through the regular season largely unchallenged but the Blue Devils are hoping to get their postseason run off on the right foot with a win here. Bismarck-Henning has advances to the last 14 playoff field but has lost in either the first or second round each time. Erie-Prophetstown has struggled mightily against the better teams on its schedule, going 1-3 against playoff bound teams and being outscored 149-40 in those games.
Pick: Bismarck-Henning
Seneca vs. El Paso-Gridley: Seneca took its first regular season loss season 2021 with a Week 9 loss to Durand-Pecatonica, but the Fighting Irish still managed to effectively run the football and that’s something that they will try to continue into the postseason. El Paso-Gridley will counter with a more balanced offensive look and a grinder mentality that Seneca can relate to.
Pick: Seneca
Tri-Valley vs. Bloomington Central Catholic: Tri-Valley overwhelmed most of its opposition this season other than a Week 2 loss to conference champ LeRoy. The Vikings seem set on posting as many points as possible, closing the season with a 69-point effort in Week 9. It was their sixth game of the season over 40 points. Bloomington Central Catholic lost three of its four games by a touchdown or less.
Pick: Tri-Valley
Chicago Christian vs. Illini West: Chicago Christian is in the midst of a six-game winning streak and the Knights have only been in competitive games twice this season (a loss to Wheaton Academy and a seven-point win over Aurora Christian in Week 9). Illini West’s schedule was very frontloaded as the Chargers started the season 0-3, but they’ve rebounded nicely with a six-game winning streak with only one close call along the way.
Pick: Chicago Christian
Johnston City vs. Red Bud: Johnston City ran through the Black Diamond conference with almost no interference with its only loss coming to Dixon, a 4A stronghold, when one of their conference mates forfeited all of its games. Red Bud went 1-3 against playoff bound teams and its lone victory was by one point over a fellow 5-4 team, Dupo.
Pick: Johnston City
Warrensburg-Latham vs. White County: Warrensburg-Latham has recorded two shutouts this season and two other contests where it held opponents to one score and its defense has been a hallmark for the Cardinals for much of the season. White County has averaged over 40 points per game in its seven victories on the season, but that same unit scuffled against the better teams in the Black Diamond scoring just six points in its two losses.
Pick: White County
Pana vs. Shelbyville: Pana enters the postseason on a four-game winning streak where it has run away from all of its recent opponents. Outside of the team’s lone loss to Greenville and a one-score win over Vandalia, Pana breezed to nearly all of its eight wins. Shelbyville owns just one win over playoff bound teams in four attempts.
Pick: Pana
Vandalia vs. Sangamon Valley: After losing its season opener, Vandalia has rattled off eight consecutive victories and posted over 40 points in six of those victories. Only one of those wins was remotely competitive. Sangamon Valley closed the regular season with three straight wins. The Storm seem to be keyed by their defense having only allowed more than two scores once all season.
Pick: Vandalia
Maroa-Forsyth vs. St. Teresa: Maroa-Forsyth appeared to be on track for an undefeated season before it was toppled in Week 8 by Williamsville. The one constant for the Trojans has been offensive firepower as it is averaging over 50 points per game. St. Teresa survived an early portion of its season that found it 1-3 with losses to teams that combined for a 26-1 record.
Pick: Maroa-Forsyth
Chester vs. Westville: Chester was denied a perfect regular season in Week 9 with a loss to Waterloo and it was one the few times all season that the Yellow Jackets defense had a few letdowns. Chester gave up two touchdowns or less in seven games. Westville lost its first three games, but has since won six games in a row by a minimum of 26 points.
Pick: Chester
Quincy Notre Dame vs. Flora: Quincy Notre Dame surprised a lot of people with a successful debut and championship effort in the Central State Eight, a conference where the membership is made up of schools with significantly larger enrollment schools. Flora was outscored by opponents this season but goes into the postseason on a high note toppling Sesser-Valier in Week 9.
Pick: Quincy Notre Dame
Arthur vs. North Mac: Arthur fell short of the perfect regular season with a loss to Sullivan in Week 9, the only game all season where the Knights offense was even remotely reined in. Arthur gave up 20 points or less in every game this season. North Mac’s three losses all came to opponents with eight wins on the season and the Panthers have completed an impressive turnaround after going 1-8 last season.
Pick: Arthur