IHSA Round of 16: Seven Illinois playoff games set for Saturday
Lincoln-Way East hosts Hinsdale Central while Morris defends its 4,000-yard mark against Montini in the Class 4A clash.
By James Mitchell ·
Seven Illinois High School Association football games are scheduled for Saturday as the Round of 16 begins. The slate spans six classification levels, from 8A down to 1A. Most contests are set to begin at 1 p.m. or 2 p.m., with two exceptions in the upper classes.
In Class 8A, No. 17 Hinsdale Central travels to Lincoln-Way East for a 12 p.m. start. The undefeated Griffins have allowed only 21 points over their last five games. They face the Red Devils, who have scored 174 points in their final four contests. Junior quarterback Beau Gatewood leads the Hinsdale Central offense, while the Lincoln-Way East defense has held opponents to single-digit scoring in recent weeks.
The Bolingbrook Raiders host the Lyons Lions in the other Class 8A matchup. Bolingbrook is 9-1 and relies on running back TJ Lewis, who recorded nearly 200 rushing yards against Lockport. Lyons is 8-3 and won its first-round game against Metea Valley. The winner of the Bolingbrook and Lyons contest will face the victor of the Oswego versus Naperville North game in the quarterfinals.
In Class 7A, Lincoln-Way West plays St. Laurence at 2 p.m. The Warriors are 6-4 and utilize a running game shared by Carl Langley III and Jacob Howard. St. Laurence is 5-6 and secured its playoff spot with a 10-7 win over DePaul Prep in Week 9. Linebacker Sean Rice, a University of Illinois commit, anchors the St. Laurence defense.
Class 5A features No. 11 Providence at No. 3 Morgan Park at 1 p.m. in Stagg Stadium. Providence, which is 8-3, defeated Kankakee in the first round. Running back Broden Mackert and quarterback Dominic Vita lead the Celtics. Morgan Park, which is 9-1, has not won more than three playoff games in a season since 2004. Safety Darrell Mattison, a Mississippi commit, and junior quarterback Ronald Smith Jr. are key players for the Mustangs.
The Class 4A slate includes two top-seeded matchups. No. 8 Montini visits No. 1 Morris at 4 p.m. Morris is 10-0 and has accumulated nearly 4,000 total yards. Quarterback Marion Persich has thrown for 1,353 yards and 17 touchdowns. Montini, which is 8-2, advanced by defeating Geneseo, with quarterback Izzy Abrams completing 14 of 18 passes for 164 yards and three touchdowns.
Also in Class 4A, No. 10 Dixon plays No. 2 Coal City at 1 p.m. Dixon, which is 8-3, defeated Evergreen Park on a final-play touchdown. Coal City, which is 9-1, has held its last four opponents to single-digit scoring. Running back Logan Natyshok has surpassed the 1,000-yard mark. The winner will face the victor of Rochelle and Aurora Central Catholic.
Class 2A action includes No. 8 Peotone at No. 17 Eastland-Pearl City at 2:30 p.m. Peotone is 8-2 and has three ballcarriers averaging at least 8 yards per carry. Eastland-Pearl City is 6-5 and upset top-seeded Riverdale in the first round. In the other Class 2A game, No. 5 Wilmington hosts No. 4 Tri-Valley at 1 p.m. Wilmington is 9-1 and defeated Farmington in the first round. The teams have met five times in the last six seasons, with Wilmington winning four of those meetings.
In Class 1A, No. 12 Dwight visits No. 4 Clifton Central at 3 p.m. Dwight is 8-3 and is seeking a third consecutive quarterfinal appearance. The Trojans rely on a backfield featuring Ayden Collom, Joseph Duffy, and quarterback Collin Bachand. Clifton Central is 9-1 and enters the contest as the favorite.
