1A
*12) Decatur Lutheran at 5) Pawnee – 1pm Saturday
Pawnee is back in the playoffs for the second straight season, renewing an annual November tradition that took a brief hiatus in 2012 and 2013.
Their first round matchup features Decatur Lutheran, who just posted their first winning season (5-4) in the short four-year history of the program. Lutheran finished fourth in the Little Okaw (Northwest) Conference with a 2-3 record. They share Cerro Gordo as a common opponent with Pawnee. The Indians beat Cerro Gordo 22-20 and Lutheran lost to them 39-38.
Lutheran primarily runs the spread and their major threat is junior running back Jackson Allen, who was a 1A 100-meter dash finalist last year that added 25 pounds of muscle in the offseason. If healthy, Kholbe Leaks is a difference maker in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
2A
*11) Nashville at 6) New Berlin – 2pm Saturday
The Pretzels are into the playoffs for the third straight season. It’s the first time since 2002-2004 that New Berlin has seen post season berths in back to back to back years.
On Saturday they’ll host the Hornets of Nashville who went 6-3 this season while finishing third in the Southern Illinois River to River (Mississippi) Conference (3-2). Nobody in that conference finished with better than a 6-3 mark this year.
Nashville runs a lot of foot-to-foot, single wing and double wing formations. They are comparable to New Berlin’s Week 9 opponent West Hancock from an offensive standpoint, though they feature less speed, but more size. The first thing Pretzel fans will see on Saturday will likely be 6-7, 255 pound tight end Royce Newman, who has committed to play tackle at Mizzou. When the Hornets pass the ball, he’s typically the target.
*12) Auburn at 5) Shelbyville – 1:30pm Saturday
The Trojans will make their 19th straight playoff appearance on Saturday as they travel to Shelbyville. The Rams have seen a resurgence in the program since hall of fame coach Mark Ramsey, formerly of Central A&M, took over in 2013. This is the second consecutive season for the Rams to make the Playoffs. Shelbyville beat Pawnee 20-14 in Week 1.
The Rams finished 7-2 with a 5-2 record in the Central Illinois Conference. That was good enough for a third place finish behind St. Teresa and Tuscola. Sullivan, Auburn’s first round opponent that the Trojans beat from a season ago, finished fourth in the CIC.
The Rams are athletic, but also young. Ramsey has implemented the spread offense and senior running back Garrett Brachbill provides much of the stability. Shelbyville also has wide receiver Jordan Smith back after he missed time this season with a leg injury suffered against Tuscola. The real question is whether or not the Rams will be able to stop the Trojans offense. Auburn will be without wideout Nick Geoghegan (leg) and lineman Jake Roth (hand) through the post season.
*15) Athens vs. 2) Eldorado – 2pm Saturday
Athens saved their season with two wins over 3A playoff teams in the final two weeks to stretch their consecutive playoff appearance streak to six seasons. It also earned them a trip to Eldorado in southern Illinois. According to Mapquest, that’s a 3 hour and 39 minute drive. On a bus. Yuck.
Eldorado finished the season a perfect 9-0, beating Chester 40-36 in Week 9 to win the Black Diamond Conference for the first time in school history. That was a week after North Mac beat Chester 30-21. Eldorado and Athens do have a common opponent in Riverton. The Eagles beat Riverton 46-6 in Week 6 and Athens beat them 28-22 in Week 2. Most would concede that this is a different Warriors team than we saw at that point of the season.
Eldorado will hand it early and often to Payton Price, who’s rushed for 1,273 yards, while averaging a ridiculous 12 yards per carry this season. He’ll run behind fullback Trey Vessel, a 230 pounder who will get his touches as well. Quarterback Adam Ninness is a capable thrower, but the Eagles would prefer to do their damage on the ground. This is a winnable game for Athens, but it’s going to take a very clean effort, which can be hard to come by after early morning wake up calls and long bus rides.
3A
*15) Pleasant Plains vs. 2) North Mac – 2pm Saturday
Pleasant Plains will make consecutive playoff appearances for the first time in school history and they’ll travel to Virden to meet a familiar opponent in undefeated North Mac, the Sangamo Conference champion. The Panthers played in the quarterfinals in 2011 but missed the playoffs last year for the first time in five seasons.
North Mac jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the Week 5 matchup between these two teams, holding on for a 28-14 win over the Cardinals. What felt like a game headed for a running clock, suddenly became a tightly contested battle that Pleasant Plains had a chance to win.
The Cardinals were without a number of starters in that contest, most notably, running back Nik Georges who’s amassed 878 yards and 14 touchdowns this season, while averaging 6.4 yards per carry.
*13) Williamsville at 14) Paxton-Buckley-Loda – 1pm Saturday
Paxton-Buckley-Loda marches into post season play for the second straight season and their reward for an 8-1 record and a Sangamon Valley Conference crown is a first round matchup with 3A state runner-up Williamsville.
The Panthers averaged 38 points a game in their eight wins, but the one loss was a 51-0 beat down at the hands of Gibson City (Melvin-Sibley). GCMS plays in the Heart of Illini, which produced a 1A runner-up in Downs (Tri-Valley) two years ago. The next best team in the Sangamon Valley Conference was a 5-4 Momence team this year.
PBL runs an offense that mirrors Williamsville’s in a number of ways. Matt Poll is the Panthers’ leading rusher with 876 yards and 16 touchdowns on 153 carries. Paul Bigham is a secondary option in the run game. Quarterback Dalton Coplea has thrown for 12 touchdowns and nearly 1,100 yards.
4A
14 Mt. Zion vs. 3) Taylorville – 7:00pm Friday
Taylorville heads into the post season after their first ever 9-0 regular season in school history which earned the Tornadoes the conference crown in the Apollo. One of their wins in conference play came against rival Mt. Zion, in an anticlimactic 31-6 Week 5 contest.
It’s the third straight trip to the post season for Taylorville, who fell to eventual state champion SHG in the 5A tournament last season. Mt. Zion is back for the second time in as many years. The Braves lost to Rochester in the first round in 2014.
The first time the Braves entered Tornado territory, their only points came off a great catch from Brandon Price. This time, the Braves will look to him to make many more highlights, as he is now the play-caller and quarterback for Mt. Zion.
Taylorville's defense has been it's calling card all year long, giving up less than 100 points all season. A stout front line with Tucker May and Brett Langen up front, backed by Jimmy Barry and Parker Stokes in the secondary is a scary sight for an opponents trying to score.
*13) Alton Marquette at 4) Rochester – 1:30pm Saturday
Alton Marquette missed the playoffs last season for the first time in nine years, but the hiatus lasted just one season.
The Explorers finished their 2015 regular season campaign with a 6-3 record, while finishing second in the Prairie State Conference, a predominantly 1A conference. Marquette lost 30-7 to Pawnee in Week 6.
We’d break this one down for you, but we’ll save you and us the time. Rochester in a rout.
5A
*12) Decatur Eisenhower at 5) Highland – 1pm Saturday
Eisenhower rides a 6-3 record from the Central State 8 into their first playoff action since 2004 and they’ll meet a Highland team making their fourth straight post season appearance. The Bulldogs have struggled against central Illinois teams during that period, having lost to Taylorville in 2014, and SHG in both 2013 and 2012 in the playoffs.
Highland finished second in the Mississippi Valley Conference this season with their lone loss coming to eventual conference champ Triad in a 13-3 Week 7 decision. Eisenhower finished in a tie for third place with Jacksonville in the CS8.
Highland’s style largely contrasts the spread offense that Eisenhower will employ. Leading rusher Andrew Winning, who had rushed for 803 yards and 16 touchdowns on 82 carries, was lost for the season in Week 6 with an injury. Trent Rakers has rushed 84 times for 582 yards and 11 scores to help pick up that load. Sophomore quarterback Garrett Marti, who’s rushed for 556 yards and thrown for 711, missed several weeks with a neck injury but returned in Week 8.
*13) Jacksonville at 4) Champaign Central – 1:30pm Saturday
Champaign Central finished 8-1 this season with a 5-1 record in the Big 12, but still finished fourth in the conference standings, largely as a result of the unbalanced Big 12 schedule. Peoria High, Peoria Notre Dame and Normal (Community) finished 1-2-3 in the Big 12. Central played just one of those teams, PND, and lost 27-21.
Jacksonville is into the post season for the ninth time in the last 13 years. Central is back for the second time in as many years after missing the post season the previous five seasons.
Central runs the Wing T with Joshua Parker receiving the bulk of the carries. He’s rushed for 986 yards and 17 touchdowns on 107 carries. He’s averaging 9.2 yards per carry. His backfield mate Bradley Dee is averaging 10.9 yards per carry, having totaled 792 yards and nine touchdowns on 73 carries. If the rain remains in the forecast for Saturday, that will almost certainly play into the Maroons’ style of play.
6A
15) Shepard at 2) SHG – 7:30pm Saturday
After a two-year absence from post-season play, Shepard is back with a first round matchup against two time defending 5A champion SHG. SHG jumps to 6A as a result of the IHSA “success factor” rule. Shepard made the post season for four consecutive years from 2009-2012. Twice appearing in 6A and twice in 7A.
Shepard finished fourth in the South Suburban (Red) Conference this season. They enter the playoffs on a three game winning streak, although those three opponents combined for just two total wins this season. SHG cruised to another Central State 8 conference title.
Shepard is a spread team with a run first mentality. They have good size on the offensive line. SHG will be a heavy favorite to advance to the second round.
14) Glenwood at 3) Lemont – 5pm Saturday
Lemont is a playoff team for the 12th time in the last 13 years. They’ve toggled back and forth between the 5A and 6A bracket, and finished as the runner-up in 6A in 2007, 2008 and 2014. Glenwood is making their 13th straight playoff appearance and their 18th in the last 19 seasons. The Titans won a 4A title in 1998 and were the 5A runner-up in 2010. These are two historically successful football programs.
Lemont went 8-1 this season with a perfect 6-0 record in the South Suburban (Blue) Conference. Their only loss was a 28-24 decision to Oak Lawn Richards in Week 3. Glenwood finished 5th in the CS8 with a 5-4 record.
Lemont’s strength was their defense this season. They feature a balanced offense that leans 60/40 run to pass. Jeremy Fejedelem, the younger brother of University of Illinois starting safety Clayton Fejedelem, ran for a touchdown and caught another in a 35-0 win over Oak Forest in which Lemont locked up a conference championship.
