Nationally-ranked Lincoln-Way East is the top-seed in the Class 8A playoffs. The Griffins, ranked No. 76 in the High School Football America Top 100, will open against Joliet West next week when the first round games are played. Defending state champ Maine South, also currently ranked No. 83 in our Top 100, is the fifth seed in 8A. The Hawks open against Evanston.
In 7A, No. 58 East St. Louis is a surprising No. 7 seed. The defending champs only loss this year was 14-6 at the hands of No. 55 Evangel Christian (Louisiana).
Defending 6A champ Prairie Ridge is the top-seed in 6A. The Wolves, ranked No. 74 in the Top 100, play Crystal Lake Central, a team they beat 56-13 during the regular season.
Phillips Academy, the fifth team in the High School Football America Top 100, is the No. 1 seed in 5A. Phillips, ranked No. 100, opens against Morgan Park.
CLASS 8A
First round
(32) Joliet West at (1) Lincoln-Way East
(17) St. Charles East at (16) Oswego East
(25) Bloom at (8) Glenbard West
(24) Naperville North at (9) Oswego
(29) Lake Park at (4) Homewood-Flossmoor
(20) West Aurora at (13) Naperville Central
(28) Evanston at (5) Maine South
(21) Warren at (12) Bolingbrook
(31) Glenbrook South at (2) Barrington
(18) Notre Dame at (15) Minooka
(26) Edwardsville at (7) Huntley
(23) Palatine at (10) South Elgin
(30) Oak Park at (3) Marist
(19) Curie at (14) Lyons
(27) New Trier at (6) Loyola
(22) Stevenson at (11) Hinsdale Central
CLASS 7A
First round
(32) Harlem at (1) Hononegah
(17) Benet at (16) Maine West
(25) Rolling Meadows at (8) Hersey
(24) Rockford East at (9) Lincoln-Way Central
(29) Glenbard North at (4) Batavia
(20) Fenwick at (13) Wheaton North
(28) Alton at (5) Lincoln Park
(21) Jacobs at (12) Lincoln-Way West
(31) Downers Grove North at (2) Normal
(18) Mount Carmel at (15) Moline
(26) Libertyville at (7) East St. Louis
(23) Belleville West at (10) Buffalo Grove
(30) Schaumburg at (3) Lake Zurich
(19) Andrew at (14) Plainfield North
(27) Highland Park at (6) St. Charles North
(22) Simeon at (11) St. Rita
CLASS 6A
First round
(16) Crystal Lake Central at (1) Prairie Ridge
(9) Cary-Grove at (8) St. Ignatius
(13) Deerfield at (4) Willowbrook
(12) Montini at (5) DeKalb
(15) Lake Forest at (2) Riverside-Brookfield
(10) De La Salle at (7) Hoffman Estates
(14) Belvidere North at (3) Rockford Auburn
(11) Grayslake North at (6) Mather
(16) Hinsdale South at (1) Crete-Monee
(9) Quincy at (8) St. Laurence
(13) Providence at (4) Richards
(12) Eisenhower at (5) Normal West
(15) Springfield at (2) Nazareth
(10) TF South at (7) Danville
(14) Marmion at (3) Shepard
(11) Hubbard at (6) Sacred Heart-Griffin
CLASS 5A
First round
(16) Morgan Park at (1) Phillips
(9) Solorio at (8) Back of the Yards
(13) Woodstock North at (4) Lemont
(12) Westinghouse at (5) Lakes
(15) St. Viator at (2) Sterling
(10) Kaneland at (7) Lindblom
(14) Marian Central at (3) Antioch
(11) Glenbard South at (6) Payton
(16) Streator at (1) Dunlap
(9) Marion at (8) Rich Central
(13) Peoria Central at (4) Hillcrest
(12) Mahomet-Seymour at (5) Glenwood
(15) Richwoods at (2) Triad
(10) Morton, IL at (7) Centralia
(14) Tinley Park at (3) Washington, IL
(11) Peoria Notre Dame at (6) Decatur MacArthur
CLASS 4A
First round
(16) UP-Englewood at (1) Johnsburg
(9) Ag. Science at (8) Rochelle
(13) Ridgewood at (4) Sullivan
(12) Kewanee at (5) Morris
(15) Alleman at (2) Raby
(10) Richmond-Burton at (7) UP-Bronzeville
(14) Geneseo at (3) Dixon
(11) Elmwood Park at (6) Genoa-Kingston
(16) Prairie Central at (1) Rochester
(9) Carterville at (8) Belleville Althoff
(13) Paris at (4) Herrin
(12) Pontiac at (5) Tolono Unity
(15) Quincy Notre Dame at (2) Highland
(10) Manteno at (7) Effingham
(14) Columbia at (3) Herscher
(11) Coal City at (6) Taylorville
CLASS 3A
First round
(16) Winnebago at (1) Farmington
(9) Elmwood-Brimfield at (8) Wilmington
(13) Paxton-B.L. at (4) Peotone
(12) Watseka at (5) IC Catholic
(15) Hall at (2) Williamsville
(10) Beardstown at (7) Bloomington Central
(14) Eureka at (3) Byron
(11) North Boone at (6) Monticello
(16) Pleasant Plains at (1) Wesclin
(9) Alton Marquette at (8) Newton
(13) Marshall, IL at (4) St. Teresa
(12) East Alton-W.R at (5) Carlinville
(15) Vandalia at (2) Fairfield
(10) Greenville at (7) Sesser-Valier
(14) Hillsboro at (3) Anna-Jonesboro
(11) DuQuoin at (6) Pana
CLASS 2A
First round
(16) Aurora Christian at (1) Newman Central
(9) Orr at (8) Hope Academy
(13) Rockford Christian at (4) Orion
(12) Mercer County at (5) Clifton Central
(15) Eastland-Pearl City at (2) Gibson City-M.S.
(10) West Carroll at (7) Fieldcrest
(14) El Paso-Gridley at (3) Rockridge
(11) Marshall at (6) Knoxville
(16) Auburn, IL at (1) West Hancock
(9) Carmi-White County at (8) Bismarck-Henning
(13) Illini West at (4) Maroa-Forsyth
(12) Red Bud at (5) Eldorado
(15) Deer Creek-M. at (2) Westville
(10) Carlyle at (7) Bushnell-West Prairie
(14) Bunker Hill at (3) Tri-Valley
(11) Villa Grove-Heritage at (6) Shelbyville
CLASS 1A
First round
(16) Stark County at (1) Lena-Winslow
(9) Abingdon at (8) Milledgeville
(13) North Fulton at (4) Stockton
(12) Fisher (5) Aquin
(15) Orangeville at (2) Annawan-Wethersfield
(10) Princeville at (7) Dakota
(14) Salt Fork at (3) Forreston
(11) Fulton at (6) Ottawa Marquette
(16) Chester at (1) Tuscola
(9) Brown County at (8) Arcola
(13) Madison at (4) Carrollton
(12) Calhoun at (5) Camp Point Central
(15) Pleasant Hill-W. at (2) Red Hill
(10) Cumberland at (7) Decatur Lutheran
(14) Central A & M at (3) Argenta-Oreana
(11) Warrensburg-Latham at (6) Athens