Illinois high school football playoffs: Sterling, Riverdale, and Amboy lead field

The Illinois High School Association and Illinois 8-Man Football Association kicked off their postseason play this weekend, with local teams facing off across multiple classes.

Twelve matches were played or scheduled for the first round, featuring teams from Class 4A, 2A, 1A, and the 8-man division. The games determine which squads advance to the second round, where they will face opponents from neighboring regions.

In Class 4A, No. 4 Sterling (7-2) hosted No. 20 Marmion (4-6) on Friday at 7 p.m. Sterling quarterback Brady Berlin leads the league with 1,913 passing yards and 21 touchdowns. Marmion entered the game after a 40-0 win over North Lawndale, with senior running back Henry Miller scoring three times in that contest.

Also in Class 4A, No. 10 Dixon (7-3) traveled to No. 7 Evergreen Park (7-2) for a Saturday afternoon game at 1 p.m. Dixon opened its playoff run with a 28-13 victory over Plano, where Brenden Kastner rushed for 136 yards and two scores. Evergreen Park had not won eight games in a season since 2022.

Class 2A action featured undefeated No. 1 Riverdale (9-0) hosting No. 17 Eastland-Pearl City (5-5) at 1 p.m. Saturday. Riverdale has won every game by at least 14 points this season. Running backs Lucas Dunbar and Abram Krier combined for 2,407 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns for the Rams.

In the same class, No. 10 Warrensburg-Latham (7-3) played No. 7 Erie-Prophetstown (7-2) in Prophetstown. Erie-Prophetstown held its opponents to 14 points or fewer in three of its recent victories, including a 14-13 win over Newman.

No. 6 Maroa-Forsyth (8-1) faced No. 22 Oregon (4-6) on Friday evening. Maroa-Forsyth averages 49 points per game and has allowed six or fewer points in four of its contests. Oregon secured its first postseason win since 2014 with a 35-27 upset of Westville.

Class 1A brackets included a rematch for No. 14 Newman (6-4) against No. 3 Rockridge (8-1). Rockridge, led by senior quarterback Cullen Schwigen, defeated Newman 46-30 in the regular season. Newman coach Mike LeMay said the team is ready for the challenge, noting, "I’m excited for the challenge, and I know our kids are pumped up to go see a familiar opponent."

The 8-man division saw No. 1 Amboy (9-0) host No. 16 Milledgeville (5-4) at noon Saturday. Amboy seeks a fourth consecutive state title and has won 21 games in a row. The Clippers beat the Missiles 58-12 in their regular season meeting on Oct. 2.

Other 8-man matchups included No. 10 South Beloit (6-3) visiting No. 7 Polo (7-2), and No. 13 Hiawatha (6-3) facing No. 1 West Carroll (8-1) on Friday. West Carroll, which beat Hiawatha 66-20 two weeks prior, will have starting defensive ends Sam Gomoll and Kamden Rasmus available for the game.