What are the Top 10 First Round Playoff Matchups?

It's playoff time!  The IHSA playoffs kick off this weekend!  Here Prep Redzone previews the top 10 first round matchups across the state!   Friday   #21 Oswego East at #12 Bolingbrook (7 PM) – 8A   South suburbs teams collide in a fun 8A matchup.  Host Bolingbrook is led by 2027 running back [player_tooltip player_id='707326' first='TJ' last='Lewis'] who has had a big season.  They have one of the elite 2028s in the state in EDGE [player_tooltip player_id='975570' first='Darieon' last='Prescott'] who is a MONSTER!  Keep an eye on senior defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1550211' first='Jordan' last='Lampkins'].  Oswego East has a sleeper wide receiver in [player_tooltip player_id='1263954' first='Lincoln' last='Ijams'].   #25 Palatine at #8 Whitney Young (7 PM) – 8A   The CPS power Whitney Young is powered behind their star running back [player_tooltip player_id='1669537' first='Maxwell' last='Warner'].  Explosive Mizzou commit that is among the best backs in the state.  Up front [player_tooltip player_id='801717' first='Markius' last='Woods'] opens up holes.  Pair of quality athletes in [player_tooltip player_id='801715' first='Joseph' last='Gray'] and Miles Baarsmaa!  Palatine has one of the best lineman in the state [player_tooltip player_id='1399932' first='Tony' last='Balanganayi'] who shines on both sides of the ball.  The Illini commit will look to stuff the run vs Warner.  [player_tooltip player_id='1585307' first='Kole' last='Fager'] is an explosive athlete and [player_tooltip player_id='1400017' first='Evan' last='Downer'] is a mauler up front.   #24 Stevenson at #9 Lincoln Way East (7 PM) – 8A   Lincoln Way East has struggled late in the season without their star quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='800191' first='Jonas' last='Williams'] whose timetable for a return is TBD.  They still have a ton of quality prospects especially on the defensive line with Illini commit [player_tooltip player_id='801702' first='Jacob' last='Alexander'] along with [player_tooltip player_id='1585163' first='Gage' last='Ladere'], [player_tooltip player_id='1585315' first='Ryan' last='Singely'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1609515' first='Cameren' last='Stewart'].  Running back [player_tooltip player_id='1585196' first='Brody' last='Gish'] runs behind a good offensive line led by senior [player_tooltip player_id='1585183' first='Matthew' last='Connors'] and Power 4 junior [player_tooltip player_id='1598833' first='Mason' last='Halliman'].  Lot of quality tight ends on both sides with Stevenson Zack Becker being a top 75 prospect in the senior class.  Jaxon St. Paul is a big junior pass catcher   #11 Pekin at #6 Dunlap (7 PM) – 6A   Dunlap is led by the Sutter brothers.  Senior [player_tooltip player_id='801700' first='Mack' last='Sutter'] is a stud tight end who is headed to Alabama next season.  Big time athlete and pass catcher.  His brother [player_tooltip player_id='1682061' first='Bo' last='Sutter'] is an ATH that impacts in a variety of ways as a top 40 sophomore.  [player_tooltip player_id='1146140' first='Colton' last='Barlow'] is a good small college offensive lineman for Dunlap.  Pekin has a couple intriguing skill players in [player_tooltip player_id='1355668' first='Ty' last='Jackson'] and Dylan Anderson.   Saturday   #9 Wheaton St. Francis at #8 Morgan Park (1 PM) – 5A   Monster matchup on Saturday!  Morgan Park is led by the #1 prospect in the senior class in Illini wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='801887' first='Nasir' last='Rankin'].  He is a freak show athlete that is a complete game changer.  They have an exciting back in [player_tooltip player_id='1585217' first='Reggie' last='Gray'] as well.  On the defensive line [player_tooltip player_id='1585123' first='DeAndre' last='Smith'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1598839' first='Daijon' last='Overton'] bring juice up front.  [player_tooltip player_id='1585282' first='Kendall' last='Griffin'] is a defensive back in the senior class that is talented.  St. Francis has a ton of high level talent including Michigan State wide receiver commit and top 10 prospect [player_tooltip player_id='212322' first='Zachary' last='Washington'].  The two elite pass catchers will duel in this one!  [player_tooltip player_id='212321' first='Tanner' last='Glock'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1400854' first='Dario' last='Milivojevic'] are also versatile game changers on the offensive side of the ball.  Keep an eye out for sophomore wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1140979' first='Jordan' last='Moore'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1136696' first='Blayke' last='Lohmann']. Running back [player_tooltip player_id='1371805' first='Tivias' last='Caldwell'] is an explosive running back.  Quality defensive backs on this squad including [player_tooltip player_id='1335208' first='Isaac' last='Saldana'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1335196' first='James' last='McGrath'].   #19 Normal Community at #14 Carmel (1 PM) – 7A   Consistent program Normal Community will travel up north to take on an explosive Carmel offense led by Nebraska 2027 quarterback commit [player_tooltip player_id='426566' first='Trae' last='Taylor'].  The elite signal caller has a ton of weapons to get the ball to including UMass commit [player_tooltip player_id='283926' first='Kai' last='Owens'] and sophomore star [player_tooltip player_id='974884' first='Gregory' last='Bess-Henning'].  Taylor is protected by a big time offensive line led by [player_tooltip player_id='1236185' first='Jalin' last='Strowder'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1335459' first='Trey' last='Foster'].   #16 Joliet Catholic at #1 Chatham Glenwood (2 PM) – 6A   One of the most interesting matchups of the week as many think JCA is the favorite against top seeded Chatham Glenwood on the road.  Joliet Catholic is pushed by their defensive front and running game.  They have a big time duo up front in [player_tooltip player_id='401608' first='Ian' last='Campbell'] and [player_tooltip player_id='401618' first='Kingston' last='Dunagan'] who can rush the passer and play the run.  Craig Peacock and [player_tooltip player_id='401593' first='Anthony' last='Finnegan'] are impact running backs.  Glenwood has been one of the top teams in central Illinois all season long with [player_tooltip player_id='1222611' first='Paul' last='Reyes'] being a standout on their offensive line.   #9 Marion at #8 Mahomet-Seymour (2 PM) – 5A   The Marion offense has been stellar throughout the season.  The leader of that is quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1570275' first='Callahan' last='Roper'] who has lit up the scoreboard this season.  [player_tooltip player_id='1590152' first='Alex' last='Henry'] is another impact player for the Wildcats.  They will travel to Mahomet has an offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1670358' first='Oliver' last='Smith'] that is worth tracking.   #25 St. Rita at #8 Rockford Guilford (2 PM) – 7A   Two of the best prospects in the state are on Rockford Guilford.  Senior safety [player_tooltip player_id='1669545' first='Messiah' last='Tilson'] covers so much ground and is an impactful physical athlete on the back end.  One of the prospects that has the most helium in the state is 2027 EDGE/tight end [player_tooltip player_id='1661734' first='Keysan' last='Taylor'].  St. Rita will travel to Rockford on Saturday.  [player_tooltip player_id='401629' first='Walter' last='Jones'] is an electric athlete at the wide receiver position.  He has a legit QB throwing him the rock in [player_tooltip player_id='1627970' first='Steven' last='Armbruster'].  The trio is completed by junior back [player_tooltip player_id='1619312' first='Brandon' last='Johnson'] Jr. who has juice with the rock.   #32 Loyola at #1 Mt. Carmel (4:30 PM) – 8A   We finish with the big one!  The most psychotic first round matchup in the history of human kind.  First of all both teams are going for 4-peats as Loyola has won 8A the last three years and Mt. Carmel has won 7A the last three years.  Next up Mt. Carmel and Loyola played each other literally the last game of the regular season.  The Caravan have proven to be the best team in the state the entire season and their reward is to play a team that has a top 5 talent roster in the state.  Yes Loyola is 4-4, but a lot of that is who they have played.  I kind of compare it to Wichita State vs Kentucky when UK was way under seeded and they ended Wichita State's season in a game that on talent was very even in the second round of the NCAA tournament.  With all that being said last week Mt. Carmel won, but it was competitive with Loyola leading at one point.  The Caravan have an insane amount of talent including top 10 prospects across the board in [player_tooltip player_id='1417782' first='Claude' last='Mpouma'], [player_tooltip player_id='270192' first='Braeden' last='Jones'], [player_tooltip player_id='432197' first='Quentin' last='Burrell'], [player_tooltip player_id='476341' first='Tavares' last='Harrington'], [player_tooltip player_id='1598821' first='Roman' last='Igwebuike'], [player_tooltip player_id='1682021' first='Caleb' last='Tucker'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1659180' first='Marshaun' last='Thornton'].  That in addition to a TON of other college prospects at every level and every age.  Loyola counters with two of the elite sophomores in the state at their positions in quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='422465' first='Matthew' last='Lee'] and wide receiver Jordan Mckinley.  Also Miami (OH) offensive tackle commit [player_tooltip player_id='1669564' first='Tommy' last='Fraumann'] is creating buzz in the recruiting world after his recent visit to Michigan.

It's playoff time! The IHSA playoffs kick off this weekend! Here Prep Redzone previews the top 10 first round matchups across the state!