West Aurora, Oswego, Jacobs, Batavia and St. Charles North are picks to click for the first round of the playoffs.
Huntley (5-4) at West Aurora (9-0)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: Huntley, one of five teams in the 10-team Fox Valley Conference to make the playoffs, went 0-4 against playoff teams. It’s familiar territory for the Red Raiders, seeded 29th in Class 8A. They’ve made the postseason nine straight times.
Senior quarterback Braylon Bower, a strong passer, leads the attack. Jordan Oruche, a 6-foot-3 senior, is one of his favorite targets. A pair of seniors in linebacker Zach Urbaszewski and defensive end/linebacker Carter Pope, a North Central College commit, lead the defense.
Junior quarterback Mason Atkins has been impressive for the fourth-seeded Blackhawks, completing 74% of his passes (84 of 114) for 1,333 yards with 29 touchdowns and no interceptions. West Aurora, which is 2-0 against playoff teams in return to Upstate Eight Conference, has five shutouts while scoring 50 or more points seven times.
The Blackhawks have outscored foes 477-40.
X-factor: Kellen Younie, West Aurora, junior, linebacker.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: West Aurora.
Waubonsie Valley (5-4) at Oswego (9-0)
Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: In a new conference with new coach Adam Pucylowski, Warriors return to playoffs for first time since 2018. Seeded 30th in Class 8A, they were 0-3 against playoff teams.
Workhorse running back Chrisjan Simmons leads offense running and catching the ball out of the backfield. Senior quarterback Josh Siekierski spreads ball around to talented group of receivers.
Southwest Prairie West champion Oswego, seeded third, is 2-0 against playoff opponents. The Panthers’ defense, led by linebackers Easton Ruby, Mikey Claycombe and Iowa recruit Carson Cooney, allows seven points a game. The first team on defense has allowed just four TDs.
X-factor: Lucas Andersen, Oswego, senior, running back.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: Oswego.
Bradley-Bourbonnais (7-2) at Jacobs (7-2)
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: This should be one of the better first-round matchups with the Golden Eagles, seeded 16th in Class 7A, playing host to 17th-seeded Bradley-Bourbonnais. Jacobs is 2-2 against playoff teams and the Boilermakers are 1-2, beating Waubonsie Valley and losing to Lincoln-Way Central and Lincoln-Way West.
Bradley-Bourbonnais took out St. Charles North 38-21 last year in the first round of the playoffs.
A trio of running backs lead a potent Jacobs ground game. Junior Caden DuMelle and Tyvon Boddie each have 104 carries with 833 and 822 yards, respectively. Boddie has scored 10 TDs, followed by DuMelle with eight. Junior Michael Cannady has 433 yards with four TDs.
Emerging junior quarterback Connor Goerhing has thrown for 577 yards with six TDs and just one interception for Jacobs.
X-factor: Prince Barnes, Jacobs, senior, tight end/H-back/defensive end.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: Jacobs.
Collinsville (5-4) at Batavia (8-1)
Kickoff: 6 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: Collinsville, the 29th seed in Class 7A, has gone 3-3 against playoff teams. The Kahoks won 34-17 last week over Class 5A qualifier Troy Triad (7-2) to make the playoff field for the fourth straight year.
Batavia is making its 14th straight playoff appearance after claiming a share of the DuKane Conference title, their 10th conference championship in the same 14-year span. Batavia went 3-1 against playoff teams.
“They’re big, huge up front and very athletic,” Batavia coach Dennis Piron said. “They’re fast in the secondary and they do play a number of players both ways.”
Piron said senior quarterback Chase Reynolds is “pretty special” for Collinsville and can hurt opponents with his feet.
Batavia used two quarterbacks last week with junior starter Bodi Anderson missing practice time due to a respiratory infection. Sophomore Michael Vander Luitgaren practiced with the varsity, and both played in a 35-34 win over Glenbard North.
X-factor: Chase Osborne, Batavia, senior, safety.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: Batavia.
Rolling Meadows (5-4) at St. Charles North (8-1)
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Matchup breakdown: The North Stars, behind strong running from quarterback Ethan Plumb, spoiled Geneva’s bid for a perfect season with a 35-21 decision that created a three-way tie atop the DuKane standings along with Batavia, all at 5-1 in conference play.
St. Charles North is riding a five-game winning streak into the postseason. The North Stars, seeded third in Class 7A, are 3-1 against playoff teams.
Rolling Meadows returns to the playoffs under first-year coach Robbie Gould, former NFL kicker for the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers. After winning four of their first five games, the Mustangs have lost three of their last four.
The program had a streak of 10 straight playoff appearances end in 2022.
X-factor: Joell Holloman, St. Charles North, senior, running back.
Rick Armstrong’s prediction: St. Charles North.
