Heyworth, Brown County Lead Cook County Teams in IHSA Class 1A Round of 16

Eight Cook County high school football teams entered the Round of 16 of the 2026 Illinois High School Association Class 1A playoffs on Tuesday. The matchups pair undefeated or nearly undefeated squads with opponents that have shown strong recent form. Heyworth and Brown County enter the round with perfect records, while Clifton Central, Stockton, Sullivan, Arthur, Hardin Calhoun, and Newman Central Catholic each carry one or two losses on the season.

The local programs have spent the past few weeks navigating the early playoff rounds with varying degrees of difficulty. Heyworth survived a close contest against Galena to secure its first victory of the postseason. Fisher, a rival from outside the immediate county but included in the regional analysis, won its first playoff game since 2019. Clifton Central has won nine straight games since its opening week defeat, including a strong performance in the first round. Stockton defeated all of its NUIC Conference opponents during the regular season, losing only to El Paso-Gridley in Week 1.

Newman Central Catholic overcame a roster plagued by injuries to defeat Rockridge in the first round, avenging a Week 8 loss. Brown County eliminated Athens easily in its first playoff appearance following a tense 32-31 win over Calhoun in Week 9. Sullivan edged Havana by a score of 57-49 in a high-scoring first round game. Arthur has maintained an offensive pace of at least 42 points in every game this season, while Hardin Calhoun recorded another shutout against Carlyle in its most recent contest.

Steve Soucie, who provided the analytical breakdown for these matchups, selected Heyworth to defeat Fisher. He noted that Heyworth's defense handled a gritty Galena squad effectively, while Fisher's turnaround from a three-win stretch over the last five years has been notable. In the Clifton Central versus Dwight game, Soucie picked Clifton Central, citing their current form despite Dwight's consistent playoff runs in the last two years. Stockton was chosen over Forreston, with Soucie pointing to Stockton's dominance in the NUIC conference.

For the Newman Central Catholic versus Fulton game, Soucie selected Fulton. He observed that the Steamers have scored 216 points over their last four contests, making them a dangerous opponent regardless of their fourth-place NUIC finish. Brown County was picked to beat Oakwood, as the Panthers possess one of the widest margins of victory in the state. Camp Point Central was selected over Sullivan, based on the Panthers' defensive record of holding all but one opponent to two touchdowns or less.

Arthur faced a difficult choice against Salt Fork, a team that defeated Oakwood and previously beat Arthur 31-16. Soucie favored Salt Fork, noting their recent stability with only one loss in their last seven games. Hardin Calhoun was chosen to beat Tuscola. The analysis highlighted that Calhoun has allowed fewer total points this season (29) in all games combined than it did in its single loss to Brown County (32). Tuscola's two losses were by a combined 82 points, indicating a stark contrast in performance between its wins and losses.

The games are scheduled for this week. Heyworth hosts Fisher, while Clifton Central plays Dwight. Stockton faces Forreston, and Newman Central Catholic takes on Fulton. Brown County plays Oakwood, Sullivan meets Camp Point Central, Arthur faces Salt Fork, and Hardin Calhoun plays Tuscola. The outcomes will determine which of these eight teams advances to the quarterfinals.