IHSA Class 7A playoffs: Eight matchups set for Friday

The Illinois High School Association announced the Class 7A state playoffs on Wednesday, setting eight first-round games for Friday. The bracket pairs top-seeded Normal Community with Kenwood in the opening contest. Normal Community enters the tournament undefeated with a 10-0 record. The Ironmen scored 40 points in their first-round win over Edwardsville, their lowest output of the season. Kenwood, a member of the Central Plains League, holds a 7-3 record and lost its conference title game to Morgan Park.

The schedule features several high-profile matchups in the Chicago area. Brother Rice, currently 8-2, takes on Batavia, also 8-2. Brother Rice lost to Loyola in Week 4 and Lincoln-Way East early in the year, which impacted its seeding. Batavia has played in the Class 7A playoffs for seven consecutive years, facing Chicago Catholic League opponents in the final two of those seasons. In another Chicago Catholic League contest, East St. Louis, 9-1, plays St. Patrick, 8-3. East St. Louis has outscored its last seven opponents 388-14.

Prospect, 9-1, faces Rockford Guilford, 8-2, in a contest between teams from different regions. Prospect scored 56 points in its playoff opener against DePaul and has scored at least 31 points in every game this season. Guilford, 8-2, defeated Zion-Benton in its first game outside its conference. Hersey, 10-0, plays Glenbard West, 7-3. Hersey has not allowed an opponent to stay within 13 points all season. Glenbard West played a tough schedule, facing only one team with fewer than five wins.

St. Laurence, 5-6, faces Lincoln-Way West, 7-4. St. Laurence needed a Week 9 win to secure a playoff berth but has found form in recent weeks. Lincoln-Way West relies on a running game to control its games. Downers Grove North, 9-1, plays St. Rita, 7-3. Downers Grove North lost by one point to York during the regular season and has allowed approximately one touchdown per game. St. Rita faced a difficult schedule, playing only one team with fewer than six wins. Glenbard North, 5-6, takes on Richards, 8-2. Glenbard North lost six of its last seven regular season games but won its playoff opener. Richards has faced little resistance in the second half of the season.

The games are scheduled to begin at various times on Friday evening. Normal Community and Kenwood kick off the tournament. Brother Rice and Batavia play later in the day, as do East St. Louis and St. Patrick. The other five matchups are spread across the state, with prospects and Guilford meeting in the afternoon. The winners of these eight games will advance to the quarterfinals. The IHSA will release the full tournament schedule and broadcast information following the first round. Fans can expect high scoring in several of these contests, given the recent offensive output of teams like East St. Louis and Prospect.

The Class 7A field includes 16 teams from across the state. The top four seeds received byes to the second round, but all eight teams in the first round are fighting for a spot in the elite eight. Normal Community, Brother Rice, East St. Louis, Prospect, Hersey, St. Laurence, Downers Grove North, and Glenbard North are the projected winners in their respective games. The losers will end their seasons. The winners will host their quarterfinal games. The bracket is set, and the teams are ready to play.

The first round of the Class 7A state playoffs is a direct test of the regular season records. Teams with strong defenses like Downers Grove North will face teams with potent offenses like East St. Louis. The results will determine the path to the state championship game. The IHSA expects high attendance at the host sites. The games are scheduled for 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. local time. The winners will know their next opponents after the first round concludes. The tournament continues with the quarterfinals on the following Friday. The state championship will be played in December.