St. Ignatius, Brother Rice, and Mount Carmel advance in IHSA second round

St. Ignatius defeated Maine South 35-21 on Saturday to reach the quarterfinals of the 2026 IHSA playoffs. The Wolfpack's victory ended a long-standing rivalry matchup with a decisive win over the longtime power.

Brother Rice dominated Batavia 49-6 in the second round. Running back Decatur Washington rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. Jameson Davis also contributed significantly to the offensive effort.

Mount Carmel blanked Barrington 56-0 behind a perfect performance from quarterback Brady Cloherty. The senior completed 18 of 19 passes for six touchdowns and one rushing score. Cloherty now holds the school's single-season record with 46 touchdown passes.

Fenwick beat Hononegah 38-13 on the road. Quarterback Myles Hill threw four touchdown passes for 340 yards. Jake Thies caught three of those touchdowns, while Jimmy Watts caught the fourth.

IC Catholic Prep defeated Johnsburg 42-7. Sophomore running back Jakobe Baldwin carried the ball 17 times for 213 yards and two touchdowns. His season totals now stand at 1,509 rushing yards and 17 scores.

Other Cook County teams advanced with strong showings. Providence beat Morgan Park 42-34, with senior Broden Mackert rushing for 165 yards and three touchdowns after returning from a calf injury. St. Francis defeated Woodstock 42-14 as Tivias Caldwell Jr. rushed for three of the team's touchdowns. Niles Notre Dame beat Libertyville 48-29, and Nazareth won 49-6 over Simeon.

Niles Notre Dame reached the quarterfinals for the first time since 2022. Peter Panagiotopoulos caught 10 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns. St. Rita lost to Downers Grove North 17-7 on Friday, but senior Timmy Swanson recorded an interception, a fumble recovery, a blocked kick, and two tackles.