Illinois high school football playoffs open with top seeds hosting

Illinois’ expanded high school football playoffs move into the first-round weekend, with the top 16 seeds in each class joining teams that advanced from the opening round; the state finals are set for Nov. 27-28 in Normal. Top matchups include No. 1 Class 8A seed Lincoln-Way East hosting Oak Park-River Forest and defending champion Mount Carmel hosting Marist as it pursues a fifth straight title. Other previews spotlight Hinsdale Central at Von Steuben and Lyons at Perspectives/Leadership, along with Sycamore at Belvidere; Sycamore is coming off a 48-14 playoff win, while Belvidere enters on a six-game winning streak. The previews also highlight strong individual performances, including Hinsdale Central quarterback Beau Gatewood’s five touchdown passes in the opening round and Sycamore running back Dylan Curtis’s 1,403 rushing yards this season.