With one week left to earn playoff qualification, there are plenty of CCL/ESCC teams battling for a spot. Here are where teams stand before Week 9 kicks off.

Locked in

Nazareth (7-1, 43 playoff points)

The Roadrunners are cruising into the playoffs this season, having won five straight games with its lone loss coming against Mount Carmel (6-2). It’s easier than the last two seasons, when Nazareth started 2-4 in 2022 and 0-4 last season and went on historic runs, winning back-to-back Class 5A state championships.

The program has the second-longest playoff streak in the megaconference, qualifying each year since 2013. The Roadrunners will try to win the most regular season games since 2019 when they reached the Class 7A state championship game. They’ll play for an outright CCL/ESCC Green title against St. Francis (6-2) on Friday.

Marist (7-1, 41)

First-year Mike Fitzgerald has paired well with a strong senior class in his return to the RedHawks program. Marist is back in the playoffs after missing out last season, making it to the postseason for eight of the last nine years. The team’s lone loss came in double-overtime against Joliet Catholic (5-3).

Marist will play for better playoff seeding and potentially a share of the CCL/ESCC Orange title. The RedHawks will need to beat Niles Notre Dame (3-5) on Friday and the Hilltoppers to lose to Providence to earn a share of the title.

Loyola (6-2, 44)

The longest playoff streak in the CCL/ESCC is still alive as the Ramblers return for the 21st straight year. They’ve won four state championships and competed in four more title games during that span.

Loyola will have a nice test Friday as it prepares to try to win its third straight Class 8A championship. The Ramblers will try to win an outright Blue championship against Mount Carmel (6-2) when the two meet Friday night on the South Side of Chicago.

Mount Carmel (6-2, 44)

The Caravan have continued their impressive streak of being one of the best team’s in the state under coach Jordan Lynch. Mount Carmel has now made the postseason each season since 1986 with the exception of 2016, winning 14 state titles and appearing in five more title games during that time.

Like Loyola, Mount Carmel will try to boost its playoff standing and compete for a share of the Blue when the two meet Friday night. The Caravan are hoping to start a month-and-a-half journey that ends with their third straight state championship.

Fenwick (6-2, 36)

After missing the playoffs last year, the Friars are back in after an impressive campaign. Their lone losses came against Joliet Catholic and Mount Carmel. Fenwick has now qualified for the postseason in four of the past five postseasons, winning the Class 5A state championship in 2021.

The Friars have a lot on the table Friday against Carmel (3-5). They’ll try to match the most wins they’ve had in a regular season since 2021 and win an outright White title.

St. Rita (6-2, 39)

The Mustangs have shown growth under second-year head coach Martin Hopkins after winning the Prep Bowl last season after an early playoff exit. They return to the playoffs for a fifth straight season during a span that included two trips to the state championship game.

Although St. Rita will need to win and for Nazareth to lose if it wants to earn a share of the Green title, the Mustangs will have plenty to play for down the stretch. They’ll end the regular season against IC Catholic (4-4) and try to keep their new Green rivals out of the playoffs.

St. Francis (6-2, 42)

The Spartans will be an experienced team heading into the playoffs after their tough regular season schedule. They picked up a strong win over Loyola and had a couple close losses to St. Rita and Providence (3-4) to earn their sixth straight playoff appearance.

St. Francis will try to build upon back-to-back trips to the semifinals. The team will end the season against Nazareth on Oct. 25 with a share of the Green on the line.

Montini (6-2, 37)

After last season’s Class 3A semifinal appearance, the Broncos are set to return to the playoffs for a second straight season. They’re trying to start another long playoff streak to the program’s history book. It previously made the playoffs each season from 1993 to 2019, winning six state titles along the way.

The Broncos will try to make their road to a state championship easier with better seeding. They’ll take on St. Laurence (6-2) on Friday to end the regular season.

St. Laurence (6-2, 31)

St. Laurence returns to the playoffs for a second straight season for the first time since 2017. The Vikings have shown last season’s trip to the Class 4A state championship game was no fluke.

They’ll now wait to see whether senior quarterback Chase Kwiatkowski will be healthy enough to return for the start of the playoffs after hurting himself against Leo in Week 5. St. Laurence ends the regular season against Montini on Friday.

DePaul Prep (6-2, 34)

The Rams are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2015 after coming close to qualifying last season. Their losses came against Loyola and to St. Francis.

There’s plenty on the line for DePaul as it prepares for its return to the postseason. The program will try to win a program-record seventh game in the regular season against Benet (5-3) on Friday on top of an outright Purple title, which would be their first four-team division title since the megaconference started in 2019.

Sitting comfortably

Benet (5-3, 42)

After three straight seasons of just missing the postseason with 4-5 records, the Redwings are back for the first time since 2019. Their five wins are the most they’ve captured since that 2019 season, the last year of eight straight postseason appearances for the program.

Benet will try to right the ship heading into the playoffs after losing three of their last four games to Mount Carmel, Fenwick and Nazareth, respectively. They’ll get a playoff-like atmosphere Friday when they host DePaul for the Purple outright championship. It would be Benet’s first division title since the megaconference was formed.

Joliet Catholic (5-3, 47)

After battling one of the tougher schedules in the megaconference, the Hilltoppers are back in the playoffs for the sixth straight season. Joliet Catholic won two state championships during that time, adding to their 15 total state titles, tied with Mount Carmel.

The Hilltoppers will get a taste of the playoffs when they play Providence on Friday in the Holy War. They’ll be coming off a bye week since they won by forfeit against De La Salle in Week 8 because the school suspended the rest of the season due to low numbers.

Brother Rice (5-3, 42)

The Crusaders took care of business against St. Laurence on Friday to earn their fifth win of the season. Brother Rice has qualified for the playoffs in six straight playoffs, including in all three during coach Casey Quedenfeld’s tenure.

The Crusaders will try to play spoiler in Week 9 when they play St. Ignatius (3-5). They’ll also try to win a share of the Blue with a win, but they’ll need the Ramblers to lose against Mount Carmel in order to do that.

One more to go

Providence (4-4, 41)

The Celtics lead off a group where they’ll feel much more comfortable with a fifth win in order to make the playoffs, but even four wins might get them in because of their high playoff point total. The IHSA uses a team’s opponents’ wins as a tiebreaker when deciding where to seed teams for the playoffs.

Providence currently leads the 4-4 teams in Class 5A and is ranked No. 29 in the 32-team field. The Celtics would rather not sweat it out, though. They’ll need to beat rival Joliet Catholic on Friday in order to do that. The Hilltoppers are 4-1 against the Celtics since 2021, including 1-1 in the playoffs.

Marmion (4-4, 31)

Although the Cadets might be on the borderline to earn a spot in the playoffs with four wins — they rank No. 35 in the 5A field heading into Week 9 — they’ll try to make their road to the playoffs for the first time since 2021 easier with a fifth win. They’ve made the playoffs nine times since 2009, reaching the Class 6A state championship game in 2010.

Marmion will try to win its fifth game of the season against Leo (1-7) on Saturday. The team also has a chance to win the Red, which would be its first division title since the megaconference formed.

IC Catholic (4-4, 43)

The Knights hold a strong position to make the playoffs in the 4A field because of their high playoff point total. They enter Week 9 ranked 28th in the field and have a chance to make the playoffs even if they can’t secure a fifth win. IC Catholic is trying to return to the playoffs for a ninth straight season.

The road won’t come easy against St. Rita on Friday night. The Knights will try to end their regular season on a three-game winning streak and with their first division win of the year.

Hail Mary time

St. Ignatius (3-5, 48)

Despite having three wins, the Wolfpack are in a strong spot to make the playoffs if they can pick up a fourth win. Twenty-six teams currently have five wins in the 8A bracket, leaving six spots open. St. Ignatius’ 48 playoff points would lead all four-win teams competing for a spot in the postseason.

The road to win No. 4 won’t be easy. The Wolfpack will play Brother Rice on Friday in a Blue matchup. St. Ignatius is trying to reach the playoffs for a ninth straight season.

Carmel (3-5, 46)

Like the Wolfpack, Carmel could have a strong chance to qualify for a third straight playoff for the time since 2011 if they pick up win No. 4. There are currently six spots open in the Class 5A bracket and the Corsairs’ 46 playoff points lead the current group of four-win teams.

Carmel will face a tough challenge in Week 9 in order to pick up that fourth win. The Corsairs will play Fenwick, trying to also win their first White game of the season.