Can anyone prevent a collision course game between East St. Louis and Nazareth in the state championship? A lot of teams would like to think so. Steve Soucie breaks down the opening round of the 2025 IHSA Class 6A Playoffs.

Wauconda gambled a few times in the fourth quarter and made it work to pull off a 25-20 victory over Antioch and clinch the Northern Lake County Conference title on Friday.

Sophomore wingback Logan Lennon totaled 231 rushing yards on just 11 carries in Antioch's 56-15 victory over Northern Lake County Conference rival Lakes on Friday.

The IHSA's changes to the multiplier rules altered the way that the 2025 playoffs are likely to look. And the first regular season projection reflected that fact. Steve Soucie's first playoff projection of the season predicts how all eight classes of the field will look.

Antioch made a key defensive stop and ran out the clock to preserve a 34-29 win over Schaumburg on Friday.

The declaration most expected would be coming came on Thursday as East St. Louis officially declared that they would be playing up to Class 6A. By its natural enrollment, East St. Louis would have been classified in Class 5A.

Both Richards and St. Rita announced their intent to join Batavia among schools that are electing to "play up" from 6A to 7A for a two-year period of postseason play.

Cary-Grove quarterback Peyton Seaburg scored four touchdowns, and the top-seeded Trojans ran away from No. 8 Antioch 41-8 Saturday afternoon in a Class 6A second-round game for their 18th win in a row.

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Antioch faces Cary-Grove in an IHSA Class 6A second-round football game on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at Cary-Grove High School.