<body><div>One of the facts of life in Class 6A football has been that the road to the IHSA title runs through East St. Louis.Few know that better than Richards, whose season was ended by the Flyers in the 2019 quarterfinals, the 2021 second round and the 2022 first round. There were no playoffs in 2020 because of the pandemic.“For three years in a row,” Bulldogs coach Tony Sheehan said. “It was an annual thing.”This year, Richards is 8-1 and wouldn’t see East St. Louis (8-1) until the 6A semifinals. That was one of the main takeaways from the IHSA’s bracket reveal on Oct. 26. The Bulldogs are seeded second in the 16-team Class 6A south bracket, while the Flyers are the No. 1 seed in the south.Fourteen teams in the Southwest Regional Publishing coverage area are in the 256-team field: Lyons, Marist, Sandburg and Curie in 8A; St. Rita, Mount Carmel, Brother Rice and Argo in 7A; Richards, Shepard and Kennedy in 6A; Nazareth in 5A; St. Laurence in 4A; and Chicago Christian in 2A.First-round games will be hosted by the better seed over the weekend of Nov. 1-2. The state finals are Nov. 29-30 at Illinois State’s Hancock Stadium in Normal.As for Richards, the hope is to take care of business until a potential matchup with East St. Louis.“You know you’re going to see them at some point,” Sheehan said. “The later, the better.”The Bulldogs have won seven in a row since a Week 2 loss to Libertyville (8-1), the No. 22 seed in the 7A north bracket.“We have really good kids,” Sheehan said. “It’s been a rewarding season.”Leading the way is senior running back Myles Mitchell, a 5-foot-10, 190-pounder committed to North Dakota State. Mitchell tied the single-season program record of 30 touchdowns in a 76-0 Week 9 win against Reavis.Sheehan said Mitchell ranks with some of the best backs in Richards history, including Leshon Williams and Billy Andrews, the coach’s high-school teammate.Also in Class 6A, Kennedy (7-2) is in the state playoffs for the second time in program history after winning the Public League White Southwest title.The Crusaders will host Oak Forest (6-3) in the first round, an interesting coincidence, according to coach Rob Albano.Albano said his players talked to him during the offseason about scheduling a tough nonconference game. “They really wanted to have a test,” Albano said, and the opponent the Crusaders suggested was none other than the Bengals. Now the matchup is finally happening.In Class 5A, two-time defending champ Nazareth (7-2) did not have to sweat out making the 256-team field after being on the bubble three years in a row. The Roadrunners qualified as a 5-4 team in 2021 (losing in the quarterfinals) and 2022 before becoming the first five-loss team to win state last year.“It’s the best to know that we’re in,” nine-time state-champion coach Tim Racki said. “For the seniors the past two years, it’s been watching (the playoff announcement) with high stress.”Racki made it a point of emphasis this year to play better in the regular season.“They were so young coming out of that pandemic, I almost babied those guys more than I should have,” Racki said of the 2021 freshmen. “This year I was maybe more the old-school coach Racki.”In any case, it’s been a unique run with current seniors like quarterback Logan Malachuk, who is a four-year varsity starter.“It’s extra special for me,” Racki said. “I differentiate teams; each team is different. But they’ve been with me longer than any group has.”Nazareth ended the regular season with a 39-36 loss to St. Francis. The teams could meet again in the semifinals.“(That) was the reset (the Roadrunners) needed,” Racki said. “I’m sure we’re going to see them again.IHSA football playoff pairingsWith records and seedings in parenthesesNote: Classes 8A and 7A are seeded 1-32. All other classes are seeded as two 1-16 brackets.First roundClass 8A(25) Curie (5-4) at (8) Glenbard East (8-1)(24) Sandburg (5-4) at (9) Stevenson (8-1)(28) Glenbrook South (5-4) at (5) Marist (8-1)(31) Joliet West (5-4) at (2) LyonsClass 7A(21) Brother Rice (6-3) at (12) Fenwick (7-2)(31) Argo (5-4) at (2) Quincy (9-0)(23) Guilford (6-3) at (10) St. Rita (7-2)(19) Mount Carmel (6-3) at (14) Harlem (7-2)Class 6ASouth bracket(13) Oak Forest (6-3) at (4) Kennedy (7-2)(15) Dunlap (6-3) at (2) Richards (8-1)(10) Shepard (7-2) at (7) Washington, Ill. (7-2)Class 5ANorth bracket(14) Payton (5-4) at (3) Nazareth (7-2)Class 4ANorth bracket(12) St. Laurence (6-3) at (5) Richmond-Burton (7-2)Class 2ANorth bracket(11) Illini West (6-3) at (6) Chicago Christian (8-1)<h2>Local News</h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=391ncb_0wNoORVP00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=391ncb_0wNoORVP00" width="2016" height="1512" ></figure><h2>Eduardo Seija, Curie earn first playoff berth since 2019 </h2>Eduardo Seija and his Curie teammates had plenty to celebrate on Oct. 24. Seija, a senior two-way starter at fullback and linebacker, scored the first touchdown of his career as the Condors shut out Urban Prep-Bronzeville 30-0 at Rockne Stadium to complete one of the state’s biggest turnarounds. A year after going 0-9, Curie is…<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3bALbY_0wNoORVP00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3bALbY_0wNoORVP00" width="685" height="1024" ></figure><h2>Area sports roundup: Stars to get the ‘Red’ out; SXU falls again </h2>By Jeff Vorva | October 27, 2024 Starting in 2025, the Chicago Red Stars will tweak their brand. The team will be known as the Chicago Stars Football Club and will have a new logo. They are getting the “Red” out. “As the stewards of this club, Laura Ricketts, the ownership group and the leadership team believe it is time to evolve…<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3nsGN7_0wNoORVP00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3nsGN7_0wNoORVP00" width="1024" height="786" ></figure><h2>Postseason roundup: Marist’s Helena Klooster finishes fifth at state </h2>By Jeff Vorva | October 27, 2024 Two of the best girls tennis players in Orland Park have taken each other on several times over the years during various tournaments. But they never had a match like this one. Marist’s Helena Klooster and Sandburg’s Estela Loureiro – both sophomores — met in the IHSA Class 2A state tournament consolation quarterfinals on Oct.…<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=36kWJC_0wNoORVP00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=36kWJC_0wNoORVP00" width="724" height="483" ></figure><h2>Mike Walsh’s Football Top 10, Week 10 </h2>By Mike Walsh | October 27, 2024 1. MARIST (8-1) Last week: Beat Notre Dame 34-0 This week: vs. Glenbrook South, Class 8A Comment: Jacob Ritter threw for three touchdowns and scored on a run for the RedHawks. 2. LYONS (9-0) Last week: Beat Proviso East 50-6 This week: vs. Joliet West, Class 8A Comment: This is the Lions’ first 9-0 team…<h2>Shepard rolls past Eisenhower, looks ahead to playoffs </h2>By Mike Walsh | October 27, 2024 Shepard coach John Rone knows what his seniors have been through. That makes where they are – heading to the IHSA Class 6A playoffs – that much sweeter. The Astros finished 7-2 in the regular season and second in the South Suburban Red behind Richards at 5-1 after beating Eisenhower 31-6 on the road on…<h2>Richards routs Reavis, clinches South Suburban Red title </h2>By Mike Walsh | October 27, 2024 Whether the conference was called the SICA North, the SICA Orange or the South Suburban Red, the most dominant team has usually been Richards. The Bulldogs reaffirmed that on Oct. 25, cruising past Reavis 76-0 in Oak Lawn. Richards (8-1, 6-0) won the 35th conference championship in program history. According to coach Tony Sheehan, the…<h2>Kenny Jager powers Chicago Christian past Aurora Christian </h2>By Mike Walsh | October 27, 2024 When Chicago Christian needs a play, chances are the ball will go to Kenny Jager. In a 28-21 road victory over Chicagoland Christian Conference rival Aurora Christian on Oct. 25, Jager carried 27 times for 178 yards and two touchdowns. “Kenny could potentially be the conference’s player of the year,” first-year Chicago Christian coach CJ…<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=11SH8u_0wNoORVP00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=11SH8u_0wNoORVP00" width="1843" height="1425" ></figure><h2>Argo beats Evergreen Park, punches ticket to playoffs </h2>By Mike Walsh | October 27, 2024 Win and you’re in. The scenario couldn’t have been clearer for Argo in the final game of the regular season Oct. 25 against South Suburban Red rival Evergreen Park in Summit. The Argonauts needed to beat the Mustangs to clinch their third consecutive state playoff berth and sixth in program history. Mission accomplished. Javoris Cotton…<h2>Mount Carmel drops regular-season finale to Loyola </h2>By Mike Walsh | October 27, 2024 For all its years of excellence, one team has recently proven to be the bane of Mount Carmel’s existence: Loyola. In a Week 9 CCL/ESCC Blue matchup on Oct. 25 on the South Side, the Ramblers continued their mastery over the Caravan, winning 31-7. It was Loyola’s fourth win over Mount Carmel in the last…<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4FaFnC_0wNoORVP00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4FaFnC_0wNoORVP00" width="1024" height="768" ></figure>From Olympic silver to Halloween spirit, Kennedy Blades shines in Garfield Ridge By Kelly White | October 27, 2024 A small-town girl turned national hero; Kennedy Blades returned to Garfield Ridge just in time for Halloween. Blades, a wrestler who took the silver medal in the women’s 76-kilogram event at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, served as grand marshal of the Midway Chamber of Commerce’s annual Halloween Pumpkin Jamboree Parade on Saturday, Oct.…<h2>Neighbors</h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2iZwtD_0wNoORVP00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2iZwtD_0wNoORVP00" width="1024" height="768" ></figure><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3BJbjK_0wNoORVP00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3BJbjK_0wNoORVP00" width="1024" height="683" ></figure></div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Area football teams learn postseason paths

One of the facts of life in Class 6A football has been that the road to the IHSA title runs through East St. Louis. Few know that better than Richards, whose season was ended by the Flyers in the 2019 quarterfinals, the 2021 second round and the 2022 first round. There were no playoffs in 2020 because of the pandemic.

Area football teams learn postseason paths

Related Search

Comments /

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Comments / 0