Congratulations to our 11 area high school football teams who earned berths into the IHSA state championship tournament with great seasons. Five of our area teams captured conference championships this fall, including:
6-3 Tremont – Heart of Illinois (Small)
9-0 IVC – Illini Prairie
7-2 Dunlap + 6-3 Pekin – Mid Illini Co-champs
8-1 Peoria High – Big Twelve Tri-champs
Our first round playoff, Super Nutrition Red Zone Game of the Week will feature Peoria High, which beat Normal Community last week to earn a piece of the conference championship. The Lions will host 6-3 Palos Heights Shepard, the second place team from the South Suburban Red Conference in Class 6A, big boy football. Pregame show begins at 7p from Peoria Stadium, featuring my interview with Lions head coach Tim Thornton. We’ll also have live coverage of Farmington’s first round game with Seneca in Class 3A.
Perhaps the hottest team not to win a conference championship, Morton, faces defending state champion Joliet Catholic at Carper Field, not a great first-round draw for the explosive Potters, who whipped Dunlap by 29 points on our GOW Friday. Here’s the first-round playoff schedule for our area teams:
Class 1A: 6-3 Stockton @ 7-2 Princeville, Sat. 1p
Class 2A: 6-3 Tremont @ 6-3 Watseka, Sat 1p
Class 3A: 5-4 Seneca @ 7-2 Farmington, Fri 7p
Chicago Dunbar @ 7-2 Eureka, Sat 2p
Class 4A: 5-4 Taylorville @ 9-0 IVC, Sat 6p
Class 5A: 6-3 Joliet Catholic @ 7-2 Morton, Sat 2p
6-3 Notre Dame @ 8-1 Kankakee, Sat, 3p
Class 6A: Rock Island @ 7-2 Dunlap, Sat 2p
6-3 Washington @ 8-1 Oak Lawn Richards, Fri, 7p
6-3 Shepard @ 8-1 Peoria High, Fri 7:30p
Class 7A: 6-3 Pekin @ 7-2 Thornton, Sat, 2p
Listen in Friday night to our booming 95.5 FM signal. And listen anywhere in the world online at 955glo.com or by downloading the free GLO phone app. The Super Nutrition Red Zone game of the Week brings you the most comprehensive Peoria area high school football coverage is sponsored by Brickhouse BBQ, Starcrest Cleaners and Heartland Apartments, with supporting sponsors Peoria Motors and Suiting Up on 95.5, GLO.
Doc Watson
