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Here are all of the quarterfinal-round matchups featuring Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference schools and their opponents. Class 8A No. 9 Lincoln-Way East (9-2) at No. 1 Mount Carmel (11-0) When: 4 p.m. Saturday About Lincoln-Way East: Quarterback Jonas Williams (USC) and defensive end Jacob Alexander (Illinois) highlight a star-studded roster that has the Griffins cruising into the 8A quarterfinals. Led by coach Rob Zvonar, Lincoln-Way East has won three state titles and posted three state runner-up finishes since 2001. About Mount Carmel: The Caravan rolled for a 48-29 win over Belleville East to remain undefeated. A three-time defending 7A champion, Mount Carmel eliminated 8A powerhouse Loyola in the first round. Five-star wide receiver Quentin Burrell and four-star defensive lineman Braeden Jones (USC) are two of several Division 1 football prospects on the Mount Carmel roster. Class 7A No. 3 St. Charles North (10-1) at No. 6 Brother Rice (10-1) When: 6 p.m. Saturday About St. Charles North: Whether it was a late comeback against Batavia or narrow victories over Geneva and Carmel, St. Charles North has shown an ability to close out games and make big plays in crucial moments. Senior wide receiver Keaton Reinke (Northwestern) headlines the North Star offense, while Matthew Plumb (Central Michigan) anchors the defense. About Brother Rice: It’s been nothing but dominance over the last two playoff games for the Crusaders, who blew away Jefferson 57-0 before crushing Jacobs 46-0 over the weekend. King Liggins (Illinois), four-star junior Brayden Parks and five-star sophomore Kameron McGee spearhead a potent defensive line. Brother Rice is currently on a five-game win streak. No. 25 St. Rita (7-4) at No. 16 Hersey (9-2) When: 3 p.m. Saturday About St. Rita: The Mustangs knocked off Lincoln-Way Central on Saturday, edging out the Knights 31-28 on a game-winning field goal from Saul Ruiz. Once 2-4 on the season, St. Rita has recorded five consecutive victories. Brandon Johnson Jr. rushed for 109 yards and three touchdowns, while Walter Jones returned a kickoff for a score to spark the second-round win. About Hersey: The Mid-Suburban East champions this season, Hersey took down Richards 42-17 after dominating Chicago Payton 56-0 in the first round. Brandon Jenkins stampeded for 277 rushing yards to lead the Huskies in their victory over the Bulldogs on Saturday. Excluding the COVID year, Hersey has reached the playoffs in each of the last eight seasons. Class 6A No. 4 Lake Zurich (9-2) at No. 1 Nazareth (10-1) When: 1 p.m. Saturday About Lake Zurich: Fighting out of the North Suburban Conference, Lake Zurich opened its playoff run with a 46-13 win over Grant. The Bears then shut out Antioch 35-0 to reach the 6A quarterfinals. Since 2006, Lake Zurich has finished second in the state three times. The Bears, who won the 7A championship in 2008, carry a three-game win streak into the weekend. About Nazareth: The three-time defending 5A champions, Nazareth rolled for a 28-7 win over Wheaton-Warrenville South in the second round. The AP’s No. 2-ranked team in 6A this season, Nazareth has won eight straight games after a Week 3 loss to Mount Carmel. Charles Calhoun churned for 159 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Roadrunners over the Tigers. No. 2 Burlington Central (10-1) at No. 11 Fenwick (8-3) When: 1 p.m. Saturday, at Triton College About Burlington Central: While the Rockets have made the playoffs just twice since 2015, Burlington Central is in the 6A quarterfinals after beating Harlem 24-14 over the weekend. Quarterback Landon Arnold rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown on seven carries to seal the team’s victory late in the fourth quarter. It’s Burlington Central’s first 10-win season in 19 years. About Fenwick: Three-star junior prospect Jake Thies ran for four touchdowns as the Friars disassembled Rolling Meadows 45-7 in their second-round game at Triton College over the weekend. Kicker Noah Sur (Northwestern) made a 31-yard field goal and senior Tommy Thies (Miami of Ohio) added a sack for the Friars, who won the 5A state title in 2021. No. 10 St. Laurence (7-4) at No. 6 Dunlap (9-2) When: 3 p.m. Saturday About St. Laurence: The Vikings scored three touchdowns to rally for a 35-21 win over Bradley-Bourbonnais in the second round. Running back and Louisville baseball recruit Cory Les led the Vikings with 180 yards on the ground, while defensive back Matthew Williams scored on a pick-six. A 4A state finalist in 2023, St. Laurence is eyeing its first title since 1976. About Dunlap: A second-place finisher in the Mid-Illini Conference this season, the Eagles have made the playoffs over 10 consecutive seasons (excluding the COVID year). Dunlap, which reached the 5A state finals in 2017, beat Pekin 49-21 in the first round before eliminating Crete-Monee 28-20 over the weekend. The Eagles opened the season with a 6-0 mark. The headliner for Dunlap is 6-foot-5, 230-pound senior Mack Sutter, an Alabama recruit and the No. 1-ranked player in Illinois’ Class of 2026 according to 247Sports. Class 5A No. 13 Chicago King (7-4) at No. 9 St. Francis (8-3) When: 1 p.m. Saturday About King: The Jaguars took sixth with a 5-2 record in the Chicago Public League’s Metro Conference this season. Wins over Agricultural Science and Corliss have King in the quarterfinals for the first time since 2015. The Jaguars opened their season against St. Laurence and Rochelle, falling to the Vikings 19-0 before hanging tough in a 28-18 loss to the Hubs. About St. Francis: After outlasting Morgan Park 35-28 in the first round, St. Francis leaned on its ground game during a 41-38 upset of top-seeded and unbeaten Prairie Ridge. Quarterback Brock Phillip accounted for five scores and running back Tivias Caldwell Jr. churned for 115 yards on 13 carries. The Spartans have made the semifinals each of the last three years. No. 1 Washington (10-1) at No. 5 Providence (8-3) When: 1 p.m. Saturday About Washington: The Panthers went 7-0 to win the Mid-Illini Conference this season. Since suffering a one-point loss against Niles Notre Dame in the first week of the season, Washington has earned 10 straight victories. The Panthers, who’ve made the playoffs 18 straight times, knocked off Normal U-High 45-13 and Mahomet-Seymour 38-14 to reach the quarterfinals. About Providence: Running back Brayden McKay rumbled for 118 yards to lead the Celtics in their 35-25 second-round win over Kankakee. Broden Mackert added 71 yards and three scores on the ground for the Celtics, who are back in the quarterfinals for the third time in four years. Providence has 10 state championships and four runner-up finishes to its name. Class 4A No. 5 Coal City (9-2) at No. 1 Montini (11-0) When: 1 p.m. Saturday About Coal City: The 1993 Class 2A state champions, Coal City took second place with a 5-1 record in the Illinois Central Eight Conference this season. The Coalers, who’ve missed the playoffs only three times since 1987, bounced Sterling 49-7 in the first round before taking out Dixon 49-42 over the weekend. About Montini: One of two Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference teams undefeated through 11 games, Montini coasted into the quarterfinals after a 47-17 win over Peoria Notre Dame. The Broncos, who’re led by four-star junior quarterback prospect Israel Abrams, are seeking back-to-back state titles after winning the 3A championship last year. This is a rematch of the 2004 Class 4A state championship game in which Montini beat Coal City for its first state title. Class 3A No. 11 IC Catholic Prep (8-3) at No. 2 Byron (11-0) When: 2 p.m. Saturday About IC Catholic Prep: The Knights eliminated unbeaten Bishop McNamara 37-27 on Friday, when junior quarterback Nate Lang threw three touchdown passes and defensive end Tamarion Garner ran a fumble return 60 yards for another score. IC Catholic Prep, which has six state championships to its name, has posted a 127-32 overall record under coach Bill Krefft.
