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The 7 most intriguing 2023 first-round playoff football matchups around the Peoria area

Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star
·5 min read

Let's not waste any more time and get right to the football playoff pairings.

The field of 256 teams is set for the 2023 edition of the Illinois High School Association playoffs. From the Peoria area, 20 teams from Class 1A to Class 6A will be suiting up for Week 10.

Here are the seven of the most intriguing Peoria-area playoff matchups:

Looking for the full pairings? Statewide | Peoria area

Danville at Washington

  • Previous playoff meeting: First ever.

  • What we know: No. 2 seed Washington (8-1) comes into its 16th postseason in a row, riding a seven-game win streak and playing lights-out defense. The Panthers have allowed 8.9 points a game highlighted by back-to-back shutouts in weeks 4 and 5. No. 15 seed Danville (5-4) is one of seven teams from the 11-member Big 12 Conference to grab a playoff berth. The Vikings beat Manual and Richwoods but lost to Peoria High.

  • What's next: Faces the winner of 8 Crete-Monee (6-3) or 10 Champaign Centennial (6-3) in the Class 6A second round.

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Dunlap at Blue Island Eisenhower

Dunlap head coach Brett Cazelet talks with his team as they fall behind Washington in the second half of their Week 7 football game Friday, Oct. 6, 2023 at Dunlap High School.
Dunlap head coach Brett Cazelet talks with his team as they fall behind Washington in the second half of their Week 7 football game Friday, Oct. 6, 2023 at Dunlap High School.

  • Previous playoff meeting: First ever.

  • What we know: No. 9 seed Dunlap (6-3) lost its final three games of the regular season to playoff qualifiers Washington, Morton and Metamora. However, Dunlap is no stranger to the playoffs in the Brett Cazalet era, having reached the postseason for the eighth season in a row. No. 7 seed Eisenhower (6-3) finished second in the South Suburban-Red Conference, losing its two league games by a combined five points.

  • What's next: Faces the winner of 1 Kankakee (9-0) or 16 Midlothian Bremen (5-4) in the Class 6A second round.

Joliet Catholic Academy at Peoria High

Peoria High's JaQuarius Green (75) lifts teammate Maliek Ross after a touchdown against Peoria Notre Dame in the first half of their Week 9 football game Friday, Oct. 20, 2023 at Dozer Park in Peoria.
Peoria High's JaQuarius Green (75) lifts teammate Maliek Ross after a touchdown against Peoria Notre Dame in the first half of their Week 9 football game Friday, Oct. 20, 2023 at Dozer Park in Peoria.

  • Previous playoff meeting: First ever

  • What we know: No. 5 seed Peoria High (7-2) was the Class 5A state runner-up last season, while JCA (6-3) won the 2021 Class 4A state title — its state-best 15th first-place trophy. After Week 4's 21-point loss to Normal Community, the Lions have gone into overdrive on offense, putting up 58.4 points a game and not scoring less than 44. The Hilltoppers lost its regular-season finale 23-10 to Chicago St. Ignatius.

  • What's next: Faces the winner of 4 Mahomet-Seymour (7-2) or 13 Troy Triad (6-3) in the Class 5A second round.

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New Lenox Providence Catholic at Morton

Morton's Brennen Rassi (15) and his teammates celebrate with their fans after their 10-6 victory over Dunlap in a Week 8 football game Friday, Oct. 13, 2023 at Dunlap High School.
Morton's Brennen Rassi (15) and his teammates celebrate with their fans after their 10-6 victory over Dunlap in a Week 8 football game Friday, Oct. 13, 2023 at Dunlap High School.

  • Previous playoff meeting: First-ever postseason meeting.

  • What we know: No. 2 seed Morton (8-1) suffered its lone loss in Week 9 to Washington in the de facto Mid-Illini Conference title game. The Potters, who had started a season 8-0 for the first time since 1981, are back in the playoffs after a 4-5 campaign in 2022. First-year coach Adam O'Neill's defense has been great in big moments, getting wins against four playoff teams. No. 15 seed NLPC (5-4) went 1-4 against playoff-bound teams.

  • What's next: Faces the winner of (7) Carbondale (7-2) or (10) Country Club Hills Hillcrest (6-3) in the Cass 5A second round.

Peoria Notre Dame at Kewanee

Peoria Notre Dame head coach Pat Armstrong talks with his team before they take the field against Peoria High in a Week 9 football game Friday, Oct. 20, 2023 at Dozer Park in Peoria.
Peoria Notre Dame head coach Pat Armstrong talks with his team before they take the field against Peoria High in a Week 9 football game Friday, Oct. 20, 2023 at Dozer Park in Peoria.

  • Previous playoff meeting: First-ever postseason meeting. (Peoria Spalding beat Kewanee, 28-20 in the 1985 Class 4A first round).

  • What we know: No. 14 seed PND (5-4) is back in the playoffs following last year's 3-6 season and fourth time under coach Pat Armstrong. The Irish suffered three defeats at the hands of playoff-bound teams to end the season after averaging 41.8 points a game to start the year 5-1. The lone loss for No. 3 seed Kewanee (8-1) came in the Three Rivers-Mississippi Conference to Princeton, who is a No. 2 seed in the Class 3A bracket.

  • What's next: Faces the winner of (6) Carterville (7-2) or (11) Harrisburg (6-3) in the Class 4A second round.

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Princeville at Stark County

Princeville head coach Jon Carruthers, right, talks with his son and quarterback Logan as the Princes battle Rushville-Industry in the first half of their Week 8 football game Friday, Oct. 13, 2023 at Princeville High School.
Princeville head coach Jon Carruthers, right, talks with his son and quarterback Logan as the Princes battle Rushville-Industry in the first half of their Week 8 football game Friday, Oct. 13, 2023 at Princeville High School.

  • Previous playoff meetings: Stark County won 13-6 in the 2007 Class 1A second round. SC won 27-17 in the 1998 Class 1A first round.

  • What we know: Sixteen years may have passed since these teams last met in the playoffs, but No. 2 Stark County (9-0) just claimed a 20-point win over Princeville (5-4) in Week 7. The Rebels ran the table in the regular season for the first since the 2015 Class 1A state runner-up finish. All four of No. 12 seed Princeville's losses came to playoff-bound teams including a Week 9 defeat to Annawan/Wethersfield and Class 2A participant Knoxville.

  • What's next: Faces the winner of 7 Sterling Newman (7-2) or 10 ROWVA/Williamsfield (7-2) in the Class 1A second round.

Deer Creek-Mackinaw at Annawan/Wethersfield

Dee-Mack's Carson Cassady (15) indicates that the Chiefs took possession after a fumble in the first half of their Week 2 football game Friday, Sept. 1, 2023 in Mackinaw.
Dee-Mack's Carson Cassady (15) indicates that the Chiefs took possession after a fumble in the first half of their Week 2 football game Friday, Sept. 1, 2023 in Mackinaw.

Previous playoff meeting: Dee-Mack won 34-7 in the 2016 Class 2A state semifinals.

What we know: The No. 13 seed Chiefs (5-4) were 2-4, needing three wins to make the playoffs and played their best ball at the right time. Dee-Mack, which secured its 30th playoff appearance, scored a Week 8 upset over Class 2A playoff-bound El Paso-Gridley, then survived a two-point Week 9 battle with Colfax Ridgeview/Lexington. No. 4 seed A/W (8-1) lost to Stark County by one point in Week 2, then proceeded to allow 47 total points the next seven weeks.

What's next: Faces the winner of 5 Morrison (8-1) or 12 Fulton (6-3) in the Class 1A second round.

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Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA playoff football: Intriguing first-round games for Peoria area