Jay Taft's predictions for Byron and Lena-Winslow's state semifinal showdowns

We've made it to the IHSA state semifinals in football, and there are just two Rockford-area teams remaining in the hunt for state titles — and they are both undefeated, ranked No. 1, and appear unstoppable.

In Class 1A, Lena-Winslow (12-0) is taking aim at its fourth straight state title, and its seventh since 2010. In 3A, Byron has its crosshairs set on its fourth state championship game in the past five postseasons.

Our experts have been predicting the games all season. Matt Trowbridge's NIC-10 teams bowed out last week after he went 46-6 predicting their games (as well as Rochelle) this year, including 8-2 in the playoffs. Jay Taft is 59-13 on the season, including a 10-1 stretch through the playoffs.

BNC, NUIC football stats Lena-Winslow's 2nd-leading rusher Cobryn Lynch reaches 1,000 yards

CLASS 1A

Lena-Winslow (12-0) at Chicago Hope Academy (11-1)

Le-Win continues to cruise, scoring 46.2 points per game while allowing 8.7 points per game on defense, and the Panthers have not had a game closer than last week's 30-point spread the entire postseason. Hope knocked off West Chicago Wheaton Academy 30-29 back in Week 4, and Wheaton Academy is in the 4A state semifinals. Hope also pounded Oneida (ROWVA) 57-7 in last week's 1A quarterfinal game. Last week Hope QB Eddie Jenkins Jr. threw for 286 yards and four TDs on 10-for-13 passing, while rushing for 88 yards highlighted by a 72-yard TD run near the end of the second quarter. Mekhi Smith had four catches for 128 yards and a TD. Le-Win has shown that it can slow down any type of offense. It will again. Prediction: Le-Win 54, Hope Academy 24

CLASS 3A

Byron (12-0) at Lombard Montini (9-3)

Byron has just crushed every opponent it has faced, scoring at a clip of 60.7 points per game while allowing just 5.6 points per game on defense. Montini hammered No. 2-ranked Princeton 27-9 last week in the quarters, outgaining the Tigers 308-238 while Alex Marre ran for 179 yards and three TDs. This is Montini's first trip to the semifinals since 2018. It's Byron's sixth straight semifinal. The Tigers are deep at every position and have gone deep into their bench every game this season. Fullback Caden Considine has 1,215 yards rushing and 24 touchdowns, but he has come out of every game somewhere in the second or third quarters. The starters may not get out of this one early, but Byron will still win handily. Prediction: Byron 44, Montini 35

Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at jtaft@rrstar.com and follow him on Twitter at @JayTaft. Sign up for the Rockford High School newsletter at rrstar.com. Jay has covered a wide variety of sports, from the Chicago Bears to youth sports, since the turn of the century at the Register Star, and for over 30 years all together.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Jay Taft's predictions for Byron and Lena-Winslow's state semifinals