We pick IHSA first-round playoff football games for Peoria-area schools

Here are the predictions for the first round of the high school football playoffs around the Peoria area.

All games are scheduled for either Friday or Saturday. Last week, the picks in this space went 14-3 (.824) and are 122-36 (.772) for the season.

Looking for a statewide playoff schedule? Click here

Class 6A

(9) Dunlap (6-3) at (8) Blue Island Eisenhower (6-3), 6:30 p.m. Friday: Dunlap is in the playoffs for the 31st time, while Eisenhower is making its 13th appearance. The Eagles lost in the final three weeks to the Mid-Illini Conference's top three teams. Eisenhower, which ended the regular season with back-to-back wins, hasn't won a playoff game since a 2015 Class 7A first-round victory. Dunlap 34, Eisenhower 27

(15) Danville (5-4) at (2) Washington (8-1), 7 p.m. Friday: Washington is in the playoffs for the 36th time, while Danville is making its 24th appearance. The Panthers went undefeated in Mid-Illini play, allowing those league opponents just 6.6 points a game with two shutouts. Big 12 Conference member Danville, which went 2-1 against Peoria schools, won its final three games to get in the playoffs Washington 49, Danville 6

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

Class 5A

(12) Joliet Catholic (6-3) at (5) Peoria High (7-2), 7 p.m. Friday: Peoria High is in the playoffs for the 20th time, while JCA is making its 44th appearance. The Lions were last season's Class 5A state runner-up, winning their final five games of the regular season by an average of 37.2 points. JCA is a 15-time state champion but hasn't played in Peoria since a 2010 Class 5A quarterfinal loss to Richwoods. Peoria High 40, JCA 34

(11) Decatur MacArthur (6-3) at (6) Metamora (7-2), 1 p.m. Saturday: Metamora is in the playoffs for the 36th time, while MacArthur is making its 16th appearance. The Redbirds are riding a five-game win streak and are looking to win back-to-back first-round games for the first time since 2009-2010. MacArthur's last playoff outing ended with a 62-14 Class 5A first-round loss to Peoria High. MacArthur 54, Metamora 49

(15) New Lenox Providence (5-4) at (2) Morton (8-1), 2 p.m. Saturday: Morton is in the playoffs for the 22nd time, while Providence is making its 39th appearance. The Potters, who made 2021 Class 5A state semifinals, have never won successive back-to-back first-round playoff games in program history. NLP was the Class 4A state runner-up last season, needing a Week 9 victory to make it into the field of 256. Morton 24, NLP 13

Class 4A

(14) Peoria Notre Dame (5-4) at (3) Kewanee (8-1), 7 p.m. Friday: Peoria Notre Dame is in the playoffs for the 18th time, while Kewanee is making its 13th appearance. Kewanee has won its first-round game during its last two playoff appearances (2019, 2021). PND had a brutal final stretch of the season, facing three playoff teams with records of 6-3, 9-0 and 7-2 to close out the regular season. Peoria Notre Dame 28, Kewanee 20

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Class 3A

(10) Monmouth-Roseville (5-4) at (7) Poplar Grove North Boone (6-3), 7 p.m. Friday: Monmouth-Roseville is in the playoffs for the seventh time, while North Boone is making its 21st appearance. The Titans got wins in weeks 8 and 9 to make the playoffs after losing three consecutive games to 8-1 teams. Boone plays in the Big Northern Conference where six of the 10 league teams made the playoffs. North Boone 35, Monmouth-Roseville 14

(11) Eureka (5-4) at (6) Lombard Montini (6-3), 7:30 p.m. Friday: Eureka is in the playoffs for the 17th time, while Montini is making its 33rd appearance. The Hornets are in the playoffs for a seventh successive time, winning first-round games in 2018, 2019 and 2022. Montini has played in nine state championships since 2004, winning six titles including four Class 5A in a row from 2009 to 2012. Lombard Montini 28, Eureka 27

(15) Paxton Buckley-Loda (5-4) at (2) Princeton (8-1), 1 p.m. Saturday: Princeton is in the playoffs for the 14th time, while PBL is making its 22nd appearance. The Tigers have played in at least the quarterfinals in the last three Class 3A playoffs. Paxton Buckley-Loda is a member of the Illini Prairie Conference, getting a Week 1 comeback victory over Illinois Valley Central to start their run to the playoffs. Princeton 48, PBL 6

(10) Litchfield/Mt. Olive (6-3) at (7) Olympia (7-2), 1 p.m. Saturday: Olympia is in the playoffs for the seventh time, while Litchfield and Mt. Olive have combined for 19 appearances. The Spartans, who made a run to the quarterfinals last season, lost both of their games by single digits. Litchfield, which finished 1-8 last season, started 1-3, but won its last five in a row to make the Class 3A field. Olympia 37, Litchfield/Mt. Olive 14

Class 2A

(10) Knoxville (7-2) at (7) Momence (8-1), noon Saturday: Knoxville is in the playoffs for the 23rd time, while Momence is making its 21st appearance. The Blue Bullets are in the playoffs for the 10th straight season, making a run to the 2A quarterfinals last season. Vermillion Valley Conference champ Monmence is allowing 11.8 points per game. This game will be played at Bradley-Bourbonnais. Momence 28, Knoxville 20

(13) El Paso Gridley (6-3) at (4) Downs Tri-Valley (9-0), 1 p.m. Saturday: El Paso-Gridley is in the playoffs for the 10th time, while Downs Tri-Valley is making its 15th appearance. The Titans suffered a 31-13 loss to Heart of Illinois Conference-Large Division champion Tri-Valley in Week 5. Tri-Valley was the 2022 2A state runner-up and last lost a first-round game in 2014. Downs Tri-Valley 42, El Paso-Gridley 35

(11) Bismarck-Henning-Rossville-Alvin (7-2) at (6) Farmington (8-1), 3 p.m. Saturday: Farmington is in the playoffs for the 22nd time, while BHRA is making its sixth appearance. Farmington, which won the LincolnLand Conference-Large Division, has won first-round games in each of the last three playoffs. BHRA has made it to the second round in each of the last five seasons. Farmington 48, BHRA 27

Class 1A

(13) Deer Creek-Mackinaw (5-4) at (4) Annawan/Wethersfield (8-1), 1 p.m. Saturday: Dee-Mack is in the playoffs for the 30th time, while A/W is making its 29th appearance. The Chiefs needed wins in the last three weeks, beating El Paso-Gridley and Colfax Ridgeview/Lexington by single digits to secure a berth. A/W is on a seven-game win streak. This game will be played at Wethersfield in Kewanee. A/W 33, Dee-Mack 20

(15) Princeville (5-4) at (2) Stark County (9-0), 7 p.m. Friday: Stark County is in the playoffs for the 25th time, while Princeville is making its 24th appearance. These LincolnLand Conference-Small Division rivals met in Week 7 with the Rebels winning 48-28. Stark County is on a three-game skid in the playoffs, having not won since the 2016 first round. Princeville is 0-2 all-time against SC in the playoffs. Stark County 56, Princeville 35

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(10) ROWVA/Williamsfield (7-2) at (7) Sterling Newman (7-2), 1 p.m. Saturday: ROWVA/Williamsfield is in the playoffs for the 19th time, while Newman is making its 34th appearance. ROWVA's losses came to A/W and SC and it beat Princeville in the regular-season games played against playoff-bound teams. Newman went 1-2 versus playoff teams. This game will be played at Sterling High School. Sterling Newman 22, ROWVA 21

(14) St. Bede (5-4) at (3) Chicago Hope Academy (8-1), 2 p.m. Saturday: St. Bede is in the playoffs for the 19th time, while Chicago Hope is making its 11th appearance. The Bruins' last playoff win came over Chicago Hope, 30-19, in the 2021 first round. In five of Hope's wins, the Eagles have pitched three shutouts and allowed single-digit points twice. This game will be played at Altged Park in Chicago. Chicago Hope 27, St. Bede 15

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 football playoffs: Expert predictions for first-round games in Peoria