Friday night will bring the end of the football season for many schools.

For other schools, it's their last chance to qualify for the 2016 IHSA Football Championship, either as a conference champion or reaching the six-win level that automatically qualifies a team for the postseason.

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For some schools, it's a last chance to achieve a winning season and possible inclusion in the postseason carnival.

That's what Week 9 of the area's football season has in store the schools in Riverbender's coverage area. Kickoffs for all games (unless noted) is set for 7 p.m. The final list of teams and who they'll play in the opening round of the 43rd edition of the IHSA's football playoffs will be announced beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday and will be streamed live on ihsa.tv by way of Comcast SportsNet Chicago, who owns the IHSA's television rights for most of their state championship events.

Going into Friday's games, Edwardsville (7-1), Hardin-Calhoun (6-2 as WIVC South champions) and Marquette Catholic (6-2) are all definitely in. Civic Memorial (5-3) will be in with a win Friday, as will Carrollton (5-3) and East Alton-Wood River (5-3); Granite City is 4-4 and will be on the bubble should they win Friday against Edwardsville.

Who goes into which class will be determined by enrollment, with the 32 smallest schools going into Class 1A, the next smallest 32 schools into Class 2A and going from there; the 32 largest schools will be placed in Class 8A. Schools will be seeded by the IHSA, with schools in Classes 1A-6A seeded by region (the top 16 northernmost schools and top 16 southernmost schools) and schools in Clsses 7A and 8A seeded from 1-32 regardless of geography.

Here's a look at the Week 9 matchups:

SOUTHWESTERN CONFERENCE: Edwardsville closes out its' regular season at Tiger Stadium against a resurgent Granite City team that still has hopes of reaching the postseason; at 4-4 overall and 3-3 in the SWC after their loss last week at Belleville West, the Warriors will have to win and get help from the IHSA's playoff points system that emphasizes opposition wins. Edwardsville enters the game with an 7-1 record overall, 5-1 in the league after their win last week at Alton; a win should help with their postseason seeding by the IHSA.

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Alton visits Belleville West, the Maroons go into the game at 4-4 overall, 4-2 in the SWC, and still harboring playoff hopes themselves; like the Warriors after their win last week over Granite City, they will have to win and get help from the playoff point system. The Redbirds enter the game at 0-8 overall and 0-6 in the league after falling to Edwardsville last week. Other SWC games this week feature Belleville East traveling to Collinsville and East St. Louis going to O'Fallon with the Panthers, at 5-3 overall, needing a win to be assured of reaching the postseason.

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CONFERENCE: With the MVC season completed, area MVC teams will be facing non-conference opposition this week. Civic Memorial, still a win away from automatically reaching the postseason, takes its 5-3 mark to the Apollo Conference's Taylorville for a clash with the 6-2 Tornadoes. A win by the Eagles will put them into the postseason carnival. CM finished its MVC schedule with a loss to Triad last week that kept them from reaching the six-win level. Jersey, who lost a 49-46 shootout to Highland last week, takes its 2-6 record to the Cahokia Conference's Columbia, who enter the game at 8-0 with a playoff berth and the league title wrapped up.

PRAIRIE STATE CONFERENCE: Marquette Catholic (6-2 overall, 6-0 in the league), who defeated Mount Olive last week, go into Friday night's clash at South Fork (5-3 overall, 5-1 PSC) having clinched no worse than a share of the PSC title; the Ponies, who were defeated by East Alton-Wood River two weeks ago, can still claim a share of the crown and be assured of reaching the playoffs with a win over the Explorers; they defeated Bunker Hill last week.

East Alton-Wood River, at 5-3 overall and 4-2 in the league, still harbors hopes of reaching the postseason; the Oilers can qualify with a win at Mount Olive, who fell to Marquette Catholic last week. The Oilers defeated Nokomis last week to give them a chance to reach the six-win level for automatic playoff qualification.

Metro East Lutheran-Madison visits Bunker Hill for their season finale; the Minutemen defeated the Knights in Week 1 in a non-conference clash in Edwardsville. MEL fell to 0-8 overall, 0-6 in the league last week after dropping a decision to Pawnee while the Minutemen (2-6 overall, 0-6 PSC) fell to South Fork last week.

SOUTH CENTRAL CONFERENCE: Roxana hosts Piasa Southwestern in a regional rivalry game to close out their regular season; the Shells go into the game at 2-6 overall and in the SCC, while the Piasa Birds are 3-5 overall and SCC. Roxana defeated Staunton last week at Charlie Raich Field while Southwestern fell to playoff-bound Carlinville.

WIVC SOUTH: Carrollton's playoff hopes depend on the outcome of their non-conference game at Concord Triopia; a win puts the Hawks, who reached the Class 2A quarterfinals last season, into the postseason with six wins. The Hawks got by Beardstown last week to keep their postseason hopes alive and enter the game at 5-3 overall; the Trojans dropped a decision to Greenfield Northwestern last week to fall to 3-5 on the year.

Hardin-Calhoun go into their clash at Brown County with the WIVC South title and a playoff berth already wrapped up; the 6-2 Warriors will be facing a Hornet team with a 6-2 mark and playoff berth already clinched. Calhoun defeated Jacksonville Routt last week in preparation for the postseason.

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Oct 20, 2023 - Piasa Birds Get Revenge On Hillsboro, Become Playoff Eligible After Dominant Win

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