The push for the IHSA football playoffs begins in earnest this weekend.
Week 7 games featuring area teams may have all sorts of postseason implications with the Oct. 22 announcement of the 256 teams in eight classes and who they will play in the opening round of the 43rd IHSA Football Championship looming. Here's a look at Riverbender-area teams and who'll they will be taking on this week; unless noted, all games kick off at 7 p.m.
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In the Southwestern Conference, Edwardsville will be facing Belleville West for their Homecoming game in a situation the Tigers haven't faced in several years – coming off a loss in a league game; EHS will be taking on the Maroons following last week's 20-10 loss to East St. Louis in what was a highly anticipated game (for a detailed look at the game, see related story).
The Tigers go into the game with a 5-1 overall mark, 3-1 in the SWC; West goes into the game at 3-3 overall, 3-1 in the league, both teams a game behind the Flyers but both a game ahead of O'Fallon and Granite City. The Maroons are coming off a 42-0 win over crosstown rival Belleville East in West's Centennial game last week, which marked the program's 100th anniversary.
Alton will travel to Granite City's Memorial Stadium/Kevin Greene Field for the Warriors' Homecoming; a halftime ceremony is slated to dedicate the field to Greene, who played at the stadium before his graduation in 1980 from then-Granite City South before embarking on a career that took him to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, to which Greene was inducted into in August.
The Redbirds go into the game at 0-6 overall, 0-4 in the SWC after their 33-30 loss to Collinsville last week; the Warriors, 3-3 overall and 2-2 in the league – tied with O'Fallon – go into Homecoming off a 44-33 loss to the Panthers at home last week. GCHS' run home has them on the road at Belleville West in Week 8 and at Edwardsville in Week 9. Elsewhere in the SWC, O'Fallon is at Collinsville and East St. Louis travels to Belleville East.
In the Mississippi Valley Conference, Civic Memorial finds themselves in a three-way tie for second with Triad and Waterloo at 2-1 in the league, a game behind 3-0 Highland with two games to go in the league; the Eagles, coming off a 26-21 loss last week to Highland, host Waterloo with just Triad remaining on the MVC schedule in Week 8, followed by a trip to Taylorville in Week 9. CM is 4-2 overall entering the contest. Jersey (1-5 overall, 0-3 in the MVC) travels to Mascoutah coming off 34-28 overtime loss to Waterloo last week and finishes up with Highland and at Columbia.
In the Prairie State Conference, league co-leader Marquette Catholic, who defeated Bunker Hill 52-12 last week, travels to Sam Dymas Field in Madison for a game against Metro East Lutheran-Madison (0-6 overall, 0-4 in the league) that kicks off at noon Saturday. The Explorers are 4-2 overall and 4-0 in the league, tied with South Fork, who the Explorers take on in Week 9. Before the Explorers-Ponies clash for potentially the PSC crown in Week 9, Marquette will host Mount Olive in Week 8. East Alton-Wood River, standing at 3-3 overall and in a four-way logjam with Pawnee, Nokomis and Mount Olive at 2-2 in the PSC, hosts the Ponies at Memorial Stadium in Wood River; the Oilers' run home takes them to Nokomis in Week 8 and Mount Olive in Week 9. Bunker Hill (2-4 overall, 0-4 PSC) hosts Pawnee before finishing up at South Fork and hosting MEL-Madison to conclude the season.
In the South Central Conference, Roxana got its first win of the year with a 48-7 win over Litchfield at home last week to get to 1-5 overall and in the SCC; the Shells travel to Gillespie (1-5 overall and SCC), with the Miners having dropped a 51-7 decision to Carlinville last week. After Friday's game, the Shells finish up with home games against Staunton and Piasa Southwestern. The Piasa Birds (3-3 overall and SCC), who upended Staunton 14-0 last week, host Vandalia, who defeated Hillsboro 34-27 last week to take them to 5-1 overall and in the league, in what could be a key game for the Birds' playoff hopes. Piasa's run home has them hosting Carlinville in Week 8 and traveling to Roxana in Week 9.
In the Western Illinois Valley South, Hardin-Calhoun (5-1 overall, 4-0 in the league) travels to Carrollton (3-3 overall, 3-1 WIVC) with much at stake; a win would clinch the league title and automatic playoff berth for the Warriors, while a Hawks win would give them a share of the league crown. The Hawks go into the game off a 51-14 win over Greene County rival North Greene last week, then close out at Beardstown and at home against Concord Triopia. For their part, the Warriors got past Greenfield-Northwestern 18-14 last week to set up this week's showdown with the Hawks; their run home has them hosting Jacksonville Routt in Week 8 and traveling to Brown County in Week 9.
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