Much is still at stake in Week 8 of the Illinois high school football season – teams are hoping to clinch playoff berths with a sixth win or to keep their postseason hopes alive with a fifth win that will grant those teams playoff consideration on Oct. 21 when the berths and pairings are announced for the 44th IHSA Football Championship; at least in one case, a conference championship will be determined this week.
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Here's a look at the area's Week 8 matchups, with all start times being 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
In the Southwestern Conference, Edwardsville (4-3 overall, 4-1 in the SWC) faces Belleville West (5-2, 4-1) on the road, the Tigers having defeated Belleville East 49-25 at home last week while the Maroons downed Collinsville 46-0 in Collinsville last week. Meanwhile, Alton, having defeated O'Fallon 50-20 at home last week, heads to Granite City to meet the Warriors at Memorial Stadium/Kevin Greene Field with a 4-3 mark, 3-2 in the SWC; Granite (2-5, 0-5) traveled to East St. Louis last week and took a 58-0 defeat from the Flyers; this week's game will be the Warriors' Homecoming game as well. The Tigers close out the season at home against Collinsville Oct. 20 while the Redbirds are at East St. Louis' Clyde Jordan Stadium to close out the regular season, also on Oct. 20.
In the Prairie State Conference, Marquette Catholic and South Mac (a coop between Bunker Hill and Mount Olive that began this season) clash in Bunker Hill with the PSC title on the line; both enter the game tied at 4-0 in the league, the Explorers 6-1 overall, the Chargers 5-2 overall. The Explorers ran past Dupo 55-0 last Saturday night, while the Chargers slipped past Nokomis 32-27 to remain unbeaten in the PSC. Marquette closes out at home against South Fork Oct. 20 while the Chargers are at East Alton-Wood River in their season finale, both games on Oct. 20. The Oilers, 5-2 overall, 3-1 in the league, are coming off a 33-0 shutout over South Fork on the road in a Thursday night contest and host Nokomis at Memorial Stadium; EAWR can clinch a postseason berth with a win over the Redskins before hosting the Chargers in the regular-season finale Oct. 20.
Over in the Mississippi Valley Conference, Jersey (2-5 overall, 1-3 in the league) tries to come off back-to-back overtime heartbreakers as they close out their MVC slate against Civic Memorial (1-6, 0-4); the Panthers fell to Triad on the road 13-7 in overtime last week in Troy after they lost in OT to Waterloo the week before, while the Eagles were blanked 28-0 by Mascoutah. Jersey finishes the season next Friday at the Cahokia Conference's Columbia, while CM finishes out at home against the Apollo Conference's Taylorville. The Knights, meanwhile, clinched a playoff spot with the win over the Panthers last week as they went 6-1 overall, 3-1 in the MVC and begin their playoff preparations at Waterloo, who lost 68-24 to league champion Highland last week. The Knights close out their season at the Apollo Conference's Mount Zion Oct 20.
Over in the South Central Conference, Roxana (1-6 both overall and SCC), having defeated Litchfield 26-20 last week, heads to Vandalia to meet the Vandals (5-2), with Vandalia (who fell to unbeaten Carlinville 55-31 last week) hoping to clinch a third playoff spot for the SCC – Carlinville and Pana are already both in on the basis of wins – while Piasa Southwestern (2-5) heads to Hillsboro following a 61-34 loss to Pana last week; the Hilltoppers downed Greenville 34-14 last week. The Shells close out the season at Staunton next week, while the Piasa Birds host Gillespie in their season finale Oct. 20.
In the WIVC South, Carrollton clinched the league title with a 5-0 mark and head into the final two weeks at 7-0, hoping to enter the postseason party undefeated. The Hawks will host Jacksonville Routt this week after defeating Greene County rival North Greene 60-7 in White Hall last week; the Rockets fell to Mendon Unity 40-22 last week to go to 1-6 overall and close out their WIVC North slate 0-5. Mendon, meanwhile, hosts Hardin-Calhoun (5-2, 3-2) with the Warriors hoping to clinch a playoff berth having gotten past Greenfield-Northwestern 22-6 last week. Greenfield (3-4 overall, 3-2 in their league) hopes to keep its playoff hopes alive at home against Camp Point Central, Camp Point (5-2) defeating Brown County 28-8 last week to put themselves on the verge of clinching a playoff spot of their own. North Greene (0-7, 0-5) heads to Concord Triopia hoping to get their first win of the year, the Trojans coming off a 10-0 win over Beardstown last week.
Carrollton closes out at Camp Point Central next week, while Calhoun hosts Concord, Greenfield is at Beardstown and North Greene is at home against Brown County to finish the season's schedules.
Metro East Lutheran finishes out its home slate with a visit from Principia of St. Louis; the Knights enter the game having dropped a 41-0 decision to Winfield of St. Louis last week and go into the game at 1-6 on the year; MEL closes out the season with the second half of a home-and-home with Farmer City Blue Ridge on the road next week.
