Four takeaways: What we learned about Peoria-area football in 2026 IHSA playoff first round
· Yahoo Sports
A state record has fallen, Mid-Illini Conference goes 3-1, and El Paso-Gridley looks impressive — plus, we preview the upcoming second round.
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Here are some takeaways from Friday, Oct. 30 first-round games of the Illinois High School Association football playoffs around the Peoria area:
88-84?
Imagine scoring 84 points in a football playoff game. At home.
And losing.
That's exactly what just happened Friday, Oct. 30 in an afternoon Class 6A first-round playoff game that produced an IHSA state record for most points in a playoff game where both teams score, and took two fields to finish.
No. 9 seed Quincy rolled into town and beat No. 8 Chicago Goode, 88-84.
The 172 points were a state record for most points combined in an IHSA playoff game, surpassing the 166 posted in a Springfield High 94-72 win over Rock Island on Oct. 29, 2021.
The record brought back some Peoria-area football memories of an 82-80 overtime regular-season game in which Peoria High beat Peoria Notre Dame on Sept. 15, 2017 at Peoria Stadium. That is the state record for most points in a regular-season game in which both teams scored.
As for Quincy vs Goode, the game started at 3 p.m. and was played on a field with no lights. Game had to be suspended because of darkness with 3:42 left in regulation while they searched for a field with lights. They ended up at Chicago Englewood's field and finished it out there.
Mid-Illini wins a trio of games
The Mid-Illini Conference boasted a 3-1 record after the opening night of first-round action. Morton, Pekin and Metamora all pulled out victories, while Washington saw its season come to an end.
The Redbirds, however, had the most dramatic win, knocking off fifth-seed Breese Central 21-20. Metamora got a 27-yard, go-ahead TD from Brayden Cox with 54.9 seconds left. Jeeter Schweigert then found Elijah Edwards for a two-point conversion and the win. Cox then sealed the victory with an interception on BC's potential game-winning drive.
Pekin picked up a 50-6 home win over Harvey Thornton, utilizing the services of freshman Rowen McKnight at starting quarterback. The normal QB1 Matthew Stropes III was sidelined with a broken hand.
Dunlap gives the M-I a chance for a fourth second-round participant when it hosts LaGrange Park Nazareth Academy at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.
Titans look tough
Class 2A No. 1-ranked El Paso-Gridley was a machine in beating Stillman Valley 56-9 in the first round. The Titans (10-0) are allowing 7.7 points a game and scoring 37.8.
All-state quarterback Owen Adams threw for 174 yards on 12-of-17 passing, finding Braden Gibson (22 yards) and Aaden Adams (10 yards) for TDs. Aaden Adams added three rushing TDs for EP-G, which produced 328 yards of total offense (104 rushing, 224 passing).
Second-seed El Paso-Gridley heads to the second round, awaiting the winner of No. 7 Erie-Prophetstown and No. 10 Warrensburg-Latham.
Showdowns in the second round
The second round of the playoffs next weekend will feature five Peoria-area teams — El Paso-Gridley, Morton, Metamora, Pekin and LaSalle-Peru — that won their first-round games on Friday, Oct. 30.
Dunlap, Princeton, Olympia, Macomb, Illini West, Abingdon-Avon, Stark County and Havana look to earn their second-round spots on Saturday, Oct. 31.
Below is a look at the local schedule for next weekend's second-round games through Friday, Oct. 30 results:
- 5A: 5 Troy (Triad) (9-1) at #4 Morton (9-1), TBA
- 4A: 12 Metamora (8-3) at #4 Springfield (Sacred Heart-Griffin) (9-1), TBA
Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Four takeaways: What we learned about Peoria-area football in 2026 IHSA playoff first round