Six Area Teams Chase IHSA Football Quarterfinal Berths
East St. Louis and Calhoun host second-round games this weekend, while Roxana and other contenders face road tests with spots in the state quarterfinals at stake.
Only two area teams will have home-field advantage this weekend as six remaining teams seek quarterfinal berths in the 53rd Illinois High School Association football playoffs.
East St. Louis hosts Chicago St. Patrick in Class 7A at 6 p.m. Friday, while Hardin Calhoun will face Tuscola at home in Class 1A at 2 p.m. Saturday. Roxana, Highland, Cahokia and Triad will travel for their second-round games.
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Saturday’s road schedule includes Roxana at Monticello in Class 3A, Highland at Carterville in Class 4A and Triad at Morton in Class 5A, all at 2 p.m. Cahokia will visit Rochester in Class 4A at 4 p.m.
East St. Louis enters the second round at 9-1 after defeating Burbank Reavis 69-0 last week. Quarterback Reece Shanklin has completed 136 of 206 passes for 2,349 yards and 29 touchdowns. He also has rushed for 251 yards and four touchdowns.
Ronnie Gomiller leads the Flyers’ rushing attack with 794 yards and 15 touchdowns and has caught 26 passes for 467 yards and five scores. Laron Baker Jr. has 28 receptions for 538 yards and eight touchdowns, while Jamarion Flowers has 22 catches for 379 yards and two touchdowns.
Calhoun, also 9-1, is led by junior quarterback Earl Elmore, who has completed 85 of 112 passes for 1,306 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Jacob Brannan leads the Warriors on the ground with 876 yards and 15 touchdowns. Charlie Goode has rushed for 363 yards and five touchdowns, and Easton Wallendorf has added 352 yards and six scores.
Lane Eilerman leads Calhoun’s receivers with 42 catches for 712 yards and 11 touchdowns. Wallendorf has 18 receptions for 258 yards and five touchdowns, while Parker Baalman has caught 13 passes for 194 yards and three scores.
Roxana heads to Monticello after a 55-48 road victory over Hillsboro, the south bracket’s top seed. The Shells are 8-3, while Monticello is 8-2.
Roxana quarterback Cohen Dugan has completed 40 of 84 passes for 814 yards and 13 touchdowns. Running back Mekhi Shorter has rushed for 1,701 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Jordan Roach has 11 receptions for 274 yards and three touchdowns. Aiden Stemm has caught 14 passes for 255 yards and five touchdowns, and Logan Cox has eight catches for 255 yards and five scores. Stemm also has rushed for 105 yards and four touchdowns.
Triad enters its game at Morton with a 9-1 record after beating Washington 24-7 at home in the first round.
Knights quarterback Brody Hasquin has completed 88 of 156 passes for 1,451 yards and 16 touchdowns, adding 81 rushing yards and a touchdown. Jayden Rodgers leads the running game with 992 yards and 10 touchdowns. Dayton Deathridge has rushed for 401 yards and 12 scores, while John Holloway has added 115 yards and two touchdowns.
Triad has six receivers with at least 100 receiving yards. Nathan Ratka has 21 catches for 465 yards and four touchdowns, Maddux Hunt has 31 receptions for 383 yards and five scores, and Andrew Myers has 15 catches for 283 yards and three touchdowns.
Second-round winners will advance to the state quarterfinals next weekend. Dates and kickoff times will be announced Monday afternoon at the IHSA office.
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