Peoria-area small school high school football teams are coming off a great 2025.
El Paso-Gridley made a run to the Class 2A state semifinals, while Annawan/Wethersfield (Class 1A) and Farmington (Class 2A) played in the state quarterfinals. Seven local small schools made the playoffs in 2025 with that number likely increasing with the 2026 expanded playoff field — 256 teams to 384 teams.
Here is an outlook on 14 Peoria-area small schools for the 2026 season. Last year’s record in parentheses.
Annawan/Wethersfield (11-1)
Deer Creek-Mackinaw (7-4)
El Paso-Gridley (12-1)
Elmwood/Brimfield (3-6)
Eureka (3-6)
Farmington (11-1)
Havana (4-5)
Illinois Valley Central (2-7)
Lewistown/Valley/Cuba (0-9)
Olympia (6-4)
Peoria Heights (1-8)
Princeville (7-3)
ROWVA/Williamsfield (2-7)
Stark County (5-5)
Tremont (2-7)
Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA football: Predictions for 15 small-school teams in the Peoria area in 2026
Reporting by Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
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By Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star | USA TODAY Network
