The Journal Star each week spotlights the top-performing teams and players from weekend playoff games. This week, we take a look around the state with the top performers from the 16 Illinois state semifinal games.
Players from Byron, Mount Carmel, Brother Rice and East St. Louis lead our list of top performers in the semifinals of the IHSA football postseason.
IHSA playoff coverage: Playoff predictions | Semifinal scoreboard | El Paso-Gridley semifinal
Caden Considine, Byron
The running back rushed for 287 yards and five touchdowns on 24 carries to lead the Tigers to a 44-10 victory against Richmond-Burton in a Class 3A semifinal. The Tigers (13-0) advance to the program’s sixth state championship game and will face Tolono Unity (12-1).
CJ Gray, Chicago Brother Rice
The quarterback had four rushing touchdowns as Brother Rice came alive in the second half of a 45-17 victory against Downers Grove North in a Class 7A semifinal. Brother Rice took a 17-10 halftime lead and pulled away behind Gray and into its fourth title game appearance and first since 2018. They face Chicago St. Rita.
Emmett Dowling, Chicago Mount Carmel
The quarterback threw three TD passes and ran for another to lead the Caravan to a 42-21 victory against Palatine Fremd in the Class 8A semifinals. Mount Carmel (13-0), Class 7A champ last season, advances to face Oswego in the championship game — the Caravan’s 22nd trip to the title game; they have 16 titles.
Myson Johnson-Cook and Ahmad Coleman, East St. Louis
The running back duo dominated Burbank St. Laurence, runshing for a combined 331 yards and seven touchdowns in a 50-7 victory in a Class 6A semifinal. The reigning champion Flyers (9-3) will meet Oak Park Fenwick in the state championship game. Johnson-Cook had 155 yards and four TDs, while Coleman had 176 yards and three TDs.
Kaleb Stumpenhorst, Oswego
The senior hit a 42-yard field goal with one minute remaining and Oswego held on for a 10-7 victory against Lockport in a Class 8A semifinal. Oswego (11-2) advances to its first championship game since winning in 2003. The opponent is unbeaten Chicago Mount Carmel, the Class 7A state champ last season.
Israel Abrams, Lombard Montini
The quarterback was 15-for-22 for 280 yards and three TDs to help the Broncos to a 47-27 victory against Morris in a Class 4A semifinal. Montini (13-0) advances to its 10th title game and will face Rochester. Montini won the Class 3A state championship last season.
Jamen Williams, Oak Park Fenwick
The quarterback rushed for a touchdown and threw a pair of scores — including the game-winning score to Tommy Thies in overtime — helping Fenwick to 28-27 upset of LaGrange Park Nazareth in a Class 6A semifinal. Fenwick (10-3) advances to its second championship game and will face reigning champ East St. Louis.
Brown County defense
The Hornets defense intercepted a pass, forced a fumble and stopped a two-point conversion in the final seconds to hold on for a 14-13 victory against Hardin Calhoun in a Class 1A semifinal. Brown County (11-2) advances to its first championship game and will meet Lena-Winslow (12-1).
Steven Armbruster, Chicago St. Rita
The quarterback passed for 234 yards and four touchdowns to lead St. Rita to a 54-34 victory over Batavia in a Class 7A semifinal. Walter Jones and Damon Sutton each added two scores for the Mustangs, who advance to their fifth title game and first since 2021. The Mustangs will meet Chicago Brother Rice or Downers Grove North for the championship.
Broden Mackert and Brayden McKay, New Lenox Providence Catholic
The running back duo combined for 310 yards on 28 carries to lead Providence past Oak Forest 31-21 in a Class 5A semifinal. Mackert had 174 yards on 19 carries, while McKay added 136 yards on nine carries. The Celtics (10-3) advance to their 15th state championship game and will face Wheaton St. Francis, which defeated Providence 47-35 in Week 5.
Tanner Glock, Wheaton St. Francis
The wide receiver had three touchdown receptions to help St. Francis to a 35-13 victory against Belvidere North in a Class 5A semifinal. The Spartans (10-3) advance to their first title game since defeating Metamora in 2008. They face conference rival New Lenox Providence.
Evram Tabag, Rochester
The running back scored his second touchdown on the Rockets’ first play of overtime and added the two-point conversion to seal a walkoff 43-42 victory over Breese Central. Rochester (12-1) advances to the Class 4A championship game and will face last season’s Class 3A champ, Lombard Montini.
Aiden Wild, Lena-Winslow
The thundering running back had a pair of touchdowns to help Lena-Winslow run past Stockton, 30-16, in a Class 1A semifinal. Le-Win (12-1) also got two touchdowns from Alec Schlichting, reversing a regular-season loss to Stockton and moving on to its sixth consecutive state championship game. Since 2010, Le-Win now has nine trips to the title game, including seven in eight seasons.
Ryne Sheppard, Maroa-Forsyth
The quarterback ran for two touchdowns and added another on a pass to Troy Pulliam, and Maroa-Forsyth defeated Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond 28-6 in a Class 2A semifinal. The Trojans (11-2) are headed to their 12th championship game overall and 10th since 2006, where they will face Wilmington.
Ryan Kettman, Wilmington
The all-state running back had 129 yards rushing and two touchdowns on eight carries as the Wildcats dominated El Paso-Gridley 41-0 in a Class 2A semifinal. Hunter Kaitschuck added 143 yards on just six carries, three of which went for touchdowns for Wilmington (12-1), which advances to its fifth title game and will meet Maroa-Forsyth.
Dane Eisenmenger, Tolono Unity
The quarterback rushed for a key 25-yard touchdown late in a 51-44 victory against rival St. Joseph-Ogden in a Class 3A semifinal. He had 15 carries for 76 rushing yards and added 240 yards and three scores on 14-of-19 passing, helping Unity (12-1) to the state championship game against Byron.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA football scores | Top playoff performers in Illinois state semifinals
Reporting by Wes Huett and Dave Eminian, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
