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IHSA football playoffs: How Chicagoland high school football teams fared in the first round

Here’s how Chicagoland high school football teams fared in the first round of the IHSA football playoffs.

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Batavia 39, Lincoln-Way Central 10

  • Batavia's Charlie Rosengren (7)out runs Lincoln Way Central defenders Thomas...
    Batavia's Charlie Rosengren (7)out runs Lincoln Way Central defenders Thomas Shanahan (1) Landon Steinbach (19) to score a first quarter TD during a Class 7A first-round game in Batavia. on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. H. Rick Bamman/for the Beacon-News

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Batavia's Charlie Rosengren (7)out runs Lincoln Way Central defenders Thomas Shanahan (1) Landon Steinbach (19) to score a first quarter TD during a Class 7A first-round game in Batavia. on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. H. Rick Bamman/for the Beacon-News

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Senior running back Charlie Rosengren has embraced his role this year for Batavia.

Rosengren realized that things were going to be different than in the past, especially since the Bulldogs were boasting Division I recruits at quarterback, wide receiver and tight end.

Rosengren popped off some big plays Friday night. He scored on TD runs of 31 and 17 yards for host Batavia in a 39-10 win over Lincoln-Way Central in a Class 7A first-round playoff game. .

Mount Carmel 55, Marist 21

  • Mount Carmel's Caleb Tucker (79) reacts after sacking Maristâ™s quarterback...
    Mount Carmel's Caleb Tucker (79) reacts after sacking Marist’s quarterback Jake Fleming during a Class 8A first-round game in Chicago on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. (Vincent D. Johnson / for the Daily Southtown)

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Mount Carmel's Caleb Tucker (79) reacts after sacking Marist’s quarterback Jake Fleming during a Class 8A first-round game in Chicago on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. (Vincent D. Johnson / for the Daily Southtown)

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As a 6-foot-5, 370-pound junior defensive tackle with scholarship offers from just about every major college football program, Mount Carmel’s Caleb Tucker has quite a fitting nickname with “Bonecrusher.”

But it’s a moniker that goes way back to well before Tucker earned any attention from college coaches. He has been “Bonecrusher” since he was 5 years old.

Tucker certainly lived up to the name Friday night. He had three sacks and forced a fumble to help the host Caravan roll to a 55-21 win over Catholic League Blue rival Marist in a Class 8A first-round game in Chicago. .

Lincoln-Way East 31, Oak Park River Forest 7

  • Lincoln-Way Eastâ™s quarterback Tyler Spychalski (18) keeps the ball as...
    Lincoln-Way East’s quarterback Tyler Spychalski (18) keeps the ball as he goes through the Oak Park-River Forest line during the Lincoln-Way East Class 8A first round game in Frankfort on Friday, Oct.30, 2026. (John Smierciak/for the Daily Southtown)

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Lincoln-Way East’s quarterback Tyler Spychalski (18) keeps the ball as he goes through the Oak Park-River Forest line during the Lincoln-Way East Class 8A first round game in Frankfort on Friday, Oct.30, 2026. (John Smierciak/for the Daily Southtown)

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When he was 6 years old, Lincoln-Way East’s Tyler Spychalski suited up for his first football game and played quarterback.

It’s been the only position he has ever played. And according to teammate Jack Murphy, Spychalski has always thrived behind center. “I love that guy,” Murphy said. “He was our quarterback throughout youth football, and he was great.”

Spychalski picked a perfect time to be great again Friday night.

He stepped into the starting lineup and completed 14 of 19 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown while also running for 33 yards in a 31-7 win over Oak Park-River Forest in a Class 8A first-round playoff game in Frankfort. .

Naperville North 38, Fremd 31

  • Naperville North's Jayke Collins (28) attempts to leap past Fremd's...
    Naperville North's Jayke Collins (28) attempts to leap past Fremd's Joe Gump (0) Friday, Oct. 30, 2026 during an IHSA Class 8A playoff football game in Naperville. (Brian Hill/Daily Herald)

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Naperville North's Jayke Collins (28) attempts to leap past Fremd's Joe Gump (0) Friday, Oct. 30, 2026 during an IHSA Class 8A playoff football game in Naperville. (Brian Hill/Daily Herald)

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This was as good of a return as junior running back Jayke Collins could have wanted for Naperville North.

After suffering a broken collarbone in Week 5, Collins could only watch from the sidelines for the Huskies, who did not play in the opening round. That factor fueled Collins on Friday night: “I’m back, better than ever.”

Better than ever, indeed. Collins ran for 135 yards and two touchdowns for Naperville North in a 38-31 victory over Fremd in a Class 8A first-round playoff game at Harshbarger-Welzel Stadium in Naperville that wasn’t settled until the final seconds. .

St. Rita 36, Buffalo Grove 10

  • St. Rita's Brandon Johnson Jr. (4) is tackled by Buffalo...
    St. Rita's Brandon Johnson Jr. (4) is tackled by Buffalo Grove's Matthew Kaput (1) during a Class 7A opening-round playoff game in Chicago on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. (Nate Swanson/for the Daily Southtown

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St. Rita's Brandon Johnson Jr. (4) is tackled by Buffalo Grove's Matthew Kaput (1) during a Class 7A opening-round playoff game in Chicago on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. (Nate Swanson/for the Daily Southtown

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Senior running back Brandon Johnson Jr. never goes down on first contact for St. Rita.

At the start of the third quarter Friday night, Johnson provided a perfect example as he dragged eight Buffalo Grove defenders 20 yards down the field in a staggering display of dominance.

He rushed for 174 yards on 22 carries and scored three touchdowns, sparking host St. Rita to a 36-10 victory over the Bison in a Class 7A first-round playoff game in Chicago. .

Wauconda 42, Lakes 14

  • Wauconda's Cashton Silton (56) during the 3rd quarter of Friday evening’s IHSA Class 5A playoff game against Lakes, October 30, 2026. Wauconda won the game, 42-14. (Brian O’Mahoney for the News-Sun)

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Wauconda's Cashton Silton (56) during the 3rd quarter of Friday evening’s IHSA Class 5A playoff game against Lakes, October 30, 2026. Wauconda won the game, 42-14. (Brian O’Mahoney for the News-Sun)

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Linebacker Cashton Silton was huge again Friday night, when fourth-seeded Wauconda forced three turnovers on downs in their territory to beat 20th-seeded Lakes 42-14 in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs.

The Bulldogs (8-2), who will play 12th-seeded Belvidere North (7-4) in the second round, piled up over 400 yards of offense as senior running back Brody Rudolph rushed for 207 yards and three touchdowns and senior running back Brody McKenna added 122 yards and two TDs. .

Barrington 24, Sandburg 17

Mike McGraw/Daily HeraldBarrington's Lamar Osterhues celebrates his second touchdown with teammate Andrew Haley lifting him on Oct. 30, 2026, at Sandburg. (Mike McGraw/Daily Herald)

With 11 sets of eyes on him at all times, Barrington running back Lamar Osterhues will sometimes go four or five carries in a row without gaining much ground.

But that sixth carry, he could be long gone.

Osterhues finished with 214 rushing yards on 30 carries, and the Broncos went down to the South suburbs to beat No. 9 seed Sandburg 24-17 in the first round of the Class 8A playoffs Friday night.

Barrington (7-4) will travel to four-time defending champ Mount Carmel (8-2) next week. .

Aurora Christian 42, Winnebago 14

  • Aurora Christian's Luke Baumann (7) runs after the catch against Winnebago during a Class 3A first-round game in Aurora on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. (Sean King / For The Beacon-News)

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Aurora Christian's Luke Baumann (7) runs after the catch against Winnebago during a Class 3A first-round game in Aurora on Friday, Oct. 30, 2026. (Sean King / For The Beacon-News)

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The revelation from sophomore running back/safety Luke Baumann, given his development in football this season for Aurora Christian, now seems unthinkable.

“I play AAU basketball and get to travel around the country,” Baumann said. “This year, though, I’ve really grown to like football and let my coaches know I want to keep my options open for it, that I’m open to going to college for football, too, if God takes me that way.

“So yeah, I’d honestly say basketball and football are pretty even for me right now.”

It’s easy to see why, considering Baumann’s performance Friday night. He teamed up with junior running back Jalen Callaway to lead the host Eagles to a 42-14 win over Winnebago in a Class 2A first-round playoff game. .

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