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Eckard, IL · Education

USA TODAY

partner publisher · 2.1M followers

Unbeaten Illinois high school football team loses playoff game on inadvertent whistle

An improbable touchdown appeared to keep one of Illinois' top high school program’s postseason hopes alive on Friday night. Then an unusual call changed everything. Trailing by four in the closing seconds of the game on Nov. 6, Antioch's (IL) Chance Verden came up with an improbable reception off of a bobbled catch that appeared to give the Sequoits the win and one of the best plays of the season. However, as Antioch celebrated, the referees gathered and the touchdown was overturned as the refs ruled that there was inadvertent whistle, which blew the play dead before Verden came up with the catch and later found the end zone. Despite pleas from the Sequoits’ side, the referees came to the agreement that the whistle was blown, signaling the play was dead before it actually was. Antioch was given the ball at the spot of the catch instead of the touchdown and one untimed down to convert. That one opportunity did not go the Sequoits’ way. UNREAL: 5A #1 Antioch has a miracle Hail Mary win taken away by an inadvertent whistle. Down 32-28 with only time for one play, Chance Verden catches a live bobble for what everyone believed to

Illinois · 1d

The State Journal-Register

partner publisher · 14.3K followers

Super freshman leaps into girls swimming history at Springfield High

Springfield High won its first Central State Eight Conference girls swimming and diving meet since 2016 on October 24 at Eisenhower Pool. The Senators exceeded expectations with 409 points, and outscored second place Normal U-High (318) by 91. Defending champs Chatham Glenwood was third with 196 points. "The girls set that goal at the beginning of the season — they knew that they could and wanted to do it," said Springfield coach Erin Myers of conquering the CS8. "I told them that everything had to be swam just right. We were originally seeded to only win by 18 points. They were excited. It was a lot of fun." CS8 swim results: Springfield High freshman phenom sets two CS8 swim records Now, the Senators and a super freshman want more. The freshman is Emma Herrin, and she has lit a fire in Springfield High that hasn't sparkled in 10 years. Herrin won and set a new school record in the 100-yard butterfly at conference when she went under the state qualifying time (58.46 seconds) and finished with a personal best mark of 56.89. Her time also snapped a previous CS8 record (58.90) that was set in 2017 by Sacred Heart-Griffin graduate

Springfield, IL · 3d

High School On SI

partner publisher · 52.4K followers

Updated Illinois High School Football Playoff Brackets: Matchups, Scores and State Championship Schedule

Updated 2026 Illinois high school football playoff brackets for all eight IHSA classes, with November 6–7 matchups, scores and state championship dates.

Illinois · 4d

The Telegraph

partner publisher · 15.0K followers

Illinois High School Football Playoffs Second-Round Scores

Weekend scores for the IHSA football state playoffs second-round games included Calhoun's victory in Class 1A and Roxana's loss in Class 4A.

Illinois · 1d

Journal Star

partner publisher · 22.7K followers

East Peoria, Canton respond to hot-button issue for IHSA football conference

High school football conference alignment in the Peoria area has long been a hot-button issue. A recent Journal Star letter to the editor from Bradley professor Bill Bailey regarding the disparity between the large and small schools of the Mid-Illini Conference has added fuel to that fire, sparking online debate and reigniting discussion about scrapping conferences for district-based scheduling. "But as great as high school football can be," Bailey writes, "the Mid-Illini football conference is a travesty. It has an open secret." The East Peoria resident then cites an eye-opening statistic — the M-I's three smallest schools (Limestone, Canton and East Peoria) have posted an 0-75 record against the league's five biggest (Dunlap, Metamora, Morton, Pekin and Washington) over the last five seasons. He goes on to cite a 40-point differential in those half-decade of meetings. Canton has a second-year head coach in Nick McCormick. He guided the Little Giants to three victories over the last two seasons including a pair of victories in 2026. "As the head football coach at Canton, I accepted this position understanding the challenges that come with competing as the smallest school in the Mid-Illini Conference," said McCormick, in a statement to the Journal Star

Canton, IL · 2d

wdbr.com

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District 186: Snow days in, e-learning out

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Remote learning, a vestige of the covid days for school kids, will no longer be the alternative of choice to winter weather in District 186. Superintendent Terrance Jordan says the district will return to cancelling school for a snow day. That means the days will have to be made up at the end of the school year.

Springfield, IL · 7h

edglentoday.com

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Six Area Teams Chase IHSA Football Quarterfinal Berths

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.

Illinois · 2d

wpsdlocal6.com

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Gridiron Glory Week 12: High school football playoff scores and highlights

PADUCAH, Ky. — Check out the scores and highlights from week 12 of Gridiron Glory below, including the opening round of the playoffs in Kentucky and Tennessee, and the second round of playoffs in Illinois. For more on the Local 6 teams competing in the second round of the...

Illinois · 2d

The State Journal-Register

partner publisher · 14.3K followers

Springfield area high school football second round results, top performers

Four Springfield area teams played for a spot in the Illinois High School Association football quarterfinals on Saturday, Nov. 7. Two additional teams battled for a semifinal berth in the Illinois 8-Man Football Association. Here are the results and top performers for the Springfield area. Top Performers Keagan Peters, Williamsville The junior quarterback finished with five total touchdowns and rallied the Bullets from a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit in Williamsville's 42-28 victory over Macomb (9-2) in the second round of the Class 3A playoffs. Peters threw three touchdowns in the final 8 minutes, 10 seconds of the fourth quarter. He completed an 11-yard TD pass to Shawn Timm that got the Bullets (10-1) within 28-21 before throwing a 61-yard TD strike down the sideline to Cameron Hamilton to tie the game 28-28 with 6:04 remaining. His 19-yard completion to Timm was the go-ahead touchdown pass with 3:50 left as Williamsville took a 35-28 lead. Xavier Smith's 13-yard TD run capped the win with 1:25 to go as the Bullets scored 28 unanswered points. Peters gave Williamsville a 7-0 lead on a 7-yard touchdown pass to Fisher White in the first period and he scored on a 1-yard TD sneak that tied

Springfield, IL · 2d

WCIA

partner publisher · 53.8K followers

RESULTS: IHSA state cross country 2026

PEORIA, Ill. (WCIA) – Saturday saw state champions crowned at Detweiller Park in Peoria. High school cross country season came to a close in Illinois with the state meet hosting boys’ and girls’ races for 1A, 2A and 3A. Check out some top local finishers from the WCIA 3 viewing area below, and click here […]

Peoria, IL · 1d

fox32chicago.com

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Illinois school budget blunders and corruption raise questions about taxpayer oversight

From a $27 million budgeting error in Evanston-Skokie schools to federal fraud charges against a former Aurora school board president, Illinois Policy Institute's Bryce Hill discusses government accountability, corruption and what parents can do to keep tabs on their school district's finances.

Illinois · 3d

The Telegraph

partner publisher · 15.0K followers

Private vs. public school question getting closer look from IHSA

The IHSA is reviewing proposals that could separate private and public schools in playoffs starting in 2027-28.

Illinois · 3d

wily1210.com

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Illinois Farm Bureau Collegiate Discussion Meet Winner and Place Holders

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Sidney Stiers, of Williamsfield, took first place in Illinois Farm Bureau’s Collegiate Discussion Meet, held on Oct. 30. Stiers, a sophomore at the University of Illinois, is a member of the Knox County Farm Bureau and the University of Illinois Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter. She will go on to represent Illinois in the national Collegiate Discussion Meet at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference March 12-15, 2027, in New Orleans.

Illinois · 3d

centraloregondaily.com

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Water bottle strikes high school soccer official after upset win, sparking IHSA probe

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) announced on Tuesday, Nov. 3, that it is investigating "disturbing actions" directed toward an official on Friday, Oct. 30. The incident followed an IHSA Boys Soccer State Series contest at Glenbard South High School (Glen Ellyn, IL). According to the Daily Herald, official Hanah...

Glen Ellyn, IL · 2d

taylorvilledailynews.com

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IHSA Announces 24 Proposed Constitution and By-law Changes

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) has received 24 proposals that could amend its Constitution and By-laws during the 2026-27 legislative cycle. The proposals were submitted by principals and official representatives of IHSA member schools. The IHSA Legislative Commission’s initial review was scheduled for Monday, November 2. The proposals...

Illinois · 2d

The Center Square

partner publisher · 229.0K followers

CPS, schools statewide want more taxpayer funds from legislature

(The Center Square) – Despite the state’s increased funding to public school districts in the budget, school districts want state lawmakers to find more taxpayer money to fund their operations. The Illinois House Appropriations committee on Elementary & Secondary Education on Thursday had a hearing on the future of the state’s Evidence-Based Funding program, which has increasingly fallen short of the goals set for it in recent years. The $9.96 billion Chicago Public Schools budget for the current year relies on $285 million in local Tax Increment Financing district funds and $150 million in state funds that have only been promised verbally by outgoing Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch to address the district’s $732.5 million deficit. Acting CPS Chief Budget Officer Emila Zoko said CPS finances aren’t just an issue this year, but the district has experienced growing needs after federal COVID-19 funds dried up. “The costs associated with meeting our students' wide range of needs continue to grow without dedicated revenue streams able to keep pace. CPS has faced staggering budget deficits each year since FY25,” Zoko said. But CPS wasn’t the only one to argue for more funds – the Chicago Principals and Administrators Association also urged

Chicago, IL · 2d

evanstonroundtable.com

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Analysis and viewpoint: Closing more schools will accelerate District 65’s enrollment decline

Last week, the Illinois State Board of Education posted student enrollment data for all of the school districts in the state. The RoundTable previously published data comparing Evanston/Skokie District 65’s decline in enrollment with enrollment trends in 20 other nearby school districts for 2018 through 2024. The data recently posted by ISBE allows a comparison through 2026.

Evanston, IL · 14h

capitolcitynow.com

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Illinois educators, school leaders ask lawmakers for funding boost

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) – Illinois teachers and school leaders say state lawmakers should look into better ways to fund public schools after nearly a decade since the evidence-based funding model took effect. Schools across the state are well below the adequate funding level promised in 2017. Advocates said they...

Illinois · 6h

wjol.com

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District 202 Board Of Education Earns Governance Recognition

The Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) is again recognizing the District 202 Board of Education for its effective governance practices. District 202 was one of 53 Illinois school districts to earn the School Board Governance Recognition honor for its effective governance behaviors and commitment toward obtaining the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively lead the district.

Illinois · 1d

USA TODAY

partner publisher · 2.1M followers

Illinois high school football playoffs: Dates, brackets, schedule

Illinois' 2026 high school football postseason has already delivered a ton of excitement. Playoff action in the Prairie State kicked off two weeks ago, and last week provided an all-time classic first-round matchup. In a wild game that included a fourth-quarter venue change in Chicago, No. 9 Quincy Senior High School knocked off No. 8 Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy 88-84 on Friday, Oct. 30. The game was a record-setter in total points in IHSA history. While a high-scoring affair like last week's is not likely, moving into Round 2 should provide some closer matchups as the playoffs heat up. Here's what you need to know about the Illinois football playoffs, including when it starts and how to watch: Watch Illinois high school football playoffs live on NFHS Network When do Illinois high school football playoffs start? The 2026 Illinois high school football playoffs kicked off on Oct. 23-24 with the Opening Round. First-round action was played last week, on Oct. 30-31. How to watch Illinois high school football playoff games Illinois high school football playoff games can be streamed on the NFHS Network . Which Illinois high school football teams are ranked nationally? East St. Louis is the only

Illinois · 3d