This story has been updated to include date/time (as of Monday 10:00 a.m.).

(BLOOMINGTON) — Thanks in large part to one of the most successful non-conference campaigns in league history, over half of the teams in the Little Illini Conference will be playing post-season football. The Illinois High Association selected five LIC teams to join its’ 256-team, eight-class state tournament field on Saturday night.

Casey-Westfield, Marshall, Mt. Carmel, Olney, and Paris all landed berths, the most from the LIC since 2021.Last year, only three teams made the playoffs.  The league was 11-5 (.688) in non-conference games spread over the first two weeks of the regular season, the best collective mark in at least the last 10 years.

Casey-Westfield (7-2), which finished the regular-season as the only state-ranked team from the LIC, will play in Class 1A, while Marshall (5-4), back in the playoffs for the first time since 2017, winds up in the Class 2A field. Mt. Carmel (5-4), post-season players for the 42nd time, and Paris (6-3), making its’ eighth appearance, will play in 3A. League champion Olney, a perfect 9-0 for the second straight season, was named to the Class 4A field.

Olney was also accorded a No. 1 seed in the southern half of the Class 4A bracket, while Casey-Westfield is seeded fourth in the southern bracket of Class 1A.

First-round games in the eight concurrent 32-team state tournaments are scheduled for this weekend. The season will conclude with state championship games on Nov. 28-29 at Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal. This is the 51st year for the statewide series, which began in 1974 but cancelled once by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Here are the first-round pairings in the four classes involving Little Illini Conference teams, who are highlighted in bold. Teams are listed with seed placement, and season records are listed in parenthesis. All times are CST.

CLASS 1A
Game 1 — #16 Galena (H.S.) (5-4) at #1 Stockton (9-0), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 2 — #9 Heyworth (7-2) at #8 Princeville (7-2), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 3 — #13 Knoxville (5-4) at #4 Clifton (Central) (8-1), Sat., Nov. 1, 4:00 pm
Game 4 — #12 Dwight (6-3) at #5 Rushville (R.-Industry) (7-2), Sat., Nov. 1, 2:00 pm
Game 5 — #15 Toulon (Stark County) (5-4) at #2 Kewanee (Wethersfield) [Annawan-Wethersfield Coop] (9-0), TBA
Game 6 — #10 Mackinaw (Deer Creek) (6-3) vs. #7 Chicago (Crane) (7-2) at Rockne Stadium, Sat., Nov. 1, 4:30 pm
Game 7 — #14 Forreston (5-4) at #3 Lena (L.-Winslow) (8-1), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 8 — #11 Ottawa (Marquette) (6-3) at #6 Gibson City (Melvin-Sibley) (7-2), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm|
Game 9 — #16 Villa Grove (5-4) at #1 Hardin (Calhoun) [Coop] (9-0), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:30 pm
Game 10 — #9 Sesser (Valier) [Coop] (6-3) at #8 Greenfield [G.-Northwestern Coop] (6-3), Sat., Nov. 1, 2:00 pm
Game 11 — #13 Bridgeport (Red Hill) (5-4) at #4 Casey-Westfield (7-2), Sat., Nov. 1, 7:00 pm
Game 12 — #12 Nokomis (6-3) at #5 Tuscola (7-2), Sat., Nov. 1, 3:00 pm
Game 13 — #15 Winchester [West Central Coop] (5-4) at #2 Camp Point (Central) (9-0), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 14 — #10 Athens (6-3) at #7 Mt. Sterling (Brown County) (7-2), TBA
Game 15 — #14 Catlin (Salt Fork) (5-4) at #3 Dupo (8-1), TBA
Game 16 — #11 Carrollton (6-3) at #6 Fithian (Oakwood) (7-2), Sat., Nov. 1, 2:00 pm

CLASS 2A
Game 1 — #16 Carthage (Illini West) (5-4) at #1 Taylor Ridge (Rockridge) (9-0), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 2 — #9 Downs (Tri-Valley) (7-2) vs. #8 Chicago (Richards) (7-2) at Stagg Stadium, Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 3 — #13 Port Byron (Riverdale) (6-3) at #4 Seneca (9-0), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 4 — #12 Hamilton [West Hancock Coop] (6-3) at #5 Wilmington (8-1), Sat., Nov. 1, 3:00 pm
Game 5 — #15 Chicago (Marshall) [Coop] (5-4) at #2 El Paso (Gridley) (9-0), Sat., Nov. 1, 7:00 pm
Game 6 — #10 Colfax (Ridgeview) [Ridgeview-Lexington Coop] (7-2) vs. #7 Sterling (Newman Central Catholic) (7-2) at Sterling (H.S.), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 7 — #14 Lanark (Eastland) [Eastland-Pearl City Coop] (5-4) at #3 Farmington (9-0), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 8 — #11 Erie [E.-Prophetstown Coop] (6-3) at #6 Aurora (Christian) (7-2), Sat., Nov. 1, 4:00 pm
Game 9 — #16 Trenton (Wesclin) (5-4) at #1 Johnston City (9-0), Fri., Oct. 31, 7:00 pm
Game 10 — #9 Maroa (M.-Forsyth) (7-2) at #8 Chester (8-1), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 11 — #13 Nashville (5-4) at #4 Flora (8-1), Sat., Nov. 1, 2:00 pm
Game 12 — #12 Bismarck (B.-Henning-Rossville-Alvin) (6-3) at #5 Pana (H.S.) (8-1), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 13 — #15 Shelbyville (5-4) at #2 Westville (9-0), Sat., Nov. 1, 2:00 pm
Game 14 — #10 Carlinville (7-2) at #7 DuQuoin (H.S.) (8-1), Sat., Nov. 1, 2:00 pm
Game 15 — #14 Marshall (5-4) at #3 Arthur (A.-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond) (9-0), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 16 — #11 Sullivan (7-2) at #6 Toledo (Cumberland) (8-1), TBA

CLASS 3A
Game 1 — #16 Poplar Grove (North Boone) (5-4) at #1 Richmond (R.-Burton) (9-0), TBA
Game 2 — #9 Aurora (Central Catholic) (7-2) vs. #8 Chicago (Noble/Rauner) (7-2) at Hanson Stadium, Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 3 — #13 Princeton (6-3) at #4 Bloomington (Central Catholic) (9-0), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 4 — #12 Manteno (6-3) vs. #5 Monmouth (M.-Roseville) (8-1) at Coach Dobry Field: 500 S. Sunny Ln., Sat., Nov. 1, 5:00 pm
Game 5 — #15 Oregon (5-4) at #2 Byron (9-0), Fri., Oct. 31, 7:15 pm
Game 6 — #10 Pecatonica [Du-Pec Coop] (6-3) at #7 Johnsburg (7-2), Sat., Nov. 1, 6:00 pm
Game 7 — #14 Herscher (6-3) at #3 Kankakee (McNamara) (9-0), Fri., Oct. 31, 7:00 pm
Game 8 — #11 Elmhurst (IC Catholic) (6-3) vs. #6 Chicago (C. Hope Academy) (8-1) at Altgeld Park, Sat., Nov. 1, 3:00 pm
Game 9 — #16 Hillsboro (5-4) at #1 Williamsville (9-0), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 10 — #9 Fairfield (6-3) at #8 Petersburg (PORTA) [Coop] (6-3), Sat., Nov. 1, 3:00 pm
Game 11 — #13 Mt. Carmel (5-4) at #4 Tolono (Unity) (8-1), Sat., Nov. 1, 2:00 pm
Game 12 — #12 Paris (6-3) at #5 Monticello (7-2), Sat., Nov. 1, 2:00 pm
Game 13 — #15 Christopher [C.-Zeigler-Royalton Coop] (5-4) at #2 Vandalia (9-0), Sat., Nov. 1, 2:00 pm
Game 14 — #10 Greenville (6-3) at #7 Stanford (Olympia) (6-3), Sat., Nov. 1, 2:00 pm
Game 15 — #14 St. Joseph (Ogden) (5-4) at #3 Benton (9-0), Sat., Nov. 1, 2:00 pm
Game 16 — #11 Roxana (6-3) vs. #6 West Frankfort (Frankfort) (6-3) at Johnson Field: 700 N. Locust St., Sat., Nov. 1, 2:30 pm

CLASS 4
Game 1 — #16 Chicago (Urban Prep/Bronzeville) [Coop] (4-5) at #1 Lombard (Montini) (9-0), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 2 — #9 Peoria (Notre Dame) (7-2) at #8 Marengo (7-2), Fri., Oct. 31, 7:00 pm
Game 3 — #13 Woodstock (North) (6-3) at #4 Dixon (H.S.) (8-1), Fri., Oct. 31, 7:00 pm
Game 4 — #12 Sterling (H.S.) (6-3) at #5 Coal City (7-2), Sat., Nov. 1, 4:00 pm
Game 5 — #15 Woodstock (H.S.) (5-4) at #2 Morris (8-1), Fri., Oct. 31, 7:00 pm
Game 6 — #10 Chicago (South Shore) (7-2) at #7 Metamora (7-2), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:30 pm
Game 7 — #14 Country Club Hills (Hillcrest) (5-4) at #3 Macomb (8-1), Sat., Nov. 1, 2:00 pm
Game 8 — #11 Rochelle (6-3) at #6 Geneseo (7-2), Fri., Oct. 31, 7:00 pm
Game 9 — #16 Jacksonville (H.S.) (5-4) at #1 Olney (9-0), Sat., Nov. 1, 5:00 pm
Game 10 — #9 Cahokia (H.S.) (7-2) at #8 Centralia (H.S.) (7-2), TBA
Game 11 — #13 Columbia (6-3) at #4 Breese (Central) (8-1), Sat., Nov. 1, 2:00 pm
Game 12 — #12 Highland (6-3) at #5 Freeburg (8-1), Sat., Nov. 1, 2:30 pm
Game 13 — #15 Alton (Marquette) (5-4) at #2 Carterville (9-0), TBA
Game 14 — #10 Springfield (Sacred Heart-Griffin) (6-3) at #7 Quincy (Notre Dame) (7-2), Sat., Nov. 1, 1:00 pm
Game 15 — #14 Taylorville (5-4) at #3 Rochester (8-1), Fri., Oct. 31, 7:00 pm
Game 16 — #11 Waterloo (H.S.) (6-3) at #6 Mt. Zion (8-1), Fri., Oct. 31, 7:00 pm

This story has been updated to include date/time (as of Monday 10:00 a.m.).