Springfield area football first round live updates, results - Yahoo Sports

The Illinois high school football playoffs resume with first round games on Friday, Oct. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 31, bringing postseason action to the Springfield area. Amidst the fall chill, local turf turned into stages for standout performances, decisive blowouts, and gritty playoff battles.

Rochester Dominates Waterloo in Class 4A Opener

At Rocket Booster Stadium, Rochester put on a offensive masterclass to secure a 49-7 victory over No. 19 Waterloo in the Class 4A playoffs. Junior receiver Khordell Gregory wreaked havoc on both sides of the ball. He hauled in three catches for 97 yards and a touchdown, added 50 rushing yards and another score, and picked off a pass just before halftime to set up a crucial scoring drive.

Senior quarterback JP Leonard orchestrated the attack with surgical precision. Leonard completed 13 of 17 passing attempts for 272 yards and three touchdowns, while also punching in a 12-yard rushing touchdown. He nearly added a receiving score to his stat line, narrowly missing a 30-yard pass from Gregory on a trick play.

Sacred Heart-Griffin Outpaces Jerseyville

Down the road at Ken Leonard Field, Sacred Heart-Griffin handled business against Jerseyville, cruising to a 42-13 first-round victory in the Class 4A bracket. Senior quarterback Cam Brinkman set the tone immediately. On the Cyclones’ very first play from scrimmage, Brinkman scrambled 62 yards to the Panthers’ 11-yard line before capping the drive with an 8-yard touchdown run.

Brinkman finished his dominant night with 148 rushing yards on 12 carries. Through the air, he added 152 yards, completing 10 of 16 passing attempts to keep the Jerseyville defense on its heels all evening.

Carlinville Falls to Top-Seeded Johnson City

Not every local squad found the win column in the opening weekend. Carlinville, carrying the No. 16 seed into the Class 2A playoffs, dropped a 38-13 decision to top-seeded Johnson City, which improved to 10-0 on the season.

Sophomore quarterback Colby Viseur fought hard for the 5-6 Cavaliers, tossing a pair of touchdowns. Viseur connected with Cash Enrietta on an 11-yard score in the second period and found Callum Duckels in the back of the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.