After a year off in 2020 due to COVID and a shortened spring 2021 football season, it is finally high school football playoff time in Illinois. On Saturday, the Illinois High School Association announced the pairings for the 256-team field that will make up the 8 classes. It will culminate on Thanksgiving weekend with the title games this year being played at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. Opening round days and times will be announced on Monday afternoon.

Maine South bolted to its fifth consecutive undefeated Central Suburban South title in Winnetka on Friday. The Hawks built a 49-21 lead after three quarters and held off a late New Trier rally to win 49-42 in a game that was not as the final score would indicate.

Barrington downed Fremd 42-14 Friday night to become playoff eligible.

Here’s a look at Week 9 football games in the Northwest suburbs, including key matchups between Hersey and Buffalo Grove as well as Hoffman Estates and Palatine.

The running men paced their way to another win Friday in Buffalo Grove. The Bison (7-1, 3-1 Mid-Suburban East) piled up 282 rushing yards on their way to a 35-7 win over Wheeling in a game that Buffalo Grove did not break open until the fourth quarter.

Barrington’s recently-crowned state championship girls golf team was honored at halftime of Friday’s football game between the host Broncos and Conant.Barrington’s football team teed off strong in the first half, building a 35-7 lead in the Mid-Suburban League West test.With its playoff hopes on the line, the Broncos rose to the occasion and holed out with a 56-14 victory that kept them in contention for a berth in the state tournament.

Here’s a look at Week 8 football games in the Northwest suburbs, including a key Mid-Suburban East clash between Prospect and Hersey, as well as an MSL West showdown between Barrington and Conant.

Maine South got through its tune-up just fine. The Hawks flew into Skokie Friday and exploded past Niles West 51-21 in their highest scoring output of the season.

Jhermari Mabry had enough. Mabry and Palatine were getting pushed around by Barrington in the first half Friday. Mabry, who is one of the top defenders on Palatine’s defense, then changed all that. Mabry executed a stunt by the Barrington goal line and stripped the ball away from the Barrington running back. An opportunistic Joe Wagner quickly jumped on the ball on the end zone for a touchdown. That play sparked a resurgence in the Pirates as they were able to then pull away from Barrington for a huge 27-10 win in Palatine.

Here’s a look at Week 7 football games in the Northwest suburbs, highlighted by Conant playing at Hoffman Estates with first place in the Mid-Suburban West on the line.

Barrington’s Evan Panesis knew the pressure was on. So, the senior running back took the pressure off. Returning from an injury that forced him to miss his team’s Mid-Suburban West loss to Hoffman Estates last week. Panesis returned to the lineup with gusto. He handled much of the offensive touches and rushed 22 times for 122 yards and a touchdown to help lead the Broncos past Schaumburg 28-12 in the Broncos’ annual Saturday afternoon homecoming.

Here’s a look at Week 6 football games in the Northwest suburbs, highlighted by Glenbrook South (5-0) visiting Maine South (4-1) in a Central Suburban League showdown.

Here’s a look at Week 5 football games in the Northwest suburbs, highlighted by Buffalo Grove (4-0) at Prospect (3-1).

Elk Grove returned home to a huge crowd and scored a huge win Friday night. After playing on the road for the first three weeks this season, the Grenadiers made things look easy, rolling over Maine East 42-0.

Trailing 14-7 late in the fourth quarter, visiting Glenbrook South needed to find some offensive magic Friday night against Barrington in nonconference football action. And the Titans did exactly that as they put together a 77-yard scoring drive along with a 2-point conversion with 4:58 to play to capture an exciting 15-14 victory over the penalty-plagued Broncos.

Here’s a look at the Week 4 football matchups in the Northwest suburbs, highlighted by Glenbrook South (3-0) at Barrington (2-1) and Glenbrook North (2-1) at Hersey (3-0).

The Mid-Suburban League wrapped up a successful football Friday night with its counterparts from the Central Suburban League. The MSL went 8-4 in their crossover games with the two conferences set to play again next Friday.

Here’s a look at Week 3 football games in the Northwest suburbs, as the Mid-Suburban League and the Central Suburban League clash again in nonconference action.

Barrington played like a team that did not want to lose two games in a row. Friday night against visiting Wheeling the Broncos, who had dropped their opener 19-0 to Warren, came out with a solid effort all-around in a 42-0 win over the Wildcats.

Here’s a look at the Week 2 football games in the Northwest suburbs, highlighted by Warren, the No. 1 team in the Daily Herald Top 20, hosting No. 2 Maine South. Also, Prospect plays host to Fremd in one of six Mid-Suburban League crossovers.

Warren defeated Barrington in a football game Friday night

Scouting Week 1 football games in the Northwest suburbs

Scouting Week 1 football games in Lake County

Football: Scouting the 2021 fall season in the Mid-Suburban League

High school football is back where it belongs. After a year when the COVID-19 pandemic caused the high school football season to be moved from its traditional fall timeslot to spring, things are back to normal.

Barrington’s Peter Anderson is the captain of the Northwest Suburbs’ All-Area Football Team.

Meet the All-Area Football Team for the Northwest suburbs

The Mid-Suburban League all-conference football team has been announced.

Barrington defeated Prospect 52-45 Friday night for the Mid-Suburban League football championship.

Scouting Week 6 football games in the Northwest suburbs

It’s been a long wait between Super Bowls in the Mid Suburban League. On Friday, Prospect will play at Barrington at 7 p.m. for the MSL football championship. It will be the first time there has been a title game in the sport since 1974 when Schaumburg beat Hersey 7-6.

First there was a cast, then a boot with crutches, then just a boot, then physical therapy. And more physical therapy. It took more than five months and plenty of grittiness and determination for Barrington senior Evan Roper to recover from the leg that he broke in a football game in Week 2 of his sophomore season.

Barrington downed Hoffman Estates in football action Friday night.

Scouting Week 5 football games in the Northwest suburbs

It has been close to 10 years since either Prospect or Buffalo Grove have won the Mid-Suburban East football championship. On Friday, when the two unbeaten teams meet at Buffalo Grove at 7 p.m. the winner will go home with a trophy.

Barrington defeated Fremd in a football game on Friday night.

Scouting Week 4 football games in the Northwest suburbs

Prospect quarterback Alex “Gary” Moeller answers to a pair of names. But so far this season his opponents have yet to find an answer to stop the senior.

Bryan Smith ran for 186 yards and Peter Anderson threw for 150 yards to send Barrington to a 35-13 Mid-Suburban West win over Conant Thursday night in Hoffman Estates.

Scouting Week 3 football games in the Northwest suburbs

Barrington defeated Palatine 37-14 in a football game Friday night.

Here’s a look at this weekend’s football games in the Northwest suburbs.

Buffalo Grove’s Ian Luyando is a true diamond in the rough. Luyando, who is a senior quarterback, had only played just one half of organized football before his start last Saturday for the Bison. And he was more than impressive.

Barrington opened the football season with a win over Schaumburg Saturday.

Here’s a look at Saturday’s football games in the Mid-Suburban League

Scouting the football season in the Mid-Suburban League

When kids start playing sports, they dream of making the big play in the big game. Scotty Miller, a 2015 Barrington High School graduate, no longer has to dream, unless it’s about putting a Super Bowl ring on his finger.

Humble, grateful and a part of the community. That’s how Barrington head football coach Joe Sanchez describes 2015 graduate Scotty Miller, a wide receiver for the Super Bowl-bound Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Even though their seats were in the rafters of Lambeau Field in Green Bay last Sunday, the cheers from Scott and Kristy Miller were likely heard all the way back in Barrington.