Forreston Eliminates Le-Winslow in Playoff Upset

Forreston football defeated Lena-Winslow in the first round of the Illinois High School Association Class 1A playoffs on Friday, November 20, 2026. The victory ends a recent streak of playoff losses for the Cardinals against the defending state champions. Forreston secured the win despite holding the worst seeding draw among upper-seeded teams in the state.

Quarterback Conner Politsch directed the offense, while Eli Ferris and Jonathan Milnes provided speed on the ground. Forreston limited its turnovers to just three for the entire regular season, a statistical edge that proved decisive in the matchup. The team also matched up physically better than in their regular season loss, where Le-Winslow won 30-14.

The Cardinals face Stockton in the second round. Stockton is currently favored to win the state title. Forreston must replicate its defensive and offensive performance from Friday to overcome the Blackhawks. The Cardinals have not faced this specific opponent in the postseason before.

Other first round results included Byron and Immaculate Conception advancing to a quarterfinal contest at Byron. Immaculate Conception led Genoa-Kingston 42-0 with ten minutes remaining in the first half. The game was suspended for thirty minutes in the second quarter after a Genoa-Kingston player required medical attention.

Rochelle defeated Chicago Clark 48-6, extending its winning streak against Chicago Public League schools to 26-0 since 2000. Clark hosted the game but had a small attendance and lacked a chain crew. Rochelle provided the chain crew for the game. Aurora Central Catholic defeated Chicago Rauner 5-6 to remain in the tournament.

In Class 2A and 3A action, Stillman Valley, Oregon, Winnebago, and Genoa-Kingston suffered large losses to higher-seeded opponents. Stillman Valley and El Paso-Gridley displayed sportsmanship at midfield after their game. Three teams with records of 2-7 won their first round games, including Prairie Ridge, Rolling Meadows, and Shelbyville.

Quincy defeated Chicago Goode 88-84 in a Class 6A game that lasted four hours. The game was originally scheduled for 3 p.m. on Friday to accommodate daylight saving time. Officials suspended the game with 3:42 remaining and a score of 60-59 at 5:50 p.m. The teams moved to Englewood High School, five miles away, to finish the game at 6:53 p.m.

Polo exited the Class 8A playoffs after the first round for the first time since joining the division. South Beloit advanced, helping to balance the competitive field. West Carroll also made noise after several difficult seasons. The 8A organization currently holds approximately 30 teams statewide.