Football

Conference season opens — and Galesburg’s Western Big 6 opener at United Township kicks off at 4:30 p.m., not 7:00.

West Central is 2-0 and top of the board. Galesburg and Knoxville jump four each after first wins. Monmouth-Roseville falls from first to last.

48 qualifiers per class, a new opening round, and why nobody knows their class until October 17. The 2026 IHSA playoff format explained.

Ridgewood played in the 2023 eight-man state final and won a softball state title in 2024. A co-op of two schools, filed under a third town.

Galva went 0-9, then 0-9, then made the eight-man playoffs. Full 2026 schedule and results, plus a town named after a city in Sweden.

Princeville replaced roughly eighteen starters and is 0-2 by a combined sixteen points. Full schedule, plus two softball state trophies and a bass fishing team.

Bureau Valley won an undefeated Class 3A state title in 2005 and built Illinois’ first high school wind turbine. New to Lincoln Land North in 2026 under Pat Elder.

Three state finals, three losses. Stark County is 2-0 in 2026 with a September 25 division decider at home against Annawan-Wethersfield.

Annawan-Wethersfield went 11-1 and reached the Class 1A quarterfinals in 2025. Full 2026 schedule, results, and the two schools behind the co-op.