Jacksonville and Springfield High are going to be well acquainted with each other come early next week. The Crimsons face the Senators at the Bowl this Friday in the final regular season game of the year. This will also be JHS’s senior night. Then, Monday in the first round of the regionals, the fourth seeded Senators and the fifth seeded Crimsons will play again. The Senators of Springfield High held off a big comeback in the second half by Jacksonville to win the first meeting between the two teams earlier in the season. The regional this year is held at Springfield Southeast. Jacksonville and Springfield will play twice in a span of four days. The two teams will know each other very well come Monday night.
The winner of the Jacksonville and Springfield game will move on to face number one seeded Lanphier, who has a first-round bye, in the semifinals. The other game Monday night is between third seeded Sacred Heart Griffin and sixth seeded Quincy Notre Dame. The winner of that game will play the host school, Southeast, in the semifinals. Both semifinal games will be held Wednesday night at Southeast. The Championship game will be held Friday night at Southeast.
The number one ranked undefeated Lanphier Lions are the favorite to win the regional and even state. Host school Southeast looks to use its home court advantage to upset the number one seeded Lions. SHG looks to continue their impressive postseason streak that led them to a State Championship in 5A football.