The undefeated Mount Carmel Golden Aces now know their path through the Class 3A Illinois High School Football Playoffs.
The Golden Aces, who completed a perfect 9-and-0 regular season and captured the outright Little Illini Conference championship, have earned the number three seed in the southern half of the Class 3A playoff bracket.
Mount Carmel will open postseason play at home on Saturday, October 31st, against either Greenville or PORTA.
Those two teams will meet in the opening round, with Greenville entering at 6-and-3 and PORTA at 5-and-4.
With a victory on October 31st, the Aces would advance to the second round, where a potential matchup with Benton appears likely.
Benton, which finished the regular season 8-and-1, is the number six seed in the southern bracket and will face the winner of the opening-round game between Fairfield and Staunton.
Looking further down the playoff bracket, a familiar postseason opponent could be waiting for Mount Carmel in the third round.
Tolono Unity, a longtime playoff nemesis of the Golden Aces, is the number ten seed and will face Little Illini Conference member Robinson in the opening round.
Unity enters the playoffs with a 7-and-2 record, while Robinson finished 4-and-5.
If both Mount Carmel and Unity advance through their respective portions of the bracket, the two programs could meet again in the third round.
Other top seeds in the southern half include undefeated Hillsboro at number one, undefeated St. Joseph-Ogden at number two, and Williamsville at number four.
Mount Carmel enters the postseason riding a nine-game winning streak after completing its unbeaten regular season with a 46-to-nothing victory over Lawrenceville Friday night.
The Golden Aces have recorded three consecutive shutouts heading into the playoffs.
Again, Mount Carmel will host either Greenville or PORTA on Saturday, October 31st, in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs.
WSJD will have complete coverage of the Golden Aces' postseason run, with Kyle Peach and Rick Johnston bringing you the action on 100.5 FM and online at wsjd.fm.
