Richards Bulldogs Host Niles North In Round One Of IHSA 7A Playoffs: Know Before You Go

OAK LAWN, IL—The 7-2 Richards Bulldogs will host the 7-3 Niles North Vikings for a rare “Saturween” IHSA 7A playoff game Saturday, Oct. 31, at Korhonen Field in Oak Lawn.

The Bulldogs varsity football team finished with a 7-2 record this season and dominated the South Suburban Conference Red, winning the conference title for the 37th time.

Not only did the Bulldogs breeze past the Argo Argonauts in their final game of the regular season, but the Bulldogs also posted the most points they scored in a game all season, beating Argo 46-14.

The Bulldogs also handed longtime head coach Tony Sheehan his 150th win in their final regular season game, Sheehan was named Coach of the Year by Prep Insight Magazine. Richards senior running back/linebacker Myles Mitchell was also named to Prep Insight Magazine’s 45th Annual All-State High School Football Team.

Waiting in the wings is the talented Richards junior varsity team, who posted an 8-1 season record and won the SSC conference at the JV level.

Niles North High School has also been posting some lofty points, beating Rich Township in last week’s opening round game of the IHSA 7A playoffs in a nail-biter, 46-14.

The kickoff for Saturday’s playoff game is 1 p.m. at Korhonen Field on the Richards High School campus, 10601 S. Central Ave., Oak Lawn.

Tickets are $7.30 and can be purchased online at Richards High School Go Fan. You can also purchase tickets at the gate.

Only Richards and Niles North students are allowed to attend Saturday’s playoff, as long as they show student ID. All other high school students from the home and visitor teams are allowed to attend without an adult, as long as they show ID.

High school students who do not attend Richards or Niles North must also be accompanied by an adult.

All attendees must go through Richards’ security before being seated. Fans are also discouraged from wearing Halloween costumes. Also, no backpacks and bags will be allowed in the stadium.

The postseason will have a significantly different look this year after IHSA member schools voted to expand the football playoffs for the first time since 1985.

Classes 1A through 8A will have 48 playoff qualifiers, up from 32. The change expands the total field from 256 to 384 teams.

The top 16 seeds in each class received a bye—including the Richards Bulldogs—will host the first-round game this weekend against Dixon High School.

The state championship games are scheduled for Nov. 27 to Nov. 28 at Hancock Stadium on the Illinois State University in Normal.

To maintain historical consistency in the number of teams competing in each stage, the playoff rounds will be called the Opening Round, First Round, Second Round, Quarterfinals and Semifinals.