Week 9 Digest: IHSA Classes 1A–3A
Published October 19, 2026 · Friday Night Wire & Game Recaps
1A2A3AThis week’s digest covers Week 9 of the 2026-27 small-school football season, drawing from the latest IHSA rankings polls and posted scores. Key developments include shifts in Class 1A and 2A power rankings, notable game outcomes, and playoff implications.
Class 1A
Per the IHSA rankings poll, Mt. Sterling (9-0) remains undefeated and holds the top spot with 137 points and 12 first-place votes. Hardin (8-1) fell to Mt. Sterling (Brown County) 31-32 but stays second, while Stockton (8-1) and Heyworth (9-0) solidify their positions in the top four. Camp Point (8-1) and Lena (6-3) round out the top six. Notable results include Heyworth’s 53-0 shutout of Tuscola and Stockton’s 28-14 win over Forreston.
Class 2A
Wilmington (8-1) leads the rankings with 137 points, though it dropped a 14-0 home decision to Coal City. El Paso (9-0) and Maroa (8-1) maintain strong records, while Port Byron (9-0) and Downs (8-1) continue to dominate. Key outcomes include Port Byron’s 35-13 win over Kewanee and Johnston City’s 40-8 win over Sesser-Valier.
Class 3A
Elmhurst (8-1) and Byron (9-0) anchor the Class 3A rankings, with Byron’s 64-6 win over Rockford Lutheran highlighted as a standout performance. St. Joseph (9-0) and Richmond (9-0) also remain unbeaten, while Mt. Carmel (9-0) and Hillsboro (9-0) continue their dominance. Notable results include St. Joseph’s 47-16 win over Pontiac and Richmond’s 49-0 shutout of Woodstock.
Storylines to Watch
The playoff picture is settled: the IHSA has posted the official 1A–3A qualifier field — 40 in Class 1A, 50 in Class 2A, 44 in Class 3A — so there are no at-large races left to watch, only matchups. Per the IHSA’s official field, Class 2A landed four teams outside this site’s projected top 48 (West Hancock, Routt, Pleasant Hill, Wesclin), while Collins, Fenger and ROWVA head the list of projected teams that did not make the field. In the Class 1A poll, Clifton (8-1) and Catlin (7-2) sit ninth and tenth; both are in the official field.