Illinois Girls Flag Football State Playoffs: 8 Teams Battle for 2026 IHSA Championship

Eight teams. Two undefeated contenders. One state championship.

The 2026 Illinois High School Association girls flag football state tournament reaches its final weekend Friday at Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, where eight teams will compete for a spot in Saturday's semifinals.

St. Charles North (23-0) and Prospect (19-0) enter as the only unbeaten teams remaining, while defending state champion Maine South has already been eliminated following a 7-6 sectional-final loss to Evanston.

By Saturday evening, Illinois will have a new girls flag football state champion.

St. Charles North and Prospect Headline the Field

The St. Charles North enters the quarterfinals at 23-0, while Prospect is 19-0. Both teams have an opportunity to finish the season unbeaten, becoming the first team to have a perfect season in IHSA-sanctioned girls' flag football in only its third season.

St. Charles North will face Evanston after the Wildkits pulled off one of the postseason’s biggest surprises, edging defending state champion Maine South in the sectional final. Maine South failed to convert on a point-after try to even the score, while the defense took care of the rest not allowing another score.

Prospect has built its unbeaten record behind freshman quarterback Madelyn Searle, who has made an immediate impact despite being only two months into her high school flag football career.

As reported on the Daily Herald, entering the sectional final, Searle had thrown for more than 3,700 yards and 52 touchdowns, with a 71.4% completion rate and five interceptions. She had also accounted for more than 1,200 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns.

Searle added four more touchdown passes against Schaumburg.

The Knights will face Hononegah, which enters at 22-2, at 6 p.m. Friday. Hononegah advanced with a 13-7 victory over Crystal Lake Central, setting up a matchup between two teams that have put together strong seasons.

A Packed Weekend

The quarterfinal matchups feature teams from across Illinois, with the four winners advancing to Saturday's semifinals.

Friday's schedule at Willowbrook High School in Villa Park:

2:30 p.m.: (2) Evanston vs. (1) St. Charles North
4:15 p.m.: (3) St. Ignatius College Prep vs. (1) Marist
6 p.m.: (4) Hononegah vs. (2) Prospect
7:45 p.m.: (1) Bradley-Bourbonnais vs. (2) Lyons

The semifinals are scheduled for 10 a.m. and noon Saturday. The third-place game follows at 2:30 p.m., with the state championship set for 5 p.m.

The games will also be streamed on WCIU, “The U.”

A New Champion Will Emerge

With St. Charles North and Prospect still unbeaten, Evanston riding the momentum of its upset over defending champion Maine South, and several teams knocking off number one seeds, the race for the 2026 IHSA girls flag football state championship remains wide open.

By Saturday evening, Illinois will have a new state champion.

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