Class 8A: No. 24 Maine South at No. 21 Naperville North, Saturday at 6 p.m.

In the year of the quarterback, few have been better than Naperville North’s Jacob Bell (7-2). The Ball State recruit has completed 72% of his passes for 2,788 yards and 34 touchdowns, setting single-season program records for touchdown passes and completions. southern maine (6-3) started 1-3 with losses to Lincoln-Way East, Hersey and Barrington, but has since won five in a row. A trade for second-year quarterback Jameson Purcell, who has multiple Power Four offers, has been one of the reasons for the recent surge.

Class 8A: Warren at No. 15 Palatine, Friday at 7:30 p.m.

At 5-4, this is a bad year by Warren’s usual standards. But the Blue Devils are built to win in November with an elite running back in junior Aaron Stewart, who has 24 touchdowns and averages 27 carries and 196 rushing yards per game. Palatine (8-1) finished first in the tough Mid-Suburban West, which sent five of its six teams to the playoffs, and has won eight in a row since losing 28-27 to St. Charles North in Week 1. The offense The Pirates’ line is powered by an offensive line led by guard Parker Brault, a Marshall recruit, and tight end Jaylen Williams, a four-star prospect committed to Michigan as a defensive lineman.

Class 7A: No. 17 Brother Rice vs. No. 18 Fenwick at Triton, 1:30 p.m. Saturday

Brother Rice (6-3) lost to Marist, St. Rita and Loyola in back-to-back games in September. But the Crusaders have won five straight since then, including a victory over Mount Carmel. The defense has allowed just 33 points during the streak, and an offense led by running back Tyler Lofton and quarterback CJ Gray has found its groove. White CCL/ESCC champion Fenwick (7-2) has the area’s top prospect in defensive lineman Nate Marshall, an Auburn recruit who has also made his presence felt in the Friars’ passing game.

Class 7A: Hersey at No. 23 Prospect, Friday at 7 p.m.

With a 1-32 ranking in the two largest classes, it’s unusual to see a conference rematch this early in the playoffs. But here is the second meeting of the season between the Mid-Suburban East rivals. Prospect (7-2) is riding a seven-game winning streak, including a 30-27 victory over Hersey, since opening the year with losses to Lyons and Palatine. In a banner year for quarterbacks, the Knights have a proven and productive veteran in Jack Skoog along with a talented running back in Noah Easter. After a pair of early playoff exits, Hersey (6-3) intentionally beefed up its schedule and opened with losses to Warren and Barrington. But UCLA-bound quarterback Colton Gumino and the Huskies are 6-1 since then.

Class 7A: Kenwood vs. Young at Rockne Stadium, Friday at 7:15 p.m.

Here’s another conference rematch between Red Public League co-champion Young (9-0) and Kenwood, the only 4-5 team to make the 256-team playoff field. Young won the first meeting 14-13 in Week 6 when Von Konrad threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Quinn Duhon with less than two minutes remaining. That was one of three one-point wins in a four-week span for the Dolphins, who have a big, experienced line anchored by four-year starter Nikola Dale. Kenwood has had as tough a schedule as any team in the area, with losses to St. Francis, Nazareth and Morgan Park, among others.