2026 IHSA playoffs: Steve Soucie’s Class 7A playoff analysis and picks

Quarterfinal matchupsNormal Community (11-0) vs. Brother Rice (9-2): Normal Community played with fire in the second round, needing overtime to fend over a scrappy Kenwood team. The Ironmen also failed to show true dominance in their first playoff game either. That hasn’t been a problem for Brother Rice, who has beaten its two postseason opponents by a combined 97-13 score.Pick: Brother RiceEast St. Louis (10-1) vs. Prospect (10-1): East St. Louis has flipped the postseason switch and gone into hyper drive, particularly offensively having scored a whopping 141 points in two postseason wins over Reavis and St. Patrick. Prospect is trying to clear a hurdle they haven’t been able to since the 2021 season, advancing past the second round.Pick: East St. LouisHersey (11-0) vs. Lincoln-Way West (8-4): Hersey advanced into the quarterfinals with a 31-point performance in a win over Glenbard West. Other than a forfeit win, it was Hersey’s smallest offensive output of the season. With an effort