HAZELWOOD CENTRAL (9-1) AT CBC (8-2)
When — 7 p.m.
What you need to know — The defending Class 6 champions from Hazelwood Central are back in the playoffs after finishing second in District 4. The Hawks, ranked sixth among area large schools, won the Suburban North Conference championship for the second consecutive season and are averaging 29.5 points per game while allowing 9.9. Quarterback Kerry Gibson has passed for 1,478 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushed for 735 yards and 10 scores. Fellow senior Yomi Alli leads the Hawks on defense with 77 solo tackles and eight sacks. CBC is back in the playoffs after a two-year absence. The Cadets swept their three District 3 games, winning by a combined score of 75-24. Junior running back Josiah Stanfield has 1,688 total yards (1,392 rushing, 296 receiving) and has scored 16 touchdowns. Quarterback Cody Barklage has passed for 1,210 yards and 12 touchdowns and has kicked eight field goals.

MATER DEI (9-1) AT FREEBURG (7-3)
When — 7 p.m.
What you need to know — The Knights, ranked No. 1 among Post-Dispatch small schools, enter this Class 4A second-rounder having won nine straight under first-year coach Jim Stiebel. Visiting Mater Dei beat Freeburg 38-35 on Sept. 18, getting a 28-yard field goal from Brock Bisching as time expired. QB Tyler Detmer sets the pace for Mater Dei; a junior, he has thrown for 2,156 yards and 18 touchdowns and run for 698 yards and 10 scores this fall. Senior RB Lucas Hemann (18 TDs) keys the Knights' ground game. Freeburg, seeded 14th, upset No. 3 Mount Zion 30-21 last week. The Midgets' Alex Fricke has thrown for 1,569 yards and 16 touchdowns, while rushing for 715 and 13 scores. Tyler Adamson (936 rushing yards, 14 TDs) and Dustin Kimball (538 receiving yards, 10 TDs) are Freeburg's other top weapons.

FOX (8-2) AT LINDBERGH (10-0)
When — 7 p.m.
What you need to know — The Flyers, ranked fourth among area large schools, are making their first postseason appearance since 2003. Lindbergh is averaging 26.5 points per game while allowing just 11.6. QB Kyle Portell has thrown for 1,210 yards and nine TDs and is also the team's rushing leader (738 yards). Eric Schwartz had seven rushing TDs and six field goals this season. Fox lost to eventual champion Hazelwood Central in last year's semifinals. The Warriors' Bobby Mahoney has completed nearly 60 percent of his passes for 1,623 yards and 15 TDs. Fox's only losses this season came against Suburban West opponents Lafayette (23-0) and Oakville (19-13); Lindbergh went 6-0 in winning the Suburban West.

LINCOLN-WAY EAST (9-1) AT O'FALLON (7-3)
When — 6 p.m.
What you need to know — The top seed in Class 7A, East is in the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season. The Griffins, who eliminated Belleville West 35-7 in the opening round last week, are a balanced club led by QB Ryne Van Gennep (1,675 yards, 16 TDs) and RB Kevin Stark (803 yards, 18 TDs). O'Fallon, a No. 5 seed, is coming off a 16-0 shutout over a Lincoln-Way Central squad guided by ex-Edwardsville coach Tim Dougherty. The Panthers are led by a defense that features Ben Benton (82 solo tackles), John Bouquet (10 sacks) and Tivon Taylor (10 sacks), who scored on a blocked punt and on a fumble return last week. QB John Betten has thrown for 1,269 yards and nine touchdowns this season.

ZUMWALT WEST (6-4) AT DeSMET (10-0)
When — 7 p.m.
What you need to know — The Jaguars and host Spartans meet in the Class 6 playoffs for the third consecutive season. DeSmet won 27-20 in 2007, but West picked up the first playoff victory in school history a year ago, winning 35-21. Ranked third among area large schools, DeSmet shut out the Francis Howells 175-0 in district play; the Spartans are averaging 49.5 points a game while allowing just 8.7. DeSmet's top weapons include QB Steve Kaiser (1,460 yards, 23 TDs, 2 INTs), RBs David Hill (1,249 yards, 16 TDs) and Malcolm Agnew (13 TDs) and sophomore receiver-returner Durron Neal (14 TDs). A youthful squad, West is led by dual-threat senior QB David Washko, who has thrown for 1,904 yards and 12 TDs while rushing for 1,626 yards and 19 scores. Junior WR Devonte Majors has 49 catches for 670 yards.

Compiled by Ken Roberts, Nate Latsch and Joe Lyons