OAK LAWN - Top-seeded Oak Lawn Richards went ahead at halftime 25-0, and held on to defeat Edwardsville 33-14 in a first-round game of the IHSA Class 7A football playoffs Friday night, Oct. 31, 2025, at Korhormem Field in Oak Lawn, in suburban Chicago.
The Tigers were able to score twice in the fourth quarter, and didn't give up in the entire game, as Edwardsville's season ended in the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
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Ahmad Buchanan scored the game's first two touchdowns, on runs of 46 and three yards in the first quarter to give the Bulldogs a 13-0 lead. In the second quarter, quarterback Noah Escobedo threw 26 yards to Jaden Henry for a touchdown, and late in the quarter, threw 10 yards again to Henry for another touchdown to give Richards a 26-0 halftime lead. The second touchdown pass came after an interception by Nolan Smith that set the Bulldogs up in Tigers' territory after a penalty.
In the third quarter, Escobedo connected with Henry for the third time in the game, this on a 33-yard pass, to give Richards a 33-0 lead. The Tigers defense stiffened from there, and did not allow a point the rest of the game, while the Bulldogs hurt themselves with penalties The Tigers had a chance to get back into the game with a good return on the kickoff by Eric Smith, and drove to the Richards 10, but lost a fumble to the Bulldogs to end the drive.
In the fourth quarter, quarterback Dean Williams threw 34 yards to Devyon Hill-Lomax to make the score 33-6 after the Tigers missed a two-point convert, and Williams threw to Charlie Houle before the final minute, then hit Gavin Frey for a two-point conversion to make the final score 33-14.
The Tigers end the season 4-6, while the Bulldogs move to 10-0, and advance to play Arlington Heights John Hersey, who defeated Chicago Walter Payton 56-0, in the second round next week.
