Nine of the 12 Northwestern commits in action posted playoff wins this weekend, but that also means that high school careers ended for three of them, including two who suffered their first -- and only -- loss of the season at an inopportune time.

Plus, two of the wins set up a playoff showdown between two future Wildcats from Chicago this week.

Catch up on all the action with this week's roundup.

Little Rock (Ark.) Pulaski Academy edged out Harrison, 36-21, to move onto the second round of the state playoffs.

Given Pulaski's explosive offense and play style, only 36 points is a slow night and indicates this game was a little closer a shave than they would have liked. It was a quieter game from running back Joseph Himon as well, he punched in a touchdown from one yard out but that was his only score.

Himon and the Bruins (10-1) will look to continue their Class 5A title defense this week when they host Magnolia.

Birmingham (Ala.) Oak Mountain and quarterback Evan Smith came up short against Thompson in the second round of the Alabama playoffs.

The 45-7 loss, and Oak Mountain's 7-5 final record, are both unindicative of the great year the Eagles and Smith had. When Smith played the entire game, the Eagles were 7-2, and he had a fantastic year on the ground and through the air as Oak Mountain's quarterback.

Northwestern recruited Smith as a cornerback, and he clearly showed this season why his athleticism and skills will be an asset for the Wildcats all over the field.

Quarterback Bennett Meredith led Hoover to its closest win all year, beating Hewitt-Trussville 24-23 in overtime.

The undefeated season hung in the balance when the Buccaneers defense stepped up when it mattered most. After Hewitt-Trussvile scored to pull to within one, Hoover's Terrell Jones tipped the two-point conversion pass and it fell incomplete as Hoover moved to 12-0.

Meredith got the job done, completing 23 of 37 passes for 188 yards, with a touchdown and an interception, and this dime in overtime to give Hoover the lead:

Hoover (12-0) will have an opportunity to avenge Evan Smith and Oak Mountain as they host big, bad Thompson this week.

Glendora (Calif.) and linebacker Braydon Brus allowed more than 14 points for the first time this season and lost in their second-round CIF playoff game to Apple Valley, 17-15.

It was a slugfest the whole way, and a blocked extra point on Glendora's first touchdown put the Tartans behind schedule, despite tying Apple Valley on paper with two touchdowns and a field goal.

The Tartans scored the only points of the second half when they cut the lead to 17-15, but an unsuccessful two-point conversion attempt sealed their fate.

It was a banner year for Glendora, anchored by the excellent two way play of "the Bus". Brus was a force at running back and his recruited position of linebacker, and he led Glendora to its first 10-0 season in school history.

Albert Kunickis ran for 155 yards and a touchdown but it wasn't enough as Lemont (Ill.)'s perfect season ended at the hands of No. 4 East St. Louis, 42-21, last week.

There is no shame in the "upset" of No. 1 Lemont, as the Flyers are far more formidable than their No. 4 seed makes them seem.

It was a tough day for the Lemont offense: 21 points were their lowest tally since a Week 2 win over Nazareth Academy. But Lemont gave East St. Louis their toughest game in IHSA play this year, scoring the first 21 points the Flyer defense has allowed to an Illinois team this season.

Kunickis, who will be a preferred walkon running back for the Wildcats, had a a 57-yard touchdown run as Lemont kept it close early, tying the game at 7-7 and heading into halftime down 20-7. But the talent of East St. Louis was too much. The Flyers have the top-ranked recruit in Illinois' Class of 2022 (Missouri-bound five-star wide receiver Luther Borden) and the Class of 2023 (four-star tackle Miles McVay).

Lemont finished 11-1, the school's best since 2016.

Niceville (Fla.) and Austin Firestone came off their bye week well rested and beat Atlantic Coast, 20-6.

Firestone and the defense continue to be a force, this was their third straight game holding their opponents to single digits. The offense struggled with only 20 points, their lowest tally all season, but it got the job done, and in playoff season that is all that matters.

Niceville (10-1)hosts Nease in the Sweet 16 this week.

Safety Robert Fitzgerald ran wild as Dallas (Tex.) Jesuit put the hurt on Arlington, winning 69-36.

Fitzgerald almost won the game singlehandedly with five touchdowns, the most for a Jesuit player in almost five years. He finished with 19 carries and 170 yards to go with the handful of scores.

It wasn't just Fitzgerald, either, as Jesuit tallied 474 rushing yards and put the game away early with a 34-9 halftime lead. Fitzgerald wasn't even the leading rusher for the Rangers, that was running back Jake Musso who had nine carries for 174 yards and two touchdowns.

Fitzgerald still earned a fantastic honor as the DFW Inside High School Sports MVP, earning a coveted bobblehead of himself:

Jesuit (10-1) plays Denton Guyer this week in the next round.

Defensive end Denis Jaquez and St. Augustine got back into action with a win over Delbarton, 28-13.

As the No. 2 seed they were on bye two weeks ago, but the Hermits came out of their break ready for playoff football. It was the sixth time this season the Hermit defense held their opponent to less than 14 points, and St. Augustine is 6-0 in those games.

They were led to victory by the stingy defense and running back Kanye Udoh, who finished with 144 yards and two touchdowns.

St. Augustine (9-1) will play Don Bosco Prep this week.

No. 18 Chicago (Ill.) Marist and offensive lineman Deuce McGuire cruised for the third straight week in the IHSA playoffs, beating No. 10 Glenbrook South 51-21.

The Redhawks went on the road to GBS, but it didn't matter. Quarterback Dontrell Jackson Jr. tore the Titan defense to shreds, throwing for 263 yards and four touchdowns on 13-of-17 passing.

Marist scored 44 unanswered points after the opening 7-7 tie.

The Redhawks have won their playoff games by a combined score of 123-28 despite their three-loss regular season, proof that their CCL/ESCC Blue schedule was one of the toughest in the state.

Marist (9-3) will host No. 6 Maine South and Northwestern committed tight end Chris Petrucci this week.

Tight end Chris Petrucci scored the game-winning touchdown as Park Ridge (Ill.) Maine South hipped No. 3 Neuqua Valley 14-13. The Hawks have won their last two playoff games by a combined four points.

Petrucci scored the game-winner in the third quarter on an 80-yard bomb from quarterback Rowan Keefe to put Maine South up 14-0. The Hawks held on for dear life as Neuqua Valley rallied.

Maine South got a stroke of luck when Nequa Valley's Palmer Domschke missed what would have been the game-tying extra point off the upright after scoring the touchdown on the previous play.

The Hawks (11-1) will have likely have their third straight close game when they travel to No. 6 Marist to take on Northwestern offensive line commit Deuce McGuire.

Safety Devin Turner starred on both sides of the ball and Frisco (Tex.) Lone Star responded to losing the last game of their regular season by thrashing Adams, 74-6, in a first-round playoff game.

The Rangers accomplished one of the rarest feats in the sport, scoring more points (74) than Adams gained yards (69). It was a masterclass for Turner, who was a force on defense and chipped in two receiving touchdowns on offense.

Turner and Lone Star aren't quite Himon and Pulaski Academy, but they have still put up more than 50 points five times this season without remorse.

Lone Star (9-2) play College Station this week.

Towson (Md.) Loyola Blakefield and defensive end Anto Saka crushed Baltimore (Md.) Boys Latin in their playoff matchup, 35-0.

It was the second time the Dons steamrolled Boys Latin, as the cumulative score of their two games is 66-0 in favor of Loyola Blakefield.

The Dons defense has been crucial to Loyola Blakefield's success all year. Saka and Co. have allowed just 7.1 points per game and this was their eighth game holding their opponent to less than 10 points.

Loyola Blakefield (8-2) has a rematch with Concordia Prep this week for MIAA Championship.

WR Reggie Fleurima and Naperville Central (Ill.) finished their season 7-4.

OL Nick Herzog and Stilwell (Kan.) Blue Valley finished their season 8-2.

DB Braden Turner and Mobile (Ala.) McGill-Toolen finished their season 8-5.