The easy part is, Manteno knows exactly what to expect from Monmouth-Roseville.

The hard part is, how to stop it.

After knocking off Streator 33-6 on Oct. 24 to wrap up the regular season, the Panthers found out their path in the IHSA Class 3A playoffs a day later.

Manteno will go on the road to play Monmouth-Roseville (8-1) at 5 p.m. Saturday.

The Titans are one of the most run-heavy teams in the state. Clay Casteel, their starting quarterback, has thrown only 27 passes all year. Meanwhile, Monmouth-Roseville has two 1,000-yard rushers in Nick Huston (148 carries, 1,354 yards, 18 touchdowns) and Landon Montroy (159 carries, 1.053 yards, 19 TDs).

Overall, the Titans have averaged 7.1 yards per carry while piling up 3,131 yards and running for 47 touchdowns.

Facing a team with such an unbalanced offense means Manteno coach RJ Haines and his staff will make some changes.

“You go with a little different personnel,” Haines said. “… We don’t have to put in three, four different (pass) coverages. Their one dimension is very good (with) two really good, physical backs. It presents a different set of problems. … Kind of smashmouth.”

On the plus side for the Panthers (6-3, 3-3 Illinois Central Eight), they’re as healthy as they’ve been all season and are riding a three-game winning streak.

Against Streator, quarterback Connor Harrod was 7-of-11 passing for 176 yards and he also ran 12 times for 94 yards and three touchdowns. Nick Honkisz had 14 carries for 93 yards and two TDs.

Briggs Cann had two catches for 52 yards, while Shaun Chantome (49 yards), Honkisz (23), Jake Stevens (19), Tyler Buehler (17) and Kalub Jankuski (16) each had one reception.

Carter Stell had a team-high 10 tackles, while Chantome finished with six tackles and two tackles for loss.

Crete-Monee 27, Kankakee 14: The Warriors (7-2, 6-0) head into the playoffs for the 20th straight season, fresh off a dominant road victory that clinched the Southland title and pushed their winning streak to seven games. It’s the 15th conference championship in program history.

Derrin Couch completed 12 of 21 passes for 134 yards and three TDs. Dorian Patterson, who recently committed to New Mexico, had seven catches for 63 yards and a TD, while Jeremiah Stonewall (three catches,56 yards) and D’Arion Yarbrough (two catches, 15 yards) also had scoring receptions.

Trevon Williams added a rushing TD for Crete, which hosts Quincy (5-4) at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Class 6A first round.

Warriors coach John Konecki likes the trajectory of his team since opening losses to Richards and Bradley-Bourbonnais.

“We had seven great weeks of practice after that Bradley game and felt like we got better every week,” Konecki said. “The kids wanted (the conference title) and wanted it bad.”

Herscher 35, Peotone 28: The Blue Devils finished 3-6 overall and 2-5 in the Illinois Central Eight, but they weren’t that far from making the playoffs. Three of Peotone’s conference losses — to Reed-Custer, Manteno and Herscher — came by a combined 15 points.

Junior Nick Cronin ran 25 times for 93 yards and two touchdowns against Herscher, while senior Tucker Cain had 18 carries for 65 yards and a TD. 

Alex Chenoweth was 8-of-11 passing for 124 yards and a TD with two interceptions. Cronin had three catches for 72 yards and a score, while junior Tyler Walker caught three passes for 48 yards.

Juniors Declan McMaster and Eli Chenoweth both had seven tackles.