Despite a loss Friday night at Nashville, the Dupo High School football team qualified for the Class 1A playoffs and will attempt to play the role of David vs. Goliath this weekend.

The Tigers ended their regular season at 5-4 with the 48-7 defeat at Nashville. Dupo quarterback Deegan Prater, a junior, ran for 166 yards on the night but only threw for 37 yards in the contest.

Dupo lost three of its final four games following a 4-1 start to its 2024 campaign.

On Saturday night, the Tigers learned they qualified for the IHSA playoffs and will face Althoff, the top ranked Class 1A team in the state.

Gametime is 7 p.m. Friday in Belleville.

Althoff (9-0) features two seniors being heavily recruited for NCAA Division I football, those being running back Dierre Hill and lineman Jason Dowell. 

Althoff has posted easy wins this season over much larger schools such as Alton, Belleville East, Collinsville, and Granite City.

For the season, Prater has completed 55 percent of his pass attempts for 1,453 yards and 12 touchdowns compared to nine interceptions.

He’s also run for 954 yards and 10 scores.

Prater’s top wide receiver target this season has been Thinh Staggs with 682 yards and five TDs.