Illinois High School Football Top 25 State Rankings

Hersey, St. Francis and Bradley-Bourbonnais join the Top 25

The St. Francis Spartans, who ripped DePaul Prep, 35-14, last week, have entered this week's Illinois Top 25 at No. 24. / Dean Reid

A trio of teams – Hersey, St. Francis and Bradley-Bourbonnais – with a combined record of 19-5, are all newcomers to this week's Illinois High School Football State Rankings.

At the top of the poll, East St. Louis jumped over Lincoln-Way East for the No. 2 spot, in advance of the Flyers huge national showdown at IMG Academy in Florida, on Friday.

1. Mount Carmel (8-0)

Previous ranking: 1

Last week: Def. Fenwick 35-28

Up next: at Loyola, Oct. 24

Nathan Samuels ran 9 yards for a TD with 2:12 left to break a tie and help the Caravan escape an upset.

2. East St. Louis (6-2)

Previous ranking: 3

Last week: Def. O'Fallon 48-6

Up next: at IMG Academy (Fla.), Oct. 24

Reece Shanklin passed for a career-high 337 yards as the Flyers finished unbeaten against in-state competition in the regular season.

3. Lincoln-Way East (7-1)

Previous ranking: 2

Last week: Lost to Naperville North 14-6

Up next: vs. Sandburg, Oct. 23

USC-bound quarterback Jonas Williams did not play because of an injury and the Griffins' 30-game regular-season winning streak was snapped.

4. Brother Rice (7-1)

Previous ranking: 4

Last week: Def. St. Laurence 48-6

Up next: vs. St. Ignatius, Oct. 24

Jaylin Green ran 12 times for 135 yards and four touchdowns, while Brayden Parks had nine tackles.

5. Maine South (7-1)

Previous ranking: 6

Last week: Def. Glenbrook South 38-7

Up next: at Deerfield, Oct. 24

Indiana-bound Jameson Purcell had 263 total yards and four touchdowns.

6. Nazareth (7-1)

Previous ranking: 7

Last week: Def. Benet 42-14

Up next: vs. St. Francis, Oct. 24

Justin Watson and Charles Calhoun each ran for a pair of touchdowns.

7. Montini (8-0)

Previous ranking: 17

Last week: Def. St. Ignatius 49-7

Up next: at St. Laurence, Oct. 24

Israel Abrams completed 20 of 24 passes for 441 yards and had five total TDs.

8. Fenwick (6-2)

Previous ranking: 18

Last week: Lost to Mount Carmel 35-28

Up next: at Carmel, Oct. 24

The Friars pushed the Caravan to the limit as Jake Thies had 11 tackles, an interception, three tackles for loss, 100 total yards and a TD.

9. Glenbard West (7-1)

Previous ranking: 5

Last week: Lost to York 21-20

Up next: vs. Proviso West, Oct. 24

AJ Rayford passed for 124 yards and had one of the Hilltoppers' three rushing TDs in the loss.

10. Barrington (7-1)

Previous ranking: 9

Last week: Def. Schaumburg 42-0

Up next: at Hoffman Estates, Oct. 24

Luke Tepas was 7-of-9 passing for 204 yards and four touchdowns.

11. Fremd (7-1)

Previous ranking: 10

Last week: Def. Palatine 23-13

Up next: vs. Schaumburg, Oct. 24

Northwestern commit Johnny O'Brien returned from a one-game injury layoff, passing for 266 yards and a TD.He also ran for two scores.

12. Warren (7-1)

Previous ranking: 13

Lost week: Def. Lake Zurich 27-17

Up next: vs. Libertyville, Oct. 24

Illinois football and wrestling commit Aaron Stewart had 33 carries for 306 yards and four touchdowns, giving him 2,229 rushing yards and 36 TDs this season.

13. Downers Grove North (6-2)

Previous ranking: 8

Last week: Lost to Lyons 24-20

Up next: vs. Proviso East, Oct. 24

The Trojans had six turnovers, including four interceptions, in the loss.

14. York (6-2)

Previous ranking: 23

Last week: Def. Glenbard West 21-20

Up next: at Lyons, Oct. 24

With starting quarterback Dominic Alfano sidelined by a broken collarbone, Zack Assaad threw for two TDs and Hunter Stepanich blocked a PAT kick to seal the Dukes' win.

15. Providence (6-2)

Previous ranking: 14

Last week: Def. Marian Catholic 48-13

Up next: at Joliet Catholic, Oct. 24

Dominic Vita threw for two touchdowns, Broden Mackert ran for two TDs and Brayden McKay also scored twice.

16. Batavia (6-2)

Previous ranking: 11

Last week: Def. St. Charles East 31-13

Up next: at Wheaton-Warrenville South, Oct. 24

Tony Minnec had four tackles for loss and quarterback Michael Vander Luitgaren had three total TDs.

17. Prairie Ridge (8-0)

Previous ranking: 12

Last week: Def. Dundee-Crown 41-15

Up next: vs. Crystal Lake South, Oct. 24

The Wolves led 27-7 at halftime and cruised to victory.

18. Lyons (6-2)

Previous ranking: 19

Last week: Def. Downers Grove North 24-20

Up next: vs. York, Oct. 24

EJ Kuhlman's second touchdown run, a 1-yarder with 15 seconds left, was the difference for the Lions.

19. Carmel (6-2)

Previous ranking: 24

Last week: Def. Loyola 42-14

Up next: vs. Fenwick, Oct. 24

Nebraska commit Trae Taylor had 410 total yards and five touchdowns.

20. Kankakee (6-2)

Previous ranking: 21

Last week: Def. Thornton 52-6

Up next: vs. Crete-Monee, Oct. 24

Cedric Terrell III showed off his versatility with five TDs: two on receptions, one on a run, one on a pass and one on a kickoff return.

21. St. Charles North (7-1)

Previous ranking: 22

Last week: Def. Glenbard North 31-20

Up next: at Lake Park, Oct. 24

Wyatt Brandt had 3 1/2 tackles for loss and 1 1/2 sacks, and the North Stars rallied from an early 10-point deficit.

22. Hersey (6-2)

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Def. Prospect 38-34

Up next: at Rolling Meadows.Oct. 24

Jake Nawrot passed for five touchdowns as the Huskies came from 22 down after three quarters to earn the rivalry win.

23. Morris (8-0) 

Previous ranking: 25

Last week: Def. Sycamore 50-10

Up next: vs. Byron Center (Mich.), Oct. 24

All three of Brady Varner's pass attempts went for touchdowns, and Logan Conroy had three interceptions and a TD catch.

24. St. Francis (6-2)

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Def. DePaul Prep 35-14

Up next: at Nazareth, Oct. 24

Iggy Amorrortu had two passing touchdowns — including an 80-yarder to Michigan State commit Zach Washington — and also ran for a TD.

25. Bradley-Bourbonnais (7-1)

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Def. Lincoln-Way West 35-13

Up next: at Andrew, Oct. 24

Ellis Johnson passed for 211 yards and three touchdowns — all to Lyzale Edmon, who had four catches for 167 yards.