Vote: Who Should Be Illinois High School Football Week 1 Player of the Week?

The opening weekend of the 2026 Illinois high school football season produced several upsets fueled by clutch performances from established stars and noteworthy newcomers, many of whom are among our first Player of the Week nominees of the season.

Lincoln-Way East quarterback Evan LeFevour didn't put up the week's biggest numbers, but he helped engineer the fourth-quarter drive that produced the winning field goal in a 22-21 upset of No. 3 Brother Rice. IC Catholic Prep sophomore Jakobe Baldwin also turned heads, rushing for 202 yards and two touchdowns as the Knights knocked off heavily favored Nazareth Academy.

Other candidates from state-ranked programs such as Batavia and East St. Louis delivered big performances, while Charleston's Treylin Couch broke his own school single-game rushing record and set a program record with a 99-yard kickoff return.

Now it's your turn to decide: Who should be named Illinois High School Football Player of the Week? Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. PT Sunday, Aug. 23.

Jakobe Baldwin, RB, IC Catholic Prep

Baldwin is just a sophomore, but on a field full of stars who will play at the next level, he proved he belonged with the best of them, carrying the ball 20 times for 202 yards and two touchdowns in IC Catholic Prep's upset of Nazareth Academy.

Luke Clouser, QB, Civic Memorial

Clouser posted a career-high 347 passing yards on a 21-for-35 night with three touchdowns. It was good enough to lead Civic Memorial past Newton, 36-26.

Treylin Couch, RB/KR, Charleston

Couch broke Charleston's single-season rushing record last year as a junior with a 290-yard effort in a 37-35 win over Mattoon on Sept. 26. One game into the 2026 season, he's already raised the bar, breaking that record with a 302-yard performance on just 19 carries with three touchdowns in last week's season opener. He also set another school record with a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, and somehow, all of his efforts proved not to be enough to overcome Robinson in a 44-41 loss.

Jaydin Edmondson, WR, Comer

Edmondson is just a sophomore, but he played like an experienced upperclassman, hauling in 10 receptions for 170 yards and three touchdowns in Comer's 73-48 loss to Goode STEM Academy.

Ronnie Gomiller, WR/RB, East St. Louis

Gomiller is one of the starting receivers for East St. Louis, but he was forced to move to running back at halftime when Flyers' workhorse Myson Johnson-Cook was forced out of the game due to injury. It proved to be a showcase for Gomiller in the fourth quarter, as he scored on runs of 13, 5 and 30 yards to help the Flyers pull off the 42-23 win over the state's No. 1 Chicago Mt. Carmel. Gomiller also scored on a touchdown reception in the first half.

Bennett Konkey, WR, Geneva

Konkey, a member of our preseason Illinois All-State team, snagged five receptions for 178 yards and two touchdowns in Geneva's 28-14 win over Libertyville. Both came in the first quarter, after the senior standout returned the opening kickoff of the game — and the season — 100 yards for a touchdown to get the party started.

Nate Lang, QB, IC Catholic Prep

Along with Baldwin, Lang was one of the offensive stars for IC Catholic Prep's high-flying offense against Nazareth Academy. The senior marksman completed 16 of 22 attempts for 246 yards and three touchdowns.

Jackson Lawal, RB, Columbia

Lawal proved to be the engine of Columbia's offense, running for 238 yards on 24 carries while scoring three times. It was enough to power the Eagles to a 36-28 win over Mater Dei.

Evan LeFevour, QB, Lincoln-Way East

LeFevour didn't have the biggest numbers among Week 1's stars, but it would be hard to argue that anybody made a bigger difference. The junior completed 16 of 26 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns, including a 62-yard flea-flicker to Landon Martinez. It proved crucial in Lincoln-Way East's stunning 22-21 upset of No. 3 Brother Rice.

Isaac Repscher, QB, Taylorville

Repscher was extremely efficient in Taylorville's 47-7 rout of Richland County, completing 13 of 19 attempts for 331 yards and four touchdowns.

Marshaun Thornton, WR/KR Chicago Mt. Carmel

Thornton's No. 1 Chicago Mt. Carmel finished on the short end of a 42-23 loss to No. 2 East St. Louis, despite the junior's best efforts. He finished with five receptions for 138 yards and two touchdowns and also scored on a 78-yard kickoff return.

Michael Vander Luitgaren, QB, Batavia

The future Wyoming Cowboy was the hero of Batavia's 49-35 win over Maine South. He completed 28 of 35 passes for 436 yards and five touchdown passes.

About Our Athlete of the Week Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and
are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.

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