High school football: @EFrantzMP’s 2024 Great Lakes Region Rankings

By Eric Frantz Dec 2, 2024, 7:20am

Our latest look at the top HS football teams in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The Great Lakes states are defined - in large - by silos, steeples and Friday night stadium lights. With kickoff coming next week, here's our latest take on our annual and weekly list of the top high school football programs in the region. Also listed below are the latest MaxPreps computer rankings for every Great Lakes state.

National acclaim and big-time talent. North Coast football is a force.
@EFrantzMP's High School Football Great Lakes Regional Rankings

12/2/2024
1 (1 last week). Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio), 14-1 – beat Centerville (Ohio) 49-10
2 (2). East St. Louis (Ill.), 13-1* – beat Geneva (Ill.) 48-28 in the IHSA Class 6A state final
3 (3). St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.), 10-2 – beat Downingtown West (Pa.) 36-7
4 (5). Brownsburg (Ind.), 13-1* – beat then-No. 4 Westfield (Ind.) 22-17 in the IHSAA Class 6A state final
5 (7). Avon (Ohio), 15-0 – beat then-No. 6 Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio) 35-10
6 (8). Anderson (Cincinnati, Ohio), 15-0 – beat Big Walnut (Sunbury, Ohio) 28-24
7 (9). Loyola Academy (Willemette, Ill.), 12-2* – beat York (Ill.) 35-14 in the IHSA Class 8A state final
8 (10). Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 12-2 – beat Harrisburg (Pa.) 38-33
9 (4). Westfield (Ind.), 12-2* – lost 22-17 to then-No. 5 Brownsburg (Ind.) in the IHSAA Class 6A state final
10 (11). Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.), 12-2* – beat Hudsonville (Mich.) 42-20 in the MHSAA Division 1 state final
11 (12). La Salle College (Wyndmoor, Pa.), 10-1* – season over.
12 (13). Mt. Carmel (Chicago, Ill.), 11-3* – beat Batavia (Ill.) 55-34 in the IHSA Class 7A state final
13 (17) Lawrence North (Ind.), 11-1* – season over
14 (NR). Olentangy Liberty (Powell, Ohio), 13-2 – beat St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) 21-7
15 (16). Central Catholic (Toledo, Ohio), 14-1 – beat then-No. 15 Ursuline (Youngstown, Ohio) 7-6
16 (NR). Watterson (Columbus, Ohio), 15-0 – beat London (Ohio) 56-21
17 (18). Nazareth Academy (LaGrange Park, Ill.), 12-2* – beat Joliet Catholic (Ill.) 29-27 in the IHSA Class 5A state final
18 (6). Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio), 12-3* – lost 35-10 to then-No. 7 Avon (Ohio)
19 (19). Washington (Massillon, Ohio), 10-3* – season over
20 (20). Catholic Central (Novi, Mich.), 12-1* – season over
21 (21). Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), 13-1* – season over
22 (22). St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio), 10-4* – DNP
23 (23). Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.), 11-2* – beat Canisius (N.Y.) 42-26 in the NYCHSFL state final
24 (24). Elk River (Minn.), 12-1* – season over
25 (25). Slinger (Wis.), 14-0* - season over
 
Dropped Out:
14. Pine-Richland (Pa.), 11-2* – lost 28-14 to Bishop MDevitt (Harrisburg, Pa.)
15. Ursuline (Youngstown, Ohio), 13-2* – lost 7-6 to then-No. 16 Central Catholic (Toledo, Ohio)
 
Keep an Eye On:
~ Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse, N.Y.), 13-0
~ Marion Local (Maria Stein, Ohio), 15-0
~ Somers (Lincolndale, N.Y.), 13-0
 
* - season complete

MaxPreps Computer Rankings
Below are the Top 25 teams in the MaxPreps Computer Rankings in each of the Great Lakes states. 



IHSA Playoff Brackets (Print/Download/Share/Embed)

Illinois State Rankings


IHSAA Postseason Brackets

Indiana State Rankings


MHSAA Playoff Brackets (Print, Download, Share, Embed)

Michigan State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Cass Tech (Detroit)12-218.1
2Catholic Central (Novi)12-126.8
3Zeeland West (Zeeland)13-122.9
4Notre Dame Prep (Pontiac)12-112.4
5SMP (Orchard Lake)11-318.4
6Hudsonville12-225.5
7UCHS (Hudsonville)10-115.7
8Byron Center12-219.8
9Dakota (Macomb)10-217.9
10Goodrich13-19.6
11DeWitt12-113.8
12Groves (Beverly Hills)12-110.9
13DLSC (Warren)8-326.4
14MSHS (Norton Shores)9-217.9
15Belleville10-29.9
16Adams (Rochester)10-321.3
17Millington14-0-2.4
18LCCHS (Jackson)13-13.5
19Niles12-210.3
20Frankenmuth13-15.7
21King (Detroit)10-410.2
22GPSHS (Grosse Pointe)10-111.5
23UEHS (Shelby Township)8-320.9
24Grandville6-525.4
25Rockford7-322.9


MSHSL Playoff Brackets

Minnesota State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Elk River12-115.4
2Maple Grove13-04.8
3Alexandria10-323.2
4Moorhead9-112.7
5Becker13-08.3
6Minneota13-0-7.5
7Stewartville14-0-1.8
8JCCHS (Jackson)13-0-1.9
9Minnetonka10-37.3
10RAHS (Plymouth)10-13.8
11Chanhassen8-416.6
12Shakopee10-24.7
13Owatonna11-14.4
14Chatfield11-10.9
15Princeton9-12.5
16Andover7-313.1
17Mankato East (Mankato)7-38.3
18Kimball11-1-7.0
19Orono (Long Lake)9-34.0
20Monticello8-36.5
21Bemidji7-312.8
22Marshall10-20.2
23Staples-Motley (Staples)12-1-8.9
24Albany11-1-5.2
25B O L D (Olivia)8-2-3.7


NYSPHSAA Postseason Brackets
Class AA | Class A | Class B | Class C | Class D | Class 8-Man

New York State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Iona Prep (New Rochelle)11-228.4--
2Somers (Lincolndale)13-05.6+2
3St. Anthony's (Melville)9-423.3-1
4CBA (Syracuse)13-02.3+2
5CBA (Albany)12-01.9--
6Cardinal Hayes (Bronx)8-422.4-3
7Canisius (Buffalo)9-317.3--
8Garden City12-0-4.9+5
9Whitesboro (Marcy)13-0-9.2+10
10Chaminade (Mineola)8-419.0-1
11Maine-Endwell (Endwell)13-0-7.5-3
12Wantagh11-1-6.7+3
13Rye10-15.4-3
14St. Francis (Hamburg)5-519.9-2
15Shaker (Latham)9-24.7-1
16SJCI (Buffalo)6-410.6--
17MFHS (Staten Island)5-624.1--
18Sayville11-1-5.8-7
19AI (Rochester)10-34.3-1
20Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn)9-2-1.3+2
21Massapequa11-1-1.8--
22Curtis (Staten Island)11-1-8.6+2
23Carey (Franklin Square)12-0-10.5+16
24CNSHS (Cicero)8-35.5+3
25Brighton (Rochester)12-1-5.1-5




OHSAA Playoff Brackets (Print, Download, Share, Embed)
Division I | Division II | Division III | Division IV | Division V | Division VI | Division VII

Ohio State Rankings


PIAA Postseason Brackets

Pennsylvania State Rankings


WIAA Postseason Brackets
Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 4 | Division 5 | Division 6 | Division 7 | 8-Man

Wisconsin State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Slinger14-023.2
2NDA (Green Bay)14-014.6
3Bay Port (Green Bay)12-218.5
4Rice Lake11-325.9
5Muskego9-532.1
6Mukwonago10-330.4
7MU (Milwaukee)10-217.0
8West De Pere (De Pere)11-221.3
9Arrowhead (Hartland)9-331.1
10Homestead (Mequon)9-327.0
11Kaukauna9-325.5
12Neenah9-322.0
13D.C. Everest (Schofield)10-322.8
14Kimberly8-225.3
15Oconomowoc8-226.6
16New Richmond11-118.2
17Racine Case (Racine)9-217.5
18St. Catherine's (Racine)14-02.6
19Stratford14-07.1
20Waunakee10-217.3
21BWHS (Baldwin)12-214.6
22Badger (Lake Geneva)11-215.8
23Germantown8-325.6
24Franklin10-116.4
25Verona10-110.8