High school football: @EFrantzMP’s 2025 Great Lakes Region Preseason Rankings

By Eric Frantz Aug 14, 2025, 11:45am

Our preseason 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 preseason take on our annual and weekly list of the top high school football programs in the region. Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin start play next week. Illinois, Michigan, New York and Minnesota kick off the following week. Also listed below are the MaxPreps preseason 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

Preseason Poll
1. Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)
2. St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio)
3. East St. Louis (Ill.)
4. St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.)
5. Brownsburg (Ind.)
6. Hoban (Akron, Ohio)
7. Mount Carmel (Chicago, Ill.)
8. LaSalle College (Wyndmoor, Pa.)
9. Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.)
10. Harrisburg (Pa.)
11. Anderson (Cincinnati, Ohio)
12. Westfield (Ind.) 
13. Avon (Ohio)
14. Olentangy Liberty (Powell, Ohio)
15. Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.)
16. Detroit Catholic Central (Novi, Mich.)
17. Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.)
18. Nazareth Academy (LaGrange Park, Ill.)
19. Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio)
20. Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
21. Lincoln Way-East (Frankfort, Ill.)
22. Toledo Central Catholic (Ohio)
23. Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.)
24. Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.)
25. St. Mary’s Prep (Orchard Park, Mich.)
 
Keep an Eye On:
* Bishop Watterson (Columbus, Ohio)
* Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.)
* Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
* Center Grove (Greenwood, IN)
* Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.)
* Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia. Pa.)
* Lakota West (Wes Chester, Ohio)
* Maple Grove (Minn.)
* Monsignor Bonner/Prendergast (Drexel Hill, Pa.)
* Muskego (Wisc.)
* Pickerington North (Ohio)
* St. Anthony’s (Melville, New York)
* St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio)
* Warren Central (Indianapolis, Ind.)
* Washington (Massillon, Ohio)

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



Illinois State Rankings

Indiana State Rankings

Michigan State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Cass Tech (Detroit)0-00.0
2DLSC (Warren)0-00.0
3Catholic Central (Novi)0-00.0
4Rockford0-00.0
5LCCHS (Jackson)0-00.0
6King (Detroit)0-00.0
7UCHS (Hudsonville)0-00.0
8Dakota (Macomb)0-00.0
9FHCHS (Grand Rapids)0-00.0
10Clarkston0-00.0
11SMP (Orchard Lake)0-00.0
12West Bloomfield0-00.0
13Zeeland West (Zeeland)0-00.0
14Davison0-00.0
15Hudsonville0-00.0
16Muskegon0-00.0
17WCHS (Grand Rapids)0-00.0
18Adams (Rochester)0-00.0
19DeWitt0-00.0
20Byron Center0-00.0
21MSHS (Norton Shores)0-00.0
22Goodrich0-00.0
23Frankenmuth0-00.0
24Belleville0-00.0
25Notre Dame Prep (Pontiac)0-00.0
26Lake Orion0-00.0
27Grandville0-00.0
28CCHS (Grand Rapids)0-00.0
29Whitehall0-00.0
30Saline0-00.0
31SCHS (Grand Rapids)0-00.0
32Caledonia0-00.0
33CVHS (Clinton Township)0-00.0
34Mason0-00.0
35UEHS (Shelby Township)0-00.0
36SATHS (Southfield)0-00.0
37Roseville0-00.0
38WLWHS (Walled Lake)0-00.0
39Grand Blanc0-00.0
40GPSHS (Grosse Pointe)0-00.0
41Portland0-00.0
42Freeland0-00.0
43East Lansing0-00.0
44Harper Woods0-00.0
45Dexter0-00.0
46Niles0-00.0
47Groves (Beverly Hills)0-00.0
48Romeo0-00.0
49Lowell0-00.0
50East Kentwood (Kentwood)0-00.0

Minnesota State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Elk River0-00.0
2Chanhassen0-00.0
3Maple Grove0-00.0
4Mankato West (Mankato)0-00.0
5Stewartville0-00.0
6STA (Mendota Heights)0-00.0
7Minneota0-00.0
8Moorhead0-00.0
9Becker0-00.0
10Alexandria0-00.0
11Andover0-00.0
12EVWHS (Eden Valley)0-00.0
13Barnesville0-00.0
14Chatfield0-00.0
15Eden Prairie0-00.0
16JCCHS (Jackson)0-00.0
17Shakopee0-00.0
18Hutchinson0-00.0
19RAHS (Plymouth)0-00.0
20Rocori (Cold Spring)0-00.0
21Orono (Long Lake)0-00.0
22Edina0-00.0
23Chaska0-00.0
24Marshall0-00.0
25Waseca0-00.0
26Dassel-Cokato (Cokato)0-00.0
27DGFHS (Glyndon)0-00.0
28LSHS (Lakeville)0-00.0
29Centennial (Circle Pines)0-00.0
30Minnetonka0-00.0
31Owatonna0-00.0
32Waconia0-00.0
33LNHS (Lakeville)0-00.0
34Rogers0-00.0
35Caledonia0-00.0
36Monticello0-00.0
37B O L D (Olivia)0-00.0
38Brainerd0-00.0
39Princeton0-00.0
40Rosemount0-00.0
41Kimball0-00.0
42Albany0-00.0
43Prior Lake0-00.0
44NLSHS (New London)0-00.0
45Annandale0-00.0
46Stillwater0-00.0
47Byron0-00.0
48Litchfield0-00.0
49Goodhue0-00.0
50FCHS (Harmony)0-00.0

New York State Rankings

Ohio State Rankings



Pennsylvania State Rankings

Wisconsin State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Muskego0-00.0
2Bay Port (Green Bay)0-00.0
3Mukwonago0-00.0
4Arrowhead (Hartland)0-00.0
5Kimberly0-00.0
6MU (Milwaukee)0-00.0
7West De Pere (De Pere)0-00.0
8Waunakee0-00.0
9Franklin0-00.0
10Kaukauna0-00.0
11Badger (Lake Geneva)0-00.0
12Neenah0-00.0
13Columbus0-00.0
14Kettle Moraine (Wales)0-00.0
15Hamilton (Sussex)0-00.0
16NDA (Green Bay)0-00.0
17Slinger0-00.0
18Oconomowoc0-00.0
19Verona0-00.0
20CMHS (Waukesha)0-00.0
21Rice Lake0-00.0
22BWHS (Baldwin)0-00.0
23Homestead (Mequon)0-00.0
24Aquinas (La Crosse)0-00.0
25New Richmond0-00.0
26Stratford0-00.0
27MHBHS (CO-OP) (Mount Horeb)0-00.0
28Oak Creek0-00.0
29Middleton0-00.0
30Appleton North (Appleton)0-00.0
31Fond du Lac0-00.0
32Freedom0-00.0
33Racine Case (Racine)0-00.0
34Edgar0-00.0
35Hudson0-00.0
36Waukesha West (Waukesha)0-00.0
37Chippewa Falls0-00.0
38Lodi0-00.0
39Wausau West (Wausau)0-00.0
40Grafton0-00.0
41VPMHS (Madison)0-00.0
42Hartford0-00.0
43River Falls0-00.0
44SMSHS (Fond du Lac)0-00.0
45Monroe0-00.0
46Port Washington0-00.0
47Cedarburg0-00.0
48BCHS (Brookfield)0-00.0
49Onalaska0-00.0
50Regis (Eau Claire)0-00.0