Our updated 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 upon us, 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 current 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
9/29/2025 PollLast week’s ranking in parenthesis
1 (1). Brownsburg (Ind.), 6-0 – beat Westfield (In.) 14-10
2 (3). Mount Carmel (Chicago, Ill.), 5-0 – beat Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.) 48-0
3 (4). Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio), 5-1 – beat La Salle (Cincinnati, Ohio) 42-7
4 (5). East St. Louis (Ill.), 2-2 – beat Belleville West (Ill.) 67-0
5 (6). St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2-3 – beat Father Judge (Philadelphia, Pa.) 58-0
6 (7). Anderson (Cincinnati, Ohio), 6-0 – beat Milford (Ohio) 63-0
7 (8). Center Grove (Greenwood, IN), 6-0 – beat Lawrence Central (Indianapolis, In.) 36-0
8 (9). Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.), 5-0 – beat Mumford (Detroit, Mich.) 48-0
9 (2). LaSalle College (Wyndmoor, Pa.), 4-1 – lost 39-36 to Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) 39-36
10 (10). Avon (Ohio), 5-1 – beat Berea-Midpark (Ohio) 55-27
11 (12). Detroit Catholic Central (Novi, Mich.), 4-0 – beat De La Salle Collegiate (Warren, Mich.) 36-6
12 (13). Hoban (Akron, Ohio), 5-1 – beat then-No. 22 Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) 19-14
13 (11). Harrisburg (Pa.), 6-0 – beat Carlisle (Pa.) 49-0
14 (14). Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.), 4-0 – beat Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.) 42-14
15 (16). Carmel (Ind.), 5-1 – beat North Central (Indianapolis, In.) 63-14
16 (15). Bishop Watterson (Columbus, Ohio), 6-0 – beat St. Francis DeSales (Columbus, Ohio) 42-7
17. (19). Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 5-1 – beat North Allegheny (Wexford, Pa.) 21-6
18. (18). Peters Township (McMurray, Pa.), 5-0 – beat Upper St. Clair (Pa.) 24-20
19 (20). St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), 5-1 – beat Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) 57-19
20 (17). Lincoln Way-East (Frankfort, Ill.), 5-0 – beat Naperville Central (Ill.) 44-7
21 (23). New Palestine (Ind.), 6-0 – beat Greenfield-Central (In.) 49-0
22 (24). Brother Rice (Chicago, Ill.), 5-0 – St. Patrick (Chicago, Ill.) 56-14
23 (25). Maple Grove (Minn.), 5-0 – beat Moorhead (Minn.) 56-14
24 (NR). Olentangy Orange (Lewis Center, Ohio), 6-0 – beat Hilliard Davidson (Ohio) 42-7
25 (NR). Malvern Prep (Pa.), 4-1 – beat Gonzaga (D.C.) 31-24
Dropped Out:
21. St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio), 4-2 – lost 23-13 to Elder (Cincinnati, Ohio)
22. Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), 5-1 – lost 19-14 to then-No. 13 Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio)
Keep an Eye On:
* Arrowhead (Hartland, Wis,), 5-1
* Avonworth (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 6-0
* Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse, N.Y.), 4-0
* Elder (Cincinnati, Ohio), 6-0
* Franklin (Wisc.), 6-0
* Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.), 5-1
* Muskego (Wis.), 5-1
* Nazareth Academy (LaGrange, Ill.), 5-1
* Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.), 3-2
* Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), 5-1
* Westfield (Ind.), 4-2
MaxPreps Computer Rankings
Below are the Top 25 teams in the MaxPreps Computer Rankings in each of the Great Lakes states.
Illinois State Rankings
Pennsylvania State Rankings
