Top-ranked Flyers look to capture fourth state title under head coach Darren Sunkett.
The 2021 Illinois high school football season kicks off next week and MaxPreps has your look at the state's top teams. Coming off a 5-1 season in 2020, East St. Louis owns the top spot in our preseason rankings.
The Flyers own 12 state titles, including three championships under head
coach Darren Sunkett in 2008 (7A), 2016 (7A) and 2019 (6A).
Loyola Academy has reached the Class 8A state final six of the last 10 years, winning titles in 2015 and 2018. The Ramblers also won the Class 6A state title in 1993. Head coach John Holecek (former NFL linebacker) has led Loyola to the playoffs every year since 2006.
Lincoln-Way East enters the season riding a 20-game win streak and is 46-1 in its last 47 games.
Illinois is loaded with pass catchers as eleven of the
state’s Top 25 senior players are receivers, including the states top three prospects — East St. Louis'
Luther Burden (Oklahoma commit), St. Rita’s
Kaleb Brown (Ohio State) and Nazareth Academy’s
Tyler Morris (Michigan).
Illinois did not crown state champions last year. The state played a
condensed six-game spring season that kicked off March 19. Four months
later players are returning to the field.
State champions in 2019 were Lincoln-Way East (8A), Chicago Mt. Carmel Caravan (7A), East St. Louis (6A), Rochester (5A), Richmond-Burton (4A), Williamsville (3A), Newman Central Catholic (2A) and Lena-Winslow (1A).
See the complete Top 25 list below.
Chicago Mt. Carmel and Marist are both ranked in the Illinois Preseason MaxPreps Top 25.
Photo by Dean Reid
1.
East St. Louis, 5-1 record in 2021 (spring)
2.
Loyola Academy (Wilmette), 6-0
3.
Lincoln-Way East (Frankfort), 6-0
4.
St. Rita (Chicago), 5-1
5.
Warren Township (Gurnee), 6-0
6.
Sacred Heart-Griffin (Springfield), 6-0
7.
Marist (Chicago), 4-2
8.
Rochester, 5-1
9.
Joliet Catholic, 6-0
10.
Cary-Grove, 4-0
11.
Wheaton North, 5-1
12.
Huntley, 5-0
13.
Prospect (Mt. Prospect), 3-1
14.
Brother Rice (Chicago), 3-2
15.
St. Francis (Wheaton), 6-0
16.
Chicago Mt. Carmel, 4-1
17.
Hinsdale Central, 6-0
18.
Williamsville, 6-0
19.
Boylan Catholic (Rockford), 3-0
20.
Hononegah (Rockton), 3-2
21.
Lake Forest, 5-0
22.
Lincoln-Way West (New Lenox), 4-1
23.
Benet Academy (Lisle), 2-1
24.
Providence Catholic (New Lenox), 4-2
25.
Naperville Central, 6-0
