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
9/22/2025 PollLast week’s ranking in parenthesis
1 (1). Brownsburg (Ind.), 5-0 – beat Fishers (Ind.) 42-14
2 (3). LaSalle College (Wyndmoor, Pa.), 4-0 – DNP
3 (4). Mount Carmel (Chicago, Ill.), 4-0 – beat Sait Ignatius College Prep (Chicago, Ill.) 41-14
4 (5). Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio), 4-1 – beat then-No. 2 St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio) 30-13
5 (7). East St. Louis (Ill.), 1-2 – beat Alton (Ill.) 60-6
6 (8). St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.), 1-3 – Beat Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) 24-0
7 (9). Anderson (Cincinnati, Ohio), 5-0 – beat Kings (Kings Mill, Ohio) 49-24
8 (10). Center Grove (Greenwood, IN), 5-0 – beat Trotwood-Madison (Ohio) 31-20
9 (11). Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.), 4-0 – beat King (Detroit, Mich.) 27-22
10 (12). Avon (Ohio), 4-1 – beat Olmsted Falls (Ohio) 28-0
11 (13). Harrisburg (Pa.), 5-0 – beat Cedar Cliff (Camp Hill, Pa.) 42-0
12 (14). Detroit Catholic Central (Novi, Mich.), 3-0 – beat then-No. 20 St. Mary’s Prep (Orchard Park, Mich.) 29-14
13 (15). Hoban (Akron, Ohio), 4-1 – beat Brush (Lyndhurst, Ohio) 45-7
14 (16). Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.), 3-0 – beat St. Jospeh-by-the-Sea (Staten Island, N.Y.) 34-0
15 (17). Bishop Watterson (Columbus, Ohio), 5-0 – beat Harvest Prep (Canal Winchester, Ohio) 36-6
16 (NR). Carmel (Ind.), 4-1 – beat Columbus North (Ind.) 56-7
17 (19). Lincoln Way-East (Frankfort, Ill.), 4-0 – beat Lockport (Ill.) 49-14
18. (23). Peters Township (McMurray, Pa.), 4-0 – beat West Allegheny (Pa.) 28-0
19. (24). Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 4-1 – beat Hempfield Area (Greensburg, Pa.) 59-7
20 (6). St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), 4-1 – lost 21-14 to Washington (Massillon, Ohio)
21 (2). St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio), 4-1 – lost 30-13 to then-No. 5 Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)
22 (25). Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), 5-0 – beat Canisius (N.Y.) 38-0
23 (NR). New Palestine (Ind.), 5-0 – beat
24 (NR). Brother Rice (Chicago, Ill.), 4-0 – beat then-No. 18 Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.) 28-6
25 (NR). Maple Grove (Minn.), 4-0 – beat Edina (Minn.) 33-7
Dropped Out:
18. Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.), 2-1 – lost 28-6 to Brother Rice (Chicago, Ill.)
20. St. Mary’s Prep (Orchard Park, Mich.), 3-1 – lost 29-14 to then-No. 14 Detroit Catholic Central (Novi, Mich.)
21. Arrowhead (Hartland, Wis.), 4-1 – lost 21-17 to Muskego (Wis.)
22. Chanhassen (Minn.), 3-1 – lost 28-13 to St. Thomas Academy (Mendota Heights, Minn.)
Keep an Eye On:
* Arrowhead (Hartland, Wis,), 4-1
* Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse, N.Y.), 3-0
* Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.), 4-1
* Muskego (Wis.), 4-1
* Nazareth Academy (LaGrange, Ill.), 4-1
* Westfield (Ind.), 4-1
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
