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

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

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Eric Frantz

By Eric Frantz

Aug 14, 2025, 11:45am

Twelve MaxPreps Top 25 teams represent their state led by Mater Dei, Grayson, IMG Academy and Duncanville.

Best HS Football Team in Each State in 2025 1:09

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

#	School	Rec.
1	East St. Louis	0-0
2	CMCHS (Chicago)	0-0
3	NA (LaGrange Park)	0-0
4	LWEHS (Frankfort)	0-0
5	Loyola Academy (Wilmette)	0-0
6	Batavia	0-0
7	St. Rita (Chicago)	0-0
8	York (Elmhurst)	0-0
9	Joliet Catholic (Joliet)	0-0
10	Brother Rice (Chicago)	0-0
11	DGNHS (Downers Grove)	0-0
12	Maine South (Park Ridge)	0-0
13	Lyons (LaGrange)	0-0
14	Warren Township (Gurnee)	0-0
15	Marist (Chicago)	0-0
16	GWHS (Glen Ellyn)	0-0
17	Geneva	0-0
18	SICP (Chicago)	0-0
19	SCNHS (St. Charles)	0-0
20	St. Francis (Wheaton)	0-0
21	Palatine	0-0
22	Morris	0-0
23	MCHS (Lombard)	0-0
24	Fenwick (Oak Park)	0-0
25	Edwardsville	0-0
26	Rochester	0-0
27	Lena-Winslow (Lena)	0-0
28	ICCP (Elmhurst)	0-0
29	Sycamore	0-0
30	HHS (Arlington Heights)	0-0
31	Kankakee	0-0
32	NNHS (Naperville)	0-0
33	Byron	0-0
34	Prospect (Mt. Prospect)	0-0
35	NCHS (Naperville)	0-0
36	PRHS (Crystal Lake)	0-0
37	PCHS (New Lenox)	0-0
38	Barrington	0-0
39	Lake Zurich	0-0
40	CPCHS (Camp Point)	0-0
41	Carmel (Mundelein)	0-0
42	Cary-Grove (Cary)	0-0
43	Maroa-Forsyth (Maroa)	0-0
44	ACHS (Belleville)	0-0
45	WWSHS (Wheaton)	0-0
46	Morgan Park (Chicago)	0-0
47	Quincy	0-0
48	Normal Community (Normal)	0-0
49	Tolono Unity (Tolono)	0-0
50	LWCHS (New Lenox)	0-0

Indiana State Rankings

#	School	Rec.
1	Brownsburg	0-0
2	Westfield	0-0
3	LNHS (Indianapolis)	0-0
4	HSHS (Fishers)	0-0
5	Cathedral (Indianapolis)	0-0
6	Center Grove (Greenwood)	0-0
7	WCHS (Indianapolis)	0-0
8	Ben Davis (Indianapolis)	0-0
9	New Palestine	0-0
10	Fishers	0-0
11	Crown Point	0-0
12	IBCHS (Indianapolis)	0-0
13	East Central (St. Leon)	0-0
14	Carroll (Fort Wayne)	0-0
15	FWSHS (Fort Wayne)	0-0
16	DCHS (Indianapolis)	0-0
17	Carmel	0-0
18	LCHS (Indianapolis)	0-0
19	Roncalli (Indianapolis)	0-0
20	FCHS (Indianapolis)	0-0
21	BSHS (Bloomington)	0-0
22	Merrillville	0-0
23	Noblesville	0-0
24	Avon	0-0
25	Zionsville	0-0
26	Pike (Indianapolis)	0-0
27	Penn (Mishawaka)	0-0
28	ILHS (Indianapolis)	0-0
29	Mishawaka	0-0
30	HHHS (Lincoln City)	0-0
31	ERHS (Evansville)	0-0
32	Martinsville	0-0
33	Valparaiso	0-0
34	EMHS (Evansville)	0-0
35	LJHS (Lafayette)	0-0
36	BJPHS (Indianapolis)	0-0
37	Plainfield	0-0
38	Lawrenceburg	0-0
39	Warsaw	0-0
40	Leo	0-0
41	East Noble (Kendallville)	0-0
42	Whiteland	0-0
43	Harrison (West Lafayette)	0-0
44	GSHS (Fort Branch)	0-0
45	NorthWood (Nappanee)	0-0
46	FWBL (Fort Wayne)	0-0
47	Columbus North (Columbus)	0-0
48	FWBD (Fort Wayne)	0-0
49	Adams Central (Monroe)	0-0
50	NPHS (New Carlisle)	0-0

Michigan State Rankings

#	School	Rec.
1	Cass Tech (Detroit)	0-0
2	DLSC (Warren)	0-0
3	Catholic Central (Novi)	0-0
4	Rockford	0-0
5	LCCHS (Jackson)	0-0
6	King (Detroit)	0-0
7	UCHS (Hudsonville)	0-0
8	Dakota (Macomb)	0-0
9	FHCHS (Grand Rapids)	0-0
10	Clarkston	0-0
11	SMP (Orchard Lake)	0-0
12	West Bloomfield	0-0
13	Zeeland West (Zeeland)	0-0
14	Davison	0-0
15	Hudsonville	0-0
16	Muskegon	0-0
17	WCHS (Grand Rapids)	0-0
18	Adams (Rochester)	0-0
19	DeWitt	0-0
20	Byron Center	0-0
21	MSHS (Norton Shores)	0-0
22	Goodrich	0-0
23	Frankenmuth	0-0
24	Belleville	0-0
25	Notre Dame Prep (Pontiac)	0-0
26	Lake Orion	0-0
27	Grandville	0-0
28	CCHS (Grand Rapids)	0-0
29	Whitehall	0-0
30	Saline	0-0
31	SCHS (Grand Rapids)	0-0
32	Caledonia	0-0
33	CVHS (Clinton Township)	0-0
34	Mason	0-0
35	UEHS (Shelby Township)	0-0
36	SATHS (Southfield)	0-0
37	Roseville	0-0
38	WLWHS (Walled Lake)	0-0
39	Grand Blanc	0-0
40	GPSHS (Grosse Pointe)	0-0
41	Portland	0-0
42	Freeland	0-0
43	East Lansing	0-0
44	Harper Woods	0-0
45	Dexter	0-0
46	Niles	0-0
47	Groves (Beverly Hills)	0-0
48	Romeo	0-0
49	Lowell	0-0
50	East Kentwood (Kentwood)	0-0

Minnesota State Rankings

#	School	Rec.
1	Elk River	0-0
2	Chanhassen	0-0
3	Maple Grove	0-0
4	Mankato West (Mankato)	0-0
5	Stewartville	0-0
6	STA (Mendota Heights)	0-0
7	Minneota	0-0
8	Moorhead	0-0
9	Becker	0-0
10	Alexandria	0-0
11	Andover	0-0
12	EVWHS (Eden Valley)	0-0
13	Barnesville	0-0
14	Chatfield	0-0
15	Eden Prairie	0-0
16	JCCHS (Jackson)	0-0
17	Shakopee	0-0
18	Hutchinson	0-0
19	RAHS (Plymouth)	0-0
20	Rocori (Cold Spring)	0-0
21	Orono (Long Lake)	0-0
22	Edina	0-0
23	Chaska	0-0
24	Marshall	0-0
25	Waseca	0-0
26	Dassel-Cokato (Cokato)	0-0
27	DGFHS (Glyndon)	0-0
28	LSHS (Lakeville)	0-0
29	Centennial (Circle Pines)	0-0
30	Minnetonka	0-0
31	Owatonna	0-0
32	Waconia	0-0
33	LNHS (Lakeville)	0-0
34	Rogers	0-0
35	Caledonia	0-0
36	Monticello	0-0
37	B O L D (Olivia)	0-0
38	Brainerd	0-0
39	Princeton	0-0
40	Rosemount	0-0
41	Kimball	0-0
42	Albany	0-0
43	Prior Lake	0-0
44	NLSHS (New London)	0-0
45	Annandale	0-0
46	Stillwater	0-0
47	Byron	0-0
48	Litchfield	0-0
49	Goodhue	0-0
50	FCHS (Harmony)	0-0

New York State Rankings

#	School	Rec.
1	Somers (Lincolndale)	0-0
2	Garden City	0-0
3	CBA (Syracuse)	0-0
4	CBA (Albany)	0-0
5	Rye	0-0
6	St. Francis (Hamburg)	0-0
7	LJBOMECE (CO-OP) (Buffalo)	0-0
8	Maine-Endwell (Endwell)	0-0
9	Sayville	0-0
10	BBPHS (Bayport)	0-0
11	CNSHS (Cicero)	0-0
12	Massapequa	0-0
13	Waverly	0-0
14	Harrison	0-0
15	Tioga (Tioga Center)	0-0
16	Whitesboro (Marcy)	0-0
17	Farmingdale	0-0
18	SHS (Clifton Park)	0-0
19	MQJHS (Rochester)	0-0
20	Wantagh	0-0
21	Port Jervis	0-0
22	Niskayuna	0-0
23	CCHS (New Windsor)	0-0
24	Carmel	0-0
25	YHS (Yorktown Heights)	0-0
26	Lancaster	0-0
27	HHHW (Dix Hills)	0-0
28	AI (Rochester)	0-0
29	Pleasantville	0-0
30	Monroe (Rochester)	0-0
31	UP (Rochester)	0-0
32	Westhampton Beach	0-0
33	Plainedge (Massapequa)	0-0
34	NFA (Newburgh)	0-0
35	Shaker (Latham)	0-0
36	Carey (Franklin Square)	0-0
37	EIHS (Islip Terrace)	0-0
38	WFHS (Mastic Beach)	0-0
39	RCSHS (Ravena)	0-0
40	Jamestown	0-0
41	IRHS (Philadelphia)	0-0
42	Brighton (Rochester)	0-0
43	Vestal	0-0
44	Mahopac	0-0
45	General Brown (Dexter)	0-0
46	Schuylerville	0-0
47	CFHS (Binghamton)	0-0
48	Lincoln (Brooklyn)	0-0
49	MWHS (Central Valley)	0-0
50	HSBASGC (CO-OP) (Buffalo)	0-0

Ohio State Rankings

#	School	Rec.
1	AMHS (Cincinnati)	0-0
2	Archbishop Hoban (Akron)	0-0
3	Anderson (Cincinnati)	0-0
4	St. Edward (Lakewood)	0-0
5	St. Xavier (Cincinnati)	0-0
6	Avon	0-0
7	Glenville (Cleveland)	0-0
8	OLHS (Powell)	0-0
9	Elder (Cincinnati)	0-0
10	Central Catholic (Toledo)	0-0
11	LWHS (West Chester)	0-0
12	PNHS (Pickerington)	0-0
13	BWHS (Columbus)	0-0
14	Washington (Massillon)	0-0
15	Winton Woods (Cincinnati)	0-0
16	Lincoln (Gahanna)	0-0
17	Mentor	0-0
18	Big Walnut (Sunbury)	0-0
19	WJHS (Cuyahoga Falls)	0-0
20	UAHS (Columbus)	0-0
21	Springfield	0-0
22	Princeton (Cincinnati)	0-0
23	Ursuline (Youngstown)	0-0
24	Highland (Medina)	0-0
25	PCHS (Pickerington)	0-0
26	MLHS (Maria Stein)	0-0
27	Perkins (Sandusky)	0-0
28	Kirtland	0-0
29	Ironton	0-0
30	Liberty Center	0-0
31	Wapakoneta	0-0
32	Hudson	0-0
33	Centerville	0-0
34	Perry	0-0
35	McKinley (Canton)	0-0
36	IVHS (Gnadenhutten)	0-0
37	South Range (Canfield)	0-0
38	Coldwater	0-0
39	St. Ignatius (Cleveland)	0-0
40	Fairmont (Kettering)	0-0
41	Olmsted Falls	0-0
42	Steubenville	0-0
43	Wayne (Huber Heights)	0-0
44	OBHS (Delaware)	0-0
45	HP (Canal Winchester)	0-0
46	Mason	0-0
47	Chardon	0-0
48	Wadsworth	0-0
49	Tippecanoe (Tipp City)	0-0
50	Kings (Kings Mill)	0-0

Pennsylvania State Rankings

#	School	Rec.
1	SJP (Philadelphia)	0-0
2	LSCHS (Wyndmoor)	0-0
3	Harrisburg	0-0
4	BMDHS (Harrisburg)	0-0
5	RCHS (Philadelphia)	0-0
6	Pine-Richland (Gibsonia)	0-0
7	IC (Philadelphia)	0-0
8	CCHS (Pittsburgh)	0-0
9	North Allegheny (Wexford)	0-0
10	PTHS (McMurray)	0-0
11	Parkland (Allentown)	0-0
12	Upper St. Clair	0-0
13	Aliquippa	0-0
14	State College	0-0
15	McKeesport	0-0
16	Central York (York)	0-0
17	DWHS (Downingtown)	0-0
18	MTHS (Lancaster)	0-0
19	MBAPC (CO-OP) (Drexel Hill)	0-0
20	Downingtown East (Exton)	0-0
21	Emmaus	0-0
22	TJHS (Jefferson Hills)	0-0
23	Nazareth Area (Nazareth)	0-0
24	Belle Vernon	0-0
25	NL (New Tripoli)	0-0
26	Bethel Park	0-0
27	Avonworth (Pittsburgh)	0-0
28	CBSHS (Warrington)	0-0
29	Freedom (Bethlehem)	0-0
30	Cathedral Prep (Erie)	0-0
31	SCAHS (Catawissa)	0-0
32	McDowell (Erie)	0-0
33	GVHS (Glen Mills)	0-0
34	Danville	0-0
35	CBWHS (Doylestown)	0-0
36	CMMHS (Canonsburg)	0-0
37	Central Valley (Monaca)	0-0
38	BRHS (West Chester)	0-0
39	SHHS (Wallingford)	0-0
40	Cocalico (Denver)	0-0
41	CVHS (Mechanicsburg)	0-0
42	Westinghouse (Pittsburgh)	0-0
43	PJPII (Royersford)	0-0
44	Chester	0-0
45	Troy	0-0
46	Wyomissing	0-0
47	Coatesville	0-0
48	Montour (McKees Rocks)	0-0
49	PTHS (Harrison City)	0-0
50	North Penn (Lansdale)	0-0

Wisconsin State Rankings

#	School	Rec.
1	Muskego	0-0
2	Bay Port (Green Bay)	0-0
3	Mukwonago	0-0
4	Arrowhead (Hartland)	0-0
5	Kimberly	0-0
6	MU (Milwaukee)	0-0
7	West De Pere (De Pere)	0-0
8	Waunakee	0-0
9	Franklin	0-0
10	Kaukauna	0-0
11	Badger (Lake Geneva)	0-0
12	Neenah	0-0
13	Columbus	0-0
14	Kettle Moraine (Wales)	0-0
15	Hamilton (Sussex)	0-0
16	NDA (Green Bay)	0-0
17	Slinger	0-0
18	Oconomowoc	0-0
19	Verona	0-0
20	CMHS (Waukesha)	0-0
21	Rice Lake	0-0
22	BWHS (Baldwin)	0-0
23	Homestead (Mequon)	0-0
24	Aquinas (La Crosse)	0-0
25	New Richmond	0-0
26	Stratford	0-0
27	MHBHS (CO-OP) (Mount Horeb)	0-0
28	Oak Creek	0-0
29	Middleton	0-0
30	Appleton North (Appleton)	0-0
31	Fond du Lac	0-0
32	Freedom	0-0
33	Racine Case (Racine)	0-0
34	Edgar	0-0
35	Hudson	0-0
36	Waukesha West (Waukesha)	0-0
37	Chippewa Falls	0-0
38	Lodi	0-0
39	Wausau West (Wausau)	0-0
40	Grafton	0-0
41	VPMHS (Madison)	0-0
42	Hartford	0-0
43	River Falls	0-0
44	SMSHS (Fond du Lac)	0-0
45	Monroe	0-0
46	Port Washington	0-0
47	Cedarburg	0-0
48	BCHS (Brookfield)	0-0
49	Onalaska	0-0
50	Regis (Eau Claire)	0-0

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

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

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