High school football: @EFrantzMP’s 2024 Great Lakes Region Rankings

The Great Lakes states are defined - in large - by silos, steeples and Friday night stadium lights. With kickoff coming next week, 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 latest MaxPreps computer rankings for every Great Lakes state.
11/25/2024
1 (3). Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio), 13-1 – beat then-No. 12 St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio) 28-23
2 (2). East St. Louis (Ill.), 12-1 – beat Richards (Oak Lawn, Ill.) 48-0
3 (5). St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.), 9-2 – beat Parkland (Allentown, Pa.) 46-7
4 (7). Westfield (Ind.), 12-1 – beat then-No. 14 Crown Point (Ind.)  30-7
5 (8). Brownsburg (Ind.), 12-1 – beat Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.) 31-27
6 (13). Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio), 12-2 – beat then-No. 6 Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) 21-7
7 (10). Avon (Ohio), 14-0 – beat Highland (Medina, Ohio) 28-20
8 (11). Anderson (Cincinnati, Ohio), 14-0 – beat LaSalle (Cincinnati, Ohio) 28-21
9 (18). Loyola Academy (Willemette, Ill.), 11-2 – beat then No. 9 Lincoln-Way East (Frankfort, Ill.) 27-24
10 (21). Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 11-2 – beat State College (Pa.) 41-19
11 (NR). Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.) – beat then-No. 4 Catholic Central (Novi, Mich.) 17-14
12 (15). La Salle College (Wyndmoor, Pa.), 10-1* – season over.
13 (NR). Mt. Carmel (Chicago, Ill.), 10-3 – beat St. Rita (Chicago, Ill.) 43-24
14 (20). Pine-Richland (Pa.), 11-1 – beat Peters Township (McMurray, Pa.) 20-9
15 (NR). Ursuline (Youngstown, Ohio), 13-1 – beat Gilmour Academy (Gates Mills, Ohio) 54-0
16 (22). Central Catholic (Toledo, Ohio), 13-1 – beat Padua Franciscan (Parma, Ohio) 45-7
17 (16) Lawrence North (Ind.), 11-1* – season over
18. (NR). Nazareth Academy (LaGrange Park, Ill.), 11-2 – beat St. Francis (Wheaton, Ill.) 40-21
19 (1). Washington (Massillon, Ohio), 10-3* – lost 14-7 to Big Walnut (Sunbury, Ohio)
20 (4). Catholic Central (Novi, Mich.), 12-1* – lost 17-14 to Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.)
21 (6). Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), 13-1* – lost 21-7 to then-No. 13 Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio)
22 (12). St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio), 10-4* – lost 28-23 to then-No. 3 Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)
23 (19). Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.), 10-2 – Beat St. Anthony’s (Melville, NY) 43-22
24 (23). Elk River (Minn.), 12-1* – beat Alexandria (Minn.) 33-24 in MSHSL AAAAA State Final
25 (NR). Slinger (Wis.), 14-0* - beat Rice Lake (Wis.) 31-30 in the WIAA Division 2 State Final
 
Dropped Out:
9. Lincoln-Way East (Frankfort, Ill.), 12-1* – lost 27-24 to then-No. 18 Loyola Academy (Willemette, Ill.)
14. Crown Point (Ind.), 12-1* – lost 30-7 to then-No. 7 Westfield (Ind.)
17. Peters Township (McMurray, Pa.), 12-2* – lost 20-9 to then-No. 20 Pine-Richland (Pa.)
24.  Muskego (Wis.), 9-5* – lost 25-18 to bay Port (Wis.) in the WIAA Division I State Final
25. Belleville (Mich.), 10-2* – DNP
 
Keep an Eye On:
~ Big Walnut (Sunbury, Ohio), 13-1
~ Byron Center (Mich.), 12-1
~ Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse, N.Y.), 12-0
~ Hudsonville (Mich.), 12-1
~ Marion Local (Maria Stein, Ohio), 14-0
~ Olentangy Liberty (Powell, Ohio), 12-2
~ Somers (Lincolndale, N.Y.), 12-0
~ St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), 9-5
~ Watterson (Columbus, Ohio), 14-0
~ Zeland West (Mich.), 12-1