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

Our latest and last 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
Dec 9, 2024, 8:30am
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.

National acclaim and big-time talent. North Coast football is a force.
@EFrantzMP's High School Football Great Lakes Regional Rankings

12/9/2024 – Final
 
1 (2). East St. Louis (Ill.), 13-1* – Illinois IHSA Class 6A state champion
2 (3). St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.), 11-2* – beat then-No. 8 Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, Pa.) 35-6 in the PIAA Class 6A final
3 (4). Brownsburg (Ind.), 13-1* – IHSAA Class 6A state champion
4 (14). Olentangy Liberty (Powell, Ohio), 14-2* – beat then-No. 1 Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio) 28-14 in the OHSAA Division I state final
5 (5). Avon (Ohio), 16-0* – beat then-No. 7 Anderson (Cincinnati, Ohio) 20-13 in the OHSAA Division II state final
6 (7). Loyola Academy (Willemette, Ill.), 12-2* –IHSA Class 8A state champion
7 (9). Westfield (Ind.), 12-2* – IHSAA Class 6A state runner-up
8 (1). Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio), 14-2* – lost 28-14 to No. 14 Olentangy Liberty (Powell, Ohio) 28-14 in the OHSAA Division I state final
9 (10). Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.), 12-2* – MHSAA Division 1 state champion
10 (11). La Salle College (Wyndmoor, Pa.), 10-1* – Philadelphia Catholic League Red Division Champions
11 (12). Mt. Carmel (Chicago, Ill.), 11-3* – IHSA Class 7A state champion
12 (13) Lawrence North (Ind.), 11-1* – IHSAA Class 6A regional finalist
13 (16). Watterson (Columbus, Ohio), 16-0* – beat then No.15 Central Catholic (Toledo, Ohio) 19-13 in the OHSAA Division III state final
14 (17). Nazareth Academy (LaGrange Park, Ill.), 12-2* – IHSA Class 5A state champion
15 (20). Catholic Central (Novi, Mich.), 12-1* – MHSAA Division I state semifinalist
16 (6). Anderson (Cincinnati, Ohio), 15-1* – lost 20-13 to then-No. 5 Avon (Ohio) in the OHSAA Division II state final
17 (23). Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.), 11-2* – NYCHSFL state champion
18 (15). Central Catholic (Toledo, Ohio), 14-2* – lost 19-14 to then-No. 16 Watterson (Columbus, Ohio) in the OHSAA Division III state final
19 (8). Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 12-3* – lost 35-6 to then-No. 3 St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.) in the PIAA Class 6A final
20 (18). Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio), 12-3* – OHSAA Division III state semifinalist
21 (NR). Marion Local (Maria Stein, Ohio), 16-0* – beat Hillsdale (Jeromesville, Ohio) 74-0 in the OHSAA D-VII final
22 (NR). Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse, N.Y.), 14-0* – beat Christian Brothers Academy (Albany, N.Y.) 41-40 in the NYSPHSAA Class AA final
23 (24). Elk River (Minn.), 12-1* – MSHSL Class AAAAA state champion
24 (25). Slinger (Wis.), 14-0* - WIAA Division 2 state champion
25 (NR) Somers (Lincolndale, N.Y.), 13-0 – beat Whitesboro (N.Y.) 51-27 in the NYSPHSAA Class A final

MaxPreps Computer Rankings
Below are the Top 25 teams in the MaxPreps Computer Rankings in each of the Great Lakes states. 

IHSA Playoff Brackets (Print/Download/Share/Embed)

Illinois State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Loyola Academy (Wilmette)12-236.5
2East St. Louis13-123.3
3CMCHS (Chicago)11-335.5
4LWEHS (Frankfort)11-120.7
5NA (LaGrange Park)12-223.7
6Joliet Catholic (Joliet)10-425.2
7Marist (Chicago)9-229.2
8DGNHS (Downers Grove)10-222.7
9York (Elmhurst)11-327.5
10Batavia12-225.6
11Geneva12-220.4
12Fenwick (Oak Park)8-330.8
13MCHS (Lombard)12-213.5
14St. Rita (Chicago)10-324.2
15NCHS (Naperville)11-223.5
16Lyons (LaGrange)11-115.8
17ACHS (Belleville)14-0-1.8
18Brother Rice (Chicago)6-430.6
19St. Francis (Wheaton)10-325.6
20SCNHS (St. Charles)9-223.1
21Maine South (Park Ridge)8-423.6
22Normal Community (Normal)10-28.7
23Libertyville9-215.2
24Cary-Grove (Cary)12-13.7
25SICP (Chicago)6-630.3


IHSAA Postseason Brackets

Indiana State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Brownsburg13-147.7
2LNHS (Indianapolis)11-138.2
3Westfield12-242.9
4Center Grove (Greenwood)8-543.8
5New Palestine14-019.5
6WCHS (Indianapolis)10-227.8
7Cathedral (Indianapolis)6-441.8
8Crown Point12-122.0
9Fishers7-543.0
10Ben Davis (Indianapolis)5-644.3
11HSHS (Fishers)7-439.2
12DCHS (Indianapolis)11-224.5
13FCHS (Indianapolis)6-542.8
14Carroll (Fort Wayne)9-325.1
15HHHS (Lincoln City)14-110.8
16IBCHS (Indianapolis)9-323.9
17East Noble (Kendallville)13-215.5
18Avon3-748.9
19Zionsville4-744.6
20Columbus North (Columbus)8-221.5
21Pike (Indianapolis)5-534.2
22LCHS (Indianapolis)4-643.6
23FWSHS (Fort Wayne)8-323.7
24Warsaw10-418.3
25Roncalli (Indianapolis)7-527.7


MHSAA Playoff Brackets (Print, Download, Share, Embed)

Michigan State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Cass Tech (Detroit)12-217.5
2Catholic Central (Novi)12-126.0
3Notre Dame Prep (Pontiac)12-111.7
4Zeeland West (Zeeland)13-122.1
5Hudsonville12-224.9
6SMP (Orchard Lake)11-317.6
7UCHS (Hudsonville)10-115.0
8Goodrich13-19.0
9Dakota (Macomb)10-217.2
10Byron Center12-219.1
11DeWitt12-113.0
12Groves (Beverly Hills)12-110.2
13DLSC (Warren)8-325.6
14Belleville10-29.3
15MSHS (Norton Shores)9-217.1
16Adams (Rochester)10-320.7
17Millington14-0-3.0
18Niles12-29.6
19LCCHS (Jackson)13-12.9
20Frankenmuth13-15.0
21King (Detroit)10-49.5
22GPSHS (Grosse Pointe)10-110.8
23UEHS (Shelby Township)8-320.3
24Grandville6-524.9
25Rockford7-322.3


MSHSL Playoff Brackets
Class AAAAAA | Class AAAAA | Class AAAA | Class AAA | Class AA | Class A | 9-Man

Minnesota State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Elk River12-114.8
2Maple Grove13-04.2
3Alexandria10-322.6
4Moorhead9-112.1
5Becker13-07.7
6Minneota13-0-8.1
7Stewartville14-0-2.4
8JCCHS (Jackson)13-0-2.5
9Minnetonka10-36.7
10RAHS (Plymouth)10-13.2
11Chanhassen8-416.0
12Shakopee10-24.1
13Owatonna11-13.8
14Chatfield11-10.4
15Princeton9-12.0
16Andover7-312.5
17Mankato East (Mankato)7-37.7
18Kimball11-1-7.6
19Orono (Long Lake)9-33.4
20Bemidji7-312.2
21Monticello8-35.9
22Marshall10-2-0.3
23Staples-Motley (Staples)12-1-9.4
24Albany11-1-5.8
25B O L D (Olivia)8-2-4.3


NYSPHSAA Postseason Brackets
Class AA | Class A | Class B | Class C | Class D | Class 8-Man

New York State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Iona Prep (New Rochelle)11-227.9--
2Somers (Lincolndale)14-07.8--
3CBA (Syracuse)14-05.5+1
4St. Anthony's (Melville)9-422.7-1
5Cardinal Hayes (Bronx)8-422.1+1
6Canisius (Buffalo)9-316.9+1
7CBA (Albany)12-14.5-2
8Garden City12-0-5.7--
9Chaminade (Mineola)8-418.4+1
10Rye10-15.9+3
11Wantagh11-1-7.5+1
12St. Francis (Hamburg)5-519.7+2
13Whitesboro (Marcy)13-1-5.7-4
14Port Jervis12-1-10.1+18
15SJCI (Buffalo)6-410.1+1
16Curtis (Staten Island)12-1-5.0+6
17Shaker (Latham)9-23.0-2
18Maine-Endwell (Endwell)13-1-6.4-7
19AI (Rochester)10-34.3--
20MFHS (Staten Island)5-623.8-3
21Sayville11-1-6.6-3
22Massapequa11-1-2.6-1
23Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn)9-31.5-3
24CNSHS (Cicero)8-36.1--
25Carey (Franklin Square)12-0-11.3-2


OHSAA Playoff Brackets (Print, Download, Share, Embed)
Division I | Division II | Division III | Division IV | Division V | Division VI | Division VII

Ohio State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Avon16-034.7
2BWHS (Columbus)16-025.7
3AMHS (Cincinnati)14-239.1
4OLHS (Powell)14-237.1
5MLHS (Maria Stein)16-019.0
6Archbishop Hoban (Akron)12-334.4
7Anderson (Cincinnati)15-126.6
8Highland (Medina)13-121.1
9St. Xavier (Cincinnati)10-438.3
10Central Catholic (Toledo)14-227.0
11Washington (Massillon)11-330.1
12Ironton15-118.2
13St. Edward (Lakewood)9-642.0
14WJHS (Cuyahoga Falls)13-126.5
15Ursuline (Youngstown)13-225.1
16Mentor13-123.9
17LWHS (West Chester)11-225.8
18Liberty Center15-114.6
19Princeton (Cincinnati)10-329.6
20Coldwater15-115.5
21UAHS (Columbus)10-332.1
22La Salle (Cincinnati)11-329.6
23Glenville (Cleveland)11-422.2
24PNHS (Pickerington)11-328.7
25Big Walnut (Sunbury)13-223.3


PIAA Postseason Brackets
Class 6A | Class 5A | Class 4A | Class 3A | Class 2A | Class 1A

Pennsylvania State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1SJP (Philadelphia)11-242.7
2LSCHS (Wyndmoor)10-144.3
3CCHS (Pittsburgh)12-334.3
4MBAPC (CO-OP) (Drexel Hill)12-224.1
5Pine-Richland (Gibsonia)11-230.5
6BMDHS (Harrisburg)14-225.5
7PTHS (McMurray)11-228.6
8Upper St. Clair11-124.7
9RCHS (Philadelphia)11-526.0
10Harrisburg11-327.8
11NL (New Tripoli)16-09.3
12State College11-221.1
13TJHS (Jefferson Hills)13-117.4
14Bethel Park10-322.4
15DWHS (Downingtown)13-222.4
16North Allegheny (Wexford)10-225.8
17BRHS (West Chester)13-213.5
18Parkland (Allentown)11-320.2
19LSHS (Lampeter)14-112.8
20CBSHS (Warrington)12-114.0
21Easton Area (Easton)11-219.4
22Emmaus10-315.2
23Freedom (Bethlehem)10-218.8
24North Penn (Lansdale)11-318.7
25MTHS (Lancaster)10-214.7


WIAA Postseason Brackets
Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 4 | Division 5 | Division 6 | Division 7 | 8-Man

Wisconsin State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Slinger14-022.6
2NDA (Green Bay)14-014.0
3Bay Port (Green Bay)12-217.9
4Rice Lake11-325.3
5Muskego9-531.5
6Mukwonago10-329.9
7MU (Milwaukee)10-216.4
8West De Pere (De Pere)11-220.7
9Arrowhead (Hartland)9-330.5
10Homestead (Mequon)9-326.4
11Kaukauna9-324.9
12Neenah9-321.4
13D.C. Everest (Schofield)10-322.2
14Kimberly8-224.7
15Oconomowoc8-226.0
16New Richmond11-117.6
17Racine Case (Racine)9-217.0
18St. Catherine's (Racine)14-02.0
19Stratford14-06.6
20Waunakee10-216.8
21BWHS (Baldwin)12-214.0
22Badger (Lake Geneva)11-215.3
23Germantown8-325.0
24Franklin10-115.8
25Verona10-110.2

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