Top 25 high school football rankings
How many Great Lakes teams are in this week's Top 25 high school football rankings?
Silos, smokestacks, steeples and stadium lights. The Great Lakes region is molded by its horizon. North Coast communities are defined - in part - by Friday nights.
Here's our latest and the season's last look at the top prep football teams in a landscape that houses the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Lambeau Field, the Big Ten Conference, Notre Dame and several of the top high school programs in the history of the sport.
State champs, national acclaim, big-time talent. North Coast football is a force. So are the following teams from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Congrats to all.
Southern Columbia Area (Pa.) won its third straight PIAA Class AA state title and 10th overall with a 74-7 win over Avonworth. The Tigers also set the PIAA single-season points record with 886.
Photo by Tim Kreider
@EFrantzMP's High School Football Great Lakes Regional Rankings: 12/11
1. St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia) – 12-2*
Last Week (1): Playing in their fourth straight PIAA Class 6A state final, the Hawks won their second straight title and third in four years with a 35-13 win over
Central Dauphin (Harrisburg, Pa.). After opening the season 1-2 with losses to two of the country’s top 20 teams –
Marietta (Ga.) and
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) – St. Joseph’s finished with an 11-game win streak. The Hawks are No. 15 in the
MaxPreps Top 25 National Rankings.
Next Up: Season Complete
2. Pickerington Central (Ohio) – 14-1*
Last Week (4): Senior quarterback
Demeatric Crenshaw rallied the Tigers from a 14-7 deficit with two second half touchdown passes to claim the
program’s second OHSAA Division I state title in three years with a 21-14 win over
Elder (Cincinnati). Pickerington Central was five-for-five on fourth down attempts in the game, including three conversions on the game tying and one on the game winning drives. Ranked No. 13 in the
MaxPreps Top 25 National Rankings.
Next Up: Season Complete
3. East St. Louis (East St. Louis, Ill.) – 14-0*
Last Week (3): Quarterback Tyler Macon Macon completed 13-of-19 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown as the Flyers won the program’s ninth state championship with a 43-21 win over
Prairie Ridge (Crystal Lake, Ill.) in the IHSA Class AA state final.
Next Up: Season Complete
4. Southern Columbia Area (Catawissa, Pa.) – 16-0*
Last Week (5): Playing in their fifth straight state championship game, the Tigers won their third straight PIAA Class AA state title and 10th overall with a record-setting 74-7 win over
Avonworth (Pittsburgh). Southern Columbia’s senior class finishes with a 63-1 record and riding a 48-game win streak. The Tigers’ 886 points breaks the previous PIAA season record of 860 set by Terrelle Pryor and
Jeannette (Pa.) in 2007. The Tigers, who allowed 82 points this season, forced nine turnovers in the state final.
Next Up: Season Complete
5. La Salle (Cincinnati) – 13-2*
Last Week (12): The Lancers make the final week’s big jump after beating previously unbeaten
Washington (Massillon, Ohio) 34-17 in the OHSAA D-II state final. The championship is La Salle’s fourth in six years. Northwestern recruit and senior running back
Cameron Porter rushed for three touchdowns. La Salle, which graduates just 14 seniors, is 22-1 in its last 23 playoff games. Ranked No. 28 in the
MaxPreps Top 25 National Rankings.
Next Up: Season Complete
6. Lincoln-Way East (Frankfort, Ill.) – 14-0*
Last Week (7): The Griffins allowed the fewest yards ever (36) in an IHSA Class 8A state title game and shut out
Warren Township (Gurnee, Ill.) 12-0 to win their second state championship in three years and third overall. The 36 yards allowed ranks second all-time for any classification. Kicker
Dominic Dzioban booted 46 and 45 yard field goals.
Next Up: Season Complete
7. Mentor (Ohio) – 13-1*
Last Week (8): The Cardinals fell 28-21 to Pickerington Central (Ohio) in an OHSAA D-I state semifinal. The loss brings to a close the storied career of head coach Steve Trivisonno who won 209 games and took the Cardinals to four state finals in 23 years. Ranked No. 21 in the
MaxPreps Top 25 National Rankings.
Next Up: Season Complete
8. Elder (Cincinnati) – 12-3*
Last Week (6): Senior quarterback Matthew Luebbe eclipsed
100 yards rushing and passing for the eighth straight week, but the Panthers fell 21-14 to Pickerington Central (Ohio) in the OHSAA D-I state final. Ranked No. 29 in the
MaxPreps Top 25 National Rankings.
Next Up: Season Complete
9. Muskego (Wis.) – 14-0*
Last Week (9): The Warriors defended their WIAA D-I state title and ran their win streak to 28 games with a 21-10 win over
Bay Port (Green Bay, Wis.).
Nick Maier racked up 15 tackles and 2.5 sacks for the victors.
Next Up: Season Complete
10. New Palestine (Ind.) – 14-0*
Last Week (10): The Dragons capped an undefeated season and defended their IHSAA Class 5A state championship with a 27-20 win over previously unbeaten
Valparaiso (Ind.). Senior running back
Charlie Spegal capped his storied prep career with 160 yards and a touchdown (80 yards) on 23 carries. He finishes with state records for career rushing yards (10,867), touchdowns (175) and rushing touchdowns (173). The championship was head coach Kyle Ralph’s third in seven seasons with the Dragons and improved his record at the school to 88-4.
Next Up: Season Complete
Dropped Out: No. 2 Washington (Massillon, Ohio) – Lost 34-17 to La Salle (Cincinnati)
The Next 511.
St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) – 11-2*
12.
Chicago Mt. Carmel (Chicago) – 14-0*
13. Washington (Massillon, Ohio) – 14-1*
14.
River Rouge (Mich.) – 13-1*
15.
Central Catholic (Pittsburgh) – 12-2*
Of Note…Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio) - 11-2*
St. Xavier (Cincinnati) – 9-3*
Colerain (Cincinnati) – 11-2*
Carmel (Ind.) – 11-3*
Nazareth Academy (LaGrange Park, Ill.) – 13-1*
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard (Indianapolis) – 14-1*
St. Ignatius (Cleveland) – 5-5*
Cathedral (Indianapolis) – 9-3*
Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.) – 13-0*
Muskegon (Mich.) – 13-1*
Springfield (Ohio) – 12-2*
Central Dauphin (Harrisburg, Pa.) – 12-3*
Thomas Jefferson (Jefferson Hills, Pa.) – 16-0*
Warren Township (Gurnee, Ill.) – 13-1*
Avon (Ind.) – 9-1*
Fairfield (Ohio) – 10-2*
Brownsburg (Ind.) – 7-4*
Winton Woods (Cincinnati) – 6-3*
DeForest (DeForest, Wis.) – 14-0*
Pine-Richland (Gibsonia, Pa.) – 10-2*
Manheim Township (Lancaster, Pa.) – 11-1*
Catholic Memorial (Waukesha, Wis.) – 12-2*
New Rochelle (N.Y.) – 13-0*
Davison (Mich.) – 12-2*
Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.) – 8-6*
Central Catholic (Toledo, Ohio) – 13-1*
Catholic Central (Grand Rapids, Mich.) – 13-1*
Chaska (Minn.) – 12-1*
Bay Port (Green Bay, Wis.) – 13-1*
State College (State College, Pa.) – 11-2*
St. Thomas Academy (Mendota Heights, Minn.) – 11-2*
* - Season Complete