The high school football season in Illinois kicks off next week with 280 games scheduled for the weekend of Aug. 25-28. After going 11-3 and reaching the Class 6A state championship game last season,
East St. Louis headlines our look at this year's contenders in the preseason MaxPreps Top 25.
The Flyers have won nine state titles but came up short last year, losing 37-36 to
Cary-Grove. It was the program's first loss in a state title game since 1988.
Title No. 10 could be just months away. East St. Louis returns its entire offensive line, including three of the state's top 25 senior prospects in interior lineman
Paris Patterson Jr. (6-6, 345, Arkansas commit) and tackles
Miles McVay (6-6, 358, Alabama) and
Brandon Henderson (6-4, 320, Iowa State). Junior quarterback
Robert "Pops" Battle (6-1, 175) and sophomore running back
TaRyan Martin (5-8, 175) also return to a unit that averaged 40 points per game last year.
Defensively the Flyers feature senior linebacker
Antwon Hayden (6-2, 235, Illinois), senior end
Keshawn Hayden (6-2, 230, Central Michigan) and junior safety
Leontre Bradford (6-2, 190).
Loyola Academy (Wilmette) debuts at No. 2. The Ramblers are 171-36 and have advanced to six state championships (two state titles) in the last 15 years under head coach John Holecek. Loyola lost in the 8A semis last year to eventual champion
Lockport 35-21. The Ramblers will build around senior defensive tackle
Brooks Bahr (6-6, 270, Michigan) and senior tight end
Jack Parker (6-5, 230, Western Michigan).
Alleman (Rock Island) offensive lineman
Charlie Jagusah (6-6, 308) is the state's No. 1 senior prospect. He's committed to Notre Dame.
The No. 1 junior prospect is
Saint Ignatius College Prep (Chicago) defensive lineman
Justin Scott. The state's lone five-star prospect, he holds 19 offers including USC, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Washington.
The IHSA state finals will be held Nov. 25-26 at Memorial Stadium on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign-Urbana for the first time since 2018. Read on for a complete look at the Illinois preseason top 25 for 2022.
East St. Louis is 9-3 in 12 state championship games.
Photo by Dean Reid
1.
East St. Louis, 11-3 record in 2021
2.
Loyola Academy (Wilmette), 12-1
3.
Batavia, 10-1
7.
Cary-Grove, 14-0
10.
Wheaton North, 13-1
16.
Warren Township (Gurnee), 9-2
17.
Byron, 14-0
18.
Nazareth Academy (LaGrange Park), 7-5
19.
St. Rita (Chicago), 11-3
20.
Lena-Winslow, 12-2
21.
Maine South (Park Ridge), 12-2
22.
Mahomet-Seymour, 11-1
23.
Prairie Ridge (Crystal Lake), 9-3
24.
Princeton, 10-2
25.
Reed-Custer (Braidwood), 10-2
