Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 high school football rankings for Week 14
Joliet Catholic’s HJ Grigsby (7) carries the ball as the Hilltoppers defeat Providence.
Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times
The final week of the season has arrived.
With so few teams still playing there weren’t a lot of changes in the rankings. Downers Grove North jumps into the top four and Nazareth is all the way up to No. 8 after taking down St. Francis.
Cary-Grove, a team I underestimated all season, is up to No. 9 after defeating Lake Zurich. The Trojans’ reward is another title game against East St. Louis. Cary-Grove upset the Flyers in the 2021 Class 6A state championship, one of the best games I’ve covered.
Hope Academy, which gave Class 1A powerhouse Lena-Winslow all it could handle on Saturday, is the only new addition. Some readers may have an issue with that. Yes, there are likely several dozen larger schools that would trounce Hope. But I believe it is fun to give Hope Academy some recognition for a great season. After all, the Week 14 rankings aren’t very important in the large scheme of things.
Super 25 rankings for Week 14
With record and last week’s ranking
1. Loyola (13-0) 1
8A: Saturday vs. No. 3 Lincoln-Way East
2. Mount Carmel (12-1) 2
7A: Saturday vs. No. 4 Downers Grove North
3. Lincoln-Way East (13-0) 3
8A: Saturday vs. No. 1 Loyola
4. Downers Grove North (11-2) 7
7A: Saturday vs. No. 2 Mount Carmel
5. York (11-2) 6
Season complete
6. Barrington (12-1) 5
Season complete
7. Batavia (11-2) 4
Season complete
8. Nazareth (8-5) 13
5A: Saturday vs. No. 13 Joliet Catholic
9. Cary-Grove (11-2) 12
6A: Saturday vs. East St. Louis
10. St. Francis (10-3) 8
Season complete
11. Maine South (10-2) 9
Season complete
12. Warren (9-3) 10
Season complete
13. Joliet Catholic (10-3) 17
5A: Saturday vs. No. 8 Nazareth
14. Lake Zurich (11-2) 11
Season complete
15. St. Laurence (10-3)
4A: Friday vs. Rochester
16. Kankakee (11-1) 14
Season complete
17. Carmel (10-2) 15
Season complete
18. Providence (8-5) 18
Season complete
19. IC Catholic (9-3) 19
Season complete
20. Hersey (10-1) 20
Season complete
21. Glenbard West (8-3) 21
Season complete
22. Prairie Ridge (9-1) 22
Season complete
23. Morgan Park (10-2) 23
Season complete
24. Wilmington (12-1) 25
2A: Friday vs. Athens
25. Hope Academy (11-2) NR
Season complete