Chicago has seen an exciting shift in the high school football scene this week as Loyola Academy has risen to the fourth spot in the Super 25 rankings after a solid win against Providence. While some fans may have enjoyed watching Loyola drop down the rankings earlier this season, their consistent performance has now earned them a place among the top teams in the state.
Despite not being overly dominant in their recent match, the Ramblers displayed enough skill and experience to secure the victory. Their climb in the rankings was supported by issues faced by other teams, including a loss for Downers Grove North and a narrow win for Geneva over Wheaton North. This paved the way for Loyola to move up several spots.
Kankakee, a promising team, remains on the radar despite not facing tough competition as their schedule is less challenging than others. They suffered only one loss this season, a close game against Nazareth. Reportedly, several analysts have shared encouraging feedback on their performance this season.
In the rankings, four teams fell out this week: Hersey, Warren, Sandburg, and Prairie Ridge, all of whom faced defeats in Week 7. With these changes, new contenders are entering the frame. Both Naperville North and Prospect are making their debuts in the rankings. The Huskies have been strong contenders, only notably defeated by Naperville Central and Lincoln-Way East.
Prospect put in a strong showing by defeating Hersey and has bounced back by securing five wins after tough early losses. Meanwhile, York is rejoining the rankings, demonstrating its ability to play competitively throughout the season, while Palatine is making a return for the first time since preseason rankings.
Here is a look at this week’s Super 25 high school football rankings for Week 8:
- Lincoln-Way East (7-0) – Friday at Andrew
- Mount Carmel (5-2) – Friday at No. 18 Fenwick
- Nazareth (6-1) – Friday vs. Benet
- Loyola (5-2) – Friday at Carmel
- Geneva (7-0) – Friday at St. Charles East
- Cary-Grove (7-0) – Friday at Crystal Lake South
- Lyons (7-0) – Friday at No. 25 York
- Downers Grove North (6-1) – Friday vs. Hinsdale South
- St. Rita (5-2) – Friday vs. St. Patrick
- Naperville Central (7-0) – Friday vs. Sandburg
- Oswego (7-0) – Friday vs. Minooka
- Kankakee (6-1) – Friday vs. Thornton
- Joliet Catholic (4-3) – Friday vs. De La Salle
- Marist (6-1) – Friday vs. Marmion
- Batavia (6-1) – Friday vs. Wheaton-Warrenville South
- Morgan Park (6-1) – Friday vs. Brooks at Gately
- Libertyville (7-0) – Friday at Lake Forest
- Fenwick (6-1) – Friday vs. No. 2 Mount Carmel
- Brother Rice (4-3) – Friday at St. Laurence
- Palatine (6-1) – Friday at Conant
- Fremd (6-1) – Friday at Schaumburg
- Naperville North (5-2) – Friday at Homewood-Flossmoor
- Barrington (6-1) – Friday at Hoffman Estates
- Prospect (5-2) – Friday at Elk Grove Village
- York (6-1) – Friday vs. No. 7 Lyons
