Mount Carmel hangs on in 8A
The top teams stayed the same in all eight classes in The Associated Press statewide rankings for high school football released Tuesday.
In 8A, Mount Carmel (5-0) rallied behind an injured player in a 28-15 win over Brother Rice in the Chicago Catholic-Blue.
Mount Carmel linebacker Lawrence Henning had 4 sacks and 6 tackles before being taken away by ambulance in the fourth quarter with symptoms of a concussion. Edwin Williams rushed for 178 yards and 3 touchdowns for Mount Carmel.
Frankfort Lincoln-Way East (5-0) remained No. 2 in 8A. Lincoln-Way Central (4-1) made its season debut at No. 10.
In 7A, Rolling Meadows got an 83-yard kickoff return from David Ubert and 2 interceptions from Stan Pheteau in a 35-6 win over Wheeling in the Mid-Suburban East.
On Friday, Rolling Meadows will travel to previously ranked Prospect (3-2) in an attempt to avenge two losses from last season. The rest of the top 10 in 7A remained the same.
In 6A, Normal Community (5-0) won 21-9 over Champaign Centennial in the Big 12. Dan Moore rushed for 147 yards and 2 touchdowns to lead the Ironmen.
Grant (5-0) joined the 6A ranks at No. 10 after a 21-17 win over Wauconda in the North Suburban Prairie.
Bloomington (3-2) fell out of the ranks with a 28-20 loss to Champaign Central, also in the Big 12. Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin (4-1) stayed at No. 5 after a 40-37 win over Chatham Glenwood in the Central State Eight.
The holdover No. 1s in 5A and 4A both hail from the Suburban Catholic Conference.
In 5A, Woodstock Marian (5-0) defeated St. Edward 30-0 for its third consecutive shutout. Peoria Richwoods (4-1) made its season debut in the 5A ranks at No. 9.
In 4A, Driscoll (5-0) is coming off a 37-21 win over Immaculate Conception. Driscoll will travel to Marian in Week 8, and host 5A No. 2 Montini (5-0) in Week 9. Marian will play host to Montini in Week 7. Preseason-ranked Breese Mater Dei (4-1) rejoined the 4A ranks at No. 9.
In 3A, St. Joseph-Ogden (5-0) retained the No. 1 ranking it has held since the preseason after a 49-12 Sangamon Valley Conference win over Gilman Iroquois West/Crescent-Iroquois.
Defending state champion Plano (5-0), which has allowed 10 points the entire season, moved up to No. 2 after a 23-0 win over Westmont. Anna-Jonesboro (5-0) slipped to No. 3 after a 49-14 win over Nashvillle in the Southern Illinois River-to-River-Mississippi. Preseason No. 2 Spring Valley Hall (3-2) moved back into the ranks at No. 10 after a 41-0 win over Kewanee in the North Central-Lincoln.
In 2A, top-ranked Morrison (5-0) handed previous 3A No. 10 Amboy/LaMoille its first loss, 43-8 in the Big Rivers Conference. Nate Vandermyde threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Nate McBride on the first play from scrimmage for Morrison.
Westville (5-0) stayed No. 2 after a 48-7 win over Milford in the Vermillion Valley. Watseka (4-1) fell three spots to No. 10 but stayed in the ranks after a 47-28 loss to Momence.
In 1A, defending state champion and No. 1 Tuscola got 4 touchdowns on 9 carries from Austin Schultz and University of Michigan recruit John Wienke completed 10 of 16 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown in a 41-10 win over Warrensburg-Latham in the Okaw Valley-Blue.
No. 2 Dakota won 35-14 over Lanark Eastland/Pearl City in the Upstate Illini-Northwest. In the Western Illinois Valley-North, Jacksonville Routt (5-0) stayed at No. 4 after a 22-20 win over Concord Triopia/Meredosia-Chambersburg. Triopia fell two spots to No. 10 after its first loss.