LZ reclaims top spot in Class 7A
One class, 7A, has a new No. 1 in the final regular-season state rankings for high school football released Tuesday by The Associated Press.
Lake Zurich (7-1) resumed the top spot after a 33-0 victory over Lake Forest. Lake Zurich, ranked first at the start of the season, hasn't allowed more than seven points in a game since a first-week 27-20 loss to still-undefeated 8A No. 5 Fremd.
Previous No. 1 Rolling Meadows (7-1) fell to No. 8 after 12-10 loss to Buffalo Grove in the Mid-Suburban-East.
East St. Louis (7-1) moved up one spot to No. 2 after a 53-14 victory over previously unbeaten Belleville East. The Flyers have averaged 47.5 points over the last six games. No. 4 Rockford Boylan and No. 5 Geneva each stayed undefeated and moved up a spot, while Northbrook Glenbrook North (7-1) joined the 7A ranks at No. 9 after its seventh straight win, 41-6 over Deerfield. Moline (7-1) debuted at No. 10 after a 28-0 win over Quincy.
In Class 8A, No. 1 Mount Carmel (8-0) is coming off its most lopsided win of the season, 64-0 over St. Francis de Sales.
No. 2 Naperville North (8-0) and No. 3 Wheaton Warrenville South (8-0) play for the DuPage Valley title on Friday. No. 4 Downers Grove South and No. 5 Fremd also remain undefeated.
Brother Rice (6-2) joined the 8A ranks at No. 10 after a 14-13 victory over St. Rita. Lincoln-Way East (6-2) fell off the list after its second loss in three games.
In Class 6A, defending state champion Normal Community stretched its win streak to 22 with a 45-6 win over Decatur McArthur. The Ironmen will try for their second consecutive undefeated season in the Big Twelve on Friday against visiting Danville.
No. 2 Joliet Catholic defeated St. Joseph, 63-7. Joliet Catholic (7-1, 6-0) will host 7A No. 7 Carmel (7-1, 6-0) in the championship game of the East Suburban Catholic on Friday.
No. 3 Richards remained undefeated with a 44-7 victory over Oak Lawn. No. 5 Prairie Ridge and No. 7 Grant also are undefeated.
Previous No. 4 Lemont (6-2) fell to No. 9 after a 14-7 loss to Oak Forest.
The top-ranked teams in 4A and 5A will play Friday, when six-time defending state champion Driscoll (4A) and Montini (5A) meet for the Suburban Catholic championship.
Also in 5A, No. 2 Metamora (8-0) finished undefeated in the Mid-Illini with 49-7 victory over Morton. One time No. 1 Woodstock (6-2) fell another spot to No. 4 after a 21-7 loss to Driscoll. No. 5 Effingham (8-0) finished undefeated in the Apollo with a 26-19 win over Salem.
In 4A, Mount Carmel stayed No. 2 and Corn Belt champion Bloomington Central Catholic No. 3 after each won to stay undefeated.
Up one spot to No. 5 is Coal City (8-0). Herrin (7-1) fell to No. 10 from No. 4 after a 28-21 loss to West Frankfort.
In 3A, No. 1 St. Joseph-Ogden received a forfeit victory over Cullom Tri-Point/Donovan.
No. 3 Anna-Jonesboro (8-0) won the River-to-River-Mississippi outright with a 48-28 victory over Pinckneyville. No. 4 Greenville (8-0) finished off an undefeated season in the South Central-East with a 48-14 victory over Litchfield.
No. 6 PORTA/Greenview (8-0, 6-0) will host unranked Carthage Illini West (7-1, 6-0) for the championship in the West Prairie Trail-Southwest, and No. 7 Aurora Christian (8-0) and No. 8 Carterville (8-0) each rolled to easy victories.
Joining the 3A ranks at No. 10 was Columbia (8-0), which won the Cahokia with a 28-22 win over previously undefeated Red Bud.
In 2A, Morrison stayed No. 1 after a 49-28 win over Fulton.
Westville (8-0) stayed No. 2 following a 51-39 win over Hoopston. Defending state champions and No. 3 Maroa-Forsyth won for the 22nd consecutive time, 27-20 over Moweaqua A & M.
No. 4 Casey-Westfield will host winless Lawrenceville in its bid for an undefeated season in the Little Illini. No. 6 Forreston (8-0, 6-0) will host Class 1A No. 1 Dakota (8-0, 6-0) for the championship of the Upstate Illini-Northwest.
No. 8 Orion and No. 10 Flanagan/Woodland also remained undefeated and wrapped up league championships. Red Bud stayed at No. 7 despite its first loss, to Columbia.
Dakota retained the No. 1 position in 1A with a 42-0 win over Pecatonica.
No. 3 Mount Olive (8-0) is coming off a 48-0 win over Virden. Western Illinois Valley-North champion and No. 4 Jacksonville Routt (8-0) is fresh off its third consecutive shutout, 41-0 over Carrollton.
No. 6 Lewistown (8-0) got a late touchdown in a 20-14 win over Bushnell-Prairie City/Avon in the title game of the West Prairie Trail-Southeast. No. 7 Greenfield/Palmyra Northwestern can complete an undefeated regular-season slate with a victory over winless Jacksonville ISD.