Chicagoland high school football rankings: Get Mike McGraw’s Top 25 for Week 7

Brother Rice tops Mount Carmel in the rivalry — and the rankings — as St. Rita and Sandburg return to the Top 25.

Last week’s rankings in parentheses.

1. Lincoln-Way East 6-0 (1): Griffins have scored at least 38 points four weeks in a row and have beaten five teams with winning records.

NEXT: Friday at Lincoln-Way Central.

2. Loyola 6-0 (2): Carmelo Maldonado scored on an 83-yard run and took a bubble screen for 67 yards as the Ramblers used big plays to beat Marist.

NEXT: Saturday vs. No. 13 St. Ignatius.

3. Brother Rice 4-2 (4): Freshman quarterback Sam Holcomb threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more as the Crusaders won a hyped matchup with Mount Carmel.

NEXT: Friday vs. No. 18 Fenwick.

4. Mount Carmel 4-2 (3): A two-score loss to Brother Rice might be alarming by Caravan standards, but the team dropped three games in 2020 and still won a state title.

NEXT: Friday vs. No. 8 Providence.

5. IC Catholic 6-0 (5): Anthony Carroccio returned an interception for a touchdown and set up another score with a fumble recovery in the Knights’ win at St. Laurence.

NEXT: Friday at Benet.

6. Hersey 6-0 (6): The Huskies recorded win No. 300 in program history without taking the field after Wheeling forfeited due to a lack of healthy players.

NEXT: Friday at Elk Grove.

7. Downers Grove North 6-0 (7): Grant Georgas ran for 250 yards and three touchdowns on just 11 carries as the Trojans kept rolling against Oak Park-River Forest.

NEXT: Friday at York.

8. Providence 5-1 (9): Interim coach Adam Nissen got his first victory with the Celtics, who fired Tyler Plantz, after the defense delivered a clutch fourth-down stop at Fenwick.

NEXT: Friday at No. 4 Mount Carmel.

9. Prospect 6-0 (10): Eastern Illinois recruit Jackson Cacini threw for a season-high 317 yards in the Knights’ win over Rolling Meadows.

NEXT: Friday at Wheeling.

10. Oswego 5-1 (11): Panthers trailed Yorkville in the third quarter until running back Graham Schwab threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to quarterback Drew Kleinhans.

NEXT: Friday at Joliet West.

11. Geneva 5-1 (12): Nelson Wendell rushed for 304 yards and scored the game-winner on a 49-yard screen pass with 1:04 remaining in the Vikings’ huge win at Batavia.

NEXT: Friday vs. Glenbard North.

12. Huntley 6-0 (22): Carson Rowe caught three touchdown passes from Malik Carter as the Red Raiders took control of the Fox Valley with an eye-opening win over Jacobs.

NEXT: Friday at Prairie Ridge.

13. St. Ignatius 5-1 (14): Nino Capuano had another big performance in the Wolfpack’s win at Carmel, rushing for 174 yards and four touchdowns.

NEXT: Saturday at No. 2 Loyola.

14. Batavia 4-2 (13): Wyoming recruit Michael Vander Luitgaren piled up 287 passing yards and 163 rushing yards in the Bulldogs’ high-scoring loss to Geneva.

NEXT: Friday at Wheaton North.

15. Maine South 5-1 (15): Backup quarterback Austin Breaux threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another in the Hawks’ victory over Niles West.

NEXT: Friday at Vernon Hills.

16. Bolingbrook 5-1 (16): Since season-opening loss to Homewood-Flossmoor, Raiders haven’t allowed more than a single touchdown in a game.

NEXT: Friday at Joliet Central.

17. Montini 4-2 (8): After three touchdown passes by Miami recruit Israel Abrams, Broncos led St. Rita 31-13 midway through the third quarter, but then let the lead slip away.

NEXT: Friday at De La Salle.

18. Fenwick 4-2 (17): Myles Hill threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, but it wasn’t enough in the Friars’ loss to Providence.

NEXT: Friday at No. 3 Brother Rice.

19. Homewood-Flossmoor 4-2 (18): Xavier Pratt‘s acrobatic 52-yard catch with 28 seconds left lifted the Vikings to a wild comeback win over Lincoln-Way West.

NEXT: Friday vs. Stagg.

20. Lyons 5-1 (19): Sophomore quarterback Quinn Carroll threw three touchdown passes in his varsity debut, a victory over Proviso West.

NEXT: Friday vs. Oak Park-River Forest.

21. Morgan Park 5-1 (20): Jonsean Young returned from a preseason injury to score the go-ahead touchdown in the Mustangs’ win over Simeon.

NEXT: Saturday vs. Taft.

22. St. Rita 3-3 (NR): Running back Brandon Johnson Jr. scored four touchdowns to send the Mustangs on a huge fourth-quarter rally against Montini.

NEXT: Saturday at Leo.

23. Sandburg 4-2 (NR): Eagles are back on the upswing after Kendall McDowell made a one-handed catch with 13 seconds left for the game-winner against Lincoln-Way Central.

NEXT: Friday at Lincoln-Way West.

24. Morris 6-0 (24): Eleven players scored touchdowns, beginning with the opening kickoff return, as the Warriors cruised past Ottawa.

NEXT: Friday at Sycamore.

25. Fremd 5-1 (NR): Linebacker Tom O’Brien and the rest of the Vikings’ defense shut down the run game, resulting in a win over previously unbeaten Conant.

NEXT: Friday vs. Hoffman Estates.

Others to watch: Glenbard West, Wheaton Warrenville South, New Trier, Antioch, Lincoln-Way Central, Joliet Catholic.