IHSA Top 50 Football

#15
STILLMAN VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL | STILLMAN VALLEY
Program Record Since 1974: 360-156
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 30
IHSA Playoff Record: 54-25
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 6/5
1999-2A: Stillman Valley 28, Macon Meridian 0                       12-2
2000-2A: Stillman Valley 35, Tolono Unity 14                            14-0
2003-3A: Stillman Valley 21, Wilmington 7                                13-1
2009-3A: Stillman Valley 52, Tolono Unity 22                            14-0
2010-3A: Carthage Illini West 22, Stillman Valley 20                13-1
2013-3A: Stillman Valley 43, St. Joseph-Ogden 41 (OT)           12-2
State Final Coaches: Mike Lalor (1999, 2000, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2013)

Stillman Valley: Stillman Valley’s consistency in the 1990s and 2000s was something to behold. The Cardinals began an especially successful run in 1997, going 11-2 under Joe Blume. Mike Lalor took over in 1998 and raised the program to another level, reaching the Class 3A semifinals with an 11-2 squad. The best, however, was yet to come as the Cardinals won back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000. In the 1999 2A final, Stillman Valley dominated Macon Meridian, 28-0, to finish 12-2. The Cardinals ran the ball 43 straight times before attempting the first of their two passes. Stillman Valley finished with 260 yards on 63 carries with Brandt Bennett contributing 79 yards and one touchdown while A.J. Briarton added 72 yards. Tom Remsen ran for 66 yards and two scores. Among those blocking was 6-foot-4, 300-pound Pat Babcock, who went on the play at Illinois. “What these kids have done for our town and community over the last three years has been outstanding,” Lalor told the media. “How many coaches coach a lifetime just to get this chance?” Lalor’s second chance came 12 months later when Stillman Valley won the 2000 2A final over Tolono Unity, 35-14, to cap a 14-0 season. Brian Busser led the Cardinals with 184 rushing yards and three touchdowns. That result kept alive a 24-game winning streak that ended against Byron in the 2001 season opener. In 2003, Stillman Valley won another title, topping Wilmington in the 3A final, 21-7, to end a 13-1 campaign. “I was pinching myself afterwards,” Lalor said. “(Wilmington) was a tremendous team.” The Cardinals lost the total yardage battle, 219-158, but it didn’t matter as Keith Saunders ran for 48 yards and two touchdowns while Kyle Wills added 35 yards and one score. The contest was played in 28-degree temperatures and driving snow. Lalor mentored another 14-0 squad in 2009, besting Tolono Unity, 52-22, with a then-record 3A title game point total. Adam Cox rushed for 119 yards and three touchdowns. Tolono pulled within 24-14 in the second half, but Stillman Valley answered with a 21-play scoring drive that included three fourth-down conversions. “That was a key point in the game,” Lalor said. “They scored quickly and that drive gave us the momentum back.” The Cardinals’ fifth title arrived in 2013 when they won a 43-41 3A thriller against St. Joseph-Ogden in overtime to end a 12-2 season. Stillman Valley’s Zac Hare opened the scoring in overtime with a 2-yard touchdown run before adding the two-point conversion. St. Joseph-Ogden’s Connor Janes countered with a 5-yard score, but Trevor Gerig and Eddie Torrance sacked Dalton Walsh to nix the ensuing conversion pass, giving the Cardinals the win. Hare finished with 174 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Stillman Valley had lost its last two regular-season games in 2013 but regrouped in the playoffs. “What stood out the most … is the kids never quit,” said Lalor, after finishing a 16-year stretch from 1998 to 2013 with five titles, one runner-up finish, and three other semifinal trips. Lalor took a 26-year record of 214-78 into the 2024 season.

The following programs just missed the cut in making the list of the Top 50 IHSA Football programs from 1974-2024, but received votes from multiple committee members:

• Alleman | Rock Island

• Anna-Jonesboro

• Aquin | Freeport

• Aurora Christian

• Belvidere

• Bloomington

• Bolingbrook

• Calhoun | Hardin

• Camp Point Central

• Carlinville

• Coal City

• Dakota

• Downers Grove South

• Forreston

• Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley

• Glenbard North | Carol Stream

• Hampshire

• Harrisburg

• Johnston City

• Kaneland | Maple Park

• LeRoy

• Lexington

• Lincoln-Way Central | New Lenox

• Lockport Township

• Marshall

• Morgan Park | Chicago

• Naperville North

• Normal Community

• Oswego

• Prospect | Mt. Prospect

• Richwoods | Peoria

• Robeson | Chicago

• Simeon | Chicago

• St. Joseph-Ogden

• St. Laurence | Burbank

• Stevenson | Lincolnshire

• Triopia | Concord

• Tri-Valley | Downs

• Washington

• Williamsville

#50
UNITY HIGH SCHOOL | TOLONO
Program Record Since 1974: 377-158
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 31
IHSA Playoff Record: 58-31
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 6/0
2000-2A: Stillman Valley 35, Tolono Unity 14   
2005-3A: Bureau Valley 34, Tolono Unity 7      
2009-3A: Stillman Valley 52, Tolono Unity 22   
2012-3A: Aurora Christian 42, Tolono Unity 12 
2015-3A: Bishop McNamara 50, Tolono Unity 7   
2021-3A: Byron 35, Tolono Unity 7
State Final Coaches: Scott Hamilton (2000, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2021)

Unity: When making a list of Central Illinois’ top small school programs you wouldn’t have much of a list if Unity wasn’t included rather quickly. But that certainly wasn’t the case early in the playoff era as the school qualified for the playoffs just three times in the first 20 playoff seasons. Things changed almost immediately with the hiring of Scott Hamilton to run the program in 1994. Hamilton’s first team went 7-3 and qualified for the Class 2A playoffs, beginning a string of 24 consecutive seasons where the program made the postseason fracas. Hamilton’s teams have missed the playoffs just once in 29 playoff contested seasons where he has led the program. The Rockets haven’t just made the postseason, they’ve done a lot of damage while they’ve been there. 16 of those 29 playoff appearances have netted Hamilton’s squads at least a slot in the quarterfinal round, 14 of those campaigns concluded with Tolono having at least 10 victories with 13-win seasons in 2005, 2009 and 2021 serving as the program’s high water mark.  Tolono first reached the state championship game in 2000 where it dropped a 35-14 decision to Stillman Valley. Five more appearances followed in 2005, 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2021. Although Tolono has yet to hoist a state championship trophy, the Rockets are just one of 34 schools in the state of Illinois to make at least six appearances in a state championship. Hamilton is just 18 wins short of the 300 wins in Illinois club, an exclusive group that holds just eight coaches currently. His .802 winning percentage at Tolono is also one of the state’s highest marks in that category.

#49
WENDELL PHILLIPS ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL | CHICAGO
Program Record Since 1974: 246-218
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 12
IHSA Playoff Record: 25-10
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 3/2
2014-4A: Rochester 49, Phillips 28                  12-2
2015-4A: Phillips 51, Althoff Catholic 7          14-0               
2017-5A: Phillips 33, Dunlap 7                         14-0
State Final Coaches: Troy McAllister (2014, 2015, 2017)

Phillips: A question that lingered over the IHSA Football Playoffs for many years was: ‘when would a Chicago Public Schools team win a state championship?’ By the 2000’s, the sentiment on the topic was beginning to shift toward if a CPS team would ever hoist that elusive championship trophy. If it was going to happen, Wendell Phillips Academy, a program with one playoff appearance from 1974-2011, was not on anyone’s radar to accomplish the feat. Troy McAllister had just 12 players show up to his first practice at Phillips in 2010, but the Canadian head coach quickly asserted himself in the Windy City and built the program into a power. The Wildcats reached the playoffs in 2011, just missed the field in 2012 at 5-4, and then put the state on notice in 2013 when they won two playoff games before bowing out to perennial power Geneseo. In 2014, Philips became the first CPS program to reach a state title game since Robeson in 1982, where they fell to Rochester, and a year later they answered that proverbial question with an exclamation point, dominating the 4A title game against Althoff Catholic, 51-7. Phillips quickly became one of the top football programs in Chicagoland and McAllister chose a unique path with the program by deciding to petition the IHSA to move up and play at a higher classification than their enrollment. The Wildcats were a perfect 14-0 en route to a Class 5A state championship in 2017 and would go on to play in the 6A playoffs in 2018 and 7A playoffs in 2019, McAllister’s final season at the school. The program remains relevant today, with new head coach Joe Winslow reaching the playoffs in each of his three post-pandemic seasons at the helm. In the CPS pantheon, Simeon (who came in the Best of the Rest category) and its nine Prep Bowl titles enjoys the best program resume based on longevity, thanks in part to the leadership of head coaches Alvin Scott (1972-2004, 21 playoff appearances) and Dante Culbreath (13 playoff appearances in 13 seasons), while Lexie Spurlock built Morgan Park into a power in the mid-1990’s that remains relevant today. Despite that, the significance of Phillips winning state championships and its long-term impact on CPS football clearly carried significant weight for the IHSA Top 50 program voters.

#48
CENTRAL A&M HIGH SCHOOL | MOWEAQUA
Program Record Since 1974: 342-179
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 22
IHSA Playoff Record: 46-21
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 6/1
1992-2A: Richmond-Burton 20, Central A&M 6        (13-1)
1995-2A: Hampshire 20, Central A&M 18                  (13-1)
1996-2A: LeRoy 16, Central A&M 14                           (12-2)
1997-2A: Central A&M 35, St. Joe Ogden 28             (14-0)
2001-2A: Aledo 27, Central A&M 24                           (13-1)
2019-1A: Lena-Winslow 58, Central A&M 20            (13-1)
State Final Coaches: Mark Ramsey (1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2002), Brent Weakly (2019)

Central A&M: Central A&M, a consolidation of the Assumption and Moweaqua school districts that came in 1992, started to gain real footing for itself shortly after that consolidation occurred. Moweaqua added long-time coach Mark Ramsey to the staff in 1983 and two years later he started a playoff string of 14 seasons. The real hey-day for Central A&M came in the middle of the 1990’s. After taking a runner-up finish in the 1992 Class 2A finals with a loss to Richmond-Burton, the Raiders ripped off three straight championship appearances from 1995-1997. The last of those three culminated with a state championship, a 35-28 win over St. Joseph-Ogden. Ramsey left the program after the 2012 season, but the Raiders managed a bit of a resurgence under Brent Weakley in 2019 as the Raiders ran through their first 13 games without a loss before falling to Lena-Winslow in the Class 1A state title game. Ramsey is fifth on the state’s all-time wins list for Illinois coaches amassing 239 of his 332 wins at Moweaqua. 

#47
STOCKTON HIGH SCHOOL | STOCKTON
Program Record Since 1974: 356-156
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 33
IHSA Playoff Record: 44-31
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 6/2
1975-2A: St. Teresa 35, Stockton 0                             (12-1)
1977-2A: Mahomet-Seymour 19, Stockton 0           (12-1)
1978-2A: Stockton 9, Carlinville 0                               (12-1)
1991-1A: Stockton 32, Arcola 6                                   (14-0)
2004-1A: Monmouth United 21, Stockton 14           (12-2)
2012-1A: Maroa-Forsyth 48, Stockton 24                  (13-1)
State Final Coaches: John O’Boyle (1975, 1977, 1978, 1991), Brad Fox (2004), Chris Thornton (2012)

Stockton: Under John O’Boyle, Stockton built a small school powerhouse in the era prior to the playoffs, as O’Boyle’s teams put together seven consecutive seasons where they lost no more than one game. Once the playoffs arrived they pretty much kept up those high standards. Stockton would reach the state championship game in three of the first five playoff contested seasons, first arriving in 1975 where it fell to Decatur St. Teresa in the Class 2A final, they came up short again in 1977 with a 2A loss to Mahomet-Seymour, but finally broke through in 1978 by shutting out Carlinville in the 2A final 19-0. It took awhile for Stockton to get back to the state finals considering they had to routine maneuver its way through the northwest Illinois stronghold of small school football to secure its place. It took until 1991 for Stockton to get back to the final, O’Boyle would retire  in 1997 with 279 coaching victories, all at Stockton. It would take Stockton a few years to get its footing back after O’Boyle’s retirement, but eventually things jelled again as the school earned runner-up finishes in Class 1A in 2004 and 2012. Despite not winning a state title, Stockton’s 2012 team was one of the most prolific offenses in state history as it scored 686 points, rushed for 5,490 yards and scored 94 touchdowns.

#46
CASEY-WESTFIELD HIGH SCHOOL | CASEY
Program Record Since 1974: 381-147
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 33
IHSA Playoff Record: 50-32
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 4/1
1982-2A: Bloomington CC 38, Casey 0                                       (11-2)
1985-2A: Casey 34, Woodstock Marian 6                                  (14-0)
2008-2A: Immaculate Conception 36, Casey-Westfield 17     (13-1)
2011-2A: Morrison 23, Casey-Westfield 14                                (12-2)
State Final Coaches: Keith Sinclair (1982, 1985, 2008, 2011)

Casey-Westfield:  It took a little while for Casey-Westfield to establish itself as a playoff regular. But once it did the Warriors became basically a fixture in the postseason picture. After making just one playoff field in the first eight years of the system, the 1982 Casey-Westfield team not only qualified but made a run to the Class 2A State Title game where it fell to Bloomington Central Catholic. Three years later, they made it back, this time completing a perfect 14-0 season with a 34-6 win over Marian Central Catholic. After that title run, Casey-Westfield had established itself as a consistent playoff threat and it showed in the track record where they would only miss the field three times over the next 23 seasons. The most impressive stretch of Casey-Westfield football in the playoff era began in 2004. That was the first in a string of 10 consecutive seasons where the Warriors would notch at least 10 victories a season, with runner-up showings in Class 2A in the 2008 and 2011 seasons the highlights of that incredibly impressive run.

#45
BATAVIA HIGH SCHOOL | BATAVIA
Program Record Since 1974: 304-206
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 26
IHSA Playoff Record: 38-24
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 4/2
2006-6A: Normal Community 30, Batavia 20                      12-2
2013-6A: Batavia 34, Oak Lawn Richards 14                        13-1
2017-7A: Batavia 21, Lake Zurich 14                                      13-1
2022-7A: Chicago Mt. Carmel 44, Batavia 20                       10-4
State Final Coaches: Mike Gaspari (2006), Dennis Piron (2013, 2017, 2022)

Batavia: It took a while for Batavia to become the model of success consistency that the program currently is. The Bulldogs needed 17 seasons before earning its first playoff appearance in the school’s history under Mike Gaspari in 1991. Even then, the program still didn’t really settle into what has come to be expected of them as it took until 1996 before Batavia started stringing together playoff appearances, notching playoff berths in 12 of 15 season including a 2006 Class 6A title run that had them falling short to Normal Community. Dennis Piron took over the Batavia program in 2011 and it hasn’t missed a playoff field since, as he helped the school earn its first title, a Class 6A State Championship with a win over Oak Lawn Richards and then bumping up a class four years later for a Class 7A title with a victory over Lake Zurich. Over the last 10 playoff contested years, Batavia has qualified for at least the quarterfinals in seven of those seasons, including the two titles and a runner-up finish to Chicago Mount Carmel in 2022.

#44
RICHMOND-BURTON HIGH SCHOOL | RICHMOND
Program Record Since 1974: 369-152
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 32
IHSA Playoff Record: 44-30
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 3/2
1992-2A: Richmond-Burton 20, Central A&M 6                     11-3
2011-4A: Rochester 42, Richmond-Burton 39                        12-2
2019-4A: Richmond-Burton 50, Murphysboro 14                  14-0
State Final Coaches: Randy Hofman (1992), Patrick Elder (2011), Mike Noll (2019)

Richmond-Burton: Despite going 8-1 in 1975 and 7-2 in 1977, Richmond-Burton wouldn't experience its first playoff berth until 1981. The Rockets became a postseason fixture under coach Randy Hofman, who took over the program in 1980 and led the Rockets to the playoffs in 11 of his 13 seasons leading the program. The Rockets missed out in 1983, but that would be the only time during a 12-year stretch that would happen. At the end of that stretch, Richmond-Burton capped things off in style with a 20-6 victory over Central A&M to earn the school’s first state championship. Things fell off a little bit following the state title, but a return of Hoffman to the sidelines helped Richmond-Burton get back into the swing of the playoffs chase. Hoffman’s second stint ended after five years with four playoff qualifications which helped lay the foundation for a very successful 11-year stint at the helm for Patrick Elder that included three semifinal appearances one of which led to a runner-up finish in Class 4A in 2011. Later on, Richmond-Burton would put together an utterly dominating season in 2019, capped by a 50-14 win over Murphysboro in the Class 4A title game. That 2019 crew posted over 600 points on the season and no opponent managed to score more than 14 points against them, shutting out six opponents.

#43
GALENA HIGH SCHOOL | GALENA
Program Record Since 1974: 354-168
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 30
IHSA Playoff Record: 49-27
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 4/3
1997-1A: Galena 14, Stark County 0                                14-0
1999-1A: Carthage 14, Galena 12                                    13-1
2003-1A: Galena 21, LeRoy 20 (2OT)                               11-3
2007-1A: Galena 35, Tuscola 7                                          14-0
State Final Coaches: Charles Korte (1997, 1999, 2003), Ed Freed (2007)

Galena: Due to the difficulty of getting into the IHSA playoffs in its first years, great teams and programs sometimes didn’t get into the playoffs on a regular basis. For example, after starting his coaching career at Galena in 1978, Cichy’s first seven teams all had winning records, but just one of those teams made the playoffs. Cichy did get Galena on a perennial playoff path after that stretch qualifying with his last two teams, before passing the torch to Charles Korte and later Ed Freed. Those two men would guide Galena into the playoffs in all but two years from 1988 until 2010. Korte would lead Galena to the school’s first state with an undefeated squad in 1997. Galena would later add a second title under Korte in 2003. Freed’s 2007 squad would match the efforts of the 1997 squad, going undefeated and winning the school’s second 1A state title. Galena’s rise to power was a far cry from the days when the program was primarily focused on figuring out a way to topple Northwest Illinois’ top dog in the small school ranks, Stockton. But make no mistake, that still matters.

#42
NAPERVILLE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL | NAPERVILLE
Program Record Since 1974: 344-192
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 34
IHSA Playoff Record: 57-32
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 4/2
1995-6A: Wheaton Warrenville S. 22, Naperville Central 21           13-1
1999-6A: Naperville Central 56, Schaumburg 31                               14-0
2001-8A: Downers Grove South 34, Naperville Central 31              13-1
2013-8A: Naperville Central 13, Loyola 10                                          11-3
State Final Coaches: Joe Bunge (1995, 1999, 2001), Mike Stine (2013)

Naperville Central: Although Naperville Central qualified for the postseason in each of the first two years the state series was offered, the RedHawks really didn’t start making a postseason impact until the mid 1980’s. That coincided with the arrival of Joe Bunge leading the program. Bunge led Naperville Central for 20 seasons, qualifying for the postseason in 17 of those years. And after the first few seasons it was quickly acknowledged that if Naperville Central ended up in one’s playoff draw they were going to be hard to get rid of. Of the 17 playoff teams that qualified under Bunge, only three bowed out in the opening round. More often than not teams reached the quarterfinals, semifinals and on three occasions the title game. Naperville Central’s 1999 squad ran the table to win the 6A title, while the 1995 and 2001 squads suffered their only losses of the season in the championship game. The 1999 state title team featured the combo of junior quarterback Owen Daniels getting the ball to senior running back Ryan Clifford. Clifford ran for over 2,500 yards while turning in the most prolific scoring season in state history at the time, as he scored 51 total touchdowns (44 rushing) en route to 312 points, both of which were single-season state records in 1999. Mike Stine continued the stellar trend of his predecessor, tacking on a second state title in 2013, this time in Class 8A. The Clifford connection carried over into the school’s second state title, as Ryan’s younger brother Kevin Clifford was the lead back as a junior in 2013. Quarterback Jake Kolbe, who went to be a three-year starter at Illinois State University, paced the NCHS offense that season, but it was the Redhawk special teams that came up big in the  13-10 win over Loyola in the 8A title game. Future Iowa State kicker Connor Assalley made a pair of field goals (34, 37), before Dillon Gross sealed the victory with a fourth quarter field goal block, scoop, and 83-yard return for a touchdown.

#41
ALTHOFF CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | BELLEVILLE
Program Record Since 1974: 329-184
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 26
IHSA Playoff Record: 47-23
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 5/3
1980-4A: Althoff 10, DeKalb 7                                      12-1
1989-3A: Althoff 38, Princeton 7                                 13-1
1990-3A: Althoff 21, Rock Island Alleman 13            13-0
2012-2A: Mercer County 14, Althoff 7                        10-4
2015-4A: Chicago Phillips 51, Althoff 7                       13-1
State Final Coaches: Glenn Schott (1980, 1989, 1990), Ken Turner (2012, 2016)

Althoff Catholic: Due to changes in how the IHSA classified non-boundaried and private schools, Althoff has achieved the rare distinction of having played in every classification from Class 1A to 5A. Often playing larger schools, Althoff was moved up several classifications on a regular basis, especially when its enrollment number was based on the average enrollment of its opponents. Althoff claimed three state titles in an 11-year span, earning the program’s first crown in 1980 before going back-to-back in 1989 and 1990. In the 1980 4A final against DeKalb, Althoff’s Jeff Schulte recovered a third-quarter fumble to set up a 38-yard touchdown run by Mike Laney on a draw play up the middle. Jeff Junker, who’d made a 38-yard field goal earlier, converted the extra point to end the scoring of a 10-7 triumph. “We had talked about using that (draw) play all week,” Coach Glenn Schott told the media. “Mike did a heck of a job running it, especially getting by that last man.” The Crusaders closed the 1980s with another title, topping Princeton, 38-7, in 3A. Althoff’s 1989 regular season had included five 6A opponents, three 5A foes, and one 4A school. Explosive running back Hickey Thompson suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Althoff’s third game. “Any time you win, it’s great, but these guys overcame a lot for this title and they have a lot to be proud of,” said Schott, who watched Althoff erase a 7-6 deficit against Princeton by scoring 32 unanswered points. Da Rond Stovall led the Crusaders with 96 rushing yards. Keith Schwartz, who made a 35-yard field goal for Althoff, finished the season with 57 conversion kicks. Thompson returned in 1990 to gain a then-record 3,105 rushing yards, a total that has since slipped to seventh in state history. His efforts punctuated a 13-0 season that ended with a 21-13 win over Rock Island Alleman in 3A. Thompson gained 257 yards on a 3A title-game-record 41 carries. His two touchdowns gave him 41 for the season, tying the 15th most in state history. He might have had more, but he wasn’t needed in many blowouts. “He only played the fourth quarter in three ballgames,” Schott said. The Crusaders roared back in the 2000s, qualifying for the 5A playoffs six consecutive years before Schott turned the coaching reins over to Ken Turner, who took Althoff to title games in 2012 (2A) and 2015 (4A). Schott ended his 38-year tenure in 2007 with a 245-127-3 record. Among his final stars was Jason Ford, who ended the 2008 season with 6,417 career rushing yards, the eighth most in state history.

#40
WHEATON NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | WHEATON
Program Record Since 1974: 329-183
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 25
IHSA Playoff Record: 43-21
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 4/4
1979-4A: Wheaton North 14, LaSalle-Peru 6                           12-1
1981-4A: Wheaton North 14, Geneseo Darnall 0                   13-0
1986-5A: Wheaton North 34, Chicago Mt. Carmel 14           13-1
2021-7A: Wheaton North 35, St. Rita 6                                    13-1
State Final Coaches: Jim Rexilius (1979, 1986), George Turnbull (1981), Joe Wardynski (2021)

Wheaton North: The playoff era didn’t arrive fast enough for Wheaton North as two of the program’s best teams went undefeated in back-to-back seasons just two years before the playoffs began. What those teams may have done was lay the foundation of what was to come. Wheaton North claimed Class 4A state titles in both 1979 (under Jim Rexilius) and in 1981 (under George Turnball). Between 1979 and 1982, the Falcons lost just four games. In the 14-6 state final win over previously unbeaten LaSalle-Peru in 1979, Wheaton North’s Shawn Young rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown. L-P outweighed Wheaton North by 15 pounds per player, but it didn’t matter. “If you give our backs some seam, they’ll get through,” Rexilius told the media. Wind gusts up to 25 mph made passing a challenge as future NFL quarterback Chuck Long completed just one Falcon pass for negative three yards. The star of the Falcons’ 14-0 win over Geneseo in the 1981 final was Darryl Richardson, who gained 122 yards and scored two touchdowns to cap a 13-0 season. Among Wheaton North’s stars was 6-foot-6, 269-pound lineman Jim Juriga, who went on to play six seasons in the NFL. Rexilius left the program for a two-year stretch to coach at Wheaton College before returning to the Falcons and quickly capturing another state title in 1986. That 34-14 win over Chicago Mount Carmel saw Wheaton North force four turnovers. Dave Kooser got the Falcons started by returning the opening kickoff a still-standing 5A record 84 yards for a touchdown. Wheaton North’s 6-5, 220-pound quarterback, Kent Graham, completed 7 of 12 passes for 96 yards before going on to play 12 years in the NFL. The Falcons returned to prominence recently by making a somewhat surprising run to the Class 7A title in 2021, breezing past a highly thought of St. Rita squad, 35-6, in the final. In the stands were some of the Falcons from the 1986 title team. “(Those dads) had our backs the whole way,” Coach Joe Wardynski told the media. “We’ve had the same three state titles on our press box for all these years. Now we can add 2021 to it.” Among the 2021 state final highlights was a 7A record 28-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Trent Gabriele to give Wheaton North a 21-0 halftime lead. Also setting 7A title-game records were Mark Forcucci with 302 yards passing on 14-of-22 accuracy and Seth Kortenhoeven with 158 receiving yards on seven catches. Other alumni to play in the NFL were cornerback Pete Ittersagen (2004) and quarterback Clayton Thorson (2014).

#39
CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | BLOOMINGTON
Program Record Since 1974: 345-181
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 32
IHSA Playoff Record: 51-28
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 7/4
1982-2A: Bloomington Central Catholic 38, Casey 0                                       12-1
1983-2A: Woodstock Marian, Bloomington Central Catholic 14                   11-2
1987-1A: Bloomington Central Catholic 20, Hardin Calhoun 12                    12-2
1990-1A: Sterling Newman CC 6, Bloomington Central Catholic 3 (OT)       12-2
1994-3A: Bloomington Central Catholic 22, DuQuoin 12                                13-1
2007-4A: Addison Driscoll 48, Bloomington Central Catholic 24                   13-1
2008-4A: Bloomington Central Catholic 37, Aurora Christian 28                   14-0
State Final Coaches: John McIntyre (1982, 1983, 1987), Dan Boynton (1990), Bobby Moews (1994, 2007, 2008).

Central Catholic: Bloomington Central Catholic was the first school to win three state championships in three different classes and the first to win four in four different classes: 1982 (2A), 1987 (1A), 1994 (3A), and 2008 (4A). Only 24 other programs have won four or more titles. Regardless of what class the Saints were in, they tended to be a terror although it took them awhile to get established. In fact, Central’s first playoff appearance led to the Class 2A title in 1982 under John McIntyre, who turned a 3-6 team in 1981 into a 12-1 champion. The 38-0 title game win over Casey saw Central junior Dave Schilkoski gain 135 yards thanks to stellar blocking. “Our line’s been opening those holes all year,” he told the media. The Saints followed with a runner-up showing in 1983. McIntyre capped a successful nine-year stint at the school in 1987 with another title, this time in Class 1A with a 20-12 verdict over Hardin Calhoun. The deciding score came with 8:36 left as Brian Flynn completed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Scott Connor on a crossing pattern. “I was scared I was going to drop it,” Connor said. Teammate Kurt Thoma contributed a career-high 135 rushing yards. In 1990, Coach Dan Boynton took the Saints to a 1A state championship game, shortly thereafter passing the reins to Bobby Moews. By 1994, Moews and the Saints were celebrating a 22-12 Class 3A championship game win over DuQuoin. Central trailed, 12-0, at halftime before scoring 22 unanswered points. “They’re a lot to defend,” said DuQuoin coach Al Martin. Moews later took the 2007 squad to a runner-up showing in Class 4A and followed that a year later with a 14-0 state championship effort. In a 37-28 win over Aurora Christian in the 2008 4A final, Adam Rebholz passed for 319 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for a team-high 80 yards and two more scores. “When we couldn’t run the ball, we passed,” he said. “When we couldn’t pass the ball, we ran. The dual threat really helped us out.” Teammate David Murray, who ran for 65 yards and caught four passes for 71 more, said, “To win our fourth state championship is something we’ll remember forever.” Central has sent two unforgettable players to the NFL: 6-2, 321-pound Josh Brent (2007) and 6-4, 265-pound Michael Hoomanawanui (2006), the latter earning a Super Bowl ring with New England in 2014.

#38
WILMINGTON HIGH SCHOOL | WILMINGTON
Program Record Since 1974: 353-248
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 30
IHSA Playoff Record: 49-27
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 4/3
2003-3A: Stillman Valley 21, Wilmington 7                            13-1
2014-3A: Wilmington 20, Williamsville 17                             14-0
2021-2A: Wilmington 24, Nashville 7                                      12-2
2023-2A: Wilmington 28, Athens 3                                          13-1
State Final Coaches: Jeff Reents (2003, 2014, 2021, 2023)

Wilmington: The first 20 years of the playoffs, Wilmington qualified for the post-season just three times and won only two playoff games, both in 1988. Things turned around in 1994 when Jeff Reents took over the program. The Reents regime went 3-6 his first season and 5-4 his second. The 1996 team, however, led by future NFL running back Damien Anderson, went 11-1 with its only loss coming in the Class 3A quarterfinals. It would be the first of 14 seasons in which Wilmington would finish with one or fewer losses and the first of 13 times the Wildcats would reach at least the quarterfinals. After those playoff misses his first two seasons, Reents has never missed the playoffs again. Wilmington made a breakthrough in 2003, reaching the Class 3A final where it fell to Stillman Valley, 21-7. Tony Vercelli led the Wildcats that year with 1,479 rushing yards when not leading the team in tackles as a linebacker. Wilmington reached the pinnacle of Class 3A in 2014, defeating Williamsville, 20-17, in the final on a 31-yard field goal into the wind by Jordan Sarr out of the hold of Austin Headrick as time expired. “I kicked it, and I heard the crowd cheering and felt the joy,” Sarr told the media after capping a 14-0 season. Sarr’s opportunity to be a hero came courtesy of Alex Zlomie, whose 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with 6:14 left gave Wilmington a 17-10 lead. The Wildcats have collected two Class 2A titles since then, going 14-0 to claim the 2021 crown and 13-1 to land the 2023 championship. In the 24-7 win over Nashville in the 2021 final, Jacob Friddle led the victors with 159 yards on 29 carries and scored on runs of 23 and 34 yards. Wilmington, which limited foes to 10 points per game that year, held the Hornets to a season-low 107 total yards. “Not too many people have been scoring on them this year,” lamented Nashville coach Stephen Kozuszek. In the 2023 final, a 28-3 triumph over Athens, the Wildcats’ defense was stifling again, limiting its foe to 104 total yards. Wilmington’s offense was led by Kyle Farrell, who ran for 192 yards on 24 carries, the longest of which covered 78 yards for a fourth quarter touchdown. Wilmington’s lone loss in 2023 was to Seneca, 27-21 in the season-opener, a setback it avenged, 20-14, in overtime in the state quarterfinals. “These guys are guys you want to be at practice with,” Reents said. “They’re guys you love seeing in the hallways at school. They make your school better and your community better. I’m just very proud of them.” Entering the 2024 season, Reents had a 30-year record of 273-64 to rank 15th in state history for career wins.

#37
MARIAN CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | WOODSTOCK
Program Record Since 1974: 345-184
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 27
IHSA Playoff Record: 59-23
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 6/4
1983-2A: Woodstock Marian 34, Bloomington Central Catholic 14       13-0
1985-2A: Casey 34, Woodstock Marian 6                                                   10-4
1986-2A: Woodstock Marian 24, Decatur St. Teresa 20                           12-2
1987-2A: Woodstock Marian 35, Deer Creek-Mackinaw 6                      13-1
1989-2A: Woodstock Marian 27, St. Joeseph-Ogden 13                          14-0
2006-5A: Sacred Heart-Griffin 35, Woodstock Marian 14                        13-1
State Final Coaches: Don Penza (1983, 1985, 1986, 1987), Steve Patton (1989), Ed Brucker (2006).

Marian Central Catholic: Woodstock Marian generated a run of success in the 1980s few in the state have matched. Don Penza guided the program to its first state title during a 13-0 season in 1983. Penza handed the play-calling duties to quarterback Chuck Hartlieb on offense and linebacker Darren Fortin on defense, moves that led to the Hurricanes topping Bloomington Central Catholic in the Class 2A final, 34-14. “They (Hartlieb and Fortin) let me watch the game again,” Penza told the media. “I called two offensive plays this year and neither one worked. These kids make their own decisions, and I think you saw today they do a good job of it.” Hartlieb, who went on to play in the NFL, passed for two touchdowns and ran for another. The Hurricanes lost in the 1985 Class 2A final before winning back-to-back titles in 1986 and 1987. The 34-20 Class 2A win over Decatur St. Teresa in 1986 saw Jim Hartlieb, Chuck’s kid brother, run for two touchdowns and pass for two more. In the 1985 title game loss to Casey, Jim Hartlieb suffered a mild concussion in the second quarter. “Getting beat that bad was so much motivation to come back this year, even though I don’t remember much,” Hartlieb said in 1986. In the 1987 2A final against Deer Creek-Mackinaw, Hartlieb dislocated the ring finger on his right hand in the first quarter so Marian set aside its passing attack in favor of a ground game that covered 355 yards. Hartlieb gained 122 of those yards on 16 carries and his sophomore brother, John, added 119 yards on 15 carries. After winning his third title, 35-6, Penza said, “You can win it five times, 10 times, and you’re just as happy as you were the first time, just as enthused.” An All-American end for Notre Dame in 1953, Penza and the Hurricanes took a slight step back in 1988 with a 9-2 record. Sadly, Penza passed away from a heart attack at age 57 in the spring of 1989. He had gone 76-18 in eight years at Marian and 68-18-2 in 11 years at Wisconsin Rapids Assumption for an overall mark of 144-36-2. Assistant coach Steve Patton replaced Penza and guided the 1989 Hurricanes to a 14-0 record, downing St. Joseph-Ogden in the 2A final, 27-13. “This championship is because of Don Penza and it’s for Don Penza,” Patton said. From 1981 to 1989, the Hurricanes went 93-17 with four state championships and one runner-up effort, all in Class 2A. Marian alumni joining Chuck Hartlieb in the NFL were tackle Bryan Bulaga (2007) and quarterback Chris Streveler (2013).

#36
MT. CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL | MT. CARMEL
Program Record Since 1974: 435-117
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 41
IHSA Playoff Record: 65-40
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 6/1
1974-3A: West Chicago 32, Mt. Carmel 0                            11-2
1981-3A: Mt. Carmel 22, Bishop McNamara 8                   13-0
2001-4A: Driscoll 42, Mt. Carmel 41 (2OT)                          12-2
2002-4A: Driscoll 42, Mt. Carmel 0                                       13-1
2011-3A: Aurora Christian 34, Mt. Carmel 7                       12-2
2023-3A: Byron 69, Mt. Carmel 7                                          13-1
State Final Coaches: Larry Davis (1974, 1981), Darren Peach (2001, 2002, 2011), Michael Brewer (2023).

Mt. Carmel: The thing one notices about Mount Carmel football is its consistency. Only four schools have earned more playoff berths than the Golden Aces’ 41. Mount Carmel has only had three losing seasons the past half century. Not only do the Aces punch their playoff tickets almost every year, they are difficult to knock out, having only been eliminated in the first round in 11 of their 41 appearances. Mount Carmel is only 1-5 in state championship games with its lone title coming in 1981 when a Larry Davis-coached squad topped Kankakee Bishop McNamara, 22-8, in Class 3A. Quarterback John Rafferty led the Aces with 95 passing yards on 7-of-11 accuracy. His 13-yard touchdown pass to Bruce Linson on the opening possession put Mount Carmel ahead to stay. “Ever since we were freshmen and even in junior league football, our goal was to win the state championship,” Rafferty told the media after capping a 13-0 campaign. “Everyone expected us to get this far, so we were always in a do-or-die situation.” Among the state’s most memorable title games, the 2001 Class 4A final saw Mount Carmel fall to Addison Driscoll, 42-41, in double overtime. Despite the outcome, Coach Darren Peach called it “one of the greatest games in IHSA history.” A 10-yard touchdown pass from Luke Drone to Bryant Grant pulled the Aces within a point in the second overtime, but the ensuing conversion pass missed its mark. During a timeout before the attempt, the players and coaching staff agreed with Peach’s plan to go for two. Peach inserted his “hog package” with defensive linemen Josh Woods, Bryan Straw, and Steve Ile lined up in the offensive backfield. The idea was to throw out of a power-running formation. “But, lo and behold, we didn’t complete it and they are the champions,” lamented Peach, who took solace in the caliber of play. “This is probably the best feeling I’ve ever had after a loss at the end of the year because we played so well and it was just a great game.” Drone, who later starred at Illinois State University, completed 14 of 24 passes for 196 yards and four touchdowns, giving the junior 1,741 yards for the season along with 22 scoring passes against just four interceptions. In a rematch the next year, Addison Driscoll blanked the Aces, 42-0, in the 4A final. “I thought their team speed was the difference,” said Peach, whose team had scored more than 40 points eight times that season but was held to 127 yards of offense. Drone finished his senior season having thrown for over 2,000 yards and 30 touchdowns when not rushing for more than 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns.

#35
TUSCOLA HIGH SCHOOL | TUSCOLA
Program Record Since 1974: 367-163
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 32
IHSA Playoff Record: 56-30
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 6/2
2006-1A: Tuscola 35, Aledo 20                                                           14-0
2007-1A: Galena 35, Tuscola 7                                                           12-2
2009-1A: Tuscola 14, Lexington 7                                                      11-3
2010-1A: Lena-Winslow 47, Tuscola 14                                            12-2
2011-1A: Dakota 41, Tuscola 27                                                         12-2
2017-1A: Lena-Winslow 21, Tuscola 20                                            13-1
State Final Coaches: Stan Wienke (2006, 2007), Rick Reinhart (2019, 2010, 2011), Andy Romine (2017).

Tuscola: Between 1994 and 2011, Tuscola had three seasons where it finished 7-3. Those campaigns were considered the bad ones. On the other end of the spectrum were 13 seasons where Tuscola netted at least 10 wins. Near the end of that run, the Warriors appeared in five state championship games over six seasons. Since 1994, Tuscola has won at least one playoff game in all but four seasons and only missed the playoffs three times. The Warriors won Class 1A titles in 2006 and 2009. In a 35-20 upset of No. 1-ranked Aledo in the 2006 final, Tuscola coach Stan Wienke’s son, John, a 6-foot-4, 207-pounder, threw for 384 yards on 20-of-33 accuracy. “It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Stan Wienke told the media afterward. “We’ve had our offense going at times, and our defense other games, but we really haven’t put both together.” The offense clicked so well, John Wienke still holds records for most passing yards and longest completion (80 yards to Nick Hanke) in a 1A final. Broc Winn caught two touchdown passes while adding a 1A record-tying 149 receiving yards. John Wienke finished with 3,221 passing yards that 14-0 season. In the 2009 1A final, the Warriors downed Lexington, 14-7. “On this turf (at Champaign), our kids were able to run more,” said Tuscola coach Rick Reinhart. “We had to use our speed to overcome their power.” The Warriors held Lexington star T.J. Stinde to 128 rushing yards, the lowest total of his then-record 3,325-yard season. The nearest miss of Tuscola’s four Class 1A state final losses was a 21-20 setback against Lena-Winslow in 2017. The Warriors reached Lena-Winslow’s 29-yard line with 15 seconds left, but a fourth-down incompletion wiped out a chance at attempting a game-winning field goal. “We really believed if we could have completed that last pass, with a timeout, we were going to call it and trot (kicker Cade Kresin) out there who is really, really, really good and see if we could win it like that,” Tuscola coach Andy Romine said. No era in Tuscola history produced more statistical fireworks than Dusty Burk’s 1995-97 tenure as quarterback. Before going on to star at Illinois State University, Burk threw for a then-record 7,526 yards, a total that has slipped to 13th in state history. His 4,052 passing yards in 1997 rank fifth all-time for a single season. Another statistical star was Dalton Hoel (2014-17), whose 40 career touchdown catches rank 12th in state history while his 2,992 career receiving yards rank 19th. Hoel shares the record for most interception returns for touchdowns in a game at three. Another Tuscola record setter, Dan Bridge, blocked eight kicks in 1999. A 1996 Tuscola graduate, 6-7, 295-pound defensive end Fred Wakefield went on to play in the NFL.

#34
PRAIRIE RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL | CRYSTAL LAKE
Program Record Since 1974: 217-84
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 21
IHSA Playoff Record: 43-18
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 5/3
2011-6A: Prairie Ridge 35, Richwoods 14                                13-1
2016-6A: Prairie Ridge 48, Sacred Heart Griffin 17                14-0
2017-6A: Prairie Ridge 28, Nazareth 21                                   14-0
2019-6A: East St. Louis 43, Prairie Ridge 21                            12-2
2022-6A: East St. Louis 57, Prairie Ridge 7                              12-2
State Final Coaches: Chris Schremp (2011, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2022).

Prairie Ridge: Prairie Ridge started its program 23 years after the playoff era began. The Wolves’ resume, however, is so strong it ranks among the best in state history. Since going 1-8 in their inaugural season in 1997, they’ve only had two sub-.500 seasons. Prairie Ridge’s first playoff berth came in 1999, but it wasn’t until 2005 that the Wolves advanced to the second round. Over the next seven seasons they’d only fail to advance that deep once. The program’s first Class 6A title arrived in 2011. That 35-14 triumph over Peoria Richwoods saw Jordan Getzelman rush 26 times for 175 yards and three touchdowns. Teammate Erik Odden returned a fumble 15 yards for a touchdown while John Borst and Brett Covers both intercepted passes. “It’s extremely gratifying to get to this point,” said Wolves coach Chris Schremp, whose team had been stopped in the semifinals the previous two seasons. “These guys worked like champions. What an awesome life lesson about working hard and doing things the right way.” As great as 2011 was, the best was yet to come as Prairie Ridge fashioned back-to-back 14-0 seasons to win Class 6A titles in 2016 and 2017. The Wolves’ 30-game winning streak, which tied the 18th longest in state history, came to an end in the third week of the 2018 season. In its 48-17 victory over Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin in the 2016 final, Prairie Ridge watched quarterback Samson Evans rush 24 times for a 6A record 274 yards and four touchdowns. He was among 10 junior starters for the Wolves, who got the best of a 544 to 124 difference in rushing yardage. “Three or four yards is a great play for us,” Schremp said. “I think a lot of schools get away from that with the spread offenses you see out here. We look up and if we are moving the chains with 3- to 4-yard gains, we are happy with that.” Evans ended his fourth year as a starter with a 28-21 victory over Nazareth Academy, which included the quarterback returning a punt 78 yards for a TD. The scoring ended on his 4-yard run with 1:01 remaining. An Iowa recruit who later played at Eastern Michigan, Evans rushed for 155 yards and scored on a 78-yard punt return and 5-yard run. “We knew we could put up points,” said Evans, whose 112 career touchdowns rank fourth in state history while his 6,386 career rushing yards rank ninth. Preserving the win over Nazareth was Drew Norton’s interception at the goal line on the final play of the game. Leading Prairie Ridge to its most recent state trophy for second in 2022 was Tyler Vasey, who set a state single-season rushing record with 3,878 yards and tied the touchdown record with 53. Schremp stepped down as coach after going 9-1 in 2023 to become the Wolves’ athletic director.

#33
RICHARDS HIGH SCHOOL | OAK LAWN
Program Record Since 1974: 415-134
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 40
IHSA Playoff Record: 70-38
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 4/2
1988-4A: Richards 40, Peoria 6                                               14-0
1989-4A: Richards 12, Morris 6 (OT)                                      14-0
2001-6A: Providence Catholic 41, Richards 0                       13-1
2013-6A: Batavia 34, Richards 14                                           12-2
State Final Coaches: Gary Korhonen (1988, 1989, 2001), Tony Sheehan (2013)

Richards: Richards only qualified for the postseason three times in the first 11 years of the playoff era, but then became one of just six schools to earn 40 playoff berths. The Bulldogs put together a string of three consecutive playoff appearances beginning in 1978, but really became a powerhouse in 1985. That campaign began a run of 23 consecutive playoff trips under legendary coach Gary Korhonen, whose 1972-2007 record of 306-91 ranks sixth for wins in state history. He also coached in Iowa, placing his overall record at 315-98. In 2005, Richards renamed its football field in honor of Korhonen, whose teams won 22 conference titles, made six state semifinal appearances, and finished 10 regular seasons undefeated. Between 1985 and 2007, Richards won 10 or more games 16 times. The highlights were back-to-back 14-0 state championship seasons in 1988 and 1989, both in Class 4A. Richards’ winning streak ended in 1990 at 34 games, the eighth longest in state history. After winning the 1988 Class 4A final over Peoria, 40-6, the biggest margin of victory in 4A final history until 1999, Korhonen told the media, “It doesn’t get any better than this. For me, it’s the ultimate.” Leading a balanced attack was quarterback Efrem Haymore, who passed for 141 yards and one touchdown and ran for another score. Haymore’s favorite target was his brother, Carl, who caught four passes for 34 yards and one touchdown. John Newton returned the second of his two interceptions that day 85 yards to put the Bulldogs up, 20-0. In the 1989 4A final against Morris, breathing room was in short supply when Richards pulled out a 12-6 overtime victory. The Bulldogs preserved a tie on the final play of regulation when John Rutkowski was intercepted by Morris safety Mike Wright, who returned it 82 yards before Rutkowski stopped him 14 yards from the end zone. “When he intercepted it, I thought, ‘Please, someone get him,’” Rutkowski said. “Then I thought, ‘Oh my God, it’s up to me.’” Rutkowski later scored from the 2-yard line on the third play of overtime and Morris couldn’t answer. Richards thus became the first 4A team to win back-to-back titles since Joliet Catholic won four from 1975 to 1978. Korhonen added a runner-up finish in 2001 and his successor, Tony Sheehan, led the Bulldogs to another state championship game appearance in 2013. A member of four halls of fame at the time of his retirement, Korhonen coached 23 all-staters, sent 262 players into the college ranks, 85 into Division I, and five into the NFL. The pros included Joe Montgomery (1994), Dwayne Goodrich (1996), Jim Jones (1996), Demetrius Smith (1997), and Mike Jones (2003). Before playing at Michigan State, Kenny Carrington, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound receiver, set a state record for touchdown receptions in 1994 with 23, a total that has since fallen into a tie for seventh all-time. Carrington led the state in 1994 with 1,407 yards on 66 receptions.

#32
BOYLAN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | ROCKFORD
Program Record Since 1974: 408-127
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 36
IHSA Playoff Record: 60-34
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 3/2
1975-5A: Deerfield 14, Boylan Catholic 7                                             11-2
2010-6A: Boylan Catholic 48, Marmion Academy 19                         14-0
2011-7A: Boylan Catholic 21, Wheaton Warrenville South 14          14-0
State Final Coaches: Ben Murray (1975), Dan Appino (2010, 2011).

 Boylan: Regular season dominance is a feather one must place in Boylan’s cap, particularly over the past three decades. In nearly half of the seasons since 1994, 14 in all, Boylan finished the regular season with one or fewer losses. Often, Boylan’s only loss came in the postseason, or in the case of its back-to-back state titles in 2010 and 2011, it didn’t come at all. Those championship seasons contributed to a 39-game winning streak, tying the sixth longest in state history. The streak didn’t end until the 2012 quarterfinals. An even wilder streak was Boylan’s regular season run of 68 wins that nearly reached eight full seasons. That reign of terror lasted from the fifth week of the 2006 season (a loss to Neuqua Valley) until the second week of the 2014 campaign (a loss to Hononegah). In Boylan’s 48-19 triumph over Aurora Marmion Academy in the 2010 6A final, the Titans forced six turnovers, five of which led to 35 Boylan points. Among the takeaways was Tony Pirello’s 30-yard interception return for a touchdown. While the Titans’ defense produced five sacks, its offense got 138 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Tyreis Thomas, who finished the season with more than 1,500 yards. “What he gave us was that guy who could get us tough yards even when you’re playing the great defenses,” recalled Coach Dan Appino in 2020. In the 2011 7A final, a 21-14 win over two-time defending champion Wheaton Warrenville South, Boylan benefited from Lamont Toney’s still-standing 7A record 79-yard touchdown pass to Jaxson Meister. Toney also scored on a 72-yard run to finish with 107 on the ground while Thomas added 138. Anchoring the Titans’ defensive line was 6-foot-6, 230-pound Dean Lowry, who’d later play for the Green Bay Packers. In a 2020 interview with Scott Leber of Rockford’s WTVO, Appino said his title teams both played with a chip on their shoulder. “I think the 2011 team was probably more talented and I think the 2010 team was just a lot grittier,” he said. Interestingly, Appino was a freshman when Boylan lost to Deerfield, 14-7, in the 1975 Class 5A final. He couldn’t wait to play in more finals, but it didn’t happen. “Out of 35 years of coaching,” he said, “there were only two years that I finished feeling really good about the season, so it’s one of those really special feelings that the older you get the more you appreciate just how blessed you were to have been there when that great group of kids and coaches came through that system.” Appino stepped down as coach after the 2011 season having gone 97-19 over 10 years. Among his players were kicker Derek Dimke (2008), who went on to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and defensive end Joe Coniglio (2004), who is an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Rams. Dimke still holds the 7A record for longest field goal in a playoff game with his 54-yarder against Lake Zurich in the 2007 quarterfinals.

#31
BYRON HIGH SCHOOL | BYRON
Program Record Since 1974: 347-173
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 29
IHSA Playoff Record: 55-26
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 5/3
1999-3A: Byron 41, St. Joe Ogden 8                                       14-0
2018-3A: Monticello 24, Byron 20                                          13-1
2019-3A: Williamsville 46, Byron 42                                       12-2
2021-3A: Byron 35, Tolono Unity 7                                         14-0
2023-3A: Byron 69, Mt. Carmel 7                                            14-0
State Final Coaches: Everett Stine (1999), Jeff Boyer (2018, 2019, 2021, 2023)

Byron: Byron has been a dominating program for quite some time, but its most impressive feats are of a recent vintage. The Tigers were unstoppable during their run to the 2023 Class 3A state title, wrapping up a 14-0 season with a 69-7 win over Mount Carmel, setting a record for biggest margin of victory in any IHSA title game. Major contributors to the Tigers’ 3A title game record 69 points were Andrew Talbert, who rushed for 154 yards and three touchdowns, Caden Considine, who added 153 yards and two scores, and Brayden Knoll, who ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns. “Defensively, I think our team speed certainly showed tonight,” Coach Jeff Boyer told the media. “Our kids were able to keep them in check.” When the dust cleared, Byron had set state records for points in a season (823), points per game (58.8), and touchdowns (122). Of those touchdowns, a record 109 came on the ground. The 2023 beast mode version of Byron is among three undefeated champions in school history, joining the 2021 and 1999 squads. Over the last seven fully contested seasons, the Tigers have won 86 games, appeared in four finals, and bowed out sooner than the semifinals just once. In Byron’s 35-7 win over Tolono Unity in the 2021 3A final, Chandler Binkley led the victors with 164 rushing yards. Teammate Ethan Palzkill chipped in one touchdown receiving and two rushing. “People see us and we’re not the biggest or strongest,” Palzkill said. “We pride ourselves on heart.” The bloodlines for recent Byron success stretch back to 1999 when Coach Everett Stine’s squad finished 14-0 after a 41-8 win over St. Joseph-Ogden in the 3A final. Those Tigers included Boyer as the starting quarterback and Sean Considine, who went on to play eight years in the NFL where he helped Baltimore win the 2013 Super Bowl. In attendance at the 2021 final, Stine said, “This means a lot to me because the type of stuff we taught them, they came back to teach it too.” Boyer credits Stine for giving the program a solid foundation. “Everett lit the torch and we’re honored to carry it,” said Boyer, who helped the 1999 team score a then-state record 673 points for the season. In the 1999 final, Mark Cotter ran for 142 yards and four touchdowns while Considine, now a Byron assistant coach, added 189 yards and another score. On defense, Cotter had 22 sacks that season, tying the sixth most in state history. “I’ve never coached a group of kids that had the talent these guys have,” said Stine, who ended a 37-year coaching career in 2003 with a record of 222-130-6, tying for 47th in state history for wins. His teams earned 10 conference titles and 15 playoff berths. His standouts included 6-foot-7, 240-pound Troy Drake (1990), who played four years in the NFL, and Adam Dach, who tallied a school-record 488 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in a 1986 game.

#30
ST. RITA OF CASCIA HIGH SCHOOL | CHICAGO
Program Record Since 1974: 422-172
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 34
IHSA Playoff Record: 67-32
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 4/2
1978-5A: St. Rita 15, Buffalo Grove 9                                     13-0
2006-7A: St. Rita 35, Lake Zurich 21                                       13-1
2019-5A: Rochester 42, St. Rita 28                                         10-4
2021-7A: Wheaton North 35, St. Rita 6                                 11-3
State Final Coaches: Pat Cronin (1978), Todd Kuska (2006, 2019, 2021)

St. Rita: Although boosted by being eligible to play a few extra games in the Prep Bowl series, it is impressive that St. Rita has the eighth most wins in Illinois history during the playoff era. The Mustangs didn’t make their first playoff appearance until 1978, but certainly made a splash, going 13-0 to win the Class 5A title with a 15-9 triumph over Buffalo Grove. Mark Strimel led St. Rita with an 8-yard touchdown pass and an 8-yard touchdown run. He also had a pivotal 73-yard free kick after Buffalo Grove had scored on a safety. “Their quarterback Strimel is an outstanding athlete,” said losing coach Grant Blaney. “He runs with the ball, passes, punts, and does a real good job running the team.” Strimel connected on 13 of 21 passes for 111 yards. He also threw two interceptions, but teammate Scott Craig picked up the slack by making the first field goal of his career, a 33-yarder to give the Mustangs a 9-0 halftime lead. “A couple of things went wrong in the second half,” St. Rita coach Pat Cronin told the media. “But the kids hung in there.” The Mustangs became more of a postseason regular in the 1980s, stringing together playoff appearances in 13 of 15 campaigns from 1982 until 1996. Eight of those efforts reached at least the quarterfinals. Todd Kuska’s arrival as coach in 1998 brought even more success. Once the Mustangs broke through the playoff wall in 2000, they’d make the field every season for the next 11 years. Seven of those campaigns featured double-digit victory totals. The highlight was a 13-1 Class 7A state championship season in 2006, which ended with a 35-21 win over Lake Zurich. Among the plays of the game was Darieon Hood’s still-standing 7A record 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to spot St. Rita a 21-7 lead. Hood credited that score to his blockers. “They sealed it off for me, and I put it in gear,” he said. Teammate Peter Balsam added 96 yards rushing and two touchdowns. St. Rita would make two more trips to the finals, landing runner-up trophies in Class 5A in 2019 and in Class 7A in 2021. In 2022, Kuska ended his 25-year career with a 216-94 record to rank 34th in wins in state history. A dozen Mustangs have gone on to play in the NFL including nine since 1974: Ron Weissenhofer (1982), Tony Simmons (1993), Ahmad Merritt (1995), Mike Kafka (2005), Matthew Conrath (2007), Darius Fleming (2008), Bruce Gaston (2010), Kenny Golladay (2012),  and Pat O’Connor (2012). An especially notable game in St. Rita history was its 51-48 triumph against Chicago Brother Rice in 2002 that ended after a state-record six overtimes, a mark that was tied in 2004 by Rockford Christian Life in a 44-36 win over Chicago Luther North. A highlight from the 8-4 campaign of 2004 was Ryan Donahue’s 55-yard field goal against Brother Rice, tying the eighth longest kick in state history.

#29
GLENBARD WEST HIGH SCHOOL | GLEN ELLYN
Program Record Since 1974: 368-159
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 33
IHSA Playoff Record: 52-30
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 5/3
1976-5A: St. Laurence 22, Glenbard West 21 (OT)                                     11-2
1983-5A: Glenbard West 21, Limestone 7                                                   13-0
2009-7A: Wheaton Warrenville South 31, Glenbard West 24 (2OT)       13-1
2012-7A: Glenbard West 10, Lincoln-Way East 8                                        14-0
2015-7A: Glenbard West 34, Libertyville 28                                                14-0
State Final Coaches: Bill Duchon (1976), Jim Covert (1983), Chad Hetlet (2009, 2012, 2015)

Glenbard West: Glenbard West had considerable success just before the playoff era, so it’s no surprise its coach at the time, the legendary Bill Duchon, was among those instrumental in getting a playoff system implemented. Duchon’s team got a bite of that playoff apple before he left the program in 1976, qualifying in all three of his remaining seasons. His final season featured a run to the 1976 5A final where the Hilltoppers fell to St. Laurence, 22-21, in overtime, only the third state final up to that point that required extra time. Jim Covert guided Glenbard West to a 13-0 Class 5A crown in 1983 as the program continued to crank out solid seasons through much of the 1980s and 1990s. Covert’s 1983 squad topped Bartonville Limestone in the final, 21-7, as Jim Konopka rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns. “I’d rather run over people than go out of bounds,” Konopka told the media. Konopka’s first score, a 1-yard plunge, was set up by Sean Kelly’s interception. The Hilltoppers held Limestone to minus 2 yards rushing, which remains the Class 5A record for fewest yards allowed. Chad Hetlet arrived in 2007 and quickly took Glenbard West to another level. In his second season, the Hilltoppers went 12-1 to reach the Class 7A semifinals. In the 2009 Class 7A final, Glenbard West fell to Wheaton Warrenville South in a double overtime thriller, 31-24. In 2012 and 2015, Hetlet’s Hilltoppers turned in a pair of 14-0 campaigns to earn 7A titles. In the 2012 final, Glenbard West recorded five sacks, recovered a fumble, and stopped two fourth-quarter drives to down Lincoln-Way East, 10-8. The Hilltoppers limited Northern Illinois recruit Tom Fuessel to 3-of-14 passing accuracy and 51 yards. “Our defense played outstanding against probably the best player in the state of Illinois,” Hetlet said. In the 2015 final, Glenbard West edged Libertyville, 34-28, as Sam Brodner carried 28 times for 7A record 264 yards and four touchdowns. “I was obviously tired, but you’ve got to push through that in the state championship game,” said Brodner, whose team had to come from behind twice. Bordner finished 2015 with 284 points, the 14th most in state history. His 47 touchdowns that year tied the 10th most in state annals. The Hilltoppers’ 767 total yards in the 2015 final remain the 7A record. Brodner also owns 7A playoff records for most carries in a game (50 for 292 yards vs. Cary-Grove in 2015) and longest kickoff return (92 vs. Rockford Auburn in 2015). The 10-3 season of 2016 saw Logan Ryan convert 56 consecutive point-after kicks, the 11th most in state history. Hetlet took a 17-year record of 156-31 into the 2024 season. Hilltoppers reaching the NFL include wide receiver Alex Green (1982), defensive back Matt Bowen (1995), offensive lineman Chris Watt (2009), and wide receiver Alec Pierce (2018). Rob Boras, a 1988 grad, is a Buffalo Bills assistant coach.

#28
MAROA-FORSYTH HIGH SCHOOL | MAROA
Program Record Since 1974: 382-161
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 28
IHSA Playoff Record: 70-26
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 10/2
1981-1A: Freeport Aquin 6, Maroa-Forsyth 0                                               12-1
1983-1A: Monmouth Yorkwood 12, Maroa-Forsyth 6 (OT)                        11-2
2006-2A: Maroa-Forsyth 43, Westville 22                                                     14-0
2009-2A: Morrison 36, Maroa-Forsyth 14                                                     11-3
2010-2A: Sterling Newman Central Catholic 48, Maroa-Forsyth 7            11-3
2012-1A: Maroa-Forsyth 48, Stockton 24                                                      13-1
2014-2A: Pearl City 41, Maroa-Forsyth 12                                                     10-4
2016-2A: Deer Creek-Mackinaw 35, Maroa-Forsyth 7                                 12-2
2017-2A: Gibson City-Melvin Sibley 38, Maroa-Forsyth 32                        12-2
2018-2A: Gibson City-Melvin Sibley 35, Maroa-Forsyth 16                        13-1
State Final Coaches: Fred Thompson (1981, 1983), Josh Jostes (2006, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018)

Maroa-Forsyth: Maroa-Forsyth has been solid over the entirety of the playoff era, but it's the recent vintage of the Trojans that has stood out. After current coach Josh Jostes failed to notch a winning season his first four years at the school, something clicked in 2004 as Maroa-Forysth reached the 2A semifinals. Two years later, the Trojans won the school’s first state title by upending Westville, 43-22. Four months after that, Maroa-Forsyth won the Class A basketball title. Among six players on both squads, Robert Kreps grabbed a 2A record nine receptions for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Also scoring twice each were Shane Conaway and Justin Barnes. The Trojans turned two interceptions and a fumble recovery into points. “We put the throttle down and go for the jugular and we had a couple nice plays after turnovers,” Jostes told the media. Three years later, the Trojans made back-to-back finals, losing both but setting the stage for another state title in 2012, this time in Class 1A. That 48-24 triumph over Stockton saw sophomore quarterback Jack Hockaday rush for four touchdowns and pass for another. He ran for 129 yards and threw for 175. Watching from the sidelines was Hockaday’s brother, Luke, who had quarterbacked Maroa-Forsyth’s 2006 champions. With the wind gusting up to 50 mph, Stockton erased a 20-0 deficit to go up, 24-20. “Playing them in the wind was like getting hit by a train,” Jostes said. When the Trojans got the wind at their backs in the fourth quarter, they scored 28 unanswered points. “We had stopped doing the things that had gotten us the lead,” Jostes said. “I just challenged them. I told them they had 12 minutes to make memories for the rest of their lives.” Maroa-Forsyth made four more finals the next six seasons but fell short each time. Nevertheless, few have matched the Trojans’ feat of reaching eight finals in 12 years. Maroa-Forsyth recorded double digit win totals in 10 consecutive seasons and 13 of 14 campaigns stretching from 2004 to 2018. History suggests foes meeting the Trojans early in the playoffs face long odds. Maroa-Forsyth is 22-0 in the first round under Jostes, whose teams have only missed the quarterfinals four times. Jostes took a 224-63 record over 24 years into the 2024 season to rank 44th for wins in state history. Second in school history to Jostes’ 19 playoff berths is Fred Thompson, who fielded five playoff teams while going 90-51 between 1972 and 1995. Thompson’s 1981 and 1983 teams were Class 1A runners-up and both included future Major League Baseball player Kevin Koslofski. The 11-1 Trojans of 1984 included future Green Bay Packer Jeff Query, who still holds the 2A playoff record of five touchdown receptions in a game.

#27
DuQUOIN HIGH SCHOOL | DuQUOIN
Program Record Since 1974: 391-145
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 35
IHSA Playoff Record: 69-33
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 7/2
1986-3A: Bishop McNamara 30, DuQuoin 12                            12-2
1988-3A: DuQuoin 25, Herscher 13                                             14-0
1992-3A: DuQuoin 14, Marengo 10                                             14-0
1994-3A: Bloomington Central Catholic 22, DuQuoin 12         11-3
1995-3A: Spring Valley Hall 38, DuQuoin 32                               13-1
2002-3A: Immaculate Conception 21, DuQuoin 14                   12-2
2008-3A: Illini West 21, DuQuoin 14                                            12-2
State Final Coaches: Bob Karnes (1986), Al Martin (1988, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2008)

DuQuoin: After making its first playoff appearance in 1984, DuQuoin produced deep postseason runs throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Bob Karnes took the Indians to their first state championship game in 1986 where they fell to Kankakee McNamara, 30-12, in Class 3A. Karnes ended a 20-year career in 1987 at 136-59-4. The Indians went 11-1 his final season, allowing just 661 total yards (239 rushing, 422 passing) through nine games to rank fourth in state history for fewest yards allowed. When Al Martin became coach in 1988, he took the Indians to the top of the Class 3A podium. The Indians capped that 14-0 season with a 25-13 victory over Herscher. DuQuoin’s Scott Baxter scored on a 53-yard run and nixed Herscher’s last threat with an interception. “I’m just thankful to win in my first year at DuQuoin, and thankful I had the group of seniors and the football staff I did,” Martin told the media. Martin would ultimately guide the Indians to six state finals, but the only other title came in 1992 when DuQuoin dropped Marengo, 14-10, in Class 3A to punctuate another 14-0 campaign. Jason Karnes, the son of Bob Karnes, led the Indians with 152 yards on 8-of-15 passing. He hit Jason James with a game-tying 23-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. Karnes also intercepted two passes. DuQuoin came from behind again when Robbie Eaton scored on a 41-yard run with 4:30 left. Eaton’s six career punt returns for touchdowns tie the fifth most in state history. In 1992, the Indians were No. 1 in the Associated Press state poll all season. “This year was a great accomplishment for the kids with the amount of pressure on them,” said Martin, who stepped down as coach after 27 years in 2014. His 254-66 record places him 22nd in IHSA history for wins. His first 10 years at DuQuoin saw the Indians go 112-16 and reach four finals. Among the stars Martin developed was future NFL quarterback Nick Hill, who led DuQuoin’s 12-2 Class 3A runner-up team in 2002. Hill passed for 70 yards and one touchdown in a 21-14 loss to Immaculate Conception in the 2002 final. A first-team all-stater, Hill passed for 1,521 yards and 20 touchdowns that season. He was the Indians’ first 4,000-career yard passer since former major league pitcher Don Stanhouse in 1968. Since 2016, Hill has been Southern Illinois University’s head coach. Of DuQuoin’s five Class 3A state runner-up efforts, it lost by seven or fewer points three times. Besides the narrow setback in 2002, the Indians lost to Spring Valley Hall, 38-32, in the 1993 final, and fell to Illini West, 21-14, in the 2008 final. The wild 1993 title game saw Hall survive two blocked punts in the fourth quarter and rally from 10 points down in the final 90 seconds. Despite the outcome, Martin said, “This was the greatest game I’ve ever been involved in.”

#26
ST. TERESA HIGH SCHOOL | DECATUR
Program Record Since 1974: 395-137
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 33
IHSA Playoff Record: 56-29
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 6/4
1974-2A: St. Teresa 15, Alexis 6                                     11-2
1975-2A: St. Teresa 35, Stockton 0                                13-0
1979-2A: St. Teresa 36, Amboy 12                                 12-1
1986-2A: Woodstock Marian 24, St. Teresa 20            11-3
2016-1A: Forreston 35, St. Teresa 7                               12-2
2022-2A: St. Teresa 29, Tri-Valley 22                              14-0
State Final Coaches: Ed Boehm (1974, 1975), Ralph McQuiggan (1979), Dale Patton (1986), Mark Ramsey (2016, 2022).

St. Teresa: Perhaps no program was more excited about instituting a state playoff system than St. Teresa. Entering the first year of postseason play, the Bulldogs had just gone undefeated in both 1972 and 1973 and were looking for challenges. Alas, no foe could stop St. Teresa in 1974 and 1975 as it became the first school to win back-to-back titles, going 13-0 each season. The 1974 squad had a 24-year-old rookie coach in Ed Boehm, a 1968 St. Teresa graduate. With only five seniors in the lineup, his Bulldogs dispatched Alexis in the title game, 15-6. “This is a junior ball club,” Boehm told the media. “We’ll be back.” Marty Bushell led the victors with 131 rushing yards including a 58-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs’ winning streak began in the eighth week of the 1971 season and ended 47 games later in the 1976 opener, making it the third longest in state history. The last of those victories was a 35-0 title game decision over Stockton. St. Teresa posted 10 shutouts in 1975 including eight straight to end the season. The Bulldogs outscored their four playoff opponents a combined 159-0. In the final, Jerry Jones led St. Teresa with 250 rushing yards and five touchdowns. It was a season the Bulldogs hated to see end. “I wish I could flunk and come back next year,” quipped guard Chris Schroth. St. Teresa resumed its title-winning ways in 1979, topping previously unbeaten and No. 1-ranked Amboy in the 2A final, 36-12. The Bulldogs’ Keith McRedmond ran for three touchdowns and passed for a fourth. St. Teresa intercepted four passes including two by Joe Moody. The Bulldogs’ lone loss that 12-1 season was to Class 3A Mount Zion. St. Teresa never cracked the top 10 in the Associated Press state poll until the third round of the playoffs. “It’s been sweet. I can’t deny that,” said first-year coach Ralph McQuiggan. “No one thought we could win it except us – the coaches and the players.” In the 2022 2A final, the Bulldogs ended a 43-year championship drought with a 29-22 win over Downs Tri-Valley. “It feels fantastic to be a state champion,” said Coach Mark Ramsey, who had won a 2A crown at Moweaqua Central A&M in 1997. “Tri-Valley put up a heck of a fight and it was back and forth.” Leading the 14-0 victors was Joe Brummer, who completed 5 of 9 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns. Ramsey ended his 40-year career after the 2022 season with a record of 332-113 to rank fifth for wins in state history. St. Teresa’s 12-2 Class 1A runner-up season in 2016 featured Jacardia Wright, the second leading rusher (8,821 career yards) and touchdown scorer (150) in state history. Only Rockford Lutheran’s James Robinson posted higher totals for yards (9,045) and touchdowns (158). Before going on to play at Kansas State and Missouri State, Wright scored a state record 55 touchdowns in 2018.

#25
ARCOLA HIGH SCHOOL | ARCOLA
Program Record Since 1974: 372-157
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 31
IHSA Playoff Record: 60-27
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 7/4
1977-1A: Genoa-Kingston 18, Arcola 0                      11-1
1978-1A: Arcola 42, Hampshire 14                             11-1
1985-1A: Arcola 14, Durand 6                                     14-0
1988-1A: Arcola 15, Hancock Central 0                      13-1
1991-1A: Stockton 32, Arcola 6                                   13-1
1995-1A: Carthage 45, Arcola 13                                 13-1
2015-1A: Arcola 35, Stark County 17                          14-0
State Final Coaches: Steve Thomas (1977, 1978, 1985, 1988, 1991), Joe Marks (1995), Zach Zehr (2015).
Arcola: Arcola had nine undefeated seasons before the playoffs were instituted, but then went 0-9 and 1-8 in 1974 and 1975, respectively. In 1976, veteran coach Steve Thomas found something that clicked and laid the foundation for success that would stretch into the 1990s. After that 9-1 breakthrough in 1976, the Purple Riders went 11-1 to reach the 1977 Class 1A final, losing to Genoa-Kingston, 18-0. Arcola ascended the 1A throne in 1978, topping Hampshire in the final, 42-14, to finish 11-1. “It started out like a track meet,” Arcola coach Steve Thomas told the media. “Finally, our defense settled down and did the job.” Jeff Moore had three of the Purple Riders’ still-standing title game record seven interceptions. Arcola scored on its first five possessions. Marty Thomas and Jeff Fishel led the way with 148 and 137 rushing yards, respectively. A stellar 10-1 campaign in 1984 set the stage for arguably the best team in school history in 1985. Those 14-0 Purple Riders only allowed one first-half touchdown all season. Their 14-6 title game win over Durand saw 5-foot-10, 167-pound Jon Monahan rush for 118 yards and one touchdown, giving him 1,981 yards for the season and 36 touchdowns. “Jon is one outstanding high school player who will have a hard time playing in college,” Thomas said. “Speed wise, he’s a tad slow for a running back and size wise, he’s a little small to play linebacker. But with his determination, he could play anyway.” Another candidate for Arcola’s finest team is the 13-1 state championship unit of 1988, which only allowed eight points in five playoff games. The Purple Riders blanked Hancock Central in the final, 15-0, with help from a defensive line that averaged 241 pounds per man. Of the 12 teams playing in the six title games in 1988, Arcola had the biggest line. They sacked Hancock Central quarterback Mike Adams seven times. “All year long we’ve played great defense,” Thomas said. “For us to have four shutouts in the playoffs, regardless of the weather, is quite an accomplishment.” On offense, Chad Hopkins provided 167 yards on 29 carries and one touchdown. Thomas stepped down as coach in 1993 with a 210-91-2 record to tie for 37th in wins in state history. A 1995 state runner-up showing appeared to signal the end of Arcola’s 1A rule, but its 2015 unit went 14-0 to capture the school’s fourth title. Those Purple Riders scored 714 points, the eighth most in state history. Arcola only had one close game, a 14-13 quarterfinal win over Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley. In the 35-17 win over Toulon Stark County in the final, Clayton Strader had four of Arcola’s five touchdowns and his first cousin, Chase Strader, returned an interception 15 yards for a touchdown and set up another score by recovering a muffed punt. “Our fans are all about tradition,” Clayton Strader said. “It means the world to bring the title back to town.”

#24
ALEDO HIGH SCHOOL (1974-2009)
MERCER COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL (2009-Present) | ALEDO
Program Record Since 1974: 358-171
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 31
IHSA Playoff Record: 56-27
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 7/4
1988-2A: Carlyle 21, Aledo 13                                            13-1
1998-2A: Aledo 25, Rockridge 16                                       12-2
2001-2A: Aledo 27, Moweaqua Central A&M 24            13-1
2002-2A: Aledo 41, Carthage 40 (OT)                                14-0
2005-2A: Dakota 20, Aledo 15                                            12-2
2006-1A: Tuscola 35, Aledo 20                                            13-1
2012-2A: Mercer County 14, Belleville Althoff 7              13-1
State Final Coaches: Brian Applegate (1988), Cullen Welter (1998, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006), Nat Zunkel (2012)

Aledo/Mercer County: In the early years of the playoff era, there was no indication Aledo’s football program would become worthy of top-50 designation. Its first playoff berth came in 1975, but its second didn’t arrive until 1988 when it reached the Class 2A state final where it lost to Carlyle, 21-13, to finish 13-1. It appeared that might be a one-off as the Green Dragons, as they were known at the time, went 0-9 in 1989. After Bill McCarty became coach in 1990, Aledo posted four double-digit win seasons in eight years. In 1998, he passed the coaching reins to Cullen “Cully” Welter. The new regime was a perfect fit as Welter guided the Green Dragons to their first state championship in his first year. The 1998 2A final against fellow Olympic Conference member Taylor Ridge Rockridge paired finalists from the same league for just the second time in playoff history. When the rivals – located 18 miles apart – met on Oct. 16, Aledo lost, 49-0, which made its 25-16 victory in the state final a shocker. “To win any state championship is great, but you look at how they demoralized us earlier and it’s incredible to beat that team,” Welter told the told the media. Aledo’s Richard Bigham caught a pair of touchdown passes and returned a fourth-quarter punt 70 yards for another score to cap a 12-2 season. The Green Dragons proceeded to win titles in 2001 and 2002 before notching runner-up efforts in 2005 and 2006. Five second-half turnovers by Moweaqua Central A&M in the 2001 2A final paved the way for a 27-24 Aledo victory, capping a 13-1 season. Brett Lee’s 25-yard touchdown pass to Troy Blaser provided the winning score in the fourth quarter. “I didn’t know how to stop them so we sold out to stop the run,” said Welter, whose team overcame a 24-14 halftime deficit by allowing just 65 rushing yards after intermission. In the 2002 2A final, Joe Reed threw three touchdown passes and the Green Dragons came back from an 18-point deficit in the second half to best Carthage, 41-40, in overtime. Josh Bigham’s conversion kick provided the winning point after a 1-yard touchdown run by J.J. Dunn. “This was by far the most electrifying comeback,” said Welter, comparing that result to Aledo’s championship game rallies in 1998 and 2001. Welter ended an 11-year stint at the school in 2008 with a 113-22 record. The next year Aledo consolidated with Joy Westmer to form Mercer County. The new partnership – under the Golden Eagles nickname – has qualified for the playoffs every year of its existence. In 2012, Mercer County finished 14-0 after topping Belleville Althoff in the 2A final, 14-7. The Golden Eagles forced six turnovers including a fumble that Devin Morford returned a record 96 yards to break a 7-7 tie. “What a rush,” said Mercer County coach Nat Zunkel. “Fifteen weeks ago, we asked, ‘Why not us?’ We got better and better each week.”

#23
CARY-GROVE HIGH SCHOOL | CARY
Program Record Since 1974: 360-172
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 28
IHSA Playoff Record: 62-24
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 7/4
2004-7A: Libertyville 13, Cary-Grove 3                               13-1
2009-6A: Cary-Grove 34, Providence Catholic 17             14-0
2012-6A: Crete-Monee 33, Cary-Grove 26                         13-1
2014-7A: Providence Catholic 31, Cary-Grove 28             13-1
2018-6A: Cary-Grove 35, Crete-Monee 13                         14-0
2021-6A: Cary-Grove 37, East St. Louis 36                         14-0
2023-6A: Cary-Grove 23,, East St. Louis 20                        12-2
State Final Coaches: Bruce Kay (2004, 2009), Brad Seaburg (2012, 2014, 2018, 2021, 2023)

Cary-Grove: It took a while for Cary-Grove to find its groove in the playoff era, but things started to change around the turn of the century. Coach Bruce Kay broke through in 2004 when he guided the Trojans into the Class 7A state championship game where a 13-1 season ended with a 13-3 loss to Libertyville. That started a run of six seasons where Cary-Grove went a combined 69-6. The highlight was a 34-17 victory over Providence Catholic in the 2009 6A final to cap a 14-0 season. Cary-Grove’s defense provided three interceptions while Alex Hembrey ran for 189 yards and three touchdowns. Kay dedicated the triumph to the Trojans’ football family. “It’s been 21 years of parents contributing to our golf outings, the different fundraisers, and all the things that they’ve done,” he told the media. “Really, it’s been 21 years of people contributing to the program and us finally getting that big trophy.” Kay ended a 22-year career in 2010 with a 168-68 record. Current coach Brad Seaburg took over in 2011 and lifted the program to new heights. Cary-Grove has missed the playoffs just once in Seaburg’s tenure. After runner-up efforts in 2012 (6A) and 2014 (6A), the Trojans downed Crete-Monee in the 2018 6A final, 35-13. Leading the way was QB Ben McDonald, who ran for two touchdowns and passed for two, including one to current Boston Red Sox pitcher Quinn Priester. Blake Skol added 123 yards rushing and a touchdown. Knowing that Crete-Monee had come from behind to beat three other playoff opponents, Seaburg could never breathe easy. “Against these guys, we are never comfortable,” he said. In the 2021 6A final against East St. Louis, Cary-Grove was the underdog, but emerged with a 37-36 upset that is arguably one of the best state championship games ever played. The outcome was in doubt until Noah Riley intercepted a pass intended for East St. Louis star Luther Burden III with 28 seconds left. “Sometimes the ball bounces your way,” said Seaburg, whose team finished 14-0. “We were just fortunate on that last possession that the ball bounced our way.” Nick Hissong led Cary-Grove’s triple-option offense with 224 rushing yards and two touchdowns while Jameson Sheehan carried for 104 yards and three scores. The two teams locked horns again in the 2023 6A final where the Trojans secured their fourth title, 23-20, to finish 12-2. Cary-Grove overcame a five-point deficit when sophomore fullback Logan Abrams (31 car, 87 yards) scored on a 2-yard run and ran for the two-point conversion with 1:19 left. Patrick Weaver’s interception with 62 seconds remaining clinched the outcome. “It was a great win for our kids, our program, our town – everyone who believed in us,” Seaburg said. The Trojans gained 199 yards on the ground with 87 coming from Abrams, 68 from Andrew Prio, and 45 from Peyton Seaburg, the coach’s son. Among the greats in Cary-Grove history is 2015 graduate Tyler Pennington, who ran for 82 career touchdowns, tying the 12th most in state history before going on to play at Illinois State University.

#22
LENA-WINSLOW HIGH SCHOOL | LENA
Program Record Since 1974: 318-204
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 29
IHSA Playoff Record: 57-23
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 7/6
2010-1A: Lena-Winslow 47, Tuscola 14                                        13-1
2013-1A: Lena-Winslow 28, Tri-Valley 21                                     11-3
2017-1A: Lena-Winslow 21, Tuscola 20                                        14-0
2019-1A: Lena-Winslow 58, Moweaqua Central A&M 20         14-0
2021-1A: Lena-Winslow 38, Carrollton 25                                    12-2
2022-1A: Lena-Winslow 30, Camp Point Central 8                      14-0
2023-1A: Camp Point Central 14, Lena-Winslow 0                      13-1
State Final Coaches: Ric Arand (2010, 2013, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)

Lena-Winslow: Although Lena-Winslow has been solid for decades, most of its success has come during a recent era of dominance. Since 2010, the Panthers have gone 151-24. Their six titles tie the eighth most in state history. All those crowns came under Coach Ric Arand, who took a 27-year record of 247-67 into the 2024 season, a win total that ranks 30th in state history. His program also brought a 32-game winning streak into 2024, tying the 10th longest in state history. In the 2010 Class 1A final against Tuscola, Lena-Winslow won, 47-14, and tied the playoff record of seven rushing touchdowns set by East St. Louis in 1989. Of the Panthers’ 385 rushing yards, Quinn Haas had 186 and three touchdowns while Trey Greffin added 157 yards and one score to cap a 13-1 season. “I wasn’t really sure how we were going to play,” Arand told the media. “But offensively, defensively, it was the best game we’ve played all season.” A second title arrived in 2013 when Lena-Winslow topped Tri-Valley, 28-21, to finish 11-3. The Panthers turned three fumble recoveries into 22 points. Tyler Oakley scored on fumble returns of 60 and 65 yards besides intercepting a pass with 23 seconds left. “These guys did today what they did all year, and that’s battle,” Arand said. “We’ve beaten a couple good teams this year, but this one in Tri-Valley is by far the best team we’ve faced.” Lena-Winslow’s third title came via a 21-20 thriller over Tuscola in 2017 to punctuate a 14-0 campaign. Rahveon Valentine ran for 140 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Panthers, who benefitted from a failed two-point conversion. In the 2019 final, Lena-Winslow set a 1A title game scoring record during a 58-20 triumph over Moweaqua Central A&M. Sean Ormiston led the Panthers with 187 rushing yards and six touchdowns, one of which came on an interception return. Ormiston finished with 1,954 rushing yards in 2019 and 4,749 yards for his career. Teammate Luke Benson threw two scoring passes to Kade Chrisman in the title game. Lena-Winslow’s 678 points in 2019 rank 19th in state history. When asked in 2020 by the Rockford Register Star for his title-winning recipe, Arand said, “If we had a secret recipe, I would have started baking it about 13 years before we did in 2010.” After the pandemic nixed the 2020 season, the Panthers resumed championship trophy collecting with a 38-25 win over Carrollton in 2021 to cap a 12-2 campaign. Marey Robey rushed for 241 yards and three touchdowns while teammate Jake Zeal added 127 yards and one score. Lena-Winslow earned its sixth title in 2022 with a 30-8 win over Camp Point Central. Those 14-0 Panthers, who did not attempt a pass, saw Gage Dunker rush 22 times for 120 yards and three touchdowns. Lena-Winslow’s 700 points in 2022 rank 11th in state history. Lena-Winslow’s bid to become just the fourth school to win four consecutive titles was foiled in the 2023 final by Camp Point Central, 14-0.

#21
METAMORA HIGH SCHOOL | METAMORA
Program Record Since 1974: 407-136
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 36
IHSA Playoff Record: 66-33
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 10/3
1975-3A: Metamora 25, Geneva 7                                 13-0
1976-3A: Geneseo 20, Metamora 12                             12-1
1977-3A: Geneseo 34, Metamora 0                               12-1
1996-4A: Providence Catholic 28, Metamora 21         13-1
1997-4A: Providence Catholic 26, Metamora 12         13-1
1999-4A: Joliet Catholic 48, Metamora 13                    12-2
2000-4A: Joliet Catholic 27, Metamora 14                    13-1
2007-5A: Metamora 17, Morris 14                                 14-0
2008-5A: St. Francis 49, Metamora 35                           13-1
2009-4A: Metamora 41, Geneseo 7                                13-1
State Final Coaches: John Helmick (1975, 1976, 1977), Pat Ryan (1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2007, 2008, 2009)

Metamora: Metamora went 7-1-1 in 1974, but did not qualify for the inaugural playoffs. It didn’t take long, however, for the Redbirds to make their presence felt in the postseason. They made the field in the second year and showed the kind of postseason mettle they would display over much of the next half century. Their 1975 breakthrough culminated with a 25-7 victory over Geneva in the Class 3A final to finish 13-0. The Redbirds overcame seven first-half fumbles with help from Larry Sommer, who ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns. “We figured we had to control the football and you can’t do that when you’re fumbling,” Helmick told the media. “Our philosophy is to run Sommer for all he’s worth.” Weather may have contributed to the number of fumbles as temperatures dipped to 29 degrees and winds whipped to 20 mph. Metamora returned to the 3A final in both 1976 and 1977 with the only loss in each 12-1 season coming against Geneseo. Helmick ended his nine-year tenure with the Redbirds in 1982, having gone 86-16-1. Pat Ryan, who took over in 1990, directed Metamora to Class 4A runner-up showings in 1996, 1997, 1999, and 2000. From 2007 to 2009, the Redbirds reached the title game each year, sandwiching wins in 5A in 2007 and 4A in 2009 around a runner-up result in 5A in 2008. The 14-0 season of 2007, the fifth unbeaten campaign in school history, ended with a 17-14 win over Morris. The game’s final three points arrived with 27 seconds left when freshman Brennen VanMieghem converted a 27-yard field goal. “If we didn’t win this one, we would have gone in the record book as losing the most (title games),” Ryan told the media. “It’s kind of nice to see what it’s like to win one.” The only school with more runner-up finishes than Metamora’s seven is Morris with eight. In the 2007 final, Caleb TerBush led the way with 109 yards on the ground while Brock Gray and Adam Duvendack added rushing touchdowns. TerBush finished the season with 1,575 yards passing and 859 rushing before going on to play at Purdue. Metamora’s 6,313 total yards (4,629 rushing and 1,689 passing) in 2007 rank 20th in state history. VanMiegham went on to rank second in state history with 277 career conversion kicks. In the 2009 final, Metamora won, 41-7, over Geneseo to cap a 13-1 season. Michael Fay led the Redbirds with 165 rushing yards and four touchdowns while Aaron Peters added 168 yards and a touchdown. Metamora’s 447 rushing yards were a 4A title game record. “Kudos to them because they controlled the line,” said Geneseo coach Larry Johnsen. The Redbirds’ 4,969 yards rushing in 2009 rank 14th in state history. Ryan ended his 30-year stay at Metamora in 2019 with a record of 268-76 to rank 17th for wins in state history.

#20
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION/IC CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | ELMHURST
Program Record Since 1974: 282-170
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 24
IHSA Playoff Record: 49-18
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 6/6
2002-3A: Immaculate Conception 21, DuQuoin 14                   13-1
2008-2A: Immaculate Conception 36, Casey-Westfield 17      10-4
2016-3A: IC Catholic 43, Carlinville 0                                            14-0
2017-3A: IC Catholic 35, Pleasant Plains 0                                   13-1
2018-4A: IC Catholic 31, Bishop McNamara 21                          14-0
2022-3A: IC Catholic 48, Williamsville 17                                     13-1    
State Final Coaches: Bob Cozzi (2002), Bill Schmidt (2008), Bill Krefft (2016, 2017, 2018, 2022)

IC: Among 13 schools to win at least six titles, IC Catholic’s dominance took a while to develop. The first half of the playoff era found the Knights making infrequent playoff appearances. That may explain why their first title in 2002 seemed to come out of nowhere, especially since it was preceded by nine consecutive losing seasons. IC overcame a 14-0 deficit against DuQuoin to win the 2002 3A final, 21-14 and finish 13-1. The victors went ahead to stay with 5:43 left on Joe Mastrino’s 1-yard touchdown run. After scoring on its first two possessions, DuQuoin only gained 90 yards. “We really didn’t change a lot,” IC coach Bob Cozzi told the media. “Our players just played better.” Over the next five years, IC earned just one playoff berth. The 2008 team, however, showcased the program’s ability to capture lightning in a bottle by earning a second title, this time in 2A with a 36-17 win over Casey-Westfield. Among the highlights was Olivia Vatch becoming the first female to score in a title game with her third-quarter conversion kick. “I was thinking, ‘It better go in’ or I’d be so mad at myself if I missed,” Vatch said. IC dedicated the 2008 season to ex-coach Cozzi, who had died the previous summer from a heart attack at age 57. The Knights’ 10-4 record made them the first champion with at least four losses. Four more teams have duplicated that feat since then. IC barely made the 2008 playoffs as a No. 15 seed, but then outscored its five postseason foes, 314-67. Paving the way was a split-back veer offense. “You wear teams down, take advantage of their mistakes, and you methodically dismantle them,” explained IC coach Bill Schmidt. In 2013, current coach Bill Krefft – a co-captain for IC’s 2002 state champions and an assistant for the 2008 champs – took over. His 2015 squad reached the semifinals before the Knights won titles in 2016, 2017, and 2018. In a 43-0 victory over Carlinville in the 2016 final, Jordan Rowell rushed for a 3A title game record 270 yards and scored four touchdowns to end a 14-0 season. “Looking at the crowd, the environment, it is a lot for a young man to take in and stay focused and come out and execute the details,” Krefft said. “It’s just incredible that all of our kids did that.” Rowell finished 2016 with 2,295 rushing yards. In the 2017 3A final, IC blanked Pleasant Plains, 35-0, to cap a 13-1 season. Lazerick Eatman ran for 237 yards and four touchdowns. In the 2018 4A final, IC beat Kankakee McNamara, 31-21, to post the second 14-0 season in school history. Kyle Franklin rushed for 227 yards and two touchdowns while Khalil Saunders added 154 yards and one score. IC added a sixth title in 2022, swamping Williamsville, 48-17, in the 3A final. Dennis Mandala completed 10 of 17 passes for 200 yards and four touchdowns. Entering the 2024 season, Krefft had a 12-year record of 115-24.

#19
BISHOP McNAMARA CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | KANKAKEE
Program Record Since 1974: 385-164
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 37
IHSA Playoff Record: 69-32
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 9/5
1978-3A: Geneseo Darnall, 14, Bishop McNamara 7           12-2
1981-3A: Mount Carmel 22, Bishop McNamara 8                11-2
1982-3A: Bishop McNamara 17, Alton Marquette 6            12-1
1985-3A: Bishop McNamara 34, Olympia 7                           14-0
1986-3A: Bishop McNamara 30, DuQuoin 12                        11-3
1987-3A: Bishop McNamara 45, Rockridge 14                      12-2
1998-4A: Glenwood 28, Bishop McNamara 21                     13-1
2015-3A: Bishop McNamara 50, Tolono Unity 7                   13-1
2018-4A: IC Catholic 31, Bishop McNamara 21                     12-2    
State Final Coaches: Rich Zinanni (1978, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1998, 2015, 2018)

Bishop McNamara: McNamara is among the few programs to have basically had one coach the entire playoff era. Hired in 1975, Rich Zinanni ended his 47-year career in 2021 with a 371-151 record that places him third for wins in state history. Only 11 programs have earned more playoff berths than Zinanni’s 37. In his fourth season, he took the Fightin’ Irish to a 3A state final where they lost to Geneseo, 14-7, to end a 12-2 season. McNamara’s 11-2 3A runner-up squad of 1981 laid the foundation for a breakthrough in 1982. That 12-1 campaign ended with a 17-6 win over Alton Marquette in the 3A final. The Irish turned Marquette’s four fourth-quarter fumbles into 11 points. “This takes the monkey off our back,” Zinanni told the media. “It’s our third time down here and we finally won. Also, it’s the first state championship for the City of Kankakee.” Mike O’Connor’s 32-yard field goal with 5:47 left gave McNamara a 9-6 lead. Mike VanMill’s 1-yard keeper later ended the scoring. The Irish grabbed their second title in 1985, topping Olympia in the 3A final, 34-7, to cap their only 14-0 season. McNamara rolled to a title game record 525 total yards (231 passing and 294 rushing). Brian Hassett supplied the passing yards on 11-of-21 accuracy while Eddie Thomas rushed for 124 yards and Eugene Edmond 116. “Our success is a mix of discipline on offense and aggressiveness on defense,” Zinanni said. “There are a lot of tears in our dressing room. We’re done playing and they don’t want to quit.” The Irish completed a rare three-peat of state titles by downing DuQuoin in the 1986 3A final, 30-12, and Rockridge, 45-14, in the 1987 3A final. Mike Zucullo rushed for 127 yards and Edmond 105 in the 1986 final to cap an 11-3 season. That title had a special place in Zinanni’s heart. “This first one (in 1982), I was in shock,” he said. “Last year, we dominated, went 14-0 and were never in a close game. This year, people didn’t think we could do it.” The Irish did it again to cap a 12-2 season in the 1987 final as Thomas gained 147 yards and scored three touchdowns while Edwin Darr added 134 yards and two scores. Joe Pollisard chipped in a record-tying three fumble recoveries. The Irish remained a postseason fixture including the 7-3 team of 1991 that had future NFL lineman Thomas Guynes. McNamara took second in 4A in 1998 with a roster that included Tyjuan Hagler, who’d later win a 2006 Super Bowl ring with Indianapolis. The Irish went 13-1 in 2015 to land their fifth crown. That 50-7 win in 3A over Tolono Unity saw Jonathan Ward run for 189 yards and two touchdowns while Ariez Andrew added three scores. Ward finished with 2,354 yards for the season and 5,689 for his career, the latter ranking 14th in state history.

#18
MORRIS HIGH SCHOOL | MORRIS
Program Record Since 1974: 426-138
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 37
IHSA Playoff Record: 80-34
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 11/3
1979-3A: Mascoutah 7, Morris 6                                 12-1
1980-3A: Morris 40, Harrisburg 0                                12-1
1984-4A: Morris 31, Benet Academy 14                     13-0
1989-4A: Oak Lawn Richards 12, Morris 6 (OT)         13-1
1994-4A: Belvidere 28, Morris 0                                   12-2
2001-5A: Joliet Catholic 27, Morris 20                         13-1
2004-5A: Joliet Catholic 17, Morris 0                           13-1
2005-6A: Morris 14, Normal Community 9                 14-0
2007-5A: Metamora 17, Morris 14                               11-3
2012-5A: Montini 19, Morris 6                                      12-2
2017-4A: Rochester 24, Morris 21                                 11-3    
State Final Coaches: Dan Darlington (1979, 1980, 1984, 1989, 1994, 2001, 2004), George Dergo (2005, 2007), Alan Thorson (2012, 2017)

Morris: Considering Morris has amassed 37 playoff berths, it’s hard to believe it missed the first five playoff fields. A string of four straight losing seasons snapped in 1977 when the first of Dan Darlington’s 28 years as coach ended at 6-3. By his third season, Morris was the Class 3A runner-up with a 12-1 record. The Redskins, as they were known then (the school board voted to change the nickname in 2022, but a new one has yet to be chosen), ascended 3A’s summit in 1980. That 12-1 squad blanked Harrisburg in the final, 40-0, the largest shutout point spread in playoff history to that point. Bill Button led the way, passing for 106 yards and three touchdowns. Among his teammates was linebacker Ed Brady, who’d go on to play 11 years in the NFL and reach the 1989 Super Bowl with Cincinnati. “These guys are winners,” Darlington told the media. “They only lost two games while they were in high school and one of those was a state championship game.” Four years later, Morris rolled through a 13-0 campaign to capture a 4A crown. That 31-14 victory saw Lisle Benet hampered by three interceptions, two lost fumbles, and a blocked punt. “We took advantage of the mistakes they made,” said Darlington, who watched Jim Feeney fire a pair of touchdown passes. Darlington wouldn’t win another title, but did reach four more finals. Beginning in 1997, Morris would earn playoff berths in 17 of Darlington’s last 18 seasons, collecting double digit victories in 11 of them. He stepped down in 2004 with a 265-55 record at Morris and an overall record of 278-65 to rank 13th for wins in state history. He accounted for seven of the school’s state record eight runner-up finishes. George Dergo had the unenviable task of following Darlington, but he also had the benefit of his son, John Dergo. George Dergo led Morris to the 2005 6A state title with a 14-9 win over Normal Community to finish 14-0, but that wasn’t the game that team is remembered for. Instead, a 28-21 victory over Joliet Catholic in the quarterfinals featuring John Dergo’s 366 rushing yards will always have a more prominent place in the program’s lore. In the 2005 final, John Dergo carried 34 times for 206 yards and one touchdown. His 3-yard run on fourth-and-two with two minutes left prevented Normal Community from getting another possession. “I don’t care how you play football,” George Dergo said. “This is how we play it.” The younger Dergo, a two-time state wrestling champion, scored a still-standing state record 376 points in 2005 and rushed for 3,010 yards. His 52 touchdowns that season and 110 in his career rank third and sixth, respectively, in state history. Morris appeared in three more title games after 2005, giving them 11 all-time state championship game appearances. Only five schools have more.

#17

NAZARETH ACADEMY | LaGRANGE PARK
Program Record Since 1974: 270-182
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 22
IHSA Playoff Record: 44-17
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 7/5
2014-6A: Nazareth 26, Lemont 7                                      14-0
2015-5A: Nazareth 42, Lincoln-Way West 21                 12-2
2017-6A: Prairie Ridge 28, Nazareth 21                           12-2
2018-7A: Nazareth 31, St. Charles North 10                   13-1
2019-7A: Chi. Mount Carmel 37, Nazareth 13                13-1
2022-5A: Nazareth 45, Peoria 44                                       10-4
2023-5A: Nazareth 38, Joliet Catholic 20                          9-5      
State Final Coaches: Tim Racki (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023)

Nazareth: An argument could be made that Nazareth’s inclusion this high on the all-time top-50 list is due to recency bias. It is just that the recent vintage of Nazareth football has been played at such a high level. The Roadrunners didn’t make the playoffs until 1989 and didn’t win their first playoff game until 2007. That 8-4 season came in Tim Racki’s third year as coach. As it turned out, Racki was building a foundation of excellence. The ultimate breakthrough came as the 2014 team went 14-0 and won the Class 6A title. Racki, who won four titles with Addison Driscoll (2001-04) before it closed in 2009, became the first coach in state history to win crowns at different schools. After topping Lemont in the final, 26-7, Racki told the media, “It’s a blessing. Some coaches don’t do it once in their career. The first time you go through anything like that is special. It’s the first time for Nazareth. You see the school and its spirit. It’s gratifying.” Nolan Dean starred in the 2014 final, rushing a 6A record 39 times for 199 yards and two touchdowns. Also scoring was Julian Love, currently in his fifth year in the NFL. Nazareth won again in 2015, topping New Lenox Lincoln-Way West in the 5A final, 42-21, to finish 12-2. Ivory Kelly-Martin ran for 170 yards and four touchdowns while Carson Bartels completed 13 of 18 passes for 222 yards and two scores. “We were confident we were going to score points,” Racki said. In 2018, the Roadrunners went 13-1 to secure their third title. In the 7A final, sophomore J.J. McCarthy completed 15 of 24 passes for 201 yards and one touchdown as Nazareth stopped St. Charles North, 31-10. The Roadrunners set a 7A title game record with 443 total yards. “I love these kids,” Racki said. “Like any football team, they went through adversity more than once. They overcame that and stayed focused.” Currently a rookie with the Minnesota Vikings, McCarthy passed for 3,289 yards in 2018. He played for Michigan’s 2023 national championship team along with former Nazareth teammate Tyler Morris. Nazareth won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023, both in Class 5A. Zach Hayes’ interception in the final two minutes clinched a 45-44 thriller over Peoria in the 2022 final to cap a 10-4 season that saw Nazareth open 2-4. “This team was incredibly resilient,” Racki said. “The most resilient team I’ve ever had.” The 2023 Roadrunners were even more resilient, qualifying for the playoffs at 4-5 and finishing 9-5 to become the first IHSA champion with five losses. Logan Malachuk completed 23 of 34 passes for 414 yards and four touchdowns in the 38-20 win over Joliet Catholic in the 2023 final. “It’s really a special journey to be on,” said Racki, who took a 226-80 record into the 2024 season to rank 42nd for wins in state history. His nine state titles as a coach tie Rochester’s Derek Leonard for second in state history behind the 11 won by Chicago Mount Carmel’s Frank Lenti.

#16
NEWMAN CENTRAL CATHOLIC | STERLING
Program Record Since 1974: 409-134
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 34
IHSA Playoff Record: 71-28
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 8/6
1990-1A: Newman 6, Bloomington Central Catholic 3 (OT)            12-2
1993-1A: Calhoun 49, Newman 9                                                        13-1
1994-1A: Newman 27, Lexington 0                                                     14-0
1998-1A: Carthage 30, Newman 26                                                    12-2
2004-2A: Newman 21, Carthage 7                                                      13-1
2010-2A: Newman 48, Maroa-Forsyth 7                                            14-0
2013-2A: Newman 40, Staunton 13                                                    13-1
2019-2A: Newman 35, Nashville 14                                                    13-1
State Final Coaches: Mike Papoccia (1990, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2004, 2010, 2013), Brandon Kreczmer (2019)

Newman Central Catholic: Coach Mike Papoccia made Sterling Newman a postseason fixture, stringing together 25 playoff berths his last 26 seasons. His 38-year career ended in 2018 at 340-99 to rank fourth for wins in state history. Of the Comets’ 34 postseason appearances, they’ve only lost in the first round three times. Only seven schools have more titles than Newman’s six. The Comets’ first crown came in 1990 after taking a 6-3 overtime thriller from Bloomington Central Catholic in Class 1A to cap a 12-2 campaign. Neither team scored in regulation before Jay Krick’s 1-yard run on fourth down trumped Todd Kurz’ 26-yard field goal in overtime. “I figured if we could hold them from scoring a touchdown, we could be in good shape,” Papoccia told the media. A 49-9 loss to Hardin Calhoun in the 1993 1A final motivated the 1994 Comets. Newman dominated the 1A final that year, 27-0, over Lexington to finish 14-0. “It was a driving force to get back and play up to our ability,” Papoccia said. The Comets opened the scoring with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Velasque to Cory Eshleman. David Miller added 133 rushing yards and one touchdown. Six years after losing the 1998 1A final to Carthage, Newman avenged that setback in the 2004 2A final, 21-7. “I don’t want to say that it is revenge,” Papoccia clarified, “because that seems like a mean word. I love (Carthage coach) Jim Unruh and they’re a class act.” Nate Driessens rushed for two touchdowns while the defense stymied a Carthage offense that had averaged 43 points a game. In 2010, Newman was ranked No. 1 all season en route to its second 14-0 campaign. “This is a fantastic feeling to live up to that ranking,” Papoccia said. In the 2010 2A final, the Comets dominated Maroa-Forsyth, 48-7. Scoring three touchdowns each were Tim Wilson and Joe Blessman, who rushed for 179 and 114 yards, respectively. Papoccia’s fifth title came in 2013 when a 13-1 campaign ended with a 40-13 romp over Staunton. He admitted winning never gets old. “I do (get old), but this feels pretty good,” he said. “I feel pretty young right now.” The Comets scored on their first five possessions. Scoring two touchdowns each were Jack Snow and Dillan Heffelf, who ran for 172 and 155 yards, respectively. Newman finished with a 2A title game record 426 yards on the ground. Papoccia’s last team went 10-2 in 2018 and bowed out in the quarterfinals. His successor, Brandon Kreczmer, kept the “Blue Machine” rolling as it won the 2019 2A final over Nashville, 35-14, to cap a 13-1 season. Five turnovers hampered Nashville while Newman’s Connor McBridge scored three touchdowns, two receiving and one rushing. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of these players,” Kreczmer said, “especially the way they’ve wanted to carry on the tradition of Newman football and what we’ve been able to achieve at the state level these last 10 years.”

#15
STILLMAN VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL | STILLMAN VALLEY
Program Record Since 1974: 360-156
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 30
IHSA Playoff Record: 54-25
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 6/5
1999-2A: Stillman Valley 28, Macon Meridian 0                       12-2
2000-2A: Stillman Valley 35, Tolono Unity 14                            14-0
2003-3A: Stillman Valley 21, Wilmington 7                                13-1
2009-3A: Stillman Valley 52, Tolono Unity 22                            14-0
2010-3A: Carthage Illini West 22, Stillman Valley 20                13-1
2013-3A: Stillman Valley 43, St. Joseph-Ogden 41 (OT)           12-2
State Final Coaches: Mike Lalor (1999, 2000, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2013)

Stillman Valley: Stillman Valley’s consistency in the 1990s and 2000s was something to behold. The Cardinals began an especially successful run in 1997, going 11-2 under Joe Blume. Mike Lalor took over in 1998 and raised the program to another level, reaching the Class 3A semifinals with an 11-2 squad. The best, however, was yet to come as the Cardinals won back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000. In the 1999 2A final, Stillman Valley dominated Macon Meridian, 28-0, to finish 12-2. The Cardinals ran the ball 43 straight times before attempting the first of their two passes. Stillman Valley finished with 260 yards on 63 carries with Brandt Bennett contributing 79 yards and one touchdown while A.J. Briarton added 72 yards. Tom Remsen ran for 66 yards and two scores. Among those blocking was 6-foot-4, 300-pound Pat Babcock, who went on the play at Illinois. “What these kids have done for our town and community over the last three years has been outstanding,” Lalor told the media. “How many coaches coach a lifetime just to get this chance?” Lalor’s second chance came 12 months later when Stillman Valley won the 2000 2A final over Tolono Unity, 35-14, to cap a 14-0 season. Brian Busser led the Cardinals with 184 rushing yards and three touchdowns. That result kept alive a 24-game winning streak that ended against Byron in the 2001 season opener. In 2003, Stillman Valley won another title, topping Wilmington in the 3A final, 21-7, to end a 13-1 campaign. “I was pinching myself afterwards,” Lalor said. “(Wilmington) was a tremendous team.” The Cardinals lost the total yardage battle, 219-158, but it didn’t matter as Keith Saunders ran for 48 yards and two touchdowns while Kyle Wills added 35 yards and one score. The contest was played in 28-degree temperatures and driving snow. Lalor mentored another 14-0 squad in 2009, besting Tolono Unity, 52-22, with a then-record 3A title game point total. Adam Cox rushed for 119 yards and three touchdowns. Tolono pulled within 24-14 in the second half, but Stillman Valley answered with a 21-play scoring drive that included three fourth-down conversions. “That was a key point in the game,” Lalor said. “They scored quickly and that drive gave us the momentum back.” The Cardinals’ fifth title arrived in 2013 when they won a 43-41 3A thriller against St. Joseph-Ogden in overtime to end a 12-2 season. Stillman Valley’s Zac Hare opened the scoring in overtime with a 2-yard touchdown run before adding the two-point conversion. St. Joseph-Ogden’s Connor Janes countered with a 5-yard score, but Trevor Gerig and Eddie Torrance sacked Dalton Walsh to nix the ensuing conversion pass, giving the Cardinals the win. Hare finished with 174 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Stillman Valley had lost its last two regular-season games in 2013 but regrouped in the playoffs. “What stood out the most … is the kids never quit,” said Lalor, after finishing a 16-year stretch from 1998 to 2013 with five titles, one runner-up finish, and three other semifinal trips. Lalor took a 26-year record of 214-78 into the 2024 season.